President Barack Obama shakes hands with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang during his visit to the Presidential Palace in Hanoi. He kicks off a landmark visit that caps two decades of post-war rapprochement, as both countries look to push trade and check Beijing’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea
President Barack Obama reviews a guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony
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President Barack Obama shakes hands with Vietnam’s Vice Minister of Defence Nguyen Chi Vinh
President Barack Obama and National Security Advisor Susan Rice walk with Vietnam’s National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan
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President Barack Obama attends a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang at the Presidential Palace
President Barack Obama flanked by Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Advisor Susan Rice, holds official talks with Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at Phuc’s cabinet office
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President Barack Obama and President Tran Dai Quang take part in a joint press conference at the International Convention Center in Hanoi
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BREAKING: U.S. fully lifts decades-long ban on sale of lethal arms to Vietnam cnn.it/25aRuPo cnn.it/1XLV9Rr
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(@CNN) May 23, 2016****
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Vietjet CEO Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao shakes hands with President Barack Obama while Ray Corner, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes shakes hands with Vietnam’s President Tran Dai Quang (2nd R) during a signing ceremony that Vietjet will buy 100 Boeing aircraft from the US manufacturer
President Barack Obama proposes a toast during a state luncheon
President Barack Obama meets with Communist Party of Vietnam General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Office in Hanoi
The Obama Diary 
Hi, Ms Nerdy. Thank you
👋👏🕉☯💞
Morning, Ms Pamela!
No matter where he goes…it’s the same overwhelming reaction from the people…the most human response.
/great big smile on my part/ 🙂
Hi Hopef!
You’re welcome, VC.
This is a wonderful thread; thanks NW.
I always love seeing NSA director Susan Rice in the power position next to PBO. Women rock, and PBO knows it and shows it with all of the skilled and powerful women with which he surrounds himself in his admin. (and at home).
Shallow note: This is the first girly outfit that I have ever seen Susan Rice wear; she looks great in that aquamarine A-line dress. Power, smarts, and beauty; what an awesome combination.
Right on, CEB, I also feel a sense of relief to see Susan Rice beside PBO. Her brilliant mind, her ability to listen and maintain perspective on all that takes place, knowing she has tremendous capacity to retain information, and provide intelligent feedback as needed.
That’s the cool thing about women’s fashion, you have different names for different dresses. To me it looks like a light green sleeveless dress. I’m color blind so if the color isn’t right I take full responsibility for getting the color wrong.
AGREE CEB..I LOVE DR. RICE TO PIECES!
You’re welcome, CEB.
Is there another kind?
“BREAKING: U.S. fully lifts decades-long ban on sale of lethal arms to Vietnam”
I agree df. I am also looking forward to the day when a leader of one country can make a formal visit to another country without having a viewing of the troops as part of the necessary protocol for their arrival. It seems like such a farce with all the work President Obama is doing to bring peace to the world. But I understand change takes place slowly for some people.
As always, TOD has been stellar covering our POTUS.
🙂
THANK YOU for this round up, Queen Nerdy!
Thanks, Meta!
That made me smile! (And why am I not surprised ol’ Anthony Bourdain is there!)
ROCK STAR ALWAYS
Great post, Nerdy!
Thank you!
GOP loses at Supreme Court over Virginia Redistricting Map.
Any sentence beginning with “GOP loses” makes my day, and one like this, in particular. Thank you.
Amen!
One of the officers in Baltimore – charged with assault and reckless endangerment in Freddie Gray’s death – has been acquitted. The MSNBC reporter said people may not be surprised since this was one of the “weaker” cases. Five additional cases to come.
God bless Baltimore and the Gray family.
Not guilty verdict in the bench trial for the Baltimore Cop.
sigh..
not much shock…
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a guilty verdict on a bench trial with a cop.
Nope not shocked either, but disgusted and tired of it.
These images are fabulous. Still mind boggling to me how horizons have changed over the decades.
Loving these historic photos, especially the startling ones with Ho Chi Minh’s giant head looming over the scene. Who could have imagines this when we were on the streets in the 60s protesting the war?
Obama admin adds to counter-terrorism record, kills Taliban chief
05/23/16 10:40 AM
By Steve Benen
Among Republicans, it’s simply assumed that President Obama and his administration are passive and indifferent when it comes to counter-terrorism. In recent months, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), for example, has said the White House’s approach to defeating terrorists is simply “rhetorical,” and barely exists in practice. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) added in November, “I recognize that Barack Obama does not wish to defend this country.”
And yet, reality keeps getting in the way of ridiculous conservative talking points.
How many justices would a President Trump add to the high court?
05/23/16 11:20 AM
By Steve Benen
A couple of weeks ago, Donald Trump said he expects to name “as many as five” justices to the U.S. Supreme Court in the coming years, each of whom would oppose reproductive rights. In remarks to the NRA on Friday, the presumptive Republican nominee used a similar figure.
The GOP candidate caused quite a stir last week when he released the names of 11 specific, far-right jurists, explaining that they represent the kind of people – if not literally the exact people – he’d consider for Supreme Court vacancies. Reviewing the list satisfied conservatives and gave chills to liberals, which was probably the intended goal.
But is Trump right about his expectations? If elected, should Americans expect him to nominate a literal court majority by himself?
POTUS should be sitting with his back to the wall! what was SS thinking?
Good morning TODville. It is a rainy cool morning here in Montana. Well I finally had a conversation with my brother that I really didn’t want to have. He called me to say he was going to a dinner tonight with Gianforte, the rich man who is running for governor or Montana. He is a rich right wing nut. My brother is a wonderful man, I just disagree politically. He has worked for Rick Warren, help start Focus on the Family, Worked with President Bush, works with the Walton family, etc. We have never had a political conversation. I am the outsider in my family when it comes to all the political and conservative Christian things. I am very left wing. I told him I would slit my wrists before I would vote for a Republican. Now I have to sit down and write a letter to him explaining me. I hope he will still talk to me when this is over.
I need to relax and recoup and get on with my day. So love all the pictures of the President. So historic.
Sending you hugs and strength, MTMarilyn.
Thank you NW. I know there are many here who have family issues. That is why what all you do here is so much more important than any of us know. Having this place to come to keeps us all going in the midst of this crazy world. Know NW that all you, Chips and the other BT’s is so greatly appreciated.
BIG
The GOP doesn’t want to appoint another Justice to the high court, fine, well then all the cases will go back to the lower court which ruled in the Administrations favor most of the time anyway. So there.
What wonderful pictures, I see something particularly poignant in Secretary Kerry’s presence. He suffered so much for his stance on Viet Nam, and the GWB swiftboaters so ripped him up. I am glad to see him walking proud and tall with PBO. His personal arc of history is bending toward justice for him. I admire him and have admired him for years. He was right all along.
Great points. The way the rw’ers and their ass kissing media demonize the actual honest heroes and succeeds in it is a blackmark in US politics.
Yes, it is AMK, and it traces its origins to a long series of nasty Republican operatives who have no moral code when going after political rivals. Richard Nixon began the ugliness and Lee Atwater, Roger Stone and Carl Rove, among many others, helped to perfect it.
And on his death bed, Lee Atwater was begging for forgiveness from anyone that would listen.
Well-said carolyn. BRAVO to SOS Kerry.
OMG…this man, OUR President…could we have him for another 4 years…(a very selfish request I know)….
THANK YOU SO MUCH TOD FOR ALWAYS COVERING PBO..I WORRY UNLESS I SEE A PIC. WHEN HE IS OVERSEAS! I’M LIKE A NOSEY NEIGHBOR HANGING OVER A FENCE!…SPEAKING OF NEIGHBORS..PLEASE PRAY FOR CARLOS JR…HIS PARENTS ARE A MESS AND I AM HOPING HE WON’T FALL INTO THEIR DITCH. WORKING WITH THIS FAMILY NEXT DOOR. CARLOS HAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND I KNOW HE IS STRESSED ABOUT LIFE AT HOME AND PROSPECTS FOR HIS FUTURE…PLEASE TUCK SOME PRAYERS IN FOR HIM!
THERE ISN’T ANYTHING ABOUT THE NRA THAT ISN’T OUTRAGEOUS!
Don’t be cute, everybody knows that Obama was just sitting up the stage for Hillary to take all the guns away. Its called being a decoy, and that Obama fella is playing the part of the rabble rouser, and that Clinton lady is going to impose marshal law and take all the guns away. Why do you think the tri-lateral commission and the illuminati and the project for the New America were meeting with the Bilderberg group in Rome of 2009? Why do you think “Area 51” is still off limits, its because the guns makers hold a annual arms sale there. That’s why Francis Ford Coppla got in trouble when he added “Immobiliare” to the plot of Godfather III. Immobiliare was the code name for the plan to take away the guns. All of this stuff is connected, amk.
smh
Don, your imagination and creative thinking is a welcome treat for me today, thank you 🙂
An old landlord of mine confessed to having voted for GWB in 2000 because he thought Gore was going to take his guns away. He wised up for 2004 and voted for Kerry, but we all know how that worked out. The NRA has been recycling that BS for how long now? The fear of a black man in the WH took that paranoia up to eleven and, instead of anyone’s guns being taken away, gun sales went through the roof and we have more guns and more shootings. Now they will trot those same scare tactics out about the female POTUS.
LIVE: Clinton delivers SEIU speech – http://www.msnbc.com/live-online/watch/coming-up-clinton-delivers-seiu-speech-690948675728
AND http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml
Justice Clarence Thomas dissented. He wanted the guy executed! I truly believe that something is terribly wrong with Clarence Thomas. The depth of his hatred for his fellow Black people is palpable!
PRICELESS!
Wow that is an amazing pic of the President and Communist Party head…..simply amazing
There is NO legitimate news source in America. Even PBS resorts to talking points when discussing politics. It turns my stomach.
Bingo!
POTUS must have the strongest stomach of anybody i know he travels and enjoy the local cuisine, just me when i traveled back home (Nigeria) couple of years ago I tried to resort to my traditional food and ended all day in the restroom until I started to acclimatize my self back to the good old habits and food ” Go POTUS”
SOON: Bill Clinton Holds Rally for Hillary in Fresno, CA – http://abcnews.go.com/Live?stream=4
Squeee! “First Gentleman” 🙂 I must confess, PBC would not have been my first choice for first FGOTUS, but I’m exited at the thought of PBO being followed by the first female POTUS.
COMING UP: Bernie Sanders Holds a Rally in Santa Monica – http://abcnews.go.com/Live?stream=2
GA HF2.
Love it. Here’s the pool report:
And here’s BWD’s endorsement of this thread 😉 :
…..ON HIS WAY TO GET SOME KIMCHEE..I JUST KNOW IT!..LOL!
http://www.warrenjasonstreet.com/aal/2016/5/barbara-mikulski-issues-a-warning-to-bernie-sanders
WTF?
So embarrassed for Keith Ellison to be on that list. I get it he’s from the most ‘librul’ part of our most ‘ibrul’ city, but that he’s fallen so hard for Bernie’s Shtick really makes me think again on how smart that guy really is. He’s had some not so nice things about PBO to say as well, but he’s usually pretty good.
I’ll reserve further judgement (and friendly love note) until I see how this BS crap plays out and if Ellison gets in line or continues to rabble rouse.
Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy,,,Whyyyyyyyyyy
What fresh hell is this? Cornel West?? The catering to Sander’s ego by the DNC is mind boggling. Rep. Ellison, too? SMDH
Hi PSLA. I honestly think Sanders thinks the colour of the skin is all that matters. And if the dark skinned guy/female also showed some intelligence waaaay back at some time in his/her past, that clinches it. really smh
No doubt he won’t be invited to Pres Clinton’s inauguration so he can carry on with his hate fest.
SOOOO seriously some good news here!
This is like seriously awesome! I just stumbled over this, but its a BFD!
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has signed a bill into law replacing the state’s caucus system with a presidential primary.
Dayton’s office announced Sunday the governor had signed the bill that would establish a primary in the state beginning in 2020.
http://www.startribune.com/dayton-signs-law-moving-minnesota-to-presidential-primary/380431521/
President Barack Obama has done so much to change the world’s perception of what a US President can be and can accomplish. Seeing SoS Kerry, after all of that awful swiftboating in 2004, seeing PBO opening us to the world and the world to us in a personal way that no one else but he could, is so uplifting. He has earned that Nobel Prize and more. I am so proud to be an American under President Barack Obama.
I loved the comments from the earlier thread about PBO being such a badass – taking out the Taliban leader and then sitting down to noodles with Anthony Bourdain 🙂
For any SoCal TODers out there who are getting cravings for Vietnamese food watching PBO’s trip, or who may not have tried it before, there is an organic Vietnamese place in Eagle Rock called Blue Hen Vietnamese Kitchen. I highly recommend it. It’s a cool, friendly, reasonably-priced neighborhood place located in a mini-mall. It’s kind of “California Vietnamese” – organic and supporting local farmers – run by a couple of local California moms of Vietnamese heritage.
http://www.eatatbluehen.com/
I’ve always wanted to try this place and pass by it as I go to the Trader Joe’s just down the street from it. Thanks for the recommendation. Will definitely make a point of trying it out!
Yay! You’re welcome Purple Shoes! Blue Hen is worth checking out pho sure! (like how I did that California Vietnamese slang mash-up? 🙂 )
My fave is the Blue Hen Sandwich with Turmeric Fries and the Imperial rolls.
Pho sure 🙂
I got it MSoph 🙂
🙂
LOL, I see what you did there. 🙂 I’ve already been up and down the menu at the link you provided. Yummy! Can’t wait to check it out.
Having a terrible, awful time downloading this. Waaaaay too many pics and my satellite bill will shoot up. Have been on here 10 minutes and many pics still to download.
LIVE NOW: Bernie Sanders Campaign Event In Los Angeles – http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml
I hope this matured Senator goes back to Vermont. Like yesterday!!!
This is not by accident….with the Chinese increased activities in the South China Sea look for America to place Some Naval bases in Saigon or near the DMZ or Cam Rahn Bay.
GA yardarm.
Wouldn’t that be something? What a difference 40 years make.
I guess it’s no different than US bases in Japan, though the unfortunate murder of a local young woman has cast a pall on PBO’s visit there. 😦
Oh, so, like he’s 10 steps ahead of the rest of the world again? Why am I not surprised!
Good take on the topic, YA.
As always TOD is THE place to be for real coverage of our President’s overseas trips. Lame Duck my @#$ ! Thank you NW and Miz Chips – you guys ROCK!
Happy Monday y’all!
https://twitter.com/OMGImNay?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Thanks so much!
Thank you Nerdy Wonka for this beautiful summation of the day! I shared the link with F&F 🙂
Thanks so much, MadameSoph!
Help!!!!! for some reason I’m not getting THE OBAMA DIARY in my e-mails…whats going on??????
Double check to make sure that you are still subscribed for email alerts from TOD.
Hello Happy TODable TODbots.
Congrats, VC on your Au ⭐
Just saw this & thought to come & Post it 😉
To hell with these polls, I don’t need the NBC/WSJ poll to tell me that President Obama is a dam good President. Next week that same poll will be saying a hole different thing.
His approval numbers ought to be near sixty or more.
This!!!!
NOW: Bill Clinton Holds Rally for Hillary in Stockton, CA – http://abcnews.go.com/Live?stream=2
GA, TOD! One of those rough days after a grueling weekend… On to lighter, petty things. Didn’t watch the BMA’s last night — never do — not my cup of tea; however, I understand that the Prince tribute was just awful. Although I’m also not a BET fan, they just put the “S” in SHADE…
🙂 “Purple shade, puhurple shade….”
^5
Hay Hillary Clinton, wise decision.
Totally agree JER and Bella. Why should she enable him with another useless debate to pretend that he is relevant at this point?
Fox wanted to talk about emails and Benghazi! Bernie wanted the free media. Hillary is the smart one in this election.
yesssssssssssssssss
i
In case you mssed it, President Obama Hosts a State Dinner:
ANYONE WHO DOES NOT EXPECT ANY OF THIS TO BE MESSY HAS BEEN IN THE BARN TOO LONG!..THE TRACKS ARE GREASED FOR AN EXCITING RIDE!
The media sooooo hopes this will be true. With the GOP falling in line behind the dumb one, they have to look elsewhere for their fun.
Of all people, the Democratic Party has to breathe life into this mope? SMDH.
“OUR WORLD VEWS AND INTERESTS ALIGN”………………PEACE WILL NOT COME WITHOUT UNITY……………..WE ARE ALL EQUAL! THANKS FOR THE NORDIC PEEK JER…!!!!! I DO HAVE TO SAY I AM ONE SWEDE WHO DOES NOT LIKE WINTER!
BLESSINGS EVERYONE…WILL CHECK BACK ON THE ENERGIZER LATER..HE LOOKS FULLY CHARGED TO ME!..LOVE THAT PRESIDENT!
New post.
https://theobamadiary.com/2016/05/23/president-obamas-bun-cha-huong-lien-experience/
SOON: Bill Clinton Campaigns for His Wife in Sacramento, CA – http://abcnews.go.com/Live?stream=2