William “Buddy” Carter

William “Buddy” Carter is retiring after 47 years as a butler at the White House and the Blair House. Barack and I are so grateful to have had his warmth, charm, and dignity by our side for eight of those years. Congratulations, Buddy! pic.twitter.com/MZPox5F1a1

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) May 28, 2021

There’s Still Time To Give

I’ll let you and @ladygaga handle the singing, and we’ll handle the donations. There’s still time to give: https://t.co/o5oCWOtiJS. https://t.co/uKCBwAL2hs

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 23, 2017

❤️you so much for doing all this for our country and showing great leadership to the world!

— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) October 23, 2017

Last Night

https://twitter.com/PeteSouza/status/922105261380243457

‘Join Us’

Tonight the ex-Presidents are getting together in Texas to support all our fellow Americans rebuilding from this year’s hurricanes. Join us. https://t.co/RShkuueyoj

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 22, 2017

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Thanks to all who have helped pull together this special concert to help our fellow Americans.

Hope you can join us here at 7P CST. pic.twitter.com/WZxTrSzCxr

— One America Appeal (@AmericaAppeal) October 21, 2017

Lending A Helping Hand

Americans always answer the call. https://t.co/SV1jixOExu pic.twitter.com/ktEvL6s89d

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 7, 2017

The outpouring of support for Houston & communities along the Gulf Coast represents the best of who we are & what this country is about. pic.twitter.com/4bGfy9vXjN

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) September 7, 2017

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The outpouring of support for Houston & communities along the Gulf Coast represents the best of who we are & what this country is about. pic.twitter.com/4bGfy9vXjN

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) September 7, 2017

All five living former presidents come together in a message for Americans:
We are all in this together.https://t.co/0bAaL74GbK pic.twitter.com/dmJf3M9d4w

— The Obama Foundation (@ObamaFoundation) September 7, 2017

A Farewell For An Exemplary Commander In Chief

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Early Bird Chat

Pete Souza: With plane flying overhead, President Obama observes a moment of silence this morning at the time a plane struck the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.

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All Times Eastern

11AM: President Obama receives the Presidential Daily Briefing

1PM: Press Secretary Josh Earnest holds the White House Briefing

4:10PM: President Obama meets with Bipartisan Congressional Leadership

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President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford

Pete Souza

All Who Want To Serve Are Welcome. Thanks, President Obama

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Helene Cooper: Pentagon Set To Lift Ban On Transgender People Serving In U.S. Military

The Pentagon next month will announce the repeal of a policy banning transgender people from serving openly in the military, Defense Department officials said on Friday, moving to end what has widely been seen as one of the last barriers to service. Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter has called the regulation outdated and harmful to the military. A year ago, he directed officials from all the military branches to determine what changes would be needed to lift the ban, in a tacit recognition that thousands of transgender people were already in uniform. Under the Pentagon’s plan, first reported by USA Today, each branch will put in place policies covering recruiting, housing and uniforms for transgender troops.

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Pentagon set to lift ban on transgender people serving in U.S. military https://t.co/QK2ZBuqgCR

— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 25, 2016

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Ashley Broadway-Mack, the president of the American Military Partner Association, a support network for partners and spouses of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender troops and veterans, said in a statement that “our transgender service members and their families are breathing a huge sigh of relief.” Estimates of the number of transgender people in the 1.2 million-member military range from 2,000 to more than 15,000. As with the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that applied to gay men, lesbians and bisexuals until it was lifted in 2011, current rules have done little to keep transgender people out of the military. Instead, they have forced many to lie about their status and keep it a secret. Since taking the defense secretary post in February 2015, Mr. Carter has set about dismantling discriminatory rules in the services, including opening all combat positions to women. This week, Eric K. Fanning formally took over as Army secretary, becoming the first openly gay leader of a military service branch.

More here

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The President’s Day

President Barack Obama delivers a statement on Afghanistan with Defense Secretary Ash Carter and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford at the White House. President Obama announced that 8,400 US troops will remain in Afghanistan into 2017 in light of the still “precarious” security situation in the war-ravaged country

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The President And First Lady’s Day

President Barack Obama places a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider at Arlington National Cemetery

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President Barack Obama speaks during a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery May 25, 2015 in Arlington, Virginia

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Text of the President’s remarks here

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President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Ash Carter, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army General Martin Dempsey honor fallen soldiers at Arlington

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Pres Obama greets WW2 veteran, 107-yr-old retired Army Lt Col Luta Mae Cornelius McGrath pic.twitter.com/qg5KlRs7Bo

— petesouza (archived) (@PeteSouza44) May 25, 2015

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Text of the First Lady’s remarks here

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First Lady Michelle Obama smiles as she is introduced by Oberlin College President Marvin Krislov before receiving an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humanities from Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio

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Maura Zurick: First Lady Michelle Obama Urges Oberlin College Graduates To Make A Difference

First Lady Michelle Obama told nearly 700 Oberlin College graduates Monday to wake up and “play your part in our great American story.” Obama urged the class of 2015 to volunteer for campaigns or “better yet, run for office yourselves.” She encouraged the graduates to not shy away from the clamor and polarization of the real world and told them to face the revolutions of their time: climate change, economic inequality, human rights and criminal justice reform. “Today, I want to urge you to actively seek out the most contentious, polarized, gridlocked places you can find,” she said in her 25-minute remarks to graduates, family members and spectators in Tappan Square.

“Because so often, throughout our history, those have been the places where progress really happens –- the places where minds are changed, lives transformed, where our great American story unfolds.” Zoe Madonna, an East Asian studies graduate, called the first lady brilliant. “This is going to be a story that I can tell 50 years from now about the time the first lady spoke at my graduation, and I really enjoyed that it wasn’t a pat-yourself-on-the-back speech,” Madonna said. “Usually when dignitaries come, they keep their real selves, real opinions quiet, but you could hear what she really thought, what she really wants for us shining through in her speech.”

More here

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