President Obama applauds, from left, Staff Sgt. Melvin Morris, Sgt. 1st Class Jose Rodela, and Spc. Santiago J. Erevia after he awarded them with the Medal of Honor during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, March 18
****
24 heroes, 21 deceased, denied recognition by their nation because of racism. Today, Pres. Obama righted the wrong. pic.twitter.com/oZVmH22zHk
— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) March 18, 2014
****
More on the recipients here
****
President Obama stands with U.S. Army Staff Sgt. (Ret.) Melvin Morris as his family looks on in the Oval office before a ceremony presenting him with the Medal of Honor
****
President Obama greets U.S. Army Specialist Four (Ret.) Santiago J. Erevia in the Oval office
****
****
****
****
Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Army Staff Sgt Melvin Morris listens as President Obama details his heroism at WH today pic.twitter.com/4upZrA40Lt
— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) March 18, 2014
****
****
President Obama hugs Laurie Wegner who accepted the Medal of Honor on behalf of her uncle, Private First Class Leonard M. Kravitz
****
President Obama presents Nancy Weinstein with a Medal of Honor for her late husband Army Sergeant Jack Weinstein
****
President Obama comforts Lenora Alvarado as he awards a Medal of Honor to her late father Army Specialist Four Leonard Alvarado
****
President Obama presents Dominga Perez with a Medal of Honor for her late father Army Private Pedro Cano
****
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. (Ret.) Melvin Morris is saluted by U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Christopher Schneider, from U.S. Army Old Guard, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, after a ceremony presenting Morris with the Medal of Honor in the White House
The Obama Diary 
A wonderful moving ceremony today.
It was a joy, Allison.
Chips, thank you for the great posts today. Appreciate it!
A pleasure Allison, thank you!
YOU HAVE DONE A BEAUTIFUL JOB ON THIS CHIPS…THIS LACK OF RECOGNITION SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IN THIS COUNTRY….HOWEVER…THE PRESIDENT WHO REALLY CARES MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THESE HEROIC RECIPIENTS!
Thank you Sue!!!
YES, Indeed you have….touched me so very much!
Indeed it has been a long time coming….
how many years ago were these men denied their rightful honorable place…as i listen to the stories that showed why they deserved this honor most high…i recall the wretched racist comments of Paul Ryan…from just a few days ago….i wonder…will we ever be free from the vestiges of racism and discrimination…
Forward>>>>>>>>
I wonder – had the men who survived received such a high honor at the proper time – how these heroes’ lives would have been changed, being able to go forward after combat as Medal of Honor recipients. It’s a thought I can’t get out of my head. Maybe it wouldn’t have changed them, but that should have been their choice to make.
It’s hard but: Forward! Today was a very special day, and at least they and their families have that great event to remember.
A wonderful day as so many wrongs were finally being put to right.
Note Danny Glover’s reply/endorsement to this tweet, too.
There you go again!
Thanks for the pictoral recap, Chips Chica! Excellent! You may not take a mean picture yourself, but you sure are expert at choosing them – you and Ms Wonka both.
😆 Thank yoooooooooooou VC!!!!
Thank you Chips for this glorious memory of this ceremony.HZ
Ah, thank *you* HZ, hugs!
{{{{{{{{{{{{ You are so welcome and appreciated by me, Chips}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}HZ
Thanks for this, Chips! I think MOH and Medal of Freedom are my favorite/moving ceremonies that President’s bestow…….
GA & KY are Senate seats that D’s have a solid pickup opportunity…… Nunn & Grimes need our support especially with the RWNJ support of GOP
Archaic, just plain evil RWNJ viewpoints make me want to heave. Slaves were well cared for, women are chattel, rape isn’t rape, and guns should be everywhere and come in small sizes for RWNJ children.
How about husbands have obligation to understand when wives are not in the mood. Omg, what respect these Republicans have for women. None.
This sort of discussion has no place whatsoever in politics. And coming from Republicans, just truly gross.
Women, sex and pregnancy ARE GOP politics – unless you include repealing health care and Benghazi!
Ain’t THAT the truth!
Sorry meta – I meant to add – I agree 100% with your comment
Just keep right on talkin’, a-hole, women DO listen you know!
Wow, these photos are so beautiful. They make me teary. Thank you for all these great posts!
There’s another Google+ Hangout this Thursday “We the Geeks – Women Role Models”
I sat choked up throughout this entire ceremony. It was so moving to see these men honored and to have them and their families be a full part of this day in history. And to watch PBO exude such incredible grace and appreciation really bolsters my love for him. Amazing, no matter how you slice it.
Thanks so much for the wrap-up, Chips.
Meta, you took the words right from my heart. Simply beautiful!
Read the title of the post again and was suddenly reminded of this
Wow!
Still thinking of our Tally!!! ♥ ♥ ♥
The next couple of weeks will be brutal for all the good people who work these lines!!
Indeed, meta! Let’s put Lit all around them for their good and generous hearts!! It will be due to their efforts that we all move Forward!
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=PBO
done!
Awesome – this is very encourage. Obama’s Katrina you say? Paging Ezra Klein….oops I guess he’s still waiting for the hold music.
I know we went through a very difficult period but I never thought we wouldn’t get to the light at the end of the tunnel. This is HISTORIC. And all thanks due to PBO and his team.
😆 Morning/afternoon/evening Mister!
still hungover?
#zerotimezonesense / smh
I haven’t had a dlop. Drop. Just never know what part of the planet you’re on/in. Or even if you’re on this planet. Are you?
Here is something for Danny, if he stays on good behaviour…..
I should take my grandbabe along – she loves strawberries – but if you add whipped cream – the strawberries are left on the plate! 🙂
tnx elp had reel bad chusday trapd in net nead whipd creem 2 b hapee agen
😎
What a handsome young man! Go ‘head Danny! 🙂
tnx hopfrut i no
hahahaha.. 🙂 🙂 🙂
{{{{{O’DannyO}}}}}
{{{{{mityP}}}}}
“WASHINGTON — The first lady, Michelle Obama, is soon to lose her executive pastry chef, Bill Yosses. And she is partly to blame. She has piqued his interest in the relationship between food and health, he said in a recent telephone interview, so the man who made the Hawaiian chocolate-malted ganache for the White House state dinner for the president of France is now headed to New York with an aim to teach children and adults about eating better. In the meantime, he has given up his usual breakfast doughnuts for a smoothie made with apple, kale, spinach and ginger — from time to time.
“…..Mr. Yosses has also been inspired by the White House garden, where he has chosen from a cornucopia of strawberries, blueberries, rhubarb, figs, papaya, carrots, sweet potatoes and herbs like lemon thyme flowers, lavender and pineapple sage. Nearby is honey from the White House beehives. The result — oatmeal bars, baked apples and pear-quince cobblers, among many others — will have a lasting impact on his eating habits, as will Mrs. Obama. “She has done it with humor and good will, without preaching, just the way you would hope the ‘Mom in chief’ would do,” Mr. Yosses said. He called her “definitely an inspiring boss, a combination of spontaneity and seriousness…….”
Thanks Chips for this wonderful coverage of a remarkable event. 🙂 This pics are all very touching!
Ah Hopefruit, a pleasure, I could have posted a million photos, so many beautiful ones, a really amazing day. Thank you HF.
Chips, this photo review is just beautiful. It shows how our president made each person and his family feel special. No one was rushed through. Everyone was given the time, respect and admiration they deserved. I absolutely love the way President Obama is totally in the moment with every person he meets. You never get the feeling that he’s impatient or wanting to get away. This ability to be fully ‘there’ for someone is a gift, pure and simple and I have met very few people in this world who have it.
So very true Jackie. Our President is exactly what and who we need at this time.
What a lovely summing up of this man, Jackie, it’s exactly what I note about him on tender, emotional occasions like this, his warmth and empathy. Thanks Jackie.
A ‘new’ healthcare video – don’t forget to SHARE.
Three men – Don, Pete and Eric – were killed in a car crash and made their way up to heaven. St. Peter was waiting for them and described the facilities that heaven had to offer. He announced: “For the purposes of travelling around heaven, each of you will be given a means of transportation appropriate to your past deeds.”
First, St. Peter turned to Don and said: “Don, you cheated on your wife on five different occasions. You will drive around heaven in a battered old Dodge.”
Next, St. Peter turned to Pete and said: “Peter you cheated on your wife twice. You will be given a Toyota station-wagon.”
Finally, St. Peter turned to Eric and said: “Eric, you have led a blameless life. You never cheated on your wife and you always treated her with kindness and consideration. As a reward for your loyalty, I grant you a top-of-the-range Ferrari.”
Eric was thrilled and drove around heaven in a shiny red Ferrari. Don and Pete were envious until, two months later, they spotted Eric crying at the wheel of his car.
“What’s the problem?” they asked. “You’ve got everything you could possibly want – the best car in heaven.”
“I know,” sobbed Eric, “but I just saw my wife go by on a skateboard.”
Although he had hardly ever driven in his life, a man always dreamed of owning a sports car, so when he inherited a large sum of money from a dead relative, he headed straight for the car showroom and bought himself a Porsche. Within half an hour he was on a quiet country road putting his new car through its paces. Faster and faster he went until suddenly, at top speed, there was an almighty bang and smoke began pouring from the engine.
Towed back home, he immediately called the car salesman and told him what had happened. The salesman was at a loss for an explanation but, because the customer was so wealthy, he agreed to swap the Porsche for a Lotus. The next day, the man took out on its first run, but as he hit 100 mph, the same thing happened. The car juddered to a sudden halt and the engine exploded.
Highly dissatisfied, the man phoned the car salesman once again and told him what had happened. Eventually the salesman agreed to exchange the Lotus for a Ferrari, but only on condition that he joined the customer on a test drive to see what the problem was.
Together they set off into the country. Soon the customer was picking up speed and going through the gears from fourth to fifth and up to sixth. As he accelerated still more, the car suddenly shook violently and the engine went bang.
“What did you do?” asked the salesman, shaken.
“Well,” said the driver, “I was going faster and faster, and I ran out of numbered gears. So I put it into R for ‘Race’.”
Yes, the man was a blond. Why do you ask?
I am going to send Pres. Obama a thank you email. I think we should flood the WH inbox with thank you`s
“Barackotology” will be revealed tomorrow 9:00 a.m. EST on SportCenter, but preview will be at 11:00PM EST tonight after the NIT game
Tell ’em Bill!!!
ICYMI, PBO calls QSSI, the Maryland-based operation charged with fixing the ACA website, to thank them:
http://aprildryan.com/2014/03/15/a-presidential-pep-talk-to-the-company-fixing-the-aca-web-site/
phew…
I’m gasping now, how many years later?? I can’t count… Just Wow!
And we’re still gasping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
S’truth, ab!
months ago, a tweet sent bythis Mr. Fay drew my attention;
his twitter bio made me decide to follow him;
if I ever visited Cuba, Illinois I could see chatting with him – he seems to be what Rev. Dr. Lowery calls “good crazy”
People like Jay Solomon are so darn pitiful, anyone with any sense see right through B.S.
So if Putin played President Obama, does that also mean he played the G7, UN, EU, NATO, OSCE, IMF, and Ukraine.
Hmmm….exactly…exactly.
No Ladyhawke, it’s just Obama who they HATE. To these people anyone is better then that Obama, even a creep like Putin.
GOP supporters love bullies – they haven’t yet discovered that in the long game – the only valid option is win/win – the basis of any successful management.
tip to danny
Sorry about this TOD Texans & non-rightwing residents of TX;
but given the way some in TX pester PBO to secede, maybe now is the time since putin needs territory;
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/bill-baroni-george-washington-bridge-031814
It’s Only A Matter Of Time Before One Of Christie’s Men Squeals
The real pressure now is on U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman to lean on Bill Baroni or Charlie McKenna until one of them talks.
Did you read Charles Pierce, LL? Priceless!
yep, hence my tweet!
One of the regular commenters on Pierce’s columns had this to say
“It’s increasingly evident to me that Kristol was put on this earth to make Quayle look like the smart one in their relationship.”
Aaaaah, too good!! 🙂
That should have been embroidered on a pillow, and sent to little Billy’s home address.
Who is the Indiana woman referenced? That went over my head.
President Obama is replacing departed deputy chief of staff … with another insider, …
And would politico be expecting President Obama to appoint an outsider, maybe a GOPer – as his deputy chief of staff.
The RW press is sending me to distraction
pay not attention to the “characterization” Ms. Decker, is as loyal as they come…..she replaced Katie Hogan, and if you think about it……..the one person who the President should be most comfortable with should be his Ex. Assistant. She was running field operations in the Dakota’s 6 yrs. ago, and has earned the respect/admiration of PBO. That’s all that matters, 99.
LP – I have no doubt about anyone that PBO appoints – I trust him 100%
I was attacking Politico in that they must try and create a controversy by calling the appointee “an insider” – sounds like the “mob” – do they EVER call Christie’s appointees “Insiders” – NO they do not.
I don’t pay attention to the actual articles on Politico. The only other mention was an AP tweet w/ no background on Ms. Decker. Most people I assumed had no clue who she was……
I feel that I’ve reached the land at the end of the intertubes – I just caught up on TOD – what an amazing day you all have had.
toodle-hoo.
(just to mess with bt’s timezomenia)
Awwwwwwww!!! Night/morning/afternoon Mister!
Methinks #MH370 went out in search of Romney’s taxes….
Winning hearts and minds, Putin style ….
New post, night owls: http://theobamadiary.com/2014/03/18/night-owl-chat-ladies-and-gentlemen-the-kinks/
The guy hosting The Last Word asked Steve Schmidt if Mitt Romney is running again in 2016? Tell me he was joking right.
I hope the dictator in office now don’t let him run.