President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands prior to G7 leaders summit at the Ise Jingu (Shrine) in Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan
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Eikei Suzuki, governor of Mie Prefecture, European Council President Donald Tusk, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. President Barack Obama, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, French President Francois Hollande, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, participate in a tree planting during a visit at Ise Jingu Shrine
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European Council President Donald Tusk, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, US President Barack Obama, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, French President Francois Hollande, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker pose for the family photo
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President Barack Obama, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and wife Akie Abe attend the cocktail event
The Obama Diary 
GA, TOD!
GA, Jazziz2!
Congrats on 1st jazziz2, how was your “witch doctor apt” are you ok? Did he prescribe a good brew for you?
Appointment was a “no go” AFTER I got there. See below…
Alycee – nice to see you in first place!
I LOVE MY PRESIDENT…SO NICE HAVING A GROWN UP IN THE WH!
Thanks for this, NerdyW.
Hmmm; planting a tree does seem to have become part of the G7 ritual. Maybe I should get you a little tree, or perhaps a smaller white Japanese shovel as your keepsake – what do you think, NW?
TREES ARE AWESOOOOOOOOOOOOME…AND I LOVE THE JAPANESE MAPLE…ACTUALLY ANY TREE..I LOVE THE OAK…HAVE ACORNS ALL OVER THE HOUSE! TREES ARE LIKE HORSES…DON’T ABUSE THEM! CURRENTLY HAVING AN ARGUMENT WITH MY DUCKS AND GEESE…THEY ARE ACTING LIKE REPUBLICANS!
GA vc.
This tweet links to a video (which I can’t watch now because I’m glued to Michelle Obama at the Santa Fe Indian School now), but tweet says a lot… #NatureGirl here.
Hmmmm……very interesting. You’re getting warm.
Oh boy, this is ma-jor encouragement! *chuckle-chuckle* I’m generally aw-ful (really awful) at buying presents! 😀
DOES ANYBODY KNOW ABOUT WHAT TIME HIROSHIMA IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE???….OUR TIME!
Back from the witch doctor’s. On one hand, I’m po’d, on the other I’m Semper Gumby… Arrived 10 minutes late for my appointment — called to say I was stuck in traffic. Checked in, had a seat, waited, and waited, and waited… After an hour, I went back to the desk, asked the receptionist to check on status; the clerk who checked me in walked into the office and offered to check me OUT — told him I was still waiting. He says, that’s strange because I was the ONLY appointment for the day for that particular test. Meanwhile, receptionist is on the phone stuttering, asking “what am I supposed to tell her…” Turns out, the machine broke this morning and they were waiting for maintenance! So WHY THE HECK DIDN’T THEY NOTIFY THE FRONT DESK????? Po’d that I wasted time and gas; on the other hand, it got me up, dressed and out of the house for a few, and I stopped by the produce junction on the way home. C’est la vie…
Oh no, so sorry you had to go through this.
At least I got fresh fruits and veggies… Semper Gumby!
I admire your positive attitude and resiliency!
so do I!!!
GOTTA GO…………………<3
Share this not only with each and every child in your life; also share with those adults that need encouragement to once again shoot for the stars…
Harvard Graduate School of Education
One of the most powerful, heartfelt student speeches you will ever hear! Thank you Ed.M. candidate Donovan Livingston for today’s spoken word poetry.
Standing O for Donovan Livingston!
THE 2016 HARVARD GRADUATE………………………THE PROMISE! EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN…GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITIES IN LIFE THEY DESERVE!..THANK YOU DONOVAN!
This was magnificient
Thanks NW, the photos are great. Really enjoy following President Obama.
🙂
Great post, Nerdy, the pictures are lovely. President Obama is such an elegant man. Can you imagine a Trump trying to deal with the intricacies of the world?
NOPE. The horror!
Thanks, Don!
Livestream for Santa Fe commencement with FLOTUS:
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/livestream-feed-of-michell-obama-commencement-at-santa-fe-indian/html_a33fecee-233b-11e6-b817-3339ad8ff8a9.html
GA TODville.
Reposting this from tail end of last thread. Michelle Obama is on stage now, but hasn’t yet spoken — being introduced now:
From Meta’s twitter timeline:
More…
Loved the procession of graduates, all dressed in bright colors, beads and other indigenous adornment.
Pity that MSM is now focused on the greatest egomaniacal psychopath on earth (Trump):
OT, but it’s Obamacare’s fault, I tell ya! 🙂
“….. All these findings may explain why majorities of enrollees give their health plans high ratings. If the fundamental purpose of health insurance is to provide people with adequate access to needed health care, then it would seem that, on balance, the Affordable Care Act’s coverage expansions are working well for most of the people who have enrolled in them. …..”
Full report with graphs here: http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2016/may/ACA-tracking-survey-access-to-care-and-satisfaction
The *love* her; they really, really ❤ ❤ FLOTUS! 🙂 🙂 🙂 [The haters just *cannot* match that!!]
vcprezofan2, They love her just like we do. A moving speech from our First Lady.
Authenticity. Annieb – the Obamas do authenticity so very, very well and (real) people get that.
First Lady Michelle Obama gave one of the most loving and inspiring commencement speeches ever! So proud and grateful!
Judith Fardig, I think I heard the First Lady starting to tear up a bit. As you said what a loving and moving speech. So proud of our First Lady. Hay the Valedictorian Emanuel Vigil will be attending Columbia U. He was accepted by Stanford too.
I think you’re right about her getting choked up when she talked about her parents and again when she was honored with the sacred blanket. So much love and respect!
Here in Iowa, we miss being in the political spotlight. No, not really – LOL. 🙂 Anyhow, tonight is the Democratic Senate debate among the four candidates vying to be *the one* to unseat our resident idiot Chuck Grassley (fingers crossed). It will be on at http://site.iptv.org/series/22843/iowa-press-debates/301 at 7PM CDT. I hope Patty Judge does well!
OH, so do I. Please keep us informed if your would, muscatinegal. I really do hope there’s a decent chance to retire Grassley.
Hillary Clinton Campaign Event in San Jose, CA – http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml
OMG, FLOTUS was so impassioned and emotional in her speech to this special Indian community. The gift giving blessing was incredibly profound, as the young woman placed the ceremonial blanket on her shoulders and offered her blessing to FLOTUS, POTUS and the girls. And FLOTUS choked up when the principal offered a special blessing to Malia, who is also graduating.
We also saw a glimpse of how she might campaign for HRC when she implored the graduates to just turn on their TVs if they ever think about quitting and pay attention to what some people are saying and what their values are. She went on to absolutely decimate what we’ve come to know of Trump. A BRILLIANT takedown, BEST I’ve ever heard.
MUST SEE video when it becomes available.
THIS!!!!!!
Thank you meta!!! (and don’t worry about the typo … we all get the ‘turn off’ implied) ….
Well, I think she actually asked to TUNE IN! IOW, pay attention. But yeah, you do get it!!
🙂
GA Meta.
Really hope the entire video is made available, even though it was over 2 hours.
Everything about the ceremony was inspiring to me, made me feel right at home (of course I have a lifelong love of region surrounding Four Corners and NM is just about my favorite state).
Love the dignity the students displayed as they wore colorful ensembles — how special for them — so different than the monotone “traditional” graduation gowns.
And the deep respect the community has for their elders isn’t something you see in most areas of US.
Haven’t seen all of @FLOTUS’ commencement addresses, but I have a feeling that this was the most deeply personal one she’s given.
Off the charts, loved every minute of it.
Just finished watching it on a rerun, that was one of the best Graduations I have seen in a long time. Our First Lady was awesome. God bless her, our President, Malia, Sasha and Grandma Robinson.
It was also incredibly moving to listen to the young woman voice the community’s offering of a special blessing of protection for FLOTUS, POTUS and the girls, in all their endeavors.
SOMEHOW…WE WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE THE OBAMA DIARY IN WASHINGTON…YOU INVITE THEM OUT FOR THE DAY…AND I’LL PLANT THE CAMERAS!…LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
😍😍😍
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PRECIOUS!!!!!
THIS THIS THIS
RIGHT ON, Booms. She gave such an incredibly loving and good spirited talk to those wonderful graduates. A-MAZING.
I’m so sad that I missed seeing it, live – even though I had been counting down the hours! Can’t wait to watch the video.
it is on the thread above, you can replay it even when it says it’s live.
Thanks – was hoping that – just hadn’t checked yet. ❤
We expect nothing better from Trump, he is a disgusting racists bigot.
Sorry for the duplicate Meta! Isn’t this the perfect tweet tho?
No sorries, it’s exquisite and right on point!!
LOVING OTHERS IS GOD’S GREATEST COMMANDMENT..THE OBAMAS KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS………………………….
Great pics! Thank you, NW, for keeping the world revolving around us!
🙂
Best FLOTUS Ever
Dudette you are so right Michelle Obama is the best First Lady ever. I don’t remember Jackie O, or Eleanor Roosevelt, way before my time.
Another great round-up from our resident genius, Nerdy Wonka. Take a bow!!
Thanks so much, Meta!
Thank you so much JER for all the pics of what is going on in our WH. ((hugs)))
❤
Hate this time zone stuff:
Sizzle break:
Thanks Meta, nice to have another loving couple to enjoy. No fear, heartfelt PDA’s are inspiring.
this is a super duper posting full of love, and positives. Thanks Nerdy and all contributors.
🙂
Since it’s already Friday morning in Japan, and PBO will arrive in Hiroshima around midnight west coast time (per Mark Knoller tweet upthread, here’s some background on the G7 location — these photos do a lot to calm frenzied souls:
Back from my nap. Nerdy, thanks for this week’s outstanding travelog, your efforts are sooooooo appreciated!
a-men
🙂
Thanks so much!
Never realized that Hillary had a magazine ‘presence’ *before* Bill! Sometimes ( :D) twitter offers up some good info.
http://time.com/3502935/life-with-hillary-portraits-of-a-wellesley-grad-1969/
Saw the info in this tweet from my TL.
LOVE our POTUS.
Anthony Boudain: SIX TRUE THINGS ABOUT DINNER WITH OBAMA
https://li.st/l/5akUvlu4M8C5AFA3Df99Ei
GE Meta.
It’s so true. I recall recently a person who had just interviewed PBO (I think it was Chris Geidner of Buzzfeed, but it might have been someone else) who said that PBO went out of his way to thank the crew for a job well done.
This is who he is. PBO is closely attuned to everyone. Not in an insincere WJC way, but whose top priority is to make sure that each person’s needs is met (with the exception of the GOP, MSM and certain leaders of other countries where he needs to flip the coin to “ruthless”).
After all those kidnappings you’d think Liam would hire some security for that girl or keep her in sight at all times. 😉
This ambassador/sergeant-at-arms seems to be a very ‘hands-on’ type. Not sure what I think about this.
New post.
https://theobamadiary.com/2016/05/26/a-working-dinner/
OMG! If any TODers have ever taken ballet and tried to learn to dance on pointe shoes, you will appreciate the AWESOMENESS of this YouTube. For those who have not had that experience, trust me, these girls are amazing:
Mme. S, I confess I will never understand why anyone chooses to dance ‘on pointe’. In watching I tend to be more focused on the possible pain/cries from the toes so miss the dance itself. 😉 Although I do like Misty en pointe, I don’t see myself actually attending a full ballet performance. OTH, I also never saw myself following a ‘political’ blog, so you never know. 😀
Pointe shoes do terrible things to the feet. My mom couldn’t afford to keep paying for me to attend ballet lessons when I was little, but I’m glad because I like my feet and dancing on pointe would have destroyed them.
The Obama Presidency has a lot of us doing things we never did and probably won’t do again. I was raised to be politically aware, but I never followed press conferences, paid attention to foreign trips, watched “Christmas at the White House” or looked forward to the WHCD (except for when Stephen Colbert did that satirical masterpiece on GWB) until PBO and family came to Washington.
I am finding that I am a little bit excited and inspired that PBO will be followed by a competent, compassionate woman President. Two amazing firsts back to back is pretty cool. I think, as a woman, I will be more emotional than I anticipate when she is sworn in (and no, Sara Palin would not have inspired me, but horrified me). However, I know I will not be following the PHC administration nearly as closely as I have followed PBO’s.
Yep, amazing!