A True Comforter-In-Chief

Barack Obama with a victim of Hurricane Sandy. https://t.co/R4AUr7INMM

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

Barack Obama with a victim of tornado in Joplin, Missouri. https://t.co/oU3zt3rjxi

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

****

Barack Obama with a victim of tornado in Moore, Oklahoma. https://t.co/yxTCNgGpwl

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

Barack Obama with a victim of Hiroshima. https://t.co/jChuRqnd7i

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

****

Barack Obama with a victim of Aurora shooting. https://t.co/KnSOb0nNfo

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

Barack Obama with relative of victim of the Washington Navy Yard shooting. https://t.co/0KQ1EVE2ne

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

****

Barack Obama with relatives of Emilie Parker, who was murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School. https://t.co/Smx7fgEGza

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

Barack Obama with Mark Kelly, husband of Gabby Giffords. https://t.co/JfclNZVH2F

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

****

Barack Obama with a family member of a coal miner who died in the Upper Branch Mine explosion in West Virginia. https://t.co/bQ6O4PblV7

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

Barack Obama meets with families of victims of the San Bernardino shooting. https://t.co/JfohD8PK2s

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

****

Barack Obama with Diane Wall, whose husband Glen Wall died on 9/11. https://t.co/MW9LN1pky2

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

Barack Obama with victims of flooding in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. https://t.co/yBuP8MWPk4

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

****

Barack Obama with victims of tornado in of Vilonia, Arkansas. https://t.co/Cu1insqr5Z

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

Barack Obama with Gabby Giffords, innocent victim of gun violence. https://t.co/TJLepMoh7X

—
Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 30, 2017

Early Bird Chat

CNN: President Barack Obama hugs a young boy as he tours a flood-affected neighborhood in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

****

ABC News: President Barack Obama talks with a young boy while touring Castle Place, a flood-damaged area of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Aug. 23, 2016

The President’s Day In Baton Rouge

President Barack Obama chats with 6 year old Jacolson Kelley as he toured a flood affected area in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

****

****

President Barack Obama and Governor John Bel Edwards tour Castle Place, a flood-damaged area of Baton Rouge

****

****

****

****

****

President Barack Obama records a birthday greeting for the daughter of a flood-affected homeowner

President Obama Delivers A Statement to the Press

1:55PM EDT

The President’s Day

****

****

President Barack Obama makes a statement about a shooting that killed three police officers and wounded three more in the Louisiana capital of Baton Rouge on Sunday

Ieshia Evans On The Bayou

****

Jacqueline OBoomer

Ieshia Evans on the Bayou

The ones who were afraid in Baton Rouge
Were the ones carrying the “red sticks”
Not the warrior queen who visited from the north
On behalf of her five-year old son
So she might invest in
His having a better life.

A better life
Than the sons of other mothers
She had gone there to mourn with
And stand proudly for.

She repelled the “red sticks”
Who were few in number
But seemed to grow into
A wall before her
As she stood her ground
Quietly in front of them.

She was a nurse who cared for others
Who said she was now “a vessel”
Doing God’s work.

The young queen arrived in regal garb
Regal in that it adorned her presence
Regal in that it could almost be said
To adorn ours.
She dressed for the moment
So that – standing in the hot sun
Of righteousness and pride –
She could feel as though
She were floating
In God’s air
In Baton Rouge.

The “red sticks” took her away
Took her away from her son
Took her away from her duties
Took her away from the cameras
And the tributes.

But the imprint she left
In the hearts and minds and souls
Of all of us
Remains
As though someone had gone out
And built a statue
Of a modern-day goddess
In every town in America.

The young queen
In the flowing garb
With diamonds in her closed eyes
With grief in her open heart
Sharing the secret:
How to be a woman
How to be a mother
How to be the vessel
How to show us the way
To Baton Rouge.

She stood silently on the gravel
She never spoke
But when we close our eyes
We can almost hear her say
“Ain’t I a woman?”
So that someday her son may say
“I am a man.”

****

‘I Worry So Much’

We Should Not Have To Jump Through Hoops To Prove That Black Lives Matter

#FalconHeightsShooting #AltonSterling Since there's graphic photos & videos on my tl, here's what we all want to see https://t.co/kBP4ZjwhvK

—
Marie Rodríguez (@cakefacediosa) July 07, 2016

This little girl saying, "It's OK. I'm right here with you," to her mother who is literally dictating seeing her boyfriend's death is insane

—
Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 07, 2016

****

#PhilandoCastille's name trended most of last night. Here's what we know so far about his death. #FalconHeights washingtonpost.com/news/morning-m…

—
Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) July 07, 2016

Family members mourn #AltonSterling at tonight's vigil. This is the Alton they remember: usat.ly/29j8jVe https://t.co/VUvM7olaas

—
USA TODAY (@USATODAY) July 07, 2016

****

Want to play a small part? Donate to the #AltonSterling Family Scholarship Fund. *ALL* proceeds will go to his fam: gofundme.com/2d3eze7g

—
Issa Rae (@IssaRae) July 06, 2016

the backstory behind the bystander video of #AltonSterling's shooting washingtonpost.com/news/morning-m… https://t.co/NjJj1xdV4k

—
Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) July 06, 2016

****

White folks need to help other white folks understand the pain today. It's not our burden. We are in mourning. #AltonSterling

—
Brittany Packnett☔️ (@MsPackyetti) July 06, 2016

I couldn't say this all in a tweet. My advice to fellow white Americans tonight. #FalconHeightsShooting https://t.co/N3I97iQ6jN

—
(((Charles Clymer))) (@cmclymer) July 07, 2016

****

We have fucking video proof and some of you still are all "well, uh, he shouldn't have moved his left leg so provocatively".

—
John Legend (@johnlegend) July 07, 2016

We should not have to jump through hoops to prove black people shouldn't be shot by police during routine traffic stops.

—
John Legend (@johnlegend) July 07, 2016

****

Know somebody close to you that thinks police brutality is a myth? Show them evidence! Educate your friends, family etc. Every little helps.

—
Rahul Kohli (@RahulKohli13) July 07, 2016

Don't stand for racism in your home, don't tolerate ignorance because you're not confrontational, fight it. It's our responsibility.

—
Rahul Kohli (@RahulKohli13) July 07, 2016

****

So many people work so hard to find a reason why executing a human being during a routine traffic stop is ok. IT'S NOT OK

—
John Legend (@johnlegend) July 07, 2016

And it's gross how in all these videos the cops don't bother with medical attention. They don't care about us.

—
roxane gay (@rgay) July 07, 2016

****

Truth

It's YOUR fathers/mothers/siblings turning off their bodycams, shooting unarmed civilians and acquitting the guilty. Confront them!

—
Rahul Kohli (@RahulKohli13) July 07, 2016

You wanna help? FIX YOUR COMMUNITY. Everything starts at home, don't allow ignorance and racism to find their way into uniforms.

—
Rahul Kohli (@RahulKohli13) July 07, 2016

****

What you can to do help

1) Do you know your city's police accountability procedures?

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

2) Do your police have any provisions for citizen oversight?

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

****

3) Is there a civilian oversight panel to review police shootings and misconduct?

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

4) if you do not know this you can google your city with police accountability/review procedures

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

****

5) what is the threshold for indicting police for misconduct? Example: in Seattle (where I live) you have to prove willful malice.

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

6) Do your police have body cameras?

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

****

7) When you do your research, if you don't like the answers to these questions, if they do not hold police accountable, here's what u can do

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

8) Demand your city council member make police reform a priority. If they won't, vote them out - recruit friends to do the same.

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

****

9) Demand that your mayor do the same. If he/she won't vote them out & recruit friends to do the same.

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

10) Do not give money or votes to any candidate who will not make police reform a priority. Make sure they know that is a requirement

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

****

11) Demand that your sheriff and local DA's office do the same.

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

12) just google your city name + city council - all the contact info should be there.

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

****

13) along with phone numbers, email addresses - all the info u need to remind them that black lives WILL matter whether they want it or not

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

14) Do this today, do this tomorrow, do this every day like your life depends on it - ours actually does.

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

****

Police reform should be on the lips of every local politician in this country bc they should know they will not get your support without it

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

Ok? I shouldn't have to do this. I shouldn't have to process this and lay it all out while I'm fucking crying but I did so take some action.

—
Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) July 07, 2016

Chat Away: #AltonSterling

Tragic and maddeningly unsurprising. #AltonSterling, is the 558th person killed by cops in 2016. amp.twimg.com/v/8ae21fc7-63b…

—
  (@Fusion) July 06, 2016

#AltonSterling's name was trending for most of last night. Here's what we know so far about his death: washingtonpost.com/news/morning-m…

—
Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) July 06, 2016

****

The sad truth. #AltonSterling https://t.co/PnTP2wbFiC

—
manuel. (@MANUELCAV) July 06, 2016

"Police...manage to de-escalate, disarm & not kill white people everyday." This wasn't the case for #AltonSterling. amp.twimg.com/v/958e72f5-7a1…

—
  (@Fusion) July 06, 2016

The President’s Day

President Barack Obama answers a question from a local resident after delivering remarks at McKinley High School in Baton Rouge

****

****

President Barack Obama hugs Che’dra Joseph, McKinley Senior High School student of the year, as she introduces him at a town hall