Yay! Thanks Nerdy! What a joyful tribute to our darling Chips! Hope she sees this and feels all the love today! Hugs to you for having her back and keeping the village humming along. ππΎππΎππΎπ
Congrats on being first Nerdy! You are first in our hearts for doing the yeoman’s job of covering for our dear Chips while she heals. We are so blessed to have you in our family. Hugs to you for holding us all in the warm embrace of TOD. π
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Chips. I hope this lightens up your heart and know Nerdy and the rest of TOD is thinking of you and your family. Love you and have a wonderful day. (((((hugs))))
Thanks you Nerdy from the bottom of my heart for this awesome Birthday celebration. π ((((hugs)))) to you too. Have a good day.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHIPS! πππΉβ€οΈπβ€οΈπβ€οΈ! We love you! We miss you! Here’s hoping you are renewing yourself and return to us soon.
Thanks, NW, for keeping us uplifted and informed and moving forward! We love you too. β€οΈπ
Happy Birthday to a beautiful and wonderful person who have made a haven for us here at TOD.
We miss, love and care about you and hope you will pop in soon…
Chips…
Count not the candles…See the light they give!
Count not the years…But the life you live!
Wishing you a happy and wonderful time ahead!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
Happy Birthday to Chips: the First of her name, Creator of the world-wide Obama Diary Village, Slayer of Trolls, and First Daughter to She who has gone to the Fade (Blessed). Hugs and all good wishes to you. We miss you.
Mom, remember that girl dog I liked so much? Well… I don’t know how tell you this… Half of them look like me. Can I bring them home for your birthday? Love, Danny
Happy Birthday Chips. This wonderful place you created has been an oasis for me, a sanctuary in the craziness. Thank you so much. Hope you are resting well and will be able to come back to us. We miss you.
What a wonderful sight to wake up to! Happy Birthday, Chips:) Or “Chops” if I type too fast…Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Chipster……Happy Birthday to YOU!! and many, many more. Love you. Miss you. Have a cocktail and some CheezePoofs on me:) {{{Chips}}}
Have a glorious Birthday, Chips, and know how much we all love and miss you and thank you for putting us in Nerdy’s capable hands while you’ve been gone. Hope you will one day stop by and let us know how you and Danny are doing. We miss your Irish charm, caring heart and quick-as-lightning wit. In the darkness of this most nightmarish of campaign seasons, the gift you gave us when you created TOD shines in the darkness and gives us light. Wish we could shower you with roses, or chocolate bonbons or big buckets full of cheezits!
Happy Birthday to our dear, delicious, wonderful, witty, generous, and amazing (((((((Chips)))))))). You have given us a haven from a hostile world. We are forever grateful. You are simply the BEST. I miss you so much. As always, love you madly. LH
Happy Birthday, Chipsticks!!! I hope that you have fabulous day full of blessings that will give you memories that bring a smile to your face in years to come. {{{{{Chipsticks}}}}}
π π See Chips, you are always in our thoughts! β€ β€
Have a terrific day sharing love and happy memories with family (including DannyO) and friends!
Happy Birthday Queen Chipsadoodle! Thank you for bringing our beautiful TOD Family together! Love you, Honey!
@TheObamaDiary Happy Birthday Queen Chipsadoodle! By royal decree: Dancing & merriment is required! ππ¨ππΎπΌπ€π§πͺπΎπΈπ https://t.co/zKvU1sFrJl
Happy Birthday Chips!! I hope you will be able to peek in today so you can see how much we love, respect and miss you! Hugs to you, your family and Danny!!!
I wish you a happy birthday, too, Chips. I miss you and hope healing is proceeding. Its a long road but there is Light at the end of the tunnel. When you come back to your home we will be waiting with open arms. Your good friend, Nerdy, is keeping the lights on and the furnace going. Love you too, Nerdy.
Happy (24th ?) Birthday π π Ms. Chips ~You are so very much missed & loved. I wish I could give you a big birthday hug… Here’s this at least (((((Chips))))) I hope you are taking good care of yourself and that you can make the most of this day and feel some joy. I am so grateful to you for creating the Obama Diary, you will forever hold a huge happy place in my heart.
P.S. Your Legend, Nerdy is amazing (as you know) thank you for her too π
GOOOOOOOAL! β½οΈ
Happy Birthday my beloved Chipsticks. You know how much I love and miss you. I hope you enjoy you day. ππΉ
My wish is that you come back to us if only for one day.β€οΈ
Chips, wishing a Happy Birthday on a day that will be difficult without your mom. But I hope you can draw on many happy memories to get you through. We miss you.
Good morning TOD! Happy Birthday, Chips, and thank for creating a space for us to come together and enjoy each otherβs company. Every morning when I get to work before I do anything I check TOD to see whatβs going on. Before I found TOD I would go from political website to political website imparting my knowledge, and on occasion Iβd get banned. Iβve been banned from a few websites; of course it wasnβt my fault. Anyway, I hope you enjoy your special day, toodles.
Good morning TOD! In the midst of his attack on PBO the other day, Trump said something in a interview that has far more serious implications and that the media missed. He is willing to send AMERICAN CITIZENS accused of terrorism to Guantanamo for trial before military tribunals rather than in our federal courts. The number of constitutional violations this would implicate is simply mind boggling. But it demonstrates his complete lack of understanding of the US Constitution. Jim Wright of Stonekettle tackles it here:
Foxfire, thank you for this article. I know everyone has moved on to the next thread, but I wanted to say how right on Jim is with this part of his article:
“…when a nation that calls itself exceptional compromises its values for expediency, for rendition, for torture, for indefinite detention without trial or appeal because those things are EASY. Theyβre easy. Theyβre easier than holding fast to high ideals, the very ideals which made us great, which once made us admired and respected the world over. Theyβre easier than facing down the mob, theyβre easier than honor.”
It is so easy for Republicans to stop compromising, to refuse to act on anything, to lie, to inflame the masses. These things, as Jim says, are EASY.
President Obama, instead, does the hard work. He holds fast to our country’s high ideals. He works to benefit everyone, no matter their party or beliefs. He constantly faces down the mob and upholds the honor of our nation. He has restored the admiration and respect of the world for the US. I couldn’t be more grateful that he is our President.
A really special happy birthday to you Chips! I know it is a bitter sweet day for you, but know that your Creator is still and will always be in your corner. My prayer is that today and beyond will bring you lasting blessings. Have an enjoyable day!π»π»
As has been discussed at various times here, while much of Trump’s ridiculous hyperbole is easy to write off, there are long term implications for our country. He is systematically creating divisions and undermining our cherished institutions at a time when many Americans have lost faith in them.
“WHY TRUMPβS CRAZY TALK ABOUT OBAMA AND ISIS MATTERS
….
But even if Trump is just along for the ride, that doesnβt excuse what he is doing. Four years from now, or eight years from now, a more disciplined and self-controlled figure could take up where he left off. If at that time the United States were facing a serious economic or national-security crisis, more Americansβconceivably even a majority of themβmight be willing to accept the argument that regular politicians have failed and betrayed them, and that drastic measures are called for. Healthy democracies donβt decay overnight. They gradually rot from within, with termites like Trump undermining their foundations.”
It’s quite possible that a less insane Trump could win the White House; it has always been that way. Republicans are afforded latitude that allows them to be ideologues. Trump isn’t the first Republican to spout ideas that run counter to who we are as a nation and still be able to reach the highest office in the land. John McCain sang a song about bombing Iran and it was overlooked, he too almost reached the White House. As uniformed as Sarah Palin was people overlooked her inability to form a coherent sentence. She was a heartbeat away from the presidency. Republicans can almost say and do anything and still get elected, why is that?
“Republicans can almost say and do anything and still get elected, why is that?”
As you note, Don, we’ve watched this for years, while our candidates and elected officials are torn from limb to limb. Personally, I have concluded it is due to two factors.
One, the Republicans have these long term professional attack machines that never give up from ALEC to the Koch brothers. Because these machines are funded and paid for, they roll on incessantly, versus the volunteer efforts of the Dems.
Two, Dems simply are not hate filled in the way so many GOPers seem to be. I look on in horror and fascination at some of these faces at Trump rallies and I am unable to comprehend their feelings as an American. Regardless of their station in life, we remain the wealthiest, most innovative country in the world and history, with infinite opportunity. How can you live here and be filled with this much hate? But the hate and rage are driving forces that will keep them going far beyond the time that Dems can continue.
And perhaps there is a third factor. Democrats simply are more patriotic than Republicans, and in the end will always do what is right for the country. The idea that even Nancy Smash could get the entire Dem caucus to vote against a Republican president for 6 straight years the way the Republicans have with President Obama simply is laughable. Democrats always will consider the impact on their constituencies and do what is right for them.
All of which means we just have to work harder when it comes to elections. And if you look at the number of registrations, the good guys are winning over time.
I grew up in a Baptist church and Sunday school was fueled with Bible stories like the one about King Solomon and the two women who both claimed to be the mother of a baby. He figured out a wise solution which revealed the mother, who was willing to give up her baby to the imposter rather than let the baby be harmed. President Obama just did a King Solomon move in making $$$$ available to fight ZIKA, since he realized that nothing would shake the vindictive and hatefilled destructive GOP loose from their position of cruelty and meanness.
It’s what’s frustrating about the Both Sides Do It! lie — both sides DON”T do these things. Which is not to say we are perfect or innocent of all wrong or any such nonsense — which is never claimed by the way. But wrong is wrong, and there it is. There is no NancyPelosi declaring anyone would be a 1-term president — or any of the horrible things that followed. And we know the reason they’ve done it, even though they never admit it. Proud to be a Democrat, proud to be a liberal, proud to be in the TOD family, with my people. Thank you Chips! Thank you NerdyWonka. Thank you POTUS and company.
Yep! I mean just look at the Zika virus, they won’t even vote to make available the funds to fight this virus. How do you lay your head down at night if you’re a member of congress and you vote against funding to fight the Zika virus, and to boot you call yourself a Christian.
“One, the Republicans have these long term professional attack machines that never give up from ALEC to the Koch brothers. Because these machines are funded and paid for, they roll on incessantly, versus the volunteer efforts of the Dems.”
That might be the single best reason, with their “Think Tanks” and “Foundations” they are constantly bombarding the public with messages and imagines that promote their agenda. Whereas with Democrats we tend to believe that people will use common sense when it comes to voting. But unfortunately common sense isn’t all that common.
HAAAPPPPYYYY BBBIIRRTHHHHDAAAAYYYY, {{{{Chips Captain}}}}.
We’re sending you ridiculous amounts of love and healing and peace.
We love you dearly and hope that you and Danny have each other near in every field you traverse.
You are the best, so it makes sense that you’ve chosen the best to keep our TODville community up and running, Nerdy Wonka.
I hope you have a special day filled with love.
We are saving the special Cheesiest Cheetos for you right here.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Happy Birthday, Chips!!! Thank you for all you have done to create this wonderful space. In your journey forward know that you are never alone and that there is more joy to be found. π
HAPPY BIRTHDAY (((((((CHIPS)))))) It was a very lucky day for me when I found this place. Reading TOD is the highlight of my day. I love you and love this community and Love my President and First family!! Have a Wonderful Birthday, hope you are surrounded by family and friends. Have Fun, but hurry back to us as soon as you can. We really miss you a lot. Nerdy has done an excellent job of keeping us going but we need you here as well. You’re the GREATEST!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Wishing you a great birthday Ms. Chips!! You created a marvelous thing in TOD. A haven of fact, fun and fury.
NW needs you too – please come back to us.
Just waking up here on the West Coast to wish you a very happy birthday Queen Chipster. And to send you a little gifty of this video. Lots of funnies, and reminders of our dear Danny. I swear he has some relatives around the world. Hope your day is filled with love and hugs. So glad you created this community for all of us. We love you dearly and miss you muchly, as my kids like to say. π
Happy birthday, dearest Chips! Sending so much love on your day and empathy as you grieve your dear mother. We are so blessed that you started this wonderful oasis, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the energy and love that you have poured into it for so long. And then doubly blessed when Nerdy joined you, as she gifts us now with her loving care of the community you created.
Oh. My. Goodness. Gracious. Me. MadameSoph, you have won a category I did even know existed. I’m glad no candles for this cake, because I fear it would all go up in a towering inferno. LOVE.
Thank you Nancy, I know, that’s how I felt when I Googled “cheetos cake” and this came up! I will accept “Queen of Google Searches” as my temporary title (knowing full well that some other TODer will take my crown soon).
Only thing I think could top this as a Chips Bday wish would be a pic of PBO in “the shirt” holding a bowl of cheesy puffs in his hand and gazing lovingly into the camera. Anyone here at TOD good at Photoshop? π
Dearest Chips – wherever you are, we hope you feel our love on your birthday. We wish you and Danny a day of joy and celebration that you were born. To the Captain Obamabot from all you loyal minions all over the world!
Adding to the chorus of love, affection, respect, and dedication to the One-And-Only Best-Ever Top-of-the-World Queen-of-Our-Hearts-and-Minds, Ms. Chipsticks, I hereby launch a rocket chip with a payload of gratitude and good wishes toward the Founder of the Feast, Miss Chips! May you be surrounded by cake, ice cream, candles, confetti, favorite music (see NerdyWonka’s recent musical marvelousness posts), favorite friends and family, and love beyond measure. The gift of TOD sees me through every single day, and I cannot imagine making it without this lovely place, saluting and lifting up a lovely man with his lovely family and all the goodness of this time on this earth. Thank you thank you thank you, Irreplacable Incomparable Chips!
Happy Birthday Chips. You have given us so much and personally you cheered me up many days when I was going through some difficult times. May this be a peaceful day for you. (((((((Loving Hugs, My Chips)))))))HZ
If I were Phelps I would think that is such an honor, to have inspired someone 8 years ago who worked that hard and actually beat me. If I had to go down to defeat I would feel blessed that it was this person.
What you describe, is precisely what I saw happen. Phelps pretty much said that in his interview after that swim:) He has humbled and it looks good on him.
So glad to hear that df. I haven’t been watching the Olympics, but I always worry with someone as talented as Phelps that it goes to their head and makes them unbearable. So nice to see he understands the bigger picture.
Happy Happy Birthday to our dear Ms Chips. Our esteem for you is beyond measure. You have brought us all together with this blog dedicated to the greatest President ever. We are forever in your debt. Sending your our love and thoughts. Know that you have been thru the toughest of times. We want you to know we will always have your back. Know that the tomorrows will come and the sun will shine brightly. Hope your day is beautiful and filled with love.
Fred Watson isnβt that guy who gets picked up for a broken taillight and ends up spending the night in jail because he has unpaid traffic tickets.
Until a couple of years ago, he had a top-secret security clearance. Watson worked in the cybersecurity field for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, or NGA. He didnβt have a record. He owned his home. He pulled down six figures. The Navy veteran describes himself as βmeticulousβ about everything. His records. His clothes. The way he lives his life.
βIβm one way,β Watson, 36, says. βThere is no in between.β
On Aug. 1, 2012, though, Watson found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. His life has never been the same. It was two years before Ferguson found itself in the national spotlight, and Watson was in that cityβs Forestwood Park, playing basketball with his friends. Watson grew up in St. Louis, but three generations of his relatives lived in Ferguson. He had played basketball at that park for nearly 20 years.
After five or six games, he sat in his car and cooled off. He changed into dry clothes, folded them neatly in the back, and drove to the parking lot by the baseball field, where a game was going on. He sat in his car, sipped water, cooled down and watched baseball.
Then Eddie Boyd III showed up. Boyd is, and was, a police officer in Ferguson. He had resigned as a cop in St. Louis after facing multiple internal affairs investigations where he had been accused of roughing up victims. The muni-shuffle brought him to Ferguson.
Boyd parked his police cruiser in front of Watsonβs car, which was legally parked in the parking lot.
This is the moment when Watsonβs life changed.
βHe asked me for my Social Security number,β Watson told me. βI said no.β
Watson, a law-abiding citizen who had done nothing wrong, was well within his rights. He knew what was coming, a form of harassment common in Ferguson, outlined in detail in the Department of Justice report that would come out following the shooting of Michael Brown, which would happen two full years after Watsonβs interaction with Boyd.
I hate reading stories like this because I know it happens all the time, once they get you in that “System” you are stuck in it. No other people are asked to accept this sort of treatment, it is always the victim that is either asked or told to do better. It is always the oppressed that is asked to show empathy to the oppressor. There will come a time when the……never mind.
I watched archery too. Incredibly skilled athletes. Also, I have developed a serious crush on gold medal winner & super hunk, Ku Bonchan of South Korea.
Bringing up the rear, as usual, but didn’t want to miss this opportunity to let you know we think about you and DannyO daily, and hope you’ll be back soon.
Speaking from experience, it sucks to be an orphan. π¦
Happy Birthday, Chips hope you’re feeling better every day.
Don’t want the day to pass without joining in the chorus in wishing dearest Chips a Blessed Birthday! So grateful to you keeping the TOD family together through these years. I hope that you’re feeling the love we’re all sending today!
Happy Birthday my dear Chipsticks. We are so appreciative of The Obama Diary thanks to you and our Nerdy Wonka who has been so gracious to keep things going as well as our other blog tyrants. Chipsticks I pray that this birthday gives you a satisfaction that you mean so much to so many here. That your mum/mom gave us a tremendous gift of YOU! Happy Birthday my dear!
Happy Belated Birthday Dear Chips! We love & miss you, and hope you were able to have a peaceful day. I echo everyone’s sentiments regarding the deep gratitude for this wonderful space you have created and maintained and nurtured. Wishing you many, many more birthdays where you can be more joyful and celebrate to your heart’s content! π
Obama White House.gov
The Obama Diary 
Happy Birthday to the AWESOMEST. The one and only, CHIPAROOOOOOOOO!
Yay! Thanks Nerdy! What a joyful tribute to our darling Chips! Hope she sees this and feels all the love today! Hugs to you for having her back and keeping the village humming along. ππΎππΎππΎπ
Congrats on being first Nerdy! You are first in our hearts for doing the yeoman’s job of covering for our dear Chips while she heals. We are so blessed to have you in our family. Hugs to you for holding us all in the warm embrace of TOD. π
Congrats on first Nerdy. Happy, Happy Birthday to Chips wherever you are. We love you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Chips. I hope this lightens up your heart and know Nerdy and the rest of TOD is thinking of you and your family. Love you and have a wonderful day. (((((hugs))))
Thanks you Nerdy from the bottom of my heart for this awesome Birthday celebration. π ((((hugs)))) to you too. Have a good day.
This to infinity!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHIPS! πππΉβ€οΈπβ€οΈπβ€οΈ! We love you! We miss you! Here’s hoping you are renewing yourself and return to us soon.
Thanks, NW, for keeping us uplifted and informed and moving forward! We love you too. β€οΈπ
Happy Birthday to the one and only Chips. You are missed. Take care.
Happy Birthday to a beautiful and wonderful person who have made a haven for us here at TOD.
We miss, love and care about you and hope you will pop in soon…
Chips…
Count not the candles…See the light they give!
Count not the years…But the life you live!
Wishing you a happy and wonderful time ahead!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
Happy Birthday to Chips: the First of her name, Creator of the world-wide Obama Diary Village, Slayer of Trolls, and First Daughter to She who has gone to the Fade (Blessed). Hugs and all good wishes to you. We miss you.
DANNY’S BIRTHDAY SURPRISE FOR CHIPS:
Mom, remember that girl dog I liked so much? Well… I don’t know how tell you this… Half of them look like me. Can I bring them home for your birthday? Love, Danny
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love you and miss you.
JER, that is priceless. π
LOL! Fabulous.
LOL. That oughta wake her up.
Awww! Precious! πΆπππ
Precious!
I concur!
I love this.
Happy Birthday, Dearly Beloved β€ Chips β€
Happy Birthday Chips. This wonderful place you created has been an oasis for me, a sanctuary in the craziness. Thank you so much. Hope you are resting well and will be able to come back to us. We miss you.
Happy 23 and 1/2 Ms Chips – you just get younger every day – miss you and love you
Many thanks NW for all the cakes – I am wondering as to how looks the kitchen π
Happy birthday Chips and a huge thanks for the vision of all that TOD has become. Good morning TOD folks! Wishing you all a beautiful day.
Happy Birthday to our dear Ms Chips!! Hope you have a wonderful day!! πππππππβ€οΈππ
Happy Birthday {{{{{{Chips}}}}}}} and thank you for creating this magnificent community!!!
Thank you so much {{{{{{NW}}}}}} for all you are DOING for TOD!!!
What a wonderful sight to wake up to! Happy Birthday, Chips:) Or “Chops” if I type too fast…Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Chipster……Happy Birthday to YOU!! and many, many more. Love you. Miss you. Have a cocktail and some CheezePoofs on me:) {{{Chips}}}
Have a glorious Birthday, Chips, and know how much we all love and miss you and thank you for putting us in Nerdy’s capable hands while you’ve been gone. Hope you will one day stop by and let us know how you and Danny are doing. We miss your Irish charm, caring heart and quick-as-lightning wit. In the darkness of this most nightmarish of campaign seasons, the gift you gave us when you created TOD shines in the darkness and gives us light. Wish we could shower you with roses, or chocolate bonbons or big buckets full of cheezits!
Happy Birthday to our dear, delicious, wonderful, witty, generous, and amazing (((((((Chips)))))))). You have given us a haven from a hostile world. We are forever grateful. You are simply the BEST. I miss you so much. As always, love you madly. LH
Happy Birthday, Chipsticks!!! I hope that you have fabulous day full of blessings that will give you memories that bring a smile to your face in years to come. {{{{{Chipsticks}}}}}
π π See Chips, you are always in our thoughts! β€ β€
Have a terrific day sharing love and happy memories with family (including DannyO) and friends!
This will surely put a smile on her face today:) Did mine, too. TOD women!
Happy Birthday Queen Chipsadoodle! Thank you for bringing our beautiful TOD Family together! Love you, Honey!
Happy Birthday Chips!! I hope you will be able to peek in today so you can see how much we love, respect and miss you! Hugs to you, your family and Danny!!!
Happy Birthday Chips! I hope you have a joyous day!
I wish you a happy birthday, too, Chips. I miss you and hope healing is proceeding. Its a long road but there is Light at the end of the tunnel. When you come back to your home we will be waiting with open arms. Your good friend, Nerdy, is keeping the lights on and the furnace going. Love you too, Nerdy.
Happy (24th ?) Birthday π π Ms. Chips ~You are so very much missed & loved. I wish I could give you a big birthday hug… Here’s this at least (((((Chips))))) I hope you are taking good care of yourself and that you can make the most of this day and feel some joy. I am so grateful to you for creating the Obama Diary, you will forever hold a huge happy place in my heart.
P.S. Your Legend, Nerdy is amazing (as you know) thank you for her too π
GOOOOOOOAL! β½οΈ
Happy Birthday my beloved Chipsticks. You know how much I love and miss you. I hope you enjoy you day. ππΉ
My wish is that you come back to us if only for one day.β€οΈ
π
YUP!!
Good morning Ms. Chips, Danny and TOD family, I hope all is well with everyone this lovely Saturday morning.
Happy Birthday Ms. Chips. I hope this day brings you great Joy and Happiness. π π π π π¨ πΎ π
Nerdy, thanks so much for helping Ms. Chips and the sacrifices you are making for us TOD”ders. π«πππβ€
To all, I hope you have an exceptional, extraordinary, and phenomenal day today. β€ β€ β€
Thank God that President Obama is still the President of The United States of America. βπ βπ βπ
Chips, wishing a Happy Birthday on a day that will be difficult without your mom. But I hope you can draw on many happy memories to get you through. We miss you.
FoxfireTx, that can’t be true, Obama is the founder of ISIS. He can’t be killing them too.
ROFLMAO Bella!
β€οΈπΉππ»πππΎππ»πΎππππ»πΉβ€οΈ
Happy Birthday Chips. Hope you have a wonderful day with Danny, family and friends. Your TOD family holds you in our hearts and blesses you daily.
Good morning TOD! Happy Birthday, Chips, and thank for creating a space for us to come together and enjoy each otherβs company. Every morning when I get to work before I do anything I check TOD to see whatβs going on. Before I found TOD I would go from political website to political website imparting my knowledge, and on occasion Iβd get banned. Iβve been banned from a few websites; of course it wasnβt my fault. Anyway, I hope you enjoy your special day, toodles.
Good morning TOD! In the midst of his attack on PBO the other day, Trump said something in a interview that has far more serious implications and that the media missed. He is willing to send AMERICAN CITIZENS accused of terrorism to Guantanamo for trial before military tribunals rather than in our federal courts. The number of constitutional violations this would implicate is simply mind boggling. But it demonstrates his complete lack of understanding of the US Constitution. Jim Wright of Stonekettle tackles it here:
Foxfire, thank you for this article. I know everyone has moved on to the next thread, but I wanted to say how right on Jim is with this part of his article:
“…when a nation that calls itself exceptional compromises its values for expediency, for rendition, for torture, for indefinite detention without trial or appeal because those things are EASY. Theyβre easy. Theyβre easier than holding fast to high ideals, the very ideals which made us great, which once made us admired and respected the world over. Theyβre easier than facing down the mob, theyβre easier than honor.”
It is so easy for Republicans to stop compromising, to refuse to act on anything, to lie, to inflame the masses. These things, as Jim says, are EASY.
President Obama, instead, does the hard work. He holds fast to our country’s high ideals. He works to benefit everyone, no matter their party or beliefs. He constantly faces down the mob and upholds the honor of our nation. He has restored the admiration and respect of the world for the US. I couldn’t be more grateful that he is our President.
A really special happy birthday to you Chips! I know it is a bitter sweet day for you, but know that your Creator is still and will always be in your corner. My prayer is that today and beyond will bring you lasting blessings. Have an enjoyable day!π»π»
Happy Birthday Ms. Chips!
Hope you know how much we love and treasure you!
we keep you in our minds and hearts as you try to find some strength and peace;
As has been discussed at various times here, while much of Trump’s ridiculous hyperbole is easy to write off, there are long term implications for our country. He is systematically creating divisions and undermining our cherished institutions at a time when many Americans have lost faith in them.
“WHY TRUMPβS CRAZY TALK ABOUT OBAMA AND ISIS MATTERS
….
But even if Trump is just along for the ride, that doesnβt excuse what he is doing. Four years from now, or eight years from now, a more disciplined and self-controlled figure could take up where he left off. If at that time the United States were facing a serious economic or national-security crisis, more Americansβconceivably even a majority of themβmight be willing to accept the argument that regular politicians have failed and betrayed them, and that drastic measures are called for. Healthy democracies donβt decay overnight. They gradually rot from within, with termites like Trump undermining their foundations.”
http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/why-trumps-crazy-talk-about-obama-and-isis-matters
It’s quite possible that a less insane Trump could win the White House; it has always been that way. Republicans are afforded latitude that allows them to be ideologues. Trump isn’t the first Republican to spout ideas that run counter to who we are as a nation and still be able to reach the highest office in the land. John McCain sang a song about bombing Iran and it was overlooked, he too almost reached the White House. As uniformed as Sarah Palin was people overlooked her inability to form a coherent sentence. She was a heartbeat away from the presidency. Republicans can almost say and do anything and still get elected, why is that?
“Republicans can almost say and do anything and still get elected, why is that?”
As you note, Don, we’ve watched this for years, while our candidates and elected officials are torn from limb to limb. Personally, I have concluded it is due to two factors.
One, the Republicans have these long term professional attack machines that never give up from ALEC to the Koch brothers. Because these machines are funded and paid for, they roll on incessantly, versus the volunteer efforts of the Dems.
Two, Dems simply are not hate filled in the way so many GOPers seem to be. I look on in horror and fascination at some of these faces at Trump rallies and I am unable to comprehend their feelings as an American. Regardless of their station in life, we remain the wealthiest, most innovative country in the world and history, with infinite opportunity. How can you live here and be filled with this much hate? But the hate and rage are driving forces that will keep them going far beyond the time that Dems can continue.
And perhaps there is a third factor. Democrats simply are more patriotic than Republicans, and in the end will always do what is right for the country. The idea that even Nancy Smash could get the entire Dem caucus to vote against a Republican president for 6 straight years the way the Republicans have with President Obama simply is laughable. Democrats always will consider the impact on their constituencies and do what is right for them.
All of which means we just have to work harder when it comes to elections. And if you look at the number of registrations, the good guys are winning over time.
I grew up in a Baptist church and Sunday school was fueled with Bible stories like the one about King Solomon and the two women who both claimed to be the mother of a baby. He figured out a wise solution which revealed the mother, who was willing to give up her baby to the imposter rather than let the baby be harmed. President Obama just did a King Solomon move in making $$$$ available to fight ZIKA, since he realized that nothing would shake the vindictive and hatefilled destructive GOP loose from their position of cruelty and meanness.
It’s what’s frustrating about the Both Sides Do It! lie — both sides DON”T do these things. Which is not to say we are perfect or innocent of all wrong or any such nonsense — which is never claimed by the way. But wrong is wrong, and there it is. There is no NancyPelosi declaring anyone would be a 1-term president — or any of the horrible things that followed. And we know the reason they’ve done it, even though they never admit it. Proud to be a Democrat, proud to be a liberal, proud to be in the TOD family, with my people. Thank you Chips! Thank you NerdyWonka. Thank you POTUS and company.
Yep! I mean just look at the Zika virus, they won’t even vote to make available the funds to fight this virus. How do you lay your head down at night if you’re a member of congress and you vote against funding to fight the Zika virus, and to boot you call yourself a Christian.
I didn’t hear about this Nancie; how did the President make money available to fight ZIKA?
He transferred it from another area of health (some research area is now losing out because of the GOP)
https://www.whitehouse.gov/zika
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/12/us/politics/with-congress-deadlocked-white-house-diverts-funds-to-fight-zika.html
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/08/11/obama-administration-provides-34-million-other-nih-funds-zika-vaccine/88571800/
Here you go:
http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/obama-shifts-funds-to-keep-work-going-on-zika-vaccine/
“One, the Republicans have these long term professional attack machines that never give up from ALEC to the Koch brothers. Because these machines are funded and paid for, they roll on incessantly, versus the volunteer efforts of the Dems.”
That might be the single best reason, with their “Think Tanks” and “Foundations” they are constantly bombarding the public with messages and imagines that promote their agenda. Whereas with Democrats we tend to believe that people will use common sense when it comes to voting. But unfortunately common sense isn’t all that common.
HAAAPPPPYYYY BBBIIRRTHHHHDAAAAYYYY, {{{{Chips Captain}}}}.
We’re sending you ridiculous amounts of love and healing and peace.
We love you dearly and hope that you and Danny have each other near in every field you traverse.
You are the best, so it makes sense that you’ve chosen the best to keep our TODville community up and running, Nerdy Wonka.
I hope you have a special day filled with love.
We are saving the special Cheesiest Cheetos for you right here.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Good Morning π, Everyone π
Happy Birthday, Chips!!! Thank you for all you have done to create this wonderful space. In your journey forward know that you are never alone and that there is more joy to be found. π
Happy Birthday, Chips.
You are missed.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY (((((((CHIPS)))))) It was a very lucky day for me when I found this place. Reading TOD is the highlight of my day. I love you and love this community and Love my President and First family!! Have a Wonderful Birthday, hope you are surrounded by family and friends. Have Fun, but hurry back to us as soon as you can. We really miss you a lot. Nerdy has done an excellent job of keeping us going but we need you here as well. You’re the GREATEST!!
GM TOD and Happy, Happy Birthday to Chips.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Wishing you a great birthday Ms. Chips!! You created a marvelous thing in TOD. A haven of fact, fun and fury.
NW needs you too – please come back to us.
Just waking up here on the West Coast to wish you a very happy birthday Queen Chipster. And to send you a little gifty of this video. Lots of funnies, and reminders of our dear Danny. I swear he has some relatives around the world. Hope your day is filled with love and hugs. So glad you created this community for all of us. We love you dearly and miss you muchly, as my kids like to say. π
β€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈ
That really put a smile on my face!
IS conflict: Manbij residents celebrate liberation.
Residents in the northern Syrian city of Manbij have been celebrating new freedoms after being liberated from the rule of so-called Islamic State.
They have poured into the streets enjoying basic rights they had been denied for two years, including shaving off their beards and smoking.
US-backed Kurdish and Arab fighters fought 73 days to drive IS out of Manbij, close to the Turkish border.
About 2,000 civilians being used as human shields were also freed.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37066304
Great pics in the linky.
Happy Birthday Chips!! Enjoy your day, and we miss you.
Dearest Chips,
Miss you terribly. Here is wishing you a Happy Birthday. Take good care of your self.
Always,
Kate
(Africa) π
πππ
LOL π I’m feeling good about myself..
Dancing
Merriment π
Grey suit! Great mind! Great President!
All “Founders of ISIS” wear grey suits, doncha know! Thanks for “finding ISIS” and bombing the business out of them! Love you, Mr. President!
Birthday blessings, Chips, we miss you!
Happy Dear Chips, Happy Birthday to you! We Love You. We Miss You. {{{Be Well}}}
Happy Birthday Dear Chips that should be. LOL!
I want to wish you a Happy Birthday too, Chips. You’re one of a kind. You have added joy to many of our lives by being the FOUNDER of TOD.
Happy birthday, dearest Chips! Sending so much love on your day and empathy as you grieve your dear mother. We are so blessed that you started this wonderful oasis, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the energy and love that you have poured into it for so long. And then doubly blessed when Nerdy joined you, as she gifts us now with her loving care of the community you created.
Happy Birthday Chips!
You and Dannystix are missed and always loved and appreciated!
Hoping you have a lovely birthday, filled with all of you favorite things!
Typo! “Your” favorite things, of course!
Almost forgot, Pippa the Man United cat celebrates with you π
You are amazing:)
π
OMG! Brilliant! π
Oh. My. Goodness. Gracious. Me. MadameSoph, you have won a category I did even know existed. I’m glad no candles for this cake, because I fear it would all go up in a towering inferno. LOVE.
Thank you Dudette!
Thank you Nancy, I know, that’s how I felt when I Googled “cheetos cake” and this came up! I will accept “Queen of Google Searches” as my temporary title (knowing full well that some other TODer will take my crown soon).
Only thing I think could top this as a Chips Bday wish would be a pic of PBO in “the shirt” holding a bowl of cheesy puffs in his hand and gazing lovingly into the camera. Anyone here at TOD good at Photoshop? π
That’s an impressive cake MadameSoph – but somewhat gruesome to look at for very long.
The best cake ever lol. Wut?! π Happy Birthday Ms. Chips!!!
Happy birthday Chips and Nerdy you have been doing a great job thanks for all your efforts keeping O Diary going, thanks again
Mind-blowing! So many fantastic and wonderful stories of these Olympians!
Great story! Congratulations to Anthony and his hard fought comeback….inspiring, for sure:)
Happy Birthday, Chips! I hope too are doing okay. You are truly missed.
That was supposed to be you, not too.
Dancing π
Love it!
Dearest Chips – wherever you are, we hope you feel our love on your birthday. We wish you and Danny a day of joy and celebration that you were born. To the Captain Obamabot from all you loyal minions all over the world!
Adding to the chorus of love, affection, respect, and dedication to the One-And-Only Best-Ever Top-of-the-World Queen-of-Our-Hearts-and-Minds, Ms. Chipsticks, I hereby launch a rocket chip with a payload of gratitude and good wishes toward the Founder of the Feast, Miss Chips! May you be surrounded by cake, ice cream, candles, confetti, favorite music (see NerdyWonka’s recent musical marvelousness posts), favorite friends and family, and love beyond measure. The gift of TOD sees me through every single day, and I cannot imagine making it without this lovely place, saluting and lifting up a lovely man with his lovely family and all the goodness of this time on this earth. Thank you thank you thank you, Irreplacable Incomparable Chips!
hahahahahaha I meant ‘rocket ship’ but I wrote ‘rocket chip’ !!!!!!!! Even better!
That’s what I thought when I read it Nancie. Even better! π
Merriment!
Happy Birthday, Chips!!!!!!
β€ May this new year bring you blue skies, a good laugh, and peace of mind. You are loved! Life is good! β€
LIVE NOW: Tim Kaine Rally In New Hampshire – http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml
In case folk don’t know, he’s Iranian π
Thanks Bobfr, That makes his victory even sweeter.
Steady preparations, day by day …..
Happy Birthday Chips. Enjoy your day.
Happy Birthday Chips. You have given us so much and personally you cheered me up many days when I was going through some difficult times. May this be a peaceful day for you. (((((((Loving Hugs, My Chips)))))))HZ
π
π
If I were Phelps I would think that is such an honor, to have inspired someone 8 years ago who worked that hard and actually beat me. If I had to go down to defeat I would feel blessed that it was this person.
What you describe, is precisely what I saw happen. Phelps pretty much said that in his interview after that swim:) He has humbled and it looks good on him.
So glad to hear that df. I haven’t been watching the Olympics, but I always worry with someone as talented as Phelps that it goes to their head and makes them unbearable. So nice to see he understands the bigger picture.
My wife is Jamaican and she loves herself some Usain Bolt.
The contextual history that surrounds Simone Manuel’s win..some want to ignore it. Fortunately, Simone is not one of them.
Happy Happy Birthday to our dear Ms Chips. Our esteem for you is beyond measure. You have brought us all together with this blog dedicated to the greatest President ever. We are forever in your debt. Sending your our love and thoughts. Know that you have been thru the toughest of times. We want you to know we will always have your back. Know that the tomorrows will come and the sun will shine brightly. Hope your day is beautiful and filled with love.
Good effort though, ladies. We battle Italy for the bronze medal.
This will make you all just laugh out loud:) Too bad that it’s really serious…in all kinds of ways
I watched her yesterday. Really amazing!
Ferguson’s bumbling court costs Naval vet his security clearance
St. Louis Post-Dispatch 12 hrs ago
Fred Watson isnβt that guy who gets picked up for a broken taillight and ends up spending the night in jail because he has unpaid traffic tickets.
Until a couple of years ago, he had a top-secret security clearance. Watson worked in the cybersecurity field for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, or NGA. He didnβt have a record. He owned his home. He pulled down six figures. The Navy veteran describes himself as βmeticulousβ about everything. His records. His clothes. The way he lives his life.
βIβm one way,β Watson, 36, says. βThere is no in between.β
On Aug. 1, 2012, though, Watson found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. His life has never been the same. It was two years before Ferguson found itself in the national spotlight, and Watson was in that cityβs Forestwood Park, playing basketball with his friends. Watson grew up in St. Louis, but three generations of his relatives lived in Ferguson. He had played basketball at that park for nearly 20 years.
After five or six games, he sat in his car and cooled off. He changed into dry clothes, folded them neatly in the back, and drove to the parking lot by the baseball field, where a game was going on. He sat in his car, sipped water, cooled down and watched baseball.
Then Eddie Boyd III showed up. Boyd is, and was, a police officer in Ferguson. He had resigned as a cop in St. Louis after facing multiple internal affairs investigations where he had been accused of roughing up victims. The muni-shuffle brought him to Ferguson.
Boyd parked his police cruiser in front of Watsonβs car, which was legally parked in the parking lot.
This is the moment when Watsonβs life changed.
βHe asked me for my Social Security number,β Watson told me. βI said no.β
Watson, a law-abiding citizen who had done nothing wrong, was well within his rights. He knew what was coming, a form of harassment common in Ferguson, outlined in detail in the Department of Justice report that would come out following the shooting of Michael Brown, which would happen two full years after Watsonβs interaction with Boyd.
I hate reading stories like this because I know it happens all the time, once they get you in that “System” you are stuck in it. No other people are asked to accept this sort of treatment, it is always the victim that is either asked or told to do better. It is always the oppressed that is asked to show empathy to the oppressor. There will come a time when the……never mind.
Hurts my heart…should hurt EVERYONE’S heart. We are not exceptional as a nation, until stories like this are gone forever…never to be repeated.
I watched archery too. Incredibly skilled athletes. Also, I have developed a serious crush on gold medal winner & super hunk, Ku Bonchan of South Korea.
Look at how far ahead she is! Look at that!
Yeah, Dudette. And she didn’t lay back and cruise to first place. She hammered it out to another world record swim!! #SlayAllDay for sure.
NW, I forgot to share this the other night …
BTW, this is a favorite duet …. π
Another from my current ‘play list’ for when I need to just be …..
New post.
https://theobamadiary.com/2016/08/13/oval-office-meeting/
Happy Birthday Ms. Chips. I hope you have a wonderful day. I miss you like crazy!
Wishing you a very Happy Birthday Ms. Chips. You are loved and missed.
Dearest Chips and Danny Boy.
Bringing up the rear, as usual, but didn’t want to miss this opportunity to let you know we think about you and DannyO daily, and hope you’ll be back soon.
Speaking from experience, it sucks to be an orphan. π¦
Happy Birthday, Chips hope you’re feeling better every day.
Don’t want the day to pass without joining in the chorus in wishing dearest Chips a Blessed Birthday! So grateful to you keeping the TOD family together through these years. I hope that you’re feeling the love we’re all sending today!
Wishing you every ounce of happiness and love your heart can hold. All around the world, you are loved!
Happy Birthday Dear Chips. We miss and love ya! Hope you had a wonderful day!!!
Donna Dem! Grandest of belated birthdays to you too! I’m, as always, too many posts behind! HUGS!
Thank you Gazelle!!
Happy Birthday my dear Chipsticks. We are so appreciative of The Obama Diary thanks to you and our Nerdy Wonka who has been so gracious to keep things going as well as our other blog tyrants. Chipsticks I pray that this birthday gives you a satisfaction that you mean so much to so many here. That your mum/mom gave us a tremendous gift of YOU! Happy Birthday my dear!
Happy Belated Birthday Dear Chips! We love & miss you, and hope you were able to have a peaceful day. I echo everyone’s sentiments regarding the deep gratitude for this wonderful space you have created and maintained and nurtured. Wishing you many, many more birthdays where you can be more joyful and celebrate to your heart’s content! π
Happiest of belated birthdays, dearest Chips! Wishing you love & joy always!