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All Times Eastern
10AM: President Obama receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
1PM: Press Secretary Josh Earnest holds the White House Briefing
3:10PM: President Obama hosts a reception for the diplomatic corps in the East Room
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15
Jul
16
129 Responses to “Early Bird Chat”
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The People’s View
- Follow me at my new venture: Reclaim the Fight
- Ignore the bait: Why it’s the right strategy for Democrats to focus SCOTUS fight on health care
- BIG: Judge halts Trump administration attempt to shortcut the census
- Trump doesn't want peaceful transition of power. Legally, it doesn’t matter.
- Fauci goes off on Rand Paul
- Rule 44: Why Obamacare is not lost even in a deadlocked Supreme Court, but only if Biden wins
- Time to suit up. This is war.
- BREAKING: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has passed
- Bothsidesism comes to fact-checking: CNN's “fact-check” calling Biden ad 'misleading' proves the opposite
- Pardon me: How Donald Trump's stooges conspired with Julian Assange to exonerate Russia and undermine US Intlligence
Smartypants
- Durham to Right Wingers: "Blame Hillary"
- That Time When Refusing to Negotiate With Hostage-Takers Worked
- The Other Christian Nationalists: Leonard Leo and Opus Dei
- Hawley Demonstrates That He's an Ignorant Liar
- DeSantis Board Votes to Counter-Sue Disney Over Something...Anything
- Hunter Biden's Laptop Is a Total Nothingburger
- What DeSantis Couldn't Say in Response to Disney's Lawsuit
- Disney Skewers DeSantis With His Own Words
- Populism Without Civil Rights Is Fascism
- Glenn Greenwald gets triggered by smart competent women like Rep. Stacey Plaskett
Steve Benen
- Joe: Indictment could be something that had to be done and we have crossed a line that could be dangerous
- The effort to defend Trump is very haphazard, says former federal prosecutor
- Ari Melber: Jack Smith hasn’t said a word and he has the whole country listening
- A look back to 2019: Predicting Trump could run for re-election to shield himself
- Neal Katyal: Indictment makes clear no person can brazenly disregard the law without consequence
- Rep. Raskin: Trump has transformed Lincoln's party; he runs it like a religious cult
- Republican lawmakers react to Trump's indictment predictably
- Joe: Trump will now find out you can't bully federal judges or the feds themselves
- Ibram X. Kendi: When we assess structural racism, we are talking about groups not individuals
- Women are still pessimistic about the U.S. economy, polling shows
The Obama Diary 
Good morning Ms. Chips, Danny and TOD family, I hope all is well with everyone this lovely Friday morning. TGIF>>
Nerdy, thanks so much for helping Ms. Chips and the sacrifices you are making for us TOD”ders. 💫🙏👌👊❤
To all, I hope you have a cheery, festive, and triumphant day today. ❤ ❤ ❤
Thank God that President Obama is still the President of The United States of America. ⭐🏆 ⭐🏆 ⭐🏆
GM Ran Man, and congrats on first. And thank you for your good wishes for all of us. And may I extend mine as well. I hope everyone has a peace filled and lovely day today. I am up early thanks to my cats, so I’m going to make use of the cooler temps this time of day and get out in the garden. TTFN
Good Morning, Everyone 🙂
Good morning TOD folks! Congrats RanMan! POTUS and FLOTUS are two perfect hearts in a political world gone crazy.
Amen to that, vetivera.
Morning. Nerdy, I echo Ranman’s words acknowledging the sacrifices you’re making to carry on in Chips’ absence. This has to take a big toll on your daily schedule and I hope you’re taking time enjoy the summer and live your own life.
I’ve come to the conclusion that Trump’s personality is like a giant fog of depression that has settled on the American landscape and created a sense of claustrophobia and despair for decent Americans. Although I try actively to avoid it, when I hear his name or read about some bigoted and ignorant comment he’s made, I feel a headache come on and a heaviness in my heart. He represents darkness and his goal is to spread that darkness in all of us so we give up, like lambs being led to slaughter. The antidotes to this infection are action, the words of President Obama and the hope that decency will conquer hatred on election day. I can only suggest that each of us make this a summer of action and go outside of our comfort zones to reach out to people and register voters. He hopes to debilitate us and we can’t let him.
“He represents darkness and his goal is to spread that darkness in all of us so we give up, like lambs being led to slaughter.”
THIS! While PBO has always appealed to people’s better angels, Trump appeals to the darkest forces of humanity. If by some chance this man were to be elected, he would drag the entire country into the sewer. And with his divisiveness, I fear this great experiment in democracy would become a cesspool of hatred.
I agree, Jackie. Although I am hopeful Hillary will win I worry that Donald may con normally intelligent people into voting for him. I see dummies everyday that vote with Fox News, Bill O’Reilly, and Rush Limbaugh, but last night I had a dream concerning smart people I know going for Donald due to the increased mass violence.
Jackie, thank you for articulating what I feel too and didn’t know how to put in words. You’ve captured it exactly.
OG, I think what you describe is actually a nightmare and I hope with all of my heart that it does not come true.
Like the Death Eaters from Harry Potter. But hate won’t triumph. We have leaders like the Obamas and Bidens and the likelihood of a united Democratic party going into this election to continue their legacy with Hillary and whoever her VP turns out to be. Let’s do this thing!
Oh Jackie…thanks so much for articulating how I feel….thought it was only me. Had to come here as I just couldn’t stand the horrible FB postings, news quips, etc. I pray all Democrats will get out the vote; there has never been a scarier time than now! And I blame John McCain and his “destructive mate/bigot racist moron” for ginning this up!
Good morning, TOD!
Chips, you and your family continue in my prayers.
Nerdy, as always, THANK YOU for keeping the lights on here in our home.
Have a Blessed day, y’all…
Haven’t been around much, hope this isn’t a dup from an earlier day… ICYMI:
Morning, Alycee’. A lovely story. Thank you for helping to offset all the negativity out there.
You’re very welcome!
Thank you for this story….THIS should be on the front pages of news papers and news entertainment shows. All the rest is garbage. My prayers go out to the people of Nice who were hurt and killed yesterday but we do not need 24/7 coverage of the same film clip of emergency vehicles and hyperventilating newsheads talking breathlessly. Just think what this young man could do to make this world better and inspire others if his story was used to tell the world there is a LOT of good people out there.
WOW – terrific! And belated congratulations to our own positive force of nature and uplift – RanMan!
DA PHUQ?
Shorter Gingrich: Surrender our democracy to fear and tear up the constitution. Then we can all live happily under a dictatorship.
Someone smart should make an ad juxtaposing the dictatorship of his vision with a dictatorship that people are familiar with…..won’t be pretty.
Morning, jackieg….agree with your thoughts about the pall hanging over things…that said, it won’t last long! I believe that when the shit starts hitting the fan and people start to listen and see…and when the President, VP, FLOTUS, and Dr. Jill get on the campaign trail….well, you know:) Right now, in the dead of summer…this is all we hear…droning on and on….it won’t last. Reality will smack people right upside the head. I suggest everyone go out and register people to vote! It’s so fun to do…have done it many times myself…great way to meet people and begin the important one-on-one conversations that we must have in order to effect change.
Urgent that everyone that CAN vote, DOES vote….we can do this.
Love your optimism desertflower! I intend to campaign for Hillary.
Thank you, Sherry! Positivity is the only way to get things done! Campaign for Hillary…and bring a clipboard with voter registrations with you:) Good luck!
Amazing video and story. Thanks so much for sharing, Alycee. I’m not on Facebook but can someone who is tweet this so I can RT??!!
Love this, folks after mine own heart !!
What change looks like:) Good for her!
Good morning Ms. Chips and the entire TOD family.
This is a wonderful article and it and tweets are trending on Twitter. The opinion piece is about what a class act President Obama is. Of course, we all know this, but it’s nice to see in print – after 8 years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/15/opinion/with-obama-the-personal-is-presidential.html?_r=0
We’re on the same page, Sabreen60! Nice to see it’s trending.
Funny how it’s taken the NYT EIGHT YEARS to print the obvious. I cry when I think what might have been if the press had not been behind the GOP every step of the way.
Good morning and thank you, NW and TODville.
This is a very nice piece about PBO, the man. Beautiful words and TRUE.
GM Meta,
He stands head above the rest, always. I will so miss him, but I am looking forward to seeing what his next chapter holds.
I have some advice for Pokemon Go players – GET A LIFE
🙂 🙂 🙂
Morning, GGail….see below:)
Morning DF & cd 🙂
I left a comment below too
A senator that has no idea what his Constitutional duties are. Color me shocked. He’ll take that paycheck, though!
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/thom-tillis-no-judicial-nominees
GOP Senator: Confirming Judges Has ‘Nothing To Do With Doing Our Jobs’
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/07/15/3798652/gop-platform-national-parks/
he Republican platform committee met this week to draft the document that defines the party’s official principles and policies. Along with provisions on pornography and LGBT “conversion therapy” is an amendment calling for the indiscriminate and immediate disposal of national public lands.
The inclusion of this provision in the Republican Party’s platform reflects the growing influence of and ideological alliance between several anti-park members of the GOP and anti-government extremists, led by Cliven Bundy, who dispute the federal government’s authority over national public lands.
“Congress shall immediately pass universal legislation providing a timely and orderly mechanism requiring the federal government to convey certain federally controlled public lands to the states,” reads the adopted language. “We call upon all national and state leaders and representatives to exert their utmost power and influence to urge the transfer of those lands identified.”
The provision calls for an immediate full-scale disposal of “certain” public lands, without defining which lands it would apply to, leaving national parks, wilderness areas, wildlife refuges, and national forests apparently up for grabs and vulnerable to development, privatization, or transfer to state ownership.
So creative!
We had two geniuses who walked off a cliff out here – why???!!!!
Sickening. Truly.
well, they campaigned and won handsomely on no gobinment slogan. the voters/nonvoters built that.
Good morning meta 🙂
GM and good day to you, Bobfr.
Happy Friday TODers!!
Morning Nerdy, and here’s paying homage to you for the yeoman excellence you bring us. Thank you so much. 🙂 🙂
Missing and huge ((((((((((((((((((Chips)))))))))))))))))!
Morning truth…with a big cherry on top at the end:)
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/07/trumps-brain-trust-has-ideas-to-fight-terrorism.html
I hope all Dems do something similar:
❤
Just dropping this here….
THE BIBLE NEEDS TO BE AN ELECTIVE IN SCHOOLS..PERIOD!..YOU CAN’T TOSS OUT GOD..WHICH IS WHY THIS WORLD IS SUFFERING IN THE FIRST PLACE..WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET THIS?
GOD MUST BE IN GOVERNMENT..AMERICA IS HIS…NOT OURS!
Sue, you do realize that is the mantra of ISIS, right? This country was founded on both freedom of and freedom from religion. Our founders were determined NOT to have religion imposed on anyone and indeed escaped the Church of England. And frankly, as a Christian I do not believe Jesus would want to impose himself on those who choose not to follow. On the contrary,for those of us who believe, evil exists because God gave us free will–to believe or not, to do good or to do evil.
Perhaps the most stunning thing in our move from Minnesota to Texas with a school age child was the attempt to impose religion in the schools here. It is wrong. It ends up dividing rather than uniting when we are a nation of multiple religions and cultures, and in the end labels some of our children as “lesser”. We are Americans because of a set of beliefs including the belief that we are each free to believe in a particular religion or no religion at all.
Beautifully said Foxfire. When we moved from California to Oklahoma, the first question people asked us was: “What church do you go to?” We were stunned…..what difference did it make, and what business is it of yours? You’re right: freedom of religion, and freedom from religion. That is the only way to true religious freedom. Thank you for your clear explanation.
I think I know why Trump is choosing Pence: a cynical ploy to get the evangelical vote. Trump knows he can’t, but a “born-again” like Pence will attract the white evangelical vote he so desperately needs.
I KNOW WHAT TRUMP IS DOING..I HAD TO LEAVE A CHURCH BECAUSE OF THEIR RIGHT WING NASTINESS..BUT NOT ALL CHRISTIANS ARE LIKE THAT..THOSE WHO ARE AUTHENTIC…LOVE THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS..AND GOD IS FIRST IN THEIR LIVES………….WITHOUT QUESTION! THE WORLD IS SUFFERING ECAUSE GOD S LOW ON THE LIST AND NOT WHERE HE SHOULD BE..NUFF SAID!
I SAID..AN ELECTIVE…WHICH MEANS OFFERED AS A MATTER OF CHOICE……………………THERE IS A HUGE DFFERENCE!
god is a personal business, not a government business.
GOD CREATED THE UNIVERSE..WHEN WE TURN HIM AWAY..HE TAKES AWAY……………………….THE HEDGE OF PROTECTION HE PROVIDES HAS BEEN LIFTED BECAUSE WE HAVE REPLACED HIM WITH GREED,VIOLENCE AND SELF CONSUMPTION..ALSO..A GREAT DEAL OF EXCESS..AND LET ME NOT FAIL TO MENTION..RACISM…………………….THIS HAS ALL JUST BEGUN..IT’S GOING TO BE A VERY LONG..FILL IN THE BLANKS!
Does anyone else here hate it when the video plays automatically? I HATE that!!
Both YouTube and twitter have settings to avoid that but if you’re referring to most webpages, YES. I also DESPISE the floating ads now that play automatically and jump to a corner when you scroll. UGH and GRRRRR.
YES! All of it just makes me crazy! If I wanted to hear it, I’d have clicked on it! I will close out a page if they pop up…I won’t even read the rest….
Yeah, there are now some sites that have so much popping up and sliding in and jumping around that I just LEAVE, pronto. I mean, do they even have UX people looking at their web pages anymore? UGH!!!!!
adblockplus is your savior.
Especially when its a video you don’t want anyone else to know that you’re watching.
And read the responses, too:
Important points:)
And at a time when we face multiple crises, I cringe to think what this imbecilic, buffoon is capable of doing in those times. Any other time, he would be laughed off the face of the earth.
He has no place near the White House. Not even on the lawn.
The man is a nit. I am sorry.
I watched the town hall last night, what dismayed me was the fact that almost every person that asked a question either consciously or subconsciously wanted President Obama to somehow be able to fix every social and economic problem that plagues African American communities. President Obama is not some sort of magic Negro, I repeat; he is not some sort of magic Negro. It pisses me off the he’s the one that’s being charged with solving every issue. I’m fucking pissed.
Whomever is the next President won’t be charged with doing shit for minority communities. But somehow President Obama has to fix every goddamn thing.
People act as though before President Obama got elected minority communities didn’t have problems with the police departments that patrolled those neighborhoods.
Every goddamn President before President Obama was damn near given a free pass when it came to dealing with minority communities.
I’m sorry, Don…try not to be pissed. Just a knee jerk reaction I think…and underlying problem that white America has to come to grips with and realize…I refuse to make excuses for them. Easier for those to say to themselves, “smart black man, fix the black issue”…what they have to learn, is that its not a black issue so much as a white one…they haven’t come to that realization yet, so this is what you see in the meantime. White settlers to America thought the issue was the Native Americans, too….if they would just only mold themselves to OUR way of thinking and doing, it would all be alright and we could get on with the business of raping and pillaging….
Just do the right thing yourself…and talk to others…this too shall pass…not as quickly as we’d like, but it will. {{{Don}}}
The very act of doing this, this very expectation, IS racist…or bigoted….They (white people) have to get honest about and confront this themselves…you can only show them….
Don, I actually was laughing watching twitter on this last night. The AA community is screaming he has done NOTHING for the AA community and the white community is screaming he needs to do something to make them more comfortable rather than being the most divisive politician of all time. Of course, they are ALL wrong. PBO knows that, ignores them, and just keeps on keepin’ on. We must do the same..
FoxfireTX, I try to ignore them, but I can’t. They guy has literally gone gray trying to move this country forward. For some in the AA community if PBO isn’t walking around the White House in a “Dashiki” in ray-bans and shouting “down with whitey” then he’s a sell out. For some in the “White” community if he isn’t appeasing them at all times then he must be a “socialist/usurper/infiltrator/secret-Muslim” hell bent on destroying America.
WELL SAID DON..BTW..I LOVE DASHIKIS AND OFTEN WEAR THEM AND MY OBAMA SHIRTS…MY ENERGIZER PRESIDENT HAS SUFFERED GREATLY THRU THE YEARS AND AS AN ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THOSE IN NEED..SO HAVE I…WE DESPERATELY NEED A UNITED COUNTRY..BUT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT GOD. AS THE PRESIDENT SAID..WE ARE ALL GOD’S CHILDREN………….WE NEED TO ACT LIKE IT!
I have noticed the more someone does the more those that do nothing expect that person to do.
WOW, this guy can’t do anything with any measure of stability.
Poor Chris Christie, I hope Trump at least walked him down to the cab and gave him cab fare to get back home.
Despite hatred constantly rearing its head, beauty is around if only we’ll pause long enough for it to register on our consciousness.
Morning, TODobots!
Thanks for always reminding us and sharing DoI’s feed. SO important.
YVW. I love that they so often highlight beauty!
YAYAYAYAY beauty!!!!
#videoshop
#cynic #pessimist #glass½ empty #party-pooper #….
you left out #consumer
#didnt #wasaheadofyou
https://theobamadiary.com/2016/07/14/presidents-obama-abc-town-hall/#comment-1557988
You mean the National Parks that the Republican platform says should be PRIVATIZED???
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/07/15/3798652/gop-platform-national-parks/
Yep. GOPs never see beyond their noses, or their (friends’) pocketbooks.
Beautiful, but that water must be really cold.
Hi, VC. I wasn’t on line all day yesterday, except to check my email, so I’m reading the posts backwoods trying to catch up.
Hi, TD. You’re probably all caught up by now. 🙂
I never gave a thought to the water temperature because you can bet your last dollar there’s no way I’d be going in cold, warm or just right. As I’m strictly an observer from afar when it comes to bodies of water I can easily appreciate the beauty.
I love the pictures that the Department of Interior posts, but I know that I’m not about to get too close to the actual sites.
I finally caught up late last night. I’m happy that I only have today’s posts to catch up too.
^5
Dinner tonight:) I can’t even tell you how good this is:)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ingrid-hoffmann/shredded-steak-with-peppers-onions-and-tomatoes-ropa-vieja-recipe.html
Looks tasty, but what would you serve with it?
I just have it with yellow rice….if you’re a beer drinker (I’m not) a cold beer would be good:) It’s so easy and delish!
I wanted to say yellow rice or either white rice, not a beer drinker at all I cannot stand beer.
GM….it’s Orange Julius & Snow White. I guess we’ll get a Smurf for SOS…..PITIFUL.
The Orange man chose someone who will notout-shout him(Bully Christie and Adulterer Newt).
Good read.
Start here. These people are so inept, it’s not even funny.
OMG, this is too much!
I AM TELLING YOU..AND IT IS WRITTEN…GOD WILL PUT AN END TO ALL THINGS IF WE DO NOT LISTEN TO HIS WORD…THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW..DAY BY DAY..MINUTE BY MINUTE..GOD IS IN CONTROL AND HE IS ANGRY!
One of these statements is true:
1. I’m seven feet tall.
2. Track Palin, son of former Alaska half-governor Sarah Palin, is in jail on domestic violence charges.
3. I love broccoli.
4. rw’ers’ ‘family values’.
5. “Christian” Conservative.
6. pro life
Rugged individualism.
You didn’t say 7. You lose.
8. He’s. That. Guy.
yup.
I can hear Sister Sarah now…in that screechy thing that is supposed to pass for a voice..”Don’t judge me!!” WTFE
Well she wouldn’t say something like that because “Don’t judge me” isn’t a word salad and it doesn’t explain how her son’s incarceration isn’t President Obama’s fault.
I BEG YOUR PARDON..I AM NOT A CONSERVATIVE..I AM A MODERATE…ALWAYS HAVE BEEN AND WORKED VERY HARD TO HAVE PBO ELECTED…………………….
This lefty italian mayor’s way of handling refugees issue is novel.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36769145
New post.
https://theobamadiary.com/2016/07/15/the-presidents-thinking-hours/