In Selma, the President greets former foot soldier Amelia Boynton Robinson, 103 years old, backstage before the ceremony
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See all of Pete Souza’s photos and his commentary from Selma here
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The President speaks to the foot soldiers who attended the 50th anniversary event.
The President hugs Yolanda Renee King, granddaughter of Martin Luther King, Jr., as her parents, Martin Luther King III and Andrea Waters look on
Rep. John Lewis holds hands with President Obama during a prayer at the ceremony.
Malia and Sasha Obama and other family, friends, and White House staff listen to the President. Attorney General Eric Holder is at far left.
First Lady Michelle Obama adjusts the bow in the hair of a young girl.
The Obama family and Attorney General Eric Holder and his family listen to tour guide Felicia Pittway at the National Voting Rights Museum.
The President stands inside a replica prison cell at the museum.
The Obama Diary 
GA TOD!
GA Lovelyplains!
Afternooooooooooon LP!
LP, do you pray?
If so, please start: United are playing Arsenal in the FA Cup as we speak.
HA!, I just bet you do 😀
I will light a divo for United!
😆 If it works, LP, I will demand the same before every game this season!
Wait ….. does it work for Auburn?
Of course….as long as you don’t *ask* for a win before EVERY game 😀
The minute you lit that LP, Arsenal scored. Are you sure you lit it for the right team????
The divo asks for patience….says there is 90 minutes in a match 😎
🙂
LP, I don’t know what a divo is? Please enlighten me 🙂
“The divo, the divine flame, symbolizes the matchless, infinite light of God and is an important element in Hindu worship. All actions begin with the lighting of the divo. Every Hindu desires for the divine light of knowledge and freedom from maya and so with these noble thoughts the divo is lit each day.”
Oh LP, thank you. I will remember this each morning during my prayers and pray for the divine light of knowledge and wisdom.
Thank you!
Chips, a couple of days ago, you were bitching that Pete had become lax in posting pics. Well his justifiable explanation accompanies these pictures that you posted.
Are you satisfied now? 🙂
I am VERY satisfied GGail I like to think I pushed him to action!!!
I got excited and screwed up! I meant to post my picture comment here and my soccer comment up there…OH Well, GOOOOOOOAL ManU!
I fear it’s going to be a looooooooooooooooong 90 minutes, GGail 😕
I am in agreement with LP…patience my little pet…patience
I heard GOOOOOOOOOOAL 😀
But it’s 1-1 at half-time, so our champagne remains on ice 😕
We be chillin’ 🙂
Awesome Chips.
But, but, but Chips, how come you removed GW and Laura Bush from the Selma Post 😉 🙂
Beautifully done…..Chips..
Au ⭐ for LP 😉
Later TOD.
Nena, I did give some thought to including them, but then decided nah – click the link!
😉
I was mocking righties on the NYT photo…..
I did click the link now and I ❤ your selections 😉
The pictures with GWB show absolutely that democrats always “forgive and forget” – while the RW bigots use the same lies and hate to ensure there is never agreement.
THe world over RW politicians NEVER agree with anything done during a LW administration. People get sick of the endless fights, endless arguments – blame “both sides” and vote the RW back into power because they want some peace. Then, and only then do the people realise the error of their ways – when “the peace” is not what they expected. Never ending cycle of stupid, promoted by the media paid for by the 1%.
These images are treasures, for sure. Thanks, Chips!
Aren’t they just gorgeous Jacqueline? Adore them all, but that top one melts my heart.
Totally. It was amazing that she was there!
****
The less pleasant side of the day …
Good that he got fired.
I hope he goes directly to a fiery Blaze.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!! ROOOOOOOOOOOOONEY!!!
I direct you to the WP spam….and look at my comment and the timestamp!!!!
😆 😆 And with that United scored – thank you divo!!!
Okay, I am going to try what I did once before which worked, so don’t get upset here.
Chips, just don’t pay any attention. No way ManU can win this one.
🙂 I completely agree Japa, absolutely noooooooooooo way.
“Zarif expressed astonishment that some members of US Congress find it appropriate to write to leaders of another country against their own President and administration. He pointed out that from reading the open letter, it seems that the authors not only do not understand international law, but are not fully cognizant of the nuances of their own Constitution when it comes to presidential powers in the conduct of foreign policy.”
Shorter Zarif: The GOP are ignorant treasonous ratbastards
Nothing says Pathetic when I read how idiotic and unAmerican many in the GOPers are these days.
nospin, I’m tweeting your “shorter” comment.
Meta/nospin, I love that the Foreign Minister of Iran knows more about the US Constitution than 47 Republican senators. Most of all, I’m glad Zarif saw this letter for the partisan, underhanded ploy it is. Our President has built too much credibility around the world for treasonous Republican twerps to tear it down. They were filled with their own self-importance when they wrote that letter. I’m thrilled it boomeranged right back into their faces.
Wait… here is the knock out punch.
“Zarif expressed the hope that his comments “may enrich the knowledge of the authors to recognize that according to international law, Congress may not modify the terms of the agreement at any time as they claim, and if Congress adopts any measure to impede its implementation, it will have committed a material breach of US obligations.
The Foreign Minister also informed the authors that majority of US international agreements in recent decades are in fact what the signatories describe as “mere executive agreements” and not treaties ratified by the Senate.
He reminded them that “their letter in fact undermines the credibility of thousands of such mere executive agreements that have been or will be entered into by the US with various other governments.”
Shorter Zarif – you ignant muthaf*ck*rs
It’s a stunning reply in total.
Zarif’s reply is a think of beauty, Meta. The asses in the Senate just do not know who they’re dealing with when they try to push themselves on the national stage. They try to embarrass and undermine the President and they end up making complete fools of themselves. I’ll bet these Republican jerks are the source of laughter around the dinner tables of enlightened Iranians.
The other thing these bozos will never get is that it takes the rare brilliance and negotiating skills of men like our President and SOS to achieve success in the difficult waters of international affairs. The President got Russia and China, as well as European powers to work together on this process. They have no idea of the genius it takes to do this. They think the world is just waiting to awed by their clumsy, juvenile efforts to outshine a President they can’t begin to hold a candle to.
Definitely shows he is far more aware of our system than the senators are.
This is the problem with “Term Limits” that you can term out really good, knowledgeable politicians who have no clue to the history or what is in the constitution. Term Limits should not be substituted for voting people out of office. I think that is what’s wrong with states with term limits for state elected officials. Instead of voting people out they don’t like they just let them “term out”. The GOP has no desire to learn what’s in the constitution they just do what the people who bought them tell them to do.
“Term limits” is the next super big GOP scam.
I completely agree with you about term limits. What makes me really sick is the old timers like Mitch MConnell who know exactly how things work and are doing this anyway, instead of school their younger members.
I think I am more aware of your system than these senators – and that is amazing for me & disgusting for them.
Oh how embarrassing!
Who are these stupid 47 GOP senators? I want names
Sounds like the “dumb-azz gang”
The usual suspects. Just to name a few:
Thank meta. The actions and success of PBO has caused these people to totally lose their minds. All caution has been thrown to the wind.
Whatever punishment is bestowed upon them – they deserve.
Was just speaking to CanadaBarb4Obama (who’s doing great!) and she asked if McCain had signed … not surprised, of course.
Shame on all 47.
Good to hear she’s doing great! Send her our love.
I will, thanks.
Tell her we say “hello” 🙂
I shall!
Dave Boren’s son Dan, was the only Democratic member of Congress from Oklahoma, until he retired in 2012 at the age of 40. As many of you know I am sports fanatic….I didn’t realize what the context of this was until just now, but a 2016 high school recruit who has a scholarship offer from Auburn, just de-commited from Oklahoma because of this incident:
The intense look and concentration on Sasha’s face as she listens to the speech blows me away.
Jacquelineoboomer, when Foreign Minister Zarif practically called their action traitorous then you know the answer. smdh!!!
I think the GOP should be held on charges. They went too far with this one.
I want them to be held on charges, too. Like now, before they do something worse.
I can’t believe they actually sent this letter and then had to be publicly education on proper and legal protocol.
Pete’s photos have started my water works and jogged my memory to that time and where I was…….teaching electronics at Great Lakes Naval Station!
Ah {{{Shipmate}}}}
(sniff, sniff) Admiral in that situation I “represented” all people of color as far as some were concerned……I was constantly bombarded with the question, “Why are they marching? What do they want?”….My reply “FREEDOM” would fall on deaf ears.
“Why are they marching?”
Good Lord, what an extraordinary question.
I agree and at the time I was really pissed about it.
Yardarm, I too have been the “only” one and have had to endure those types of questions
And it sucks. Doesn’t it?
Somebody on Harry Reid’s TL tweeted him, “You were the weasel on the back of that woodpecker, weren’t you?” The fact that I actually got the pop-ism reference makes me wonder how I’m spending my “retirement years.”
Or not. (Good one!)
Yeah, mayhaps we are spending too much time doing non-significant things. Of course, I’m worse since I am not retired and still understood it. Of course, not sure it was an accurate analogy as the woodpecker actually won that one. At least in the sense it got rid of the weasel rather than being eaten by it.
True! That was one of those “on second thought” images!
Oh, and, I consider everything I do now to be “significant” – and you will, when you retire. Worked for 34 years in an office with 9 more telecommuting from home for the Navy, so I earned this. Ha!
I don’t care anything about this ridiculous non-story. Maybe i am missing something.
I try to avoid commenting about this woman until she enters the race. The reason nothing she does barely bothers me is because I just don’t think she is that great of a candidate. I watched her during the 2007/2008 campaign and never once did she impress me. Setting aside her coziness with Wall Street, Walmart and other big corporations and Bills centrist actions that we are still having to have to deal with. I just don’t think she is that formidable. She is leading in these polls because of name recognition (which is exactly the same reason she was leading polls in 2007/2008) and the Republicans that want to run in 2016 are Clowns . When a good strong candidate goes up against her she withers.
With that said, this email “scandal” is just another indication of what I said a year ago….The media spent a whole year building her up so they can tear her down. And this scandal is just the beginning….It’s all calculating IMO.
And you know before this show is over, PBO will be dragged through this mud, too.
Her silence on this has been debilitation and I think it says a lot about her foray back into the spotlight. She has stumbled here and there and seems to be doing more than her fair share of damage control before she’s even out of the gate.
With regard to the emails, although it was not illegal, I’m very curious to understand why she did it. What was her rationale? And why wasn’t PBO read into the practice and the strategy of it? I don’t care if Republicans have done or about past practices. I’m more interested in learning the purpose of it for her.
Just another reason why she needs to keep her distance … from US. I’ve already distanced myself from HER.
It IS another MSM non-story. Colin Powell had all private e-mails, didn’t save any of them.Do you hear anything about him? The rule changed after Clinton left office. Why this BS?
Her “impending” presser reminds me of the old line, “What if you threw a party and no one came?”
But, of course, everyone will come.
What I think is hysterical is that she had one of her staff “leak” this. She “might” have a presser. Obviously more focus group BS. The press will have a field day.
She seems to me as though she hasn’t got a clue how to “do this.” I keep hoping it’s all to get the Clinton name out there … that she won’t actually run. I’d have a very hard time voting for her, as many would. We shall see.
Does anybody care?
Pete Souza DA GAWD!!!!
He is everything that is wonderful and delightful.
Thanks so much for this, Chiparoo.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad + the 47 GOP Senators want the same thing…….amazing.
LAWD! These clowns will crawl into bed with any devil that winks at them
Hey GGail how was your weekend? Did you get all your work done?
Shhhhh, nothing accomplished 😀
How was your weekend, internet connection fixed?
Not exactly. I am able to use the wireless but can use the Ethernet connection. So it is the cable modem that is defective. I have to return it and maybe get another one.
Great read & link to original Grantland interview President Obama, did with Bill Simmoms
“I couldn’t sleep for shit. Friday night had turned into Saturday morning, and I was staring at the ceiling in a hotel room in Washington, D.C., only blocks from the White House, recovering from my third hot shower of the night. The fever that had developed from an 11-hour Amtrak trip down the East Coast a day earlier hadn’t left my body, and the only way I knew how to deal with the chills was to take hot showers and hope for the best. But that wasn’t the real reason for my insomnia and this body-zapping panic: I would be speaking to the president of the United States of America in 10 hours. On Air Force One. Before his speech in Selma, Alabama, on the Edmund Pettus Bridge to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the march that took place on what became known as Bloody Sunday…..
…”But just like that, we were walking through the cabin and into a conference room, and there was the president, ready to shake our hands. Once we sat down to talk, I was positioned at President Obama’s four o’clock, set to ask the third question, with Jarrett right over my shoulder. I stared at my question, wondering if I should have worn a tie, desperately trying to figure out what to do with my elbows. Leaning on the table feels sloppy, but I need to lean in to listen and the table really helps with that. But what do I do with my hands? And is my mustache curling into my mouth?
I just posted below you. I was totally blown away by this article. The one I read was by Rembert Browne, not Bill Simmons.
I posted both links in the tweet (I wasn’t sure how familiar people are with the Bill Simmon’s site Grantland, but at the time his 2012 30 minute interview was the longest granted to anyone other than 60 minutes)….It is a pretty awesome first had account of Rembert’s day & what led up to getting the interview. I hadn’t realized he tried to get hired as a blogger for President Obama’s 2008 campaign.
I was not familiar with his site, so am very glad to get to know it.
I HAD TO LEAVE AND RUN ERRANDS…WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE LETTER TO IRAN FROM THE IDIOTS? CAN SOMEONE FILL ME IN?
WHY CAN’T THE DOJ SERVE THESE BASTARDS? THIS IS OVER REACH….I AM SO MAD I COULD SPIT NAILS! THIS HAS TO BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE!
I’LL CHECK BACK LATER…IF NOTHING IS DONE HERE THIS WILL ENCOURAGE THE REPUGNANTS TO DO MORE…THIS HAS TO BE STOPPED NOW!
Please everyone–massively retweet this Harry Reid statement. It’s perfect!
It sure it JG!
Thank you Senator Reid for speaking the truth, But these sick ass racists Republicans doesn’t give a darn about the truth.
Hate is what rule these racist Republicans, hate for this black President.
but will they be held accountable?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/09/obamacare-enrollment-2015_n_6832800.html#comments
WASHINGTON — Close to 12 million people are covered by health insurance plans purchased from an Obamacare exchange, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell said at the White House Monday.
More than half of these enrollees are new to the program, said Burwell, speaking at an event commemorating the close of the second open enrollment period for subsidized private health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act’s exchange marketplaces. The enrollment total surpasses the Department of Health and Human Services’ projections, but is lower than what the Congressional Budget Office expected.
“Nearly 11.7 million Americans signed up or were re-enrolled through the marketplace as of Feb. 22,” Burwell said. “We are finally moving the needle on reducing the number of uninsured.”
These enrollments over the past two years have helped significantly reduce the share of Americans who are uninsured. That trend, though, is in jeopardy. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments last week in a lawsuit alleging that the Affordable Care Act doesn’t permit health insurance subsidies for people living in the 34 states where the federal government is operating the Obamacare exchanges via HealthCare.gov. Almost 10 million people could lose their health coverage if the high court sides against the White House and eliminates the subsidies.
I know my brother enrolled in 2014 but this year he became eligible Medicare and I imagine there were a lot of folks like that.
Interesting!
Gorgeous!
This is a great article by Rembert Browne. He and 3 other black journalists got to interview the President on Air Force One on the way to Selma. The story goes with these beautiful photos of that day.
long, busy day …. bbl …
I think Tom Cotton was sitting in the Senate President chair when Reid said this.
egg.sack.lee
SAE Proudly Touts Association To The Confederacy On Its Website
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/03/09/3631366/racist-chant-frat-long-history-racist-incidents/
There’s that magic # 47 again. Hmmm …
Does this look familiar, Chips?
I shutter to think what he’s up to. Maybe finishing a bridge?
It’s for his “do it yourself” dog house 😀
I saw it earlier 57 and I howled – it looks VERY familiar! In fact, my legs ache every time I come back from a walk with him because he spends his time carrying trees around the place and bashing them in to me!!
Oh, Danny……..
This should be an Olympic Sport….Tree Lifting 🙂 🙂 🙂
Danny would be a certainty for gold, JoJo!!
😀 I was *just* coming to ask if this is anyone we know! 😀
Bwwwhahahaaaa!!
Chips, what’s the score?????
I’m sorry ma’am. MUFC is not moving on in the competition.
So sad.
They did the “Lakers” on us 🙂
Oh, Rooney & Co. have WAAAAAAY to go before they’re at our Lakers’ sad state.
That’s comforting to hear, LL, thanks
😥 Lost 2-1. Life is CRAP.
Well, consolation Chips, we gave it a jolly good show!
AWESOME TWEETS…MAKES MY NAUSEA BETTER BUT NOT MY ANGER…I’M READY TO HAND THE COTTON BOYS THEIR————————FILL IN THE BLANKETS AS A NECKLACE! THEY DISGUST ME!
THIS
REV AL…GOING TO TALK THE FRAT INCIDENT AND THEN GIVE IT A REAL BLAST ON THE COTTON BOYS FROM CONGRESS!..TUNE IN NOW!
Oooooh Sue! I’ll be sure to watch Rev Al’s reply this evening when I get home. Thanks for the heads up!
New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/03/09/the-presidents-day-37/