Photo of the Week? First Lady Michelle Obama, Sasha and Malia visit the Great Wall of China, March 23 (Photo by Amanda Lucidon)
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And another photo of the week:
Pope Francis and President Obama smile as they exchange gifts at the Vatican, March 27
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Sunday
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The First Lady in China
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Rise and Shine
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Life Can Get Crazy ➞ Get Covered
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ObamaCare Means: Affordable And Comprehensive Coverage
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A Tweet or Two #GetCovered
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Chat Away
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Travels with the First Lady and First Daughters
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Monday
President Obama stands in front of Rembrandt’s The Night Watch during a flying visit to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam
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Early Bird Chat
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Rise and Shine: The Netherlands and China
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Take the #100Challenge
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The President’s Day
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Happy Birthday, Aretha
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Chat Away
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Chat On
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Tuesday
@petesouza: Pres Obama w young girl during an event at the US Embassy in The Netherlands today
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Early Bird Chat
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Rise and Shine
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President Obama’s News Conference
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Wherein I Go On A Little Rant
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ObamaCare: Not Numbers But People
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The President’s Day
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@PeteSouza: Pres Obama talks on phone to Washington Gov Jay Inslee about mudslide in Oso. Alyssa Mastromonaco is in foreground
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Night Owl Chat – MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC! (and a poem)
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Flanders Fields
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Wednesday
President Obama tours the American cemetery at Flanders Field with Belgian King Phillippe and Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, right, in Waregem, Belgium (Pete Souza)
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9:10 AM EDT: President Obama Press Conference
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Rise and Shine: Belgium and China
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President Obama Delivers Remarks At Palais Des Beaux-Arts (BOZAR)
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Chat Away
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The President’s Day
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Thursday: The President in Italy
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Thursday
@dougmillsnyt: President Obama meets with Pope Francis, March 27, at the Vatican
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The President And The Pope
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Rise and Shine
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Chat Away
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The Colosseum
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6 Million People!….Thank You ObamaCare
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The President’s Day
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ObamaCare Means: No Longer Being Treated As Second Class
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Night Owl Chat
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Friday
Leaving Italy …. in style
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Early Bird Chat
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Rise and Shine
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Marine helicopters carry President Barack Obama and his delegation for a meeting with Saudi King Abdullah at Rawdat al-Khraim (Desert Camp) near Riyadh
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Chat Away
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Arriving in Saudi Arabia
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@petesouza: Pres Obama meets w King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at Rawdat Khuraim
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West Wing Week: “The 2014 European Edition”
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Well, Well, Well…..
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A 70s Song For A 70s Soviet Autocrat
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Saturday
Homeward Bound: President Obama waves during his departure on Air Force One at King Khalid International airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saturday
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President Obama uses an AF1 refueling stop to visit wounded U.S. troops in Ramsteim Air Base in Ramstein-Miesenbach.
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An amazing week at TOD, thanks to all the blog tyrants, especially to Nerdy for her completely wonderful posts on the President abroad and Obamacare.
The Obama Diary 
GM!
Mooooooooooorning DF, mooooooooorning everyone!
Excellent review Chips!!
Thanks a million Betsy, thrilled you enjoyed it!
GM df and congrats on First!
Good Arizona morning to you DF and congrats on 1st.
Now I can read…and look at THAT photo again:)
good morning!
I ❤ these A Week In TOD Review.
Oh what a week, indeed.
Unbeatable Chips.
Au for DF.
Morning TOD 😉
Happy Saturday and It is clear sky and Sunny in my neck of the woods.
Thank you Nenaaaaaaa, happy Saturday!
Is anyone watching Melissa H. Perry this morning, they are talking about the President meeting the Pope, I turn it. Didn’t like how they were trying to turn it into Obama verse the Pope.
The US media is pathetic. They can only report on something if it’s framed as conflict, controversy and competition – even when it might be the stark opposite. They cannot make a segment interesting if they simply report what happened accurately. No wonder the American public is so misinformed.
Melissa has been contaminated by the sick media culture. I’m very disappointed.
So am I.
What a week!
Thanks, Chips, NW, Blog Tyrants
Happy Saturday TODers,
Yes, SOS Kerry on his way back to Europe to talk Ukraine. Thanks to our “weak” president. Uhmmmm
GM Village…Congrats DF 😎 Chips, it goes without saying……..incredible roundup of the week..You, UT, and LL went into Beast mode throughout!
Thank yoooooooou LP! I’ll post your gorgeous round-up of the First Lady’s China visit later today.
Right on! I was at Lucas Oil last night watching the NCAA Regional Semi’s, but the highlight of the night (even more than the awesome games) was what was on the TV monitors in the stadium….
The typical audience for these games is 25+ million……. the studio hosts ripped Mcturtle for their campaign video, and the cardinal sin of putting a Duke celebration instead of Kentucky in their add!!! This would be equivalent to Man. U putting out a promotional Chealsea video!!!! I couldn’t stop laughing…..
Only in ‘murka, incompetence will be rewarded.
This was prior to the Louisville vs. Kentucky game……the entire Commonwealth had to be tuned in (not only did they put Duke in the original video, when they switched out to a current Kentucky player Julius Randle, they broke a NCAA violation, and had to take whole video down)…. Grimes campaign must have been popping champagne bottles.
Wow. CBS sports injected Politics nationally?
🙄 😆 🙄
😎
Here is a more heartfelt and all around awesome story about current MSU player Adreian Payne
Thanks LP. It is worth re-posting again. I read it yesterday when you 1st posted.
Truly a great story and a heartfelt deed.
So, a nice week all around?
The highlight? Manchester United 4, Aston Villa 1.
yeah, saw the game. for once, ruiney didn’t ruin it.
You know, his header was like the footballing version of cheesy puffs – delicious.
yup. a good one. as was mata’s.
You’re being nice. You’re frightening me.
can’t a guy enjoy a good game and comment on it?
wimmin/smh
(yeeaah, gunners are a bust).
Good.West Coast morning Chipsticks & TOD family.
Yes it was an Amazing week & you guys did a marvelous job of keeping us informed!
Off topic, we had a 5.3 earthquake last night. Had my bed shaking and rolling.
I was just reading about that. Glad you’re OK!
Thanks meta. This one was pretty strong! I know you understand.
But we must move on. 🙂
5.1 is strong. Yes, we cannot dwell!
😉
UH-mazing week with phenomenal coverage here at TOD. A gazillion grazis to the management.
That is incredible. No way media can spin this negatively!
HuffPost called it China Fever.
wowzer.
G’morning Chips, TOD, lurkers, everyone and congrats df on #1 🙂
This is is a fantastic compilation of the week’s events, Chips. Thanks for your (and NW’s) excellent coverage of our President’s and FLOTUS’ trips abroad.
A pleasure Hopefruit, and endless thanks again to Nerdy for all her hard work.
I hope the Pope accepts PBO’s invitation and makes a visit next year! 🙂
I think he will. His response was loosely translated: Sure, why not?
Yes, I think he genuinely likes and respects this President. Even Jon Karl had to grudgingly concede that the two had “formed a bond.”
LOLz!! Hard to spin those lovely photos!!
I think Jon Karl got blasted (not just by PBO) but by the wider international community as well US citizens in general when he tried unsuccessfully to humiliate PBO by invoking Romney at the press conference. His subsequent reports of the events abroad were a lot more accurate and matter-of-fact.
And I’m sure you have noticed meta, that the journalists abroad do not try to humiliate their leaders on the world stage. They do not recite quotes/criticisms from named individuals of opposition parties. If only the US media took the time to look around them and outside of their narcissistic, indulgent habits, it must occur to them (or maybe not) at some point that this behavior is revolting and juvenile and only serves to make them, and not PBO look small.
I was horrified at his transgression. Their behavior is so plainly self-serving and cynical. Tragic for our democracy.
‘If only the US media took the time to look around them …’
Tut-tut, Hopefruit. WHY would you need to look around you when you already know you are exceptional? Come on, get with the play – which is all it is for U.S journos generally; a giant game.
Heh..A lady can dream, right vc? 🙂 🙂 Even though deep down I know US journos will never soul-search, ever!
The point is that they are so full of themselves (as seen in the WH press room and elsewhere), it’s unlikely they’ll ever feel a need to ‘soul-search’. IMO, it’s a precise reason they haven’t grown an inch mentally since PBO’s inauguration. It’s a safe bet were we to waste time going backwards to see their 1st WH performances we wouldn’t find anything new – except maybe a progressively acerbic approach on their part. /shrugging – if they weren’t hindering progress much like the GOPs, I’d conclude they don’t matter. Unfortunately for some, they do.)
Better conclusion – Unfortunately, for some they do. 😉
The Vatican has a diplomatic corps. They are VERY WELL INFORMED about what’s going on in different countries. You can be sure that Pope Francis is well informed about american politics in particular. So it’s no surprise that he genuinely likes and respects President Obama. And he must be frustrated and very concerned about all the damage the far-right is doing right now.
True, and I think their bond was formed before they met in person because I think they are so alike in their goals to truly serve.
Thanks so much, HF.
Best.Tweet.Evah. 🙂
Yikes and holy moly. I may just have to take to my fainting couch and stay there. I’ve been on naughty mat overload all week.
Awesome.
Great round-up of the week, Chiparoo.
Could he just walk in my front door ONCE and give me that reassuring wink, so life will be totally on track for me and mine? Strictly for “reassurance,” you understand. I’ve got coffee!
All I’m askin’.
🙂 One day Jacqueline, one day!
I’ll faint in an un-glamorous heap, but I hope you are right, sweetie!
Ha, that makes two of us Jacqueline – my faint would be decidedly un-glamorous!!
Serves them right…….Taliban breaks in the wrong door and finds armed U.S. contractors instead of a day care center…..MF’s all got killed.
“….Politically, Putin would find himself on very shaky ground. Already, he mustered only 10 other countries—the likes of Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Nicaragua, Sudan, and Syria—to oppose a U.N. resolution condemning the annexation of Crimea. If he invades Ukraine, a sovereign nation with a United Nations seat, his isolation will widen and deepen politically, diplomatically, and economically.
If he crosses that line, he will also do more than anyone ever has to rouse the European nations out of their post-Cold War stupor. He can count on Britain, Germany, and France to boost their defense budgets, and in a way that confronts Russia. He can also count on the United States to station more troops, fighter jets, maybe even armored weapons in Poland and the Baltics—to hell with concerns about provocation. And he must know the lesson that other nation-states have learned in recent years: that if he prompts a conventional conflict with the United States military, he will lose badly….”
Good morning from a rainy, dark, but warm day here in NE Fla.
I would like to add my thanks to Chips and NW for once again being great tour guides as we traveled with POTUS, FLOTUS and family. I spoke with one of my sisters this morning who had no idea of all that that PBO had accomplished this week. It is beyond tragic that there is such a blackout (in more ways than one) of all that he does to make our lives better and much more safe. There is no free press in the U.S.
Make your sister read TOD at least from time to time !!!
My entire family knows that this is my go to place, and their go to place is me. I have spoiled them.
Thank you very much, CEB.
It’s amazing what tidying one’s room can do. I have finally located the cord that recharges my iPod through my laptop. (Actually my super fine, uber-cool wife located it.) As I result I am able to get my groove on through my ear buds at work. Presently, the device is reminding me that Albert King represents the peak of all that is auditory.
LOL – Our mothers always advised us to clean our rooms for a reason!
Wrong about Women.
Wrong about US Economy.
Wrong about Minorities.
Wrong about Immigration.
Wrong about History/Geography/Biology/Science/Universe/Evolution….Etc
Wrong about Voting.
Wrong about Guns.
Etc, Etc, Etc, Etc.
And we’re off to the races:
Amazingly awesome!
Our VP Biden holds down the fort with the WH weekly address. Team work, people…team work from our favorite administration.
http://m.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/03/29/weekly-address-raise-minimum-wage-it-s-right-thing-do-hardworking-americans?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Joey!
Just beautiful, Meta!
TY, Chief CheesyPuff!
I love this beautiful handshake. This is a REAL SINCERE handshake.
Excellent meta – THIS!! 🙂
Rev Cruz or whatever his name is that appeared on MHP should see this. These people spout their views…..yes guaranteed by the Constitution…..but a Picture is worth a Thousand Words. respect from pres Obama as he crossed his left hand and the Pope was very happy to see the POTUS.
How is this a loss for POTUS and All Win or Good for the Pope? Seriously?
Funny that US are making it as if this the 1st time this POTUS has met a Pope. Sheesh……MSM is horribly wicked.
THIS! WAKE UP, AMERICA…the RW is bamboozling you!!
http://www.politicususa.com/2014/03/29/republican-led-southern-states-dragging-america-leeching-tax-dollars.html
You are right desertflower! We been hoodwinked, we been bamboozled. We didn’t land on this mess, this mess landed on us!
A Tweeter needs to Tweet this…..I’m sick to death of RWNJ’S being the cause of what ails America….and the fact that they’re just plain WRONG about everything, just makes me even MORE pissed! They pine for a time long ago that has passed them by…the world moves forward at lightening speed and they are still stuck in Ozzie and Harriet land…..WE ARE NOT GOING BACK THERE! If you’re not going to be part of the solution, then you’re part of the problem so get the hell outta the way!
How the fuck can the Republicans get everything wrong? It’s like taking a test and the only thing you have to do is write your name correctly and you spell it wrong. These motherfuckers are wrong all the time and every time.
We don’t have a Reputable Media and the other media….the Rightie media mega echo chamber is 24/7 delivery false news and is an engineered arm of the GOP to fester nothing but Propaganda. We The People and Dems in particular need to take this on…..24/7.
This so reminds me of a quote my friend is good at repeating about Republicans, just at the right time:
They hate us because they think we think they’re stupid. And we hate them because they’re stupid.
(I really try not to hate anybody, but their stupidity pushes my limits. We will never understand them. Never.)
Finally as the rightie media grows, so did the misinformation and the dumbing down of many US citizens.
And with all the pretty pictures from this week, I was half expecting a jaunt over to Afghanistan for the President to visit the troops. Of course, we would get the pictures when he was safely in the air on the way home, but a girl can dream can’t she?
I’m hoping the next time POTUS see the troops from Afghanistan is when they are HOME. End that war over there and bring our troops home. Beside POTUS have done enough traveling for now, next month I think he goes on a Asia trip.
I’m sounding kind of bossy there by saying he has done enough traveling for now, I don’t mean too.
LOL -he’s like our brother, son, Dad, spouse… 🙂 🙂
Barack Obama: “What I am constantly trying to do is balance a hard head with a big heart”
// I mentioned the other day that, as we begin to see the Obama Doctrine unfold, we can see the roots of President Obama’s time spent as a community organizer come into play. In the picture above, the young Chicago lawyer is teaching a class on “power analysis.” Right under the title, you’ll see that he’s talking about “relationships built on self interest.” Those are critical components of what we are watching unfold on a global scale right now.
The best article I’ve seen that unpacks the President’s thinking in this area is one that was written by Ryan Lizza way back in 2007 titled The Agitator. It is the one where I first saw Michelle Obama’s great quote: “Barack is not a politician first and foremost. He’s a community activist exploring the viability of politics to make change.” I’d suggest that the Obama Doctrine is firmly rooted in what the President learned as a community activist. //
http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2014/03/barack-obama-what-i-am-constantly.html?spref=tw
On aj, kerry changes course. Instead of going home, is flying to paree to meet the russian fm on sunday. He dashed off to middleeast from rome just coupla days back. Hard working tag team.
Go, John Kerry! Do us proud! Love all of them.
And VP Biden pitches in on the home front by doing the weekly address on minimum wage. Oh what a TEAM!!!
I feel like we should give them all a PARTY!
Why I support President Barack Obama’s foreign policy:
He is a gentle giant who knows and sees and feels, and who brings goodwill to other lands when he touches his feet to their soil. He treats all of us as part of his international family.
He comes in peace, and brings nothing less than promise and hope with him, and asks for nothing more than partnership and loyalty from all the other countries and continents and unions.
This gentle giant leads by example, and does not bang shoes on the table to get the attention of other leaders. There are to be no shots planned or fired. No threats of harm or violence or tumult or overthrow or colonialism. He does not expect to be greeted with flowers … he brings bouquets of hope with him, for those waiting at the gate for him. He’ll cross the bridge with you.
Diplomacy is at his core. He is still organizing the global community, still eating at their houses, chucking the chins of their children, still engaging them in challenging conversations. He surrounds himself with like-minded thinkers and doers and diplomats.
He bathes each day in kindness and caring, ready to meet the world. His mother taught him to turn the other cheek; he is a natural at it. It’s not something you see every day.
He speaks in moderate tones, he offers his sincere smile and firm handshake, he comes in peace.
And if he is understood, all of America and our world partners of the 21st Century will be the better for it. That is my personal hope, in the time of Obama ~ that he is understood.
Put.This.On.The.Front.Page.
Sweet. (I forgot to add: He can even make the Pope laugh!)
taking a moment out from the disaster in my drowning basement due to leaking ancient water heater to Applaud and say Bravo!! JB.. So beautifully and truthfully stated.
Thanks – wish the TOD bucket brigade could come over and help ya! (I’ll bring the coffee!)
oh me too 🙂 Luckily I have my 14 yr old heaving buckets at least.. whilst draining the basement, the water heater.. and moi 🙂 I love what you wrote about POTUS.
Thanks … and thank goodness for 14-yr-old helpers!
agreed, my helper does come through when emergencies occur, I’m quite thankful.
Brilliant!
🙂
amen and amen, jo’b. ‘that he is understood’… it’s so simple.
Yes, it’s just that simple, Kathleen! 🙂
Wow! Look at that line.
I’ve got to believe that government has the count above 7 million.
I’m thinking the same thing as you Don. I suspect they deliberately low-balled the count with the 6M figure as the “target.” But they’re aiming for 7M+ 🙂
More than 20 states have NOT reported their signup numbers since March 11.
Those 20+ states numbers, therefore, do Not reflect the last 3 weeks.
When All the states have reported their totals for March the numbers will be stupendous!!
Not to mention the insurance company’s own signups now estimated at 500,000 to many millions., not currently included in count.
I’m guessing an end-of-signup period total enrollment figure that is well over the 7 million mark.
I’m telling you, we are going to see this all weekend! Our numbers will soar.
I think John Kerry is doing a great job, I think he is just as good a Secretary of State as Hillary was.
I think he is much better and would have made a great President.
I agree, totally!
I dare say that he’s been a better SOS than HRC!! 🙂 🙂
way better.
Since the Summer of 2008…..then sen Obama has been building a Community of the World.
In 2009/2010 there were doubters. This POTUS was accused of micromanaging HRC by her insiders. Yet she was traveling so much. Now Kerry is doing the same and the ONLY one still at the head is pres Obama.
Diplomacy takes time and effort. Kerry is doing a fantastic job. I wish him well.
Without pres Obama changing the Road for Peace…….back to….. walk softly, but carry a big stick approach…….Nothing would be as we have seen them lately.
Actually, it started in Aug 2007 at the speech in DC about FP where then sen Obama outlined how he would deal with Iran.
GM TOD. Not to take away from HRC but SOS Kerry is free to get things done without worrying about running for president. SOS Kerry was made for this job. I really like him in this position. He is tireless.
I love these weekly summaries, but they throw my compute into a tailspin. Everything comes to a halt, saying site not responding—-or, at best, a 20 minute delay after every click. Am I the only sad person?
So now I see on Twitter that MHP is acting the fool by criticizing PBO on his foreign policy – something she knows nothing about, really. UGH… As Donna Dem 4 said the other day, MSNBC represents wasted potential. Constant PBO-bashing, mediocre ratings, and frustrated viewers…as long as Joe Scarborough, Chuck Todd and David Gregory get to decide (with a wink & nod from Libertarian Phil Griffin) what gets reported and how its get reported… 😦 😦
I keep telling toddy’s – don’t trust any pundtwit, including joy reid. They all will ultimately dance to the money.
Sad, but true. I had very mixed feelings when Joy got signed up with her own show on MSNBC. 😦 😦
Melissa H. Perry need to shut her freaking mouth.
Hey bt.
Icing on the cake today for ya & me. Blues lose to lowly palace for the first time in nearly quarter century. Ironically own goal from their own kapitan.
Chelsea – LOSERS!!!
Nerdy and LL?
Oi, your bunch are about to play Man City, so I’d hush if I was you.
But yes, Crystal Palace?
I will just root for the winner. Ha.
Huh.
I am pragmatic. Just like the dood in this blogmast.
But he’s a loyal Man United fan, another reason to love him.
You LIE.
shamelessshameful.GunnersLiverpoolMan CityWho next, you bandwagonner?😆 That is awesome.
Ukroboronprom blocks arms supplies to Russia
“The State concern Ukroboronprom ceased delivery of weapons and military equipment to the Russian Federation, wrote CEO of the concern, Yuriy Tereshchenko, in an article for ZN.UA. ”The question of militarytechnical cooperation with Russia must be answered. For obvious reasons,we are already not supplying Russia with weapons and military equipment. Our relationship will remain frozen until the conflict de-escalates. Yes, we will bear economic losses but is it wise to arm the army of the enemy?” writes Tereshchenko.”
http://euromaidanpr.wordpress.com/2014/03/29/ukroboronprom-blocks-arms-supplies-to-russia/
Yanukovych and Azarov expelled from the Party of Regions
http://euromaidanpr.wordpress.com/2014/03/29/yanukovych-and-azarov-expelled-from-the-party-of-regions/
This is very significant:
#TrustBarack
Ok, off to watch the most important event in the world – gunners vs city game.
gunnite.
Nite Mister, hope they both lose.
Nerdy’s new post:
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/03/29/laugh-the-week-away/
And lets hope that in November, Mr. “Staunch Republican” while benefiting from the ACA, is NOT going to go to the polls and eagerly vote for the same abusive, regressive policies of the GOP that his FOX News pundits tell him to.