Rise and Shine

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Today

1:45 EDT: The President departs the White House

2:50 CT: Arrives Chicago

3:50 CT: Meets with community leaders to discuss immigration reform; Copernicus Community Center, Chicago

4:35 CT: Delivers remarks on immigration reform; Copernicus Community Center, Chicago

6:25 CT: Departs Chicago

9:20 EDT: Arrives White House

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Nerdy prepared a beautiful post yesterday on the President’s day, but we held off because of events in Ferguson. So, here it is:

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden applaud Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel for his years of service as he announces his resignation in the State Dining Room of the White House

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Stevie Wonder is greeted by President Barack Obama after receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a White House ceremony. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors

Actress Marlo Thomas

 

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Golfer Charles Sifford

Ethel Kennedy

Journalist Tom Brokaw

Congressman John Dingell

Author Isabel Allende

Congressman Abner Mikva

Writer, curator, and activist Suzan Harjo

Robert Battle, the Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recieves a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama on behalf of dancer Alvin Ailey

Actress Meryl Streep

Stevie Wonder smiles while showing off his Presidential Medal of Freedom

Professor Mildred Dresselhaus

‘bush was a uniter, obama’s a divider’

IrishCentral: ….Before Barack Obama became President of the United States the people of Ireland were united, beautifully so … but once it was clear that he was going to be President the real fight started. Neighbor turned on neighbor, brother on brother.

I had never even heard of Moneygall before Obama came along. Why would I have? I’m sure I’ve driven through it on my way to Limerick, but 300 people live there. It made no impression….

When it transpired that Barack Obama is descended from a Falmouth Kearney, who left Moneygall for New York in 1850, suddenly the town started making the news….

Now we have two counties practically ready to go to war over Moneygall. Although the media has repeatedly described Moneygall as being in County Offaly, it apparently could be considered to be in County Tipperary too…

….And now the people of County Kilkenny want in on the action … You see, Falmouth’s family left little by way of a permanent mark on Moneygall, but going back a bit further there is a definite relative, Bishop John Kearney, who is entombed in St Canice’s Cathedral in the beautiful city of Kilkenny.

Now it’s really getting ugly … You see how Obama has divided the people? The desire to claim him as a ‘native son’ could easily lead to blood, war, ruin. Offaly? Tipperary? Kilkenny? Bad-tempered hurling matches engender less bad feeling.

It was all so much simpler with President Bush. No county, no town or hamlet claimed him or wanted to be associated with him. From Election Day in 2000 until he left office, the people of Ireland were quite content and of one mind in detesting the man.

….Now the country is choosing sides in a three-way battle to make Obama their own. It won’t end well. As we all know, the Irish have long memories and this division will take generations to heal.

Full article here

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