On This Day – Pete Souza: “When a White House staff member leaves their job, the President usually invites the staff member and his family to the Oval Office for a family photo to thank them for their service. Here the President walks with William Jones, son of departing aide Luke Jones, before a family photo.” Sept. 29, 2011
• • •
Today (all times Eastern)
10:45: The President meets with HUD Secretary Castro, Roosevelt Room
12:0: White House Press Briefing
3:30: The President attends a DNC fundraiser, Washington
7:0: Hosts Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India for a private dinner, VP Biden also attends
• • •
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrive on stage for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Phoenix Awards dinner, September 27, 2014
• • •
The Week Ahead
Tuesday: The President will host Prime Minister Modi at the White House.
Wednesday: The President will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. In the afternoon, the President will welcome – sorry Tally – Sporting Kansas City to the White House to honor their 2013 MLS Championship. In the evening, the President will travel to Chicago where he will spend the night. Further details to come.
Thursday: After a couple of events in Chicago, the President will return to the White House. That evening, the President will deliver remarks at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s annual awards gala in Washington.
Friday: The President will attend meetings at the White House.
• • •
60 Minutes – President Obama, part one
60 Minutes – President Obama, part two
60 Minutes Overtime – President Obama: “That’s how we roll.”
Overtime Original: How Syria became “ground zero for jihadists”
Transcript here
• • •
Your Morning Adorables:
Spent yesterday with the loves of my life. #GrandbabiesRTheBest pic.twitter.com/VhZ9u9CZxq
— Donna NoShock (@NoShock) September 29, 2014
• • •
MoooOOOooorning!
The Obama Diary 
Hello Maddam President Ms. Chips. 😀 😀 😀
😆 Moooooorning RanMan! What world problem can I solve for you today?
Please send the RepubTeabaggers in exile to Siberia. Thank you very much.
Excellent idea!
I second that! All for, say “aye!”
Good Morning & Congrats RanMan!
Good Morning RanMan. Congrats on first! 🙂
Have a fantastic day!
Hey RanMan ran in first – congratulations! Cannot get enough of Donna’s gorgeous grandbabies!
Good West Coast morning again Chipsticks & TOD family.
Congrats Ranman on First!
Gooooooood morning GGoooooooooal!!
Gooooaaaalllll morning to you 😀
vicarious pleasure ?
Excuse me you, victorious pleasure 😎
{Hiding in a quiet corner as I told work I couldn’t make it in today.}
Good day, folks! Monday, it is!
{Do you think any spies from work would recognize my handwriting above?}
GM lazy bones…I think I need to make an international phone call…where did I put that number…hmmm 🙂
😀 😀 No worries, I have an explanation handy – my eyelashes are hurting. (I do have sick days, you know, plus they wouldn’t dare ask me for specifics – hooray for unions!) 😉
Good Morning VC! You have a nice day as well. 🙂
Thank you and ‘Good Morning’, SW! Sending some warm ‘good day’ wishes your way!
😆 Is that a walking hotdog, VC?
I thought it was just me. I couldn’t figure out what it was.
I’m still mystified 57, but I think it’s a walking hotdog with mustard oozing out of it 😕
That would have been my guess.
We are one. 🙂 But why would VC post a walking hotdog oozing mustard?
We are breathlessly awaiting an explanation.
Oh well…
Wasn’t this announced at the beginning of the year? That we would phase out combat troops?
Yep ! And the remaining troops will work as trainers and advisors, and the plan is for them to leave in 2017.
So what’s with the freak out?
Don’t you just ❤ ❤ how the little kiddies walk so confidently with PBO in the People's House? Thank you kindly, Ms Chips. Also, too a gazillion THANKS (you angel, you) for the PBO interview segments, which I will now withdraw to watch without disruption!!!
Gooooooooooooood morning VeeeeeeeeCeeeeeeeee!!
Hel-llloooooooo, my dear, CC! Always great to see you so bouncy and cheerful (meaning we have a break period before you start looking for trouble).
Yes, I think we should dub Donna’s grand babies “The Adorables.”
POTUS was terrific last night on 60 Minutes. Haven’t watched that show in a very long time but took a chance. He slapped back Kroft like he was swatting that fly. BRAVO, Mr. President.
60 Minutes was once a great show. But Lara Logan & a bunch of other transgressions make it a NO, THANK YOU now.
I hope Dems running for office paid heed to the “Campaign 2014” part of this interview.
Any thinking voter who is not now in dire straits KNOWS the US economy is so much better off than this time in 2008 (global economies in freefall — who knew what was next?) or early 2009 (when long-established businesses were closing left and right). But they may be puzzled as to why they’re still dissatisfied with today’s economy…
[Good morning! This story is great! I think the kid has stellar negotiating skills! 🙂 ]
.
While at the top of world finance, Mohamed El-Erian juggled $2 trillion of investments and wrestled with the knottiest economic problems. But it has now emerged his greatest dilemma arose from asking his daughter to brush her teeth.
When the Oxbridge-educated economist stepped down last year as the chief executive of the PIMCO investment fund, one of the largest on the planet, rumour was rife that he had fallen out with its founder Bill Gross. But El-Erian on Wednesday revealed one main reason for leaving his post was a conversation with his then 10-year-old daughter about brushing her teeth which led to her writing him a note listing the 22 important events in her life he had missed due to work.
The document presented to the financier included missing the child’s first day at school, her first football match and a Halloween parade. […..]
.
Whole story here: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/CEO-quits-after-daughter-lists-missed-events/articleshow/43481973.cms
Good morning!
But he’s so aloof and not transparent and a bad communicator.
Very very interesting, meta. Don’t recall ever seeing a tweet about this from resident Count Von Knoller….
same story as his vacations. american media are real scum.
And look at the line in the piece:
The discrepancy is due to the fact that Mr. Obama prefers long interviews to the short question and answer sessions or news conferences that some of his predecessors did more of. “He was a professor and a lawyer,” Ms. Kumar said, noting the president’s tendency towards long-winded responses. “He likes to drill down into subjects and interviews are more suited to that.”
***
So, Kumar explains why PBO prefers longer interviews, ie prefers depth to sound-bites, the NYT characterizes that as “long-winded”.
Give me strength.
attention span of gnats and memory of fish – murka.
And the treacherous MSM ignore the soundbites that PBO so graciously offers them.
Steve Kroft last night — will 2014 be a “shellacking?”
EJ Dionne recently — “vote don’t boo…”
etc.
Not saying the Kroft and Dionne are treacherous, but the others such as Scott Pelley, Kumar, etc. who actively seek to twist PBO’s words are.
Despite this, they still make soundbites of it, eh? Fools. And foolish to listen to them try to interpret intelligent commentary!! Gtg, car was in the shop two weeks ago, back in today… Not good. But hey, only 73 emails in my spam folder!! And it’s just early! Love youse… ❤
“Despite this, they still make soundbites of it”
Ha, EXACTLY Might P!!!
Actually, I think this is one reason MSMers who were prolific tweeters a few years ago are now relatively silent.
They really are running out of things to whine about (although the tabloid-like print media such as @Nytimes and @CBSpolitics still know how to latch on a single out-of-context soundbite and plaster over their online headlines).
As I said in January, MSM/Koch’s biggest fear is #LandslideDems2014.
Remember, the same Media were at one time complaining that POTUS was everywhere. Later, they complained that he was not giving interviews and was avoiding hard questioners. They got angry that POTUS was giving local Reporters and Anchors interview opportunities. Then they said he was going on Jay Leno, Letterman, The Daily Show, the Loud noise on In-between Two Ferns? Then it was that POTUS was not giving the WHPC enough Presser.
It was that time that someone tabulated that POTUS has held over 700 interviews since he was sworn in. Then the Media went back on Photo Access. With these people, it is always something.
Now, the charge is that The Obama Admin is worse than Nixon or Civil Liberty and those charges are spoken without any data to back it up……and it is spoken regularly now. Fools Like Clarence Page are their delivery parrots.
Being the 1st President, who is African American……the Scale that is being used to Judge, Report on/about, or even accurately state President Obama’s comments, policies, etc are off the charts. The 44th is Never Judged, Measured, or Treated as the last 43rd POTUS’ who held the job.
Good morning folks! So happy to get my rise and shine in the morning again!
G’morning Chips, TOD, lurkers, everyone and congrats RanMan on #1 🙂 Happy Monday everyone, and thanks Chips for this wonderful R & S, and thanks for posting the 60-Minutes segments with PBO! 🙂
Gooooooood Morning Hopefruit!!! Thank you!
Okay – so I see that the Clintons intend to grab the spotlight and suck up energy and attention away from the midterms with their grandchild…the latest is with Politico & some astrology B.S. If you think the Clintons are not endorsing this and happily enjoying every bit of this media attention – think again.
I’ve seen & heard more about that grandchild than I’ve seen/heard anything to do with HRC campaigning in the upcoming midterms….
I’m still blushing for GOPolitico, Hopefruit:
Wanna bet some Clinton PR person is behind this?
I wouldn’t be surprised Hopefruit. But if this is their strategy, to use the baby any way they can, methinks they should think again. One of the biggest things against Hillary for 2016 is her age – so maybe reminding everyone at every turn that she’s a grandmother ….. wise???
True dat. But I don’t think they’ve really thought of these various ramifications. Any attention that HRC is “good” for her as far as they’re concerned.
And I believe they’re thinking along the lines that PBO got elected twice because of Sasha & Malia. At least that’s what Jodi Kantor told them.
“At least that’s what Jodi Kantor told them.”
🙂 Hmmmmmmm………..
I have to say I was a little surprised at how fast they got the photos out there. I know they’re extremely proud but it’s not like posting so your family can see. It’s seems more like PR.
We should count our blessings that Chelsea delivered when PBO wasn’t addressing the American public.
Charlotte had the good sense to be born on a “newsdump” Friday, not when PBO was at the UN speaking and engaged in pivotal meetings with world leaders.
I’ll bet that Charlotte grows up to be an Obot, LOL. 😉
Irritates me, but at least it’s positive stuff about well known democrats. And if republicans make the mistake of attacking the baby (some have already done that) or mocking the grand-parents love, it simply reminds low info voters, once again, that republicans are petty and divisive.
As for Hillary and Bill not campaigning that much for the moment, playing the devil’s advocate… I’m not sure Hillary should be “that” active. Because we just KNOW the media would be all over it, 24/7. The media only likes the political game so they would make it all about Hillary, and “oh she IS running”, etc. They would pursue her, watch for every sentence, watch for every hint of her distancing herself from President Obama so they can make a news cycle about how democrats don’t trust Obama, and on and on…
However, the same doesn’t apply to Bill Clinton. He can campaign as a former president, not the husband of a potential candidate. He could be very useful, especially in states where racism and racial anxiety have made independents less inclined to vote democrat when there is a black man in the Oval Office.
“That’s how we roll.” – Hahahahahahahahahahahaha. Hearing President Obama say that again, cracked me up; but he’s right. When countries need help, they pretty much pick up the phone and call the USA. Even countries that regard us in a negative light, run faster than one can say Jack to the phone and begin frantically dialing the USA.
So true, and so evident with recent events.
I was HOWLING when he said that! 😀
Wow!
That was a very direct hit and a moving letter.
Good Morning BFF and TOD.
Mooooooooorning JER!!!!
Rachel is going to freak out when she learns that we are keeping about 3k troops in Afghanistan.
And so will Chris Hayes and Larry O… Not the giants TE the one on msnbc.
And so, he’s attacked no matter what from both sides of the spectrum.
This is not fair reporting, this is an assault on this President.
I expect the right to attack, but the left is just as bad. All this while we are gearing up for the midterms?
It doesn’t take much to have Rachel and Chris freaking out, so I wouldn’t worry about them. As for the Greenwald fanboy …… who cares? 🙂
Lol
I don’t expect *either* side to attack, ESPECIALLY when it comes to our national security and foreign relations.
The meaning of “patriotic” has apparently changed.
So as to not seem naïve, let me rephrase….*Neither* side should attack….
Of course, I have come to expect them to do exactly what they are doing.
Funny, they’ve only been talking about this since late last year. Their governing body (Dumas) passed last year, but Karzai was balking. He then finally SId he’d wait for the newly elected pres to sign it. At all the state press briefings the jackets drove me crazy. So for me I’m happy to see it’s happening. The last question was would whomever won comply and sign.y
Bc HK is having peaceful protests? Let’s have a market correction?
Or….
First Lady Michelle Obama will visit Milwaukee today to speak at a campaign rally for gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke.
Ah, excellent, thanks a million BFF!
❤
Awww, GrandmaDD! I keep going back and looking at your two smiling faces – they are indeed adorable. I can just imagine the lovely convos you three will be having before too much longer!
There’s this…. (I’m so grateful everyday for the intelligent man that sits in the Oval Office)
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2014_09/a_lack_of_intelligence052260.php
As the media second-guesses American and world leadership at their supposed failure to predict the dramatic rise to power of ISIS, it’s worth remembering just how far we’ve come in the last ten years.
It has mostly disappeared down the rabbit hole of history, but President Bush was allegedly unaware of the sectarian split between Sunni and Shia just two months before invading Iraq:
A year after his “Axis of Evil” speech before the U.S. Congress, President Bush met with three Iraqi Americans, one of whom became postwar Iraq’s first representative to the United States. The three described what they thought would be the political situation after the fall of Saddam Hussein. During their conversation with the President, Galbraith claims, it became apparent to them that Bush was unfamiliar with the distinction between Sunnis and Shiites. Galbraith reports that the three of them spent some time explaining to Bush that there are two different sects in Islam-to which the President allegedly responded, “I thought the Iraqis were Muslims!”
Oh My…..
The DNI, James Clapper, and the President, have both acknowledged that the intelligence community was a bit caught off guard. Honesty is rarely rewarded in politics however.
Looks like Huff Puff no longer lets anyone just read comments anymore if they do not have an account.
Honestly, we might not want to read some of them. If I can’t get to the comments, my blood pressure might not suffer.
A great title to a diary at dKos. Says it all: “Texas is not a Red state. It’s a nonvoting state wanting a reason to vote”
It was just 6 years ago this month…….a global crisis was born.
The MSM should be ashamed of itself.
I was in a lather over the weekend after seeing @nytimes’ worthless and demeaning article about @ShondaRhimes and People Magazine’s drunk-tweet last week (via NW’s tweet response).
But forgot about Politico’s attack on (my personal heroine) @GabbyGiffords.
What sane person would NOT be angry to have been maimed for life (nearly killed) as part of the slaughter of a beautiful, curious “Child of 9/11” (whose grandfather was the Philadelphia Phillies Manager — MLB, America’s sport).
DDS (Dem Derangement Syndrome) causes the MSM/Kochs to not even think about what they publish.
So it’s not just Black people getting the “Angry” label now.
Ferguson Demands High Fees To Turn Over City Files
Sep. 29, 2014 10:10 AM EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) — Bureaucrats in Ferguson, Missouri, responding to requests under the state’s Sunshine Act to turn over government files about the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, are charging nearly 10 times the cost of some of their own employees’ salaries before they will agree to release any records.
The move discourages journalists and civil rights groups from investigating the shooting and its aftermath.
The city has demanded high fees to produce copies of records that, under Missouri law, it could give away free if it determined the material was in the public’s interest to see. Instead, in some cases, the city has demanded high fees with little explanation or cost breakdown. It billed The Associated Press $135 an hour — for nearly a day’s work — merely to retrieve a handful of email accounts since the shooting.
That fee compares with an entry-level, hourly salary of $13.90 in the city clerk’s office, and it didn’t include costs to review the emails or release them. The AP has not paid for the search.
Price-gouging for government files is one way that local, state and federal agencies have responded to requests for potentially embarrassing information they may not want released. Open records laws are designed to give the public access to government records at little or no cost, and have historically exposed waste, wrongdoing and corruption.
“The first line of defense is to make the requester go away,” said Rick Blum, who coordinates the Sunshine in Government Initiative, a coalition of media groups that advocates for open government. “Charging exorbitant fees to simply cut and paste is a popular tactic.”
Since Brown’s death and ensuing protests, news organizations, nonprofit groups and everyday citizens have submitted records requests to Ferguson officials, asking for police reports, records about Brown and the personnel files of Officer Darren Wilson, who shot Brown Aug. 9.
Organizations like the website Buzzfeed were told they’d have to pay unspecified thousands of dollars for emails and memos about Ferguson’s traffic-citation policies and changes to local elections.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ea801dccbeca4d42a06d4477fdb982a0/ferguson-demands-high-fees-turn-over-city-files
DonnaDem,
those grandbabies are BEAUTIFUL 🙂
THIS! 🙂 Precious little cuties!!
Horrible weekend gun violence stats again in Chgo—-5 killed, at least 40 wounded, many young teens among the victims……
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-south-side-shootings-wound-2-20140928-story.html
In case anyone missed the most amazing concert I have seen in years.
http://www.globalcitizen.org/festival
You know the way President Obama tilts his head to the side and stares straight into the eyes of someone who’s saying something hideously untenable to him? And then how he proceeds to straighten them out? That’s how I imagine him in conversation with the Secret Service the night he learned of the bullet holes to the windows of his family’s home. FIX IT NOW.
❤ it when he does that! 😀
You know what I’m talkin’ ’bout!!
Chat on!
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/09/29/chat-away-440/
The Twin Babies are beyond Cute, Donna. Wow. They have grown.
Excellent R&S. Thanks.