On This Day: South Africans cheer as President Obama waits in a tunnel at the soccer stadium before taking the stage to speak at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service, Dec. 10, 2013 (Photo by Pete Souza)
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Today (all times Eastern)
10:45: White House Press Briefing
11:50: The President delivers remarks at the White House Summit on Early Education, South Court Auditorium
1:45: The President and First Lady deliver toys and gifts donated by Executive Office of the President staff to the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots Campaign, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling
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On This Day
President Obama delivers remarks during the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Raadhuset Main Hall at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, Dec. 10, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama looks at the Nobel Peace Prize medal for the first time at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway, Dec. 10, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)
First Lady Michelle Obama looks at pictures of past Nobel Prize recipients at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway, Dec. 10, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama sign the guest book at Slottet Royal Palace of Norway in Oslo, Norway, Dec. 10, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrive at the 2009 Nobel Banquet in the Hall of Mirrors at the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway, Dec. 10, 2009 (Photo by Samantha Appleton)
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama wave from a balcony at the Grand Hotel as they greet the Torch Parade in Oslo, Norway, Dec. 10, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)
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President Obama talks with former President Bill Clinton in the Lower Press Office before addressing the media in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Dec. 10, 2010 (Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama pretend to sing with an a cappella group in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House during a holiday reception, Dec. 10, 2010 (Photo by Samantha Appleton)
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President Obama greets U.S. Military Academy Cadets during the annual Army vs. Navy football game at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011 (Photo by Pete Souza)
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MoooOOOooorning!
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The Obama Diary 
🙂 Morning Mister!
It’s just a leaf…. #pickyourmindoffthegutter.
That’s a hoot!!
Good Morning
GM CM. How is the eye now?
It’s better than ever Doc! Other in convent stuff keeping me busy.
Good morning TOD folks!
G’morning Chips, TOD, lurkers, everyone, and congrats amk on 1st, furst, etc. Thanks Chips for this lovely R & S roundup. Looks like this will be the first time PBO will accompany FLOTUS to the annual toy & gift delivery. Usually it’s just her and the First Dog(s). 🙂
Congrats to amk on first! UK headlines here all about torture report. Now can Bush and Cheney be tried in The Hague?
I am truly puzzled as to why folks continue to think that MSNBC is some sort of “liberal” or “progressive” or “democratic” station – when everything about them SCREAMS corporate right-wing/Libertarian agenda. All one has to do to know where Greenwald stands is to read his TL – this man is rabidly anti-Obama. And MSNBC has been giving him a platform not despite his being anti-Obama, but BECAUSE he is anti-Obama. Sheesh…
On Tuesday, House negotiators unveiled a bill to fend off a looming government shutdown that included the following ominous provision:
“None of the funds made available under this or any other Act, or any prior Appropriations Act, may be provided to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, allied organizations, or successors.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/09/republicans-acorn-budget_n_6291074.html
Wow they’re playing hardball. Not. They may as well have demanded no money goes to Wheaties.
Good Morning, Chipsy-daisy! Thank you for all these terrific pics of ‘my guy’ that help to pull me back into the swing of things…almost! Maybe once I’ve savoured them all I’ll feel more like I’m getting back into the swing of things.
Morning/Evening, TODobots, wherever you may be hanging out!
Not exactly on topic but my e-mail list has been clogged with messages from every Democrat I’ve supported ($$$) in the past. As much now as during the mid-term campaigns.
I have been deleting them unread.
What I am thinking is that since i didn’t see you strongly advocating for POTUS and his administration, much less in front of crowds supporting Democratic candidates and policies, whatever it is you are saying no longer requires my attention.
The same team that sat on the sidelines wringing their hands in the fall of 2014 appears still to be in charge.
I am not Ready For Any of Them.
I am ready for a team that understands how remarkable the economic gains and achievements of the current administration are and who is therefore interested in furthering the goals I believe in.
Good Morning, Vicki.
I’m curious, ‘Do these Dems accept emails from you?’ If yes, it would be nice if after you delete them you send the same message to each one, as in …
“What I am thinking is that since I didn’t see you strongly advocating for POTUS and his administration, much less in front of crowds supporting Democratic candidates and policies, whatever it is you are saying no longer [interest me or] requires my attention.”
Would be nicer, I think, to send it in a group mail format so they maybe get the idea that you’re disillusioned with all of them, plus saving you time. 😉 [Well, it at least makes me smile envisioning it. 😉 ]
Vicki, I agree with you and do the same thing.
GM all.
Good morning all of TODville. Chips and NW thank you for all the great tweets, photos, and information that keeps us all informed. I really am getting nervous abour how the Repubs are going to govern. I really don’t think they know how at all. Here in Montana they have caused much fury over dress codes, especially for women. Now we have another judge who is openly voices his racists opinions.
So thankful for this President. His interviews, town halls and Colbert Report have been wonderful. If people would really listen to what he has to say the world will be a better place. There is always hope.
Companies including Disney and Skype have allegedly used Luxembourg tax deals, according to fresh leaks published by investigative journalists.
The group of firms funnelled hundreds of millions of dollars in profits through Luxembourg subsidiaries, according to leaked documents.
Disney said the arrangement had “not meaningfully affected the taxes we pay”.
Microsoft, which owns Skype, said it “adheres carefully” to laws.
The European Commission is already conducting an inquiry into a number of companies’ tax arrangements, including online retail giant Amazon and carmaker Fiat.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30412293
GM TOD
Just catching up and honestly I am not at all surprised at the Jorge Ramos interview. He was just as aggressive and rude in 2012 when he interviewed PBO. I was not looking forward to that interview for this very reason. He is most often very self righteous when interviewing.
Morning, GDD! Hope you, and the little ‘dolls’, are all doing excellently!
I sometimes think today’s journos think aggression, interruptions, and (veiled) insolence equate to being ‘serious’ or ‘tough’.
Hi VC, I’m doing well. I hope you are as well.
I’ve been busy getting ready for Christmas and helping to prepare for the twins First birthday party this weekend.
Got a phone call that went on for an HOUR! 😀
My namesake cousin whom I haven’t spoken to in over a year (because we are both too lazy/busy to pick up phone) trying to convince me to come over for Xmas eve and Xmas morning breakfast! We’ll see.
What do you mean ‘First birthday party’ – it can’t be a whole year already since the little ones arrived! Gosh!
George W. Bush’s Justice Department said subjecting a person to the near-drowning of waterboarding was not a crime and didn’t even cause pain, but Ronald Reagan’s Justice Department thought otherwise, prosecuting a Texas sheriff and three deputies for using the practice to get confessions.
http://pubrecord.org/torture/278/reagans-doj-prosecuted-texas-sheriff-for-waterboarding-prisoners/
And yet Bush is trying to say he knew nothing?
And yet there’s a media who contorts themselves into NOT blaming the Bush administration for a Bush administration policy?
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R) said Tuesday that his administration expects to have a decision on expanding Medicaid under Obamacare by Christmas.
“If we’re going to get something done this legislative session we need to be able to have it defined, so we can start the process of explaining how it will work. Either way we’ll have an answer really before Christmas,” he said, according to the Daily News Journal.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/tennesse-medicaid-expansion-plan-christmas
Attorney General Eric Holder was given a tight deadline on Tuesday to make a decision whether to move forward with the longstanding subpoena of New York Times reporter James Risen.
As Politico reported, U.S. District Court Judge Leonie Brinkema gave the Justice Department until next Tuesday “to commit to a position on whether it will be seeking Mr. Risen’s testimony” in the trial of former CIA officer Jeffrey Sterling.
Prosecutors allege that Sterling provided Risen with classified information that the reporter used in his 2006 book.
The Bush administration subpoenaed Risen in 2008 to identify a source who gave the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist information about a botched U.S. effort to damage Iran’s nuclear program. Risen detailed the operation in his book, “State of War,” after the Times passed on the story.
The newspaper’s former executive editor, Jill Abramson, said in October that she regrets her decision not to run Risen’s reporting.
Holder has vowed that no reporter will go to jail as long as he’s attorney general, and in September he said he would not seek jail time for Risen.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/james-risen-subpoena-deadline
I think the trail begins in January
and yet the lazy media (I’m talking to YOU, Susan Page) and the loony left blame PBO for this.
They can’t even get simple dates correct, or bother to check with the DOJ.
Shameful beyond belief.
I just saw James Risen interviewed by Brian Lamb and Risen said the Times DID run the story prior to his book release after he told them it would be in the book.
Just starting to glance at the spending “compromise”. I need to dig into more details and more sources, but it appears that GOP gets almost everything they want and a serious chipping away at domestic priorities and Democrats get………..the government doesn’t totally shut down.
The only thing “shut down” is the soul of America.
I’m sick of watered down Democrats.
Ya think it’s bad now wait until 2015 when I guarantee you that Dem Senators will give the Republicans the needed votes to pass legislation that will make you cry out in shame. I am not looking forward to the next two years!
My fear as well, donna.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/press-briefing-press-secretary-josh-earnest-42
The toddlers are there to talk only about the torture report. If I hear one more asked what the President thinks of John Brennan saying that the program saved life, I’ll spank him/ner. It is a rather unruly group, these toddlers. They need medicine to keep them quiet.
11:50 AM – The President delivers remarks at the White House Summit on Early Education
A government spending bill is a government priorities bill. So with Congress preparing to vote on the bill needed to keep the government from shutting down, what priorities have been slipped in or knocked out?
Republicans obviously took the opportunity to weaken environmental enforcement where they could. This bill’s immediate cuts to Environmental Protection Agency funding aren’t so huge, but they continue an awful trend:
The agency gets $8.1 billion, down $60 million from the last fiscal year. The agency’s budget has been slashed by $2.2 billion, or 21 percent, since fiscal 2010, according to GOP aides. The cuts mean that EPA will have to reduce its staffing to the lowest levels since 1989.
Also included:
A provision that would bar the EPA from regulating methane emissions from livestock production. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and livestock, which release methane in their flatulence, account for about 10 percent of U.S. emissions, according to the EPA.
Republicans also took the opportunity to weaken financial regulation. Because why not let bank lobbyists write the laws that apply to banks?
Nutrition is clearly not a priority—schools will be able to feed kids fewer whole grains and more sodium than new standards would have called for. And white potatoes will be included in the Women, Infants, and Children nutrition assistance program, something the potato lobby had been fighting for.
Also on the losing side, truck drivers and anyone who might share a road with a truck:
In a victory for the trucking industry, the bill blocks new Transportation Department regulations requiring truckers to get two nights of sleep before starting a new work week. The regulation slashed a typical trucker’s work week to 70 hours, down from 82 hours.
And there’s more. So much more. Current retiree pension benefits will be vulnerable to cuts, the will of the District of Columbia’s voters will be overturned when it comes to marijuana, and so on and so forth.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/10/1350735/-Environmental-and-nutritional-standards-on-long-list-of-losers-in-spending-bill
Yes, this began my depression du jour……..
all incredibly depressing. I wish that the president would veto this legislation.
Good morning…..I see the “roaches” are running all over faux-news!
Morning all.
FIL is resting comfortably, but very frustrated. He was improving in the use of his hand until this setback. Now it’s back wrapped in heavy bandages, and he’ll have to be on IV antibiotics for 6 weeks. The infection got into his bone. But the missus might be back sooner than thought, because her sister might take FMLA to look after him.
Oh, LL…… {{{{{{{LL and family}}}}}}}
“Spposed” — one of my PET PEEVES! SUPPOSED!
Well it shows how much these anti-abortion people care about the children, once the children are born, feed them all the junk food they want, who cares. We Republicans don’t care if they have good schooling, go to college, have health insurance, suffer from obesity, they don’t care.
Chris Cillizza just said that the ” Cornhusker Kickback ” was in the ACA along with the ” Louisiana Purchase ” but forgot to mention they were NOT in the bill when it passed.
I know it’s wishful thinking but did anyone push back?
No!
No…not at all.
I hope this beats the next thread.
Events
1992 Walt Disney The entertainment giant announces that they are putting an NHL franchise in Orange County, California.
1971 Singer Frank Zappa is pushed off a London stage by a fan. He suffered a broken leg and ankle and a fractured skull.
1971 Farm Credit Administration is established.
1959 First black to win an Emmy Tonight with Belafonte airs on CBS, for which Belafonte would win the award.
1958 First U.S. domestic jet airline passenger service National Airlines opens a route between N.Y. and Miami.
1904 Bethlehem Steel Corp. is founded.
1898 Spanish-American War Treaty of Paris signed as a result of the war. The U.S. acquires the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Spain gives up all claims to Cuba.
1817 Mississippi becomes the 20th state. Mississippi is Chippewa for “great river.”
Births
1952 Susan Dey American actress. TV: The Partridge Family (Laurie) and L.A. Law (Grace Van Owen).
1932 Dan Blocker d. 1972 American actor. TV: Bonanza (Hoss Cartwright).
1923 Harold Gould American actor. TV: Rhoda (Rhoda’s father).
1914 Dorothy Lamour d. 1996 (Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton), American actress. Film: The Jungle Princess (1936, as Ulah) and star of numerous Hope-Crosby road films.
1911 Chet Huntley d. 1974 (Chester Robert Huntley), American newsman. TV: NBC’s Huntley-Brinkley Report. “Goodnight, Chet.”
1908 Olivier Messiaen d. 1992 French composer.
1900 Roy Edward “Dizzy” Carlyle d. 1956 American baseball player. He hit the longest recorded home run (1929, 618 feet during a minor-league game). Source: Guinness Book of World Records
1851 Melvil Dewey d. 1931 American librarian, creator of the Dewey Decimal System (1876).
1830 Emily Dickinson d. 1866 American poet. Of her over 1,800 poems, only seven were published during her lifetime.
1817 Alexander Wood d. 1884 Scottish physician, the first to use a syringe to inject medicine (1855).
Deaths
2005 Richard Pryor b. 1940 American Emmy-Grammy winning comedian. Film: Lady Sings the Blues (1972), Blazing Saddles (1974, co-wrote), Silverstreak (1976), Stir Crazy (1980), Richard Pryor Live on Sunset Strip (1982), and Brewster’s Millions (1985).
2005 Eugene McCarthy b. 1916 U.S. Senator (1959-71). In 1968, he ran against incumbent Lyndon Johnson in the New Hampshire Democratic primary, with the intention of influencing the government to curtail its involvement in the Vietnam War. A number of antiwar activists cut their long hair and beards in order to campaign for McCarthy door-to-door, leading to the slogan “Get clean for Gene.”
1990 Armand Hammer b. 1898 American businessman, president of Occidental Petroleum Corporation. Some speculate that he was named after the “arm and hammer” symbol of the Soviet Labor Party of American. Known for his close ties to the Soviet Union, he bragged that he was the only man who was friends with both Lenin and Pres. Reagan.
1982 Freeman Fisher Gosden b. 1899 radio comedian, Amos of Amos ‘n Andy.
1967 Otis Redding b. 1941 singer, “The King of Soul.” Music: Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay (1968), his only Billboard #1, it was released a month after he died in a plane crash.
1946 Damon Runyon b. 1884 American author, columnist. Writings: Guys and Dolls (1932). The stage version of Guys and Dolls featured characters from his various stories.
1941 Colin Purdie Kelly b. 1915 American soldier, first U.S. air hero of World War II. Died when his B-17 was shot down by the Japanese, for which he was awarded the distinguished Service Cross.
1896 Alfred Bernhard Nobel b. 1833 Swedish chemist, inventor of dynamite. The terms of his will established Nobel prizes.
1864 Henry Rowe Schoolcraft b. 1793 American explorer, discovered the source of the Mississippi (1832).
//…………………………
At about 14:35 in the interview, President Obama lays out his vision of how change happens.
This isn’t going to be solved overnight. This is something that is deeply rooted in our society. Its deeply rooted in our history. But the two things that are going to allow us to solve it: number one is the understanding that we have made progress, and so its important to recognize that as painful as these incidents are, we can’t equate what’s happening now to what was happening fifty years ago. If you talk to your parents, grandparents, uncles, they’ll tell you that things are better…not good in some cases…but better. The reason its important for us to understand progress has been made is, that then gives us hope that we can make more progress.
The second thing…is that we have to be persistent. Typically progress is in steps – its in increments. When you’re dealing with something as deeply rooted as racism or bias in any society, you have to have vigilance. But you have to recognize that its going to take some time and you just have to be steady. You don’t give up when we don’t get all the way there…We’re not going to make it perfect, but we can make it better. And better is good.
That statement summarizes pretty well where Barack Obama is at odds with a lot of activists (and also where he is at odds with what Naomi Klein called “disaster capitalism”).
………………………………..//
http://immasmartypants.blogspot.ie/2014/12/president-obamas-theory-of-change.html
Here’s a tweet with the link for easy sharing. SP’s post also included the video segment with the BET interview (which I know was previously shared here).
Happy Day all of TOD~ Ms. Chips, Ms. Wonka ~ thank you for being here always 🙂 🙂 YES I did meet my grandson on Sunday..and even though he slept the entire time, He is perfecto! I held him for a couple of hours.. the other two grandmas were there and I did not share him for a second 😉 But they already had time with him.
Wishing all of you a lovely day, I’m in Christmas mode, finally decorating and even bought a couple of presents today (I’m never this early) Yay Me and Yay Christmas!!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaw sherijr, WONDERFUL news!!!
“even though he slept the entire time”
I knew the little fella was a chilled out dude!!
The loveliest of news!!
Such a sweet story! I’m thinking your grandson slept “purposefully,” so YOU could hold him the entire time!
Great news, Sherijr! Nice to hear the lad’s doing well. Hope you took a picture so that when he asks you later why you hadn’t come to visit, you can counter with -‘ Hey, I was waiting for you to wake up! See.’
egyptian revolution – now a distant memory.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-30381292
Congrats on 1st amk 🙂
Lovely R&S, Chips! Thank you!!
Very happy for your Sheri that you had such a wonderful time with your grandson.
exactly Bobfr.
I am not condemning the CIA for their actions because someone gave the green light to go forward.
Yes they were wrong but someone gave that command to do it.
Encourage all of you to read Senator Levin’s statement:
Was particularly struck by ….
#TortureReport
#TribunalTimeUSA
Yes, I know she has fashion consultants and fashion designers, but nobody has an eye for fashion and nobody wears clothes better than … Chips! No, I meant: our First Lady!
Happy Wednesday!
Jacqueline, I was about to say “aaaaaaw, thank you 😎 ‘ …. but you had to add that last bit 🙄
Happy Wednesday, though!
(I added that last bit for “the others.” Didn’t want ’em coming after me. You and I know the truth … you’re welcome, sugar! Love ya!)
Oh, okay then – love ya back! 🙂
JO’B, after that green wedding dress she posed in, I can just see Chips thinking these would make lovely ‘after’ and/or travel dresses, especially the green one, given that’s a favourite colour of hers.
““Joyfully Defiant”: A Photographic Introduction to the Kurds”
“Robert Leutheuser is an independent cultural photographer who has dedicated himself to documenting community life in the Middle East, focusing on Kurdish peoples. Perhaps most notably, his work has helped the international community to understand who the Yezidis are. (Yezidis are considered by most, but not all, to be ethnic Kurds.) And, as they face and fight genocide, his work preserves the memory of what the Yezidis have lost — and are losing — in the Sinjar. While I confirmed the destruction of the temples of Sheikh Sin and Sheikh Mikhfiya, we discussed why and how he achieves his results.”
http://hyperallergic.com/165871/joyfully-defiant-a-photographic-introduction-to-the-kurds/
Whoa. Wild-ass photography, if you’ll pardon the expression!
Toys for Tots in 30 mins, woot!
“A visibly angry and shaken” Col. Wilkerson and others are going to have heart attacks, listening to all the lies and knowing the truth up close! Cheney’s a carrier.
Okay, checking in on my birthday, not a piece of cake, a candle or a balloon in sight! Well, I never!! ❤ But, as I woke up with the most fierce headache I can ever remember, I shall take myself off to rest my eyes a bit, and maybe the party will be in full swing when I return!! ❤ 🐻 🙂
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaappy Birthday Mighty P!!!!!
Have a blissful day!!
Thank you, everyone! A bit better now… see you on Chat Away.
Happy Happy Birthday to you! Mighty Pamela’s awake! (Feel better, darlin’. Sorry about your headache.)
Happy Birthday, MP! I hope you have a great day.
Hello TOD on this Wednesday…..cloudy, cold and weary.
Glad to read that LL’s FIL is resting comfortably.
Congrats Amk on your FURST…….Au ⭐ 😉
Excellent R&S Chips. Thank you.
WH presser is completed already today ❓
Here’s the link……
Josh “The Voice” Earnest.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/press-briefing-press-secretary-josh-earnest-42
Happy Joyous Birthday Day MightyPamela.
Wishing you the very best.
I’d like to see her president instead.
Thanks for saying what I thought too.
But then, it is her dreams to want to be the 1st Lady. So I held my fingers 😉
FLOTUS has made a good impression on little girls that look like her. I am grateful that she has a positive role model to lookup to besides whatever the media and record industry portrays.
I never wanted to be First Lady with the robots, Step-ford wives syndrome
To me, Jackie Kennedy was just about fashion……that’s just it.
Heads up:
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/12/10/the-president-and-first-lady-deliver-toys-for-tots/