Heads Up: President Obama at Bowling Green State University

1:05 (approx): President Obama delivers remarks at Bowling Green State University, Ohio

C-Span * CNN * CBS 1 * CBS 2

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Enthusiasm gap? 😆

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Later:

5:30: President Obama delivers remarks at Kent State University, Ohio

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Email from Jeremy Bird, National Field Director, Obama for America:

If you think your $5 isn’t enough to make a difference in this campaign, take a minute to read the letter below – it’s officially gone viral among campaign staff (with the sender’s permission).

The most powerful thing about making a donation is that you’re joining more than 3 million other Americans who believe ordinary people should decide this election.

It adds up. And it depends on each of us doing our part:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Sandy

Thanks, Jeremy

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Dear President Obama,

I’m writing to tell you about the $15 my family just donated to your 2012 campaign.

It was $15. That’s really all we could give.

My husband Steve is currently a student at Temple University. Since starting his degree, three years ago, we’ve been living considerably below the poverty level (I keep forgetting which percent … does it matter?). But we aren’t complaining. Two healthy daughters; dusty, well-travelled backpacks in the basement; a house full of memories — a future full of hope. We’re the lucky ones.

So — we’re currently “poor on money — rich in life” (as we like to say). It hasn’t always been like this. My husband spent most of his life doing what he loved — playing or coaching basketball. Born in SE Iowa, he was an Academic All-American and once-upon-two-good-knees-ago, the “local town hero” of his small town — after bringing home the State Championship during high school, followed by NJCAA National Championship years later as a coach. He’s a big a fan of yours by the way … as a player, father and president … not necessarily in that order.

But this really wasn’t supposed to be a letter about him.

It’s about this year’s campaign. It’s about wanting to say that $15 means something these days and deserves a moment of pause (and some words on paper) for this girl and her family of Obama fans.

— $15 is a special pizza dinner at our local pizza stop (Poppi’s in Wynnewood).
— It’s 1 1/2 tickets to see the newest film at the old-school cinema we walk our daughters to.
— It’s getting fresh fruit, instead of frozen; fresh veg, instead of canned.
— It’s tickets to the Franklin Institute in the heart of Philly. (We’ve never been.)

It’s all these things to a family like ours.

I’ve listened with curiosity, mostly frustration, as the nation debates Citizens’ United and the string of new laws that now allow the bellowing voices of private interest to drown out the sounds of tiny voices (like ours/mine). Our pebble-in-the-ocean support feels almost pointless. “Leave the campaigns to the rich,” I think to myself, “Get your daughters a pizza instead.”

But I refuse to allow new laws to stop us/me from being A PART of this campaign. After all, I will never be a “player” (in the political sense), but I still want to believe I can play a part.

Then, out of the blue, there you are — shooting a jumpshot on my (Facebook) wall — and asking for “players” to join you on your home court. I had to smile, and then I couldn’t resist. And so, I have relinquished those $15.

Please know that they count. To us. Please stay in Washington. Do, in this second term, what you were not assisted/supported to do during your first term. Get this country moving/working/hoping again.

Please continue being a champion for the middle class — I’m hoping the next pizza will be on you.

Wishes to your brave wife and beautiful daughters from another brave wife with two beautiful daughters.

All good things,

Sandy & Family, PA

(Thank you BWD)

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While you’re waiting….

Thanks Bob!

Awkward….

A British fan holds a Union flag over the head of Mitt Romney as he attended the morning swimming session on Day One of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Romney’s visit to London featured a string of embarrassing gaffes, including him doubting in an interview that the city was ready to host the Games, earning him a sharp public rebuke from Prime Minister David Cameron. The hashtag #RomneyShambles promptly trended on Twitter.

Even far-right British newspaper The Daily Mail – no friends of President Obama – was scathing in its assessment of Romney, describing it as an “abysmal diplomatic visit”:

…. After making the epic faux pas of questioning whether London was fully prepared to host the Olympic games, Mr Romney has been jeered on American TV and slammed by top British politicians, with London mayor Boris Johnston mocking the Massachusetts governor in front of a crowd of 60,000.

…. behind the scenes officials were even more scathing about the Republican presidential hopeful, describing his visit as a ‘car crash’ and comparing him unfavourably to Sarah Palin.

Another official who met with the former Governor of Massachusetts said he was ‘apparently devoid of charm, warmth, humour or sincerity’.

…. Another Whitehall official said of Mr Romney’s remarks: ‘What a car crash. We are speechless’ – with one aide saying the candidate was ‘worse than Sarah Palin’….

Chat away 😉

That Went Well…..

Mitt Romney at the NAACP convention in Houston

More at Colorlines (thanks Lamh)

‘Just the right amount of embarrassing’

ABC: …. When asked whether his crooning embarrassed his daughters, he retold a story from his 50th birthday party last summer, explaining that they think he’s “embarrassing, but not too embarrassing.”

“Malia and Sasha and a bunch of my friends and Michelle had sort of like a roast, a little private roast, each one of them read something and Malia and Sasha had written out why I am such a wonderful dad. And they had this list, it was so sweet and one of the items on Malia’s list was you are just the right amount of embarrassing,” he said to laughter from the audience.

rise and shine

Sea Life Park, Waimanalo, Hawaii

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Am I the last person to see this?

Steve Benen: I not only cringed watching it, at times I really wanted to just look away.

(Me too).

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exclusive: gopolitico’s front page tomorrow

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Oh. God.

good grief….

Had he, um, a beer or two before this ‘speech’?

Will catch up later, chat away 😉

out of his (ivy) league …. and rick-rolled

oooooooooooops…….

Steve Benen: I find it hard not to enjoy stories like these:

On her visit to a traffic-signal plant [in Iowa] …. Michele Bachmann called it an example of how President Obama’s policies are “continuing to dig us deeper into the hole toward another recession”. …. she said her plans for a smaller government with fewer rules and lower spending would help OMJC Signal Inc. “grow, grow, grow, grow, grow”. “That’s my goal – to see you succeed wildly,” she told a gathering of OMJC workers on the plant floor here in the central Iowa town where she grew up.

So, what’s the problem? As it turns out, OMJC thrives thanks to government contracts – more than 80% of the company’s revenue comes from government….

The company’s CEO is a self-identified conservative Republican, who was apparently loath to ruin Bachmann’s appearance, but he conceded to reporters that his company benefited from the kind of projects promoted by President Obama and congressional Democrats.

…. Michele Bachmann, in other words, accidentally made Obama’s agenda look pretty good…..

Full post here

huh? it was 5 + 23 …. now it’s just 3 …. where’d the other 25 go?