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Ever since then Senator Obama decided to run for president in 2007, he has been modelling the behavior he would wish all of us and, particularly all Democrats, to follow. He never panicked or over dramatized anything, but patiently, methodically built an organization that was bigger, better and infinitely more effective than the existing Democratic Party. And he did it with finesse and courtesy, never once publicly criticizing the Democratic establishment or embarrassing any individual, no matter how much he was insulted by them. He showed us how to have immense grace under pressure, how to press forward on difficult days, how to shut out the naysayers, how to respect our skills and empower each other. As president he has showed us optimism combined with pragmatism and realism. He has never stooped to the level of his enemies and has tried to seek a common ground, even as he worked against the most massive obstruction in history. After the midterms, he literally went in front of the cameras and taught us how to act– not to cower or despair, but to lift our heads with pride and a sense of optimism and move forward. He told us by his actions alone to give nothing to our critics, waste no sorrow on our enemies, remain undaunted at our prospects and just keep moving forward bringing light and honesty into the darkest hate. If Democrats in this country–and that includes you, Jon Tester–opened their eyes and realized how much this incredible president is teaching us every day we would not only become better human beings, we would never lose another election.
****
****
****
The Obama Diary 
If not 1st close
You did it, sabreen. Congrats!
Thanks Vicki! And that you NW for the great videos.
Nerdy, I meant Thank YOU!
Thanks, Sabreen. Congratulations on first.
Congrats sabreen 🙂
In a few words, you’ve created an enlightening masterpiece, Jackie, of the kind of American President Obama is and the kind of American we all should strive to be, every day. Thank you.
Thank you NW for the elegant manner in which you framed Jackie’s words into this fine post.
#FORWARD Together
Thanks, Bob.
Thank you for the extraordinarily kind words, Bob.
Kudos to Jackie and Nerdy Wonka for a brilliant post. Definitely keeping this one!
congrats sabreen60
Go Sabreen! 😀
Ha Ha! Yay! Thank you Nerdy for that news and that image 🙂
And thank you to Jackie G for those perfect words and to you NW for putting them together with the clips of our PBO inspiring us with his words and his ‘pressing on’
I am going to go for a walk, smiling and imagining our PBO sipping tea!
Thanks, MadameSoph.
Enjoy your walk!
Thank you so much for that wonderful piece of good news. I was just reading where the NYT published two results before the vote – so much for the media
Ha! PBO and I are sipping tea at the same time! And smiling! And thankful not all elected to the senate are brain-dead imbeciles! Wish there were more like our Patty Murray ~ she rocks those tennis shoes!! 😉
Thanks for all you do to keep u sane….
_/|\_ Very well written, JG, thank you, and thank you to our NW, as always! 🐻 ❤
Thanks, MP.
NERDY! Some of my very favorite videos all in one place!
BE STILL MY HEART. Tears rolling down my face. LOVE. THIS. MAN.
And NO, there will NEVER EVER be another election like this one. NEVER.
Truth.
🙂
I know, meta, I am a basket case over here, but it has started raining, thankfully, and I am just grateful for all of it, and all of you, and TOD, and Chipsticks, and NerdyWonka, and even AMK. (in case you’re lurking, AMK!)
SO grateful.
CONGRATS on the rain.
Waiting on it here in CA!
Great job on this piece, jackieg! Agreed…he’s laid it all out there, the perfect Dem road map to follow…. with intelligence and grace..they should shut up, listen and learn…then follow the ways of the master. Another like him will not pass this way again.
Ditto JackieG, We are very blessed to have such a leader.
Ugh…the media still hoping PBO will ” deal” ( cave ) on the pipeline to other things passed.
After all this time, they still think this President can be manipulated by their stupidity.
They can “hope” in one hand and shit in the other, and see which one gets fuller, faster. Let’s just savor this moment:)
I guess they can, although it would be kinda messy.
🙂
Dannnnngggg desertflower. You are not playing.
hahahahahahahahahaha
And in the case of her Keystone stunt, only doo doo 🙂
{{{{GB}}}} that tweet is awesome!
🙂 🙂
FYI –
McTurtle wasted no time in announcing that the Keystone vote will come up again immediately in the new Congress.
Going to be busy turtles passing legislation for the President to veto – but passing nothing of substance to help those who elected (or did not elect) them
Their “plan” http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/11/18/3593173/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-gops-newest-plan-to-rig-the-2016-presidential-election/
Thanks so much for these beautiful, powerful and truthful words, Jackie.
They were an honor to read and also put together a post to accompany the words.
Wow, thank you, Nerdy. You are phenomenal every day of the week.
Great essay, Jackie!
Bill, I keep trying to comment to you about the Oregon Ducks, but I think I keep missing you. Are you still here?
HI, I am around intermittently. Try again!
O.k. here it is 🙂 Hopefully you will check back here later:
Bill! My friend’s son started at Oregon this year. I haven’t missed a game! LOVE Marcus Mariota! And did you see that amazing 100 yard touchdown in the Utah game! I feel sorry for that kid that celebrated early and lost the ball, but I’m glad Oregon won! 🙂
I didn’t hear about the rankings…. Yay! (ex-cheerleader here 🙂 )
Indovina…! La nostra amica qui a TOD Kasai anche parla l’italiano!
HI, Madame Soph. Yes, I follow the Ducks. I did my undergraduate and graduate work at the U. of O in the 60s and 70s, likewise my wife. In our day the Ducks were lucky to win any game. Yup I did watch a good bit of the Utah game, including that amazing play with the 100 yard touchdown. Huge luck for the Ducks and turned the game around entirely. Ducks are now #2 in the college playoff ranking. If they can win their next three games they will be in the final four playoffs and Mariota in the running for the Heisman. -Grazie per l’informazione. Non sapevo cha Kasai parlava la lingua italians anche lei. Allora siamo tre compagni qui a TOD chi parlano la lingua bella e benedetta d’Italia.
Yay! I was finally successful in my Ducks/Italian comment.
Alla prossima…..Forza Ducks! 🙂
Now they are confirming Ambassador’s by voice vote.
Jackie …..those are beautiful words…..they could even be a forward to a book on PBO …..sans the Tester part.
KXL tweet:
Chipsticks, please check your email, when you get a chance! ❤
Wonderful words JackieG
SMH
Did Landrieu win or is it headed for run-off?
Run-off.
… She’s toast. Oh well.
Jackie, I remember reading this when you posted it and it stuck with me. I copied it down to saved it to remind me of what’s important and what’s TRUE.
This essay of Jackie’s would be very instructive to the Dinos…..if they would heed it. Jonathan Karl on ABC said the estimates for jobs on the pipeline went from 4,000 to 40,0000…..that is an out and out lie. In the next two months, the Democrats and environmentalists need to blanket the country with the truth about the pipeline and its dangers, and how it will NOT help US oil supplies.
Also, hasn’t Canada already gone in a different direction?
Actually….some in the media were pushing the 40,000 number when in fact, even TransCanada says 3900 temporary and about 35 permanent.
Even the construction jobs were not for Americans … they were going to send their workers here to build it.
The Valerie Jarrett I Know: How She Saved the Obama Campaign and Why She’s Indispensable
Her critics plainly do not know her. To work for Jarrett is to discover someone who listens and someone who expects nothing less than the very best.
By Joshua DuBois
With all of the recent conversation about Valerie Jarrett, there’s an aspect of her work that still hasn’t received much attention: her impact on the next generation of Washington leadership. This is a critically important role, and something I’ve seen firsthand.
………………………….
Valerie is still something of an outsider, although she has been in our nation’s capitol for a while now. Washington doesn’t long abide people that it can’t control, and Valerie is just a tad beyond the establishment’s reach. She owes few favors; she doesn’t need to rely on anyone for a media hit, consulting contract, or her next job. Whisper campaigns don’t diminish her status in the eyes of Obama—the two are friends, pure and simple, and the president has long since concluded that, outside sniping aside, Valerie has his best interests in mind. Perhaps most frustrating for the powers that be is that Valerie Jarrett has built her own base of support from the ground up—outside groups whose progressive causes she proudly champions, and young, influential staff whose voices she has empowered.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/11/18/the-valerie-jarrett-i-know-how-she-saved-the-obama-campaign-and-why-she-s-indispensable.html
Such insight so beautifully expressed, Jackie. This is who PBO is and the pattern that he has given us to follow. His actions are even more powerful than his words (that are without equal).
Great post by JackieG, thanks for posting NW.
Here’s a giggle at the expense of that swelled head also known as Nate Silver.
And I posted this on the previous thread, but if you have 5 minutes, check out the @Lawrence video (or read the article in the tweet).
jojo and Susanne responded on the last thread, doubting that the Blue Wall is true for blue states with GOP governors, and whether the Blue Wall would be there if Dems stay home in 2016 if the Dem candidate doesn’t tap into the Obama coalition (looking at you, HRC).
Anything having to do with 2016 is pure speculation of course, and not worth the time or energy. However, I do know that we’ve got the most determined and strategic person to twist the GOP into pretzels between now and then.
From the article:
“The Blue Wall is block of states that no Republican Presidential candidate can realistically hope to win. Tuesday that block finally extended to New Hampshire, meaning that at the outset of any Presidential campaign, a minimally effective Democratic candidate can expect to win 257 electoral votes without even trying. That’s 257 out of the 270 needed to win.
Arguably Virginia now sits behind that wall as well. Democrats won the Senate seat there without campaigning in a year when hardly anyone but Republicans showed up to vote and the GOP enjoyed its largest wave in modern history. Virginia would take that tally to 270. Again, that’s 270 out of 270.”
Jokes aside:
They need a veto proof majority GoB – and if they get that there are a number of democrats who will not retain their seats in congress.
Isn’t a 67 vote needed to be veto-proof? They won’t have 67.
Not sure why the math is off — @pkcapitol says 10 Dems today, @bradplumer says 9.
Another night when parents all over St. Louis are putting their anxious kids to bed, not knowing if tomorrow or the next day or the next their city will close the schools.
Jay Nixon had a press conference last night where he answered no question directly and denied any responsibility for what happens when the GJ decision is made public.
The buck sure doesn’t stop with Nixon – just thinking about who he might blame for the disaster he has whipped up.
And the media is now saying this is why Landrieu will not win – hahahaha – she was never going to win and this stupid simply lost her many democrat votes she might have got.
huh. wonder if all those environmental “activists” who has been denigrating president obama about this pipeline and basically anything else about the environment, who happen to be about 99% white people, are cheering for him now after this week with the china deal and now how he’s handled this pipeline. of course, they ignored all the other huge things president obama had already done for the environment before this week “manhattan-project level funding for green energies, CAFE standard raise, etc), so i won’t hold my breath. come to think of it, i don’t really give a flying frack what they think. they’ve proven themselves to be completely impotent in creating actual positive change. just love to hear themselves talk and get on tv. thank you president obama!!!
You are soooo right 4more! I don’t care how many stilt-walkers or giant puppets you brought to walk in a protest march, PBO has actually done the hard work, negotiation and action that will save lives and begin to deal with/slow down Climate Change. How many of those people from the recent protest came out to vote? If Keystone passes the Senate in January, it will be on them.
It’s the same with so many of those on the progleft. I lurk over at LGF sometimes and there is a commenter there who keeps posting tweets complaining that PBO hasn’t done enough about Ferguson..blah blah PBO’s Katrina and s**t. I was so happy to see Prettyfoot’s link to the news about AG Holder’s work on investigating PD practices. PBO quietly GETS IT DONE while these perpetual/professional protestors only whine and complain.
“…stilt-walkers or giant puppets you brought to walk in a protest march” haha! you got that right! that’s what “activism” means to them, basically “look at meeeeee! aren’t i cool?!?”
Jackie,
As cold as it is outside yours words warms my heart.
You have expressed everything that I have felt for this wonderful President from day one.
I am anticipating absolutely greatness for years to come from this great man.
I will cherish these years and promise to keep his record straight and pushback BS as long as I am in my right mind and not breathing toxic fumes(thanks also to him).
What a story to be able live and tell. It is a privilege and honor that I will not take for granted.
hhahaaa…oops … serious mocking by other journalists on twitter.
The NYTimes had two stories ready for the Keystone vote and accidentally sent them BOTH out.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/nyt-keystone-pipeline-oops
I saw it a short while ago – the old print media has never been able to cope with the changes needed for the “news online” – couldn’t have happened to a more deserving media organisation. 🙂
Linda, I join you in that LOL!
I cancelled my subscription with that piece of crap over six years ago and they still send me mail.
I do not bring it in my house.
i see what you did there. first thought it was a typo!
Welcome home Japa! 🙂 So glad you got to tweet that out!
They can’t say they weren’t told ….
#BackBarack
Yes We Will
Paging moderator …
ha. just looked through environmental activist leader bill mckibben’s twitter feed. bernie sanders is called a “true hero” for a speech sanders gave. couple references to president obama but they have this sneering “well, we’ll see…” attitude toward the most “green” president ever by far as if our president can’t be trusted. funniest one where he claims all their protesting is what led to the china deal, and of course i don’t see any thanks for congrats to president obama about the china deal. what a damn tool this mckibben is! i can’t believe i ever used to have some respect for him.
thing is, is that i like bernie sanders a lot and have been really happy with how much of a pragmatist he’s been and promoted our president, but what galls me about the purist white progressives is how they sneer at president obama, the one who is actually enacting these massive changes against all odds, while at the same time tooting their own impotent horns and elevating people like sanders to an exalted state, despite him being somewhat of a fringe figure. i think we all here know why that is…
awesome awesome POST NW…yesssssss
awesome essay…Jackie…I so feel this right here:
After the midterms, he literally went in front of the cameras and taught us how to act– not to cower or despair, but to lift our heads with pride and a sense of optimism and move forward. He told us by his actions alone to give nothing to our critics, waste no sorrow on our enemies, remain undaunted at our prospects and just keep moving forward bringing light and honesty into the darkest hate.
Thank you so much….
The videos…the words….can I say again how Awesome this is…
Hey prettyfoot. Did you find that Ray Charles cut?
yes….I found this…
That’s the one. 🙂
JackieG….this is a fantastic testament summarizing this great president, Barack Obama.
Your words brought me to tears. Just the awesome, plain, simple truths that you expressed.
I have saved your words because I know they will continually warm my heart.
Thank you for always working so hard on behalf of our president and our country.
Already seeing a lot of reports saying the Dems shot down the pipeline. Which is true, I am happy to say. But I remember when the GOP blocked a vote in the Senate, all I heard was how the Senate defeated this or that.
You are so right Japa. All we’ve heard since 2010 is how “Congress” can’t get anything done, not how Repubs have refused to do anything. Liberal media bias my a$$!
and jackie, such an amazing comment! thank you!
Yes it is, jackieg. I have nothing to add to all the cheers except thank you for your valuable notes of good sense.
Here, here.
my god. obama derangement syndrome (o.d.s.) is out of control in the white privilege progressive set. they literally cannot stop themselves from telling “that boy” what he needs to be doin’
This right here. NAILS it! Yes, globalcitizenlin! Yes, theo67! And 4morefor44, YES x infinity. It means so much to come here, and see the garbage scooped up speedy quick and loaded onto the virtual truck, off to the dump where it belongs. There is no better, smarter news and commentary anywhere, period. TOD!
If we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight and doing what we know is right, then eventually we will get there.
We always have.
each time I log onto TOD, I immediately smile at the photo of the “young pirate” and now POTUS, PBO with his mother;
I wonder if PBO’s dear late mother could have imagined what challenges and opportunities to make change in the lives of so many millions awaited her only precious child;
PBO was really born to lead in these troubled times and what a gift to the world he has been!
What????
Anything President Obama is for…
Climate Change the rights of the First Americans are two things that should make any elected official (with any bit of conscience left) critically evaluate the impact of their vote
Climate change AND the rights of the First Americans
The problem is that Nov 4th proved Americans don’t punish the GOP for their egregious behavior. So, I am not sure they care about what First Americans think or want. Sorry to be such a downer. I still can’t believe what happened and how little Dems cared to vote. Sigh.
I think Native Americans will have a voice going forward, with Ben Ray Luján as @ChairmanDCCC.
Luján represents the northern third of New Mexico, which includes vast swaths of Indian Country — Navajo, Hopi, Zuni as well as those liberal hotbeds of Santa Fe and Taos.
See downthread for more on Luján.
great! thanks for this information
Love @nancypelosi’s choice for @ChairmanDCCC, Ben Ray Luján .
His grandfather has something in common with President Obama’s grandfather (although I think PBO’s paternal grandfather was a goatherder).
From Dec 2012, at the funeral for his father,
“A New Mexico legislative giant, longtime House Speaker Ben Luján … The son of a sheepherder, Lujan served on the Santa Fe County Commission before being elected to the Legislature in 1974. A former ironworker…”
http://www.abqjournal.com/156658/news/lujan-hailed-as-savvy-statesman-family-man.html
From @MichaelColeman’s article:
@ChairmanDCCC, Luján “is a Westerner, Hispanic, and young [42] and energetic…”
Here’s what Luján said at yesterday’s news conference:
“House Republicans are once again talking about shutting down the government rather than working with Democrats and the president to tackle the issues facing families across our nation,” Luján said. “I will work to make sure House Republicans are held accountable for this reckless behavior and that the American people see the clear difference between House Democrats (and Republicans). There will be great opportunities in 2016 to make gains with the more favorable electorate during the presidential year. We will be on the offensive to put the majority in play.”
Also, the GOP think he’s waaayyy too liberal, so he isn’t an HRC puppet. Here’s what they said about Luján (teehee):
“’In selecting Ben Luján to head the DCCC, Nancy Pelosi has chosen a member of the uber-liberal House Progressive Caucus who has routinely voted for budgets that include amnesty for illegal immigrants, tax rates as high as 49%, and a massive expansion of Obamacare,’ [RNCC spokesperson] Ian Prior said. ‘This pick will give rise to plenty of awkward moments on the 2016 campaign trail as Democrats in swing states will have to distance themselves from incoming Chairman Luján, the very person tasked with helping them get elected.’”
They have already started that “distance” meme. Democrats should take a lesson from 2014 midterms and realize that they are being played by the media. Those who bought into the “distance” meme lost. Grimes should conduct lessons on this.
Must have missed what you’re referring to. In the ABQ Journal article?
It’s true that this job might not be the right fit for Luján, but I think if he hears from enough Obots, he should learn the real lesson from Nov 2014.
it seems as though the article is saying the Dems will need to “distance themselves” from the newly-minted head of DCCC, Cong Lujan
If you want to get a sense for what Ben Ray Luján is committed to, take a look at his Twitter timeline @RepBenRayLuhan.
Very very promising info about Lujan. Thank you Arapaho. Lujan sounds like just what we need.
New blood never hurts.
And his father was a steelworker, which means he isn’t a limousine liberal.
No doubt @Nancy Pelosi has insight that we don’t — there’s a reason that she promoted Luján. Since he’s from NM, he will probably be more willing to travel to the far-flung parts of the country that easterners seem averse to.
Thanks for this info Arapaho. This sounds good. Nancy P is one of my heroes. She knows how things work. She helped PBO get me and others affordable heath care.
Yes, lets see Greenwald and his sidekick Snowflake spin this one….
am i doing something wrong? most of the comments here appear as bold horizontal lines to me– ??
The page might not have loaded properly. Try refreshing.
thanks nerdy–that worked!
New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/11/18/a-tweet-or-two-172/
I SAY YYYYEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Magnificent double-feature post here: Jackie Grumbacher’s eloquent commentary framed inside a suite of pure POTUS wisdom, inspiration, and leadership carefully lovingly gathered in by Nerdywonka in the family room that Chips built. Just what I needed to see and hear. Can’t listen to much right now, but just knowing that this is on my virtual “bedside table” for savoring later, means the world to me. Coming here, I am almost always refreshed and encouraged (sometimes it’s all too much and then I am comforted and fortified to share it with my TOD family till the sinking spell passes), and I hear John Lennon’s line in “Imagine”: “…you may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one….” Never the only one thanks to TOD.
Thanks so much, Nancie.
You’re a wonderful soul. 🙂
Nancie, you truly have a gift for words. I enjoy reading every one of your comments.
I am so honored by being featured on this post that I’m just about speechless. Thank you to everyone who read and commented. And, Nerdy, you are a star and one of the finest advocates for justice I’ve been privileged to know.
You deserve it Jackie! Thank you!!
And, hope the folk whom I tweeted the link – tweets up thread – take the recommendation that they read it, seriously.
#BackBarack
Great comments jackie. Read it when you first posted. So true, so clear, so undeniably honest to goodness PBO. Thank you.
Thanks, Jackie, and thanks once again for so eloquently honoring a president we all love, respect, and admire.
Jackie, thank you so much for your inspiring words.
NW thank you for highlighting Jackie’s comment into this front page post.
Great post Jackie, thanks!
Fantastic words Jackie!
Fantastic compilation & post NW!
Very glad that both of you are on PBO’s side
Jackie G, thank you so much for sharing this beautiful comment on our beloved President, Barack H. Obama. Your words touched my heart so much tonight. I was comforted by the moving tribute of the person that President Barack H. Obama really is.
Nerdy W., you are a beautiful gem to me. Your every move here at TOD is always presented with so much hard work and beauty. I am so grateful for your talent and gifts. Thank you for all that you give to this beautiful space.
Chips, my beautiful soul, you give us hope, courage, boldness, confidence, and so much love as loving individuals within this beautiful TOD family. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to come to a place where we can find truth, love, and give our support and respect to our 44th President, Barack H. Obama. This little senior presenst to the universe daily prayers of gratefulness and love for you and this family.
I will now go back and read again Jackie G.’s eloquent commentary and follow the beautiful presentation of Nerdy W. I have cried once, and since my heart is heavy and my pain is great; I know that I will again find comfort in this beautiful post. Do not worry about me, my TOD family. b I too, do not whine about my pain and hardship that dwells within each wave of pain within this body of mine; I just keep moving, because as long as I rise to a new day and feel the precious breath from within, and can still walk down these stairs each morning; I know that I still have work to contribute goodness to the universe.
Walk in love
Walk with a measure of faith,
And keep hope as a center to guide
And each of us will meet on that lovely path of goodness each day with a full cup of that Hope and Energy of President Barack Obama and move with grace and a spirit of Hope for the next generation to follow us. Our paths did not cross by accident. We still have work to help him complete. We Shall Do That Together.HZ
Thank you so very much, HZ. TOD and President Obama are blessed to have a generous person like you in this world.