Chat Away

Macron gets the Obama blessing, and Twitter gets to reminisce about the days when hearing the president's voice cal… twitter.com/i/web/status/8…

—
Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) April 22, 2017

Ooooooh La La

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First Lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama welcome French President François Hollande for a State Dinner at the North Portico of the White House

Rise and Shine

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Today:

8:0: The President delivers remarks at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner; The First Lady attends

Tomorrow: The President has no public events scheduled

Monday: The President will deliver remarks at the National Academy of Sciences 150th Anniversary

Tuesday: As part of the Joining Forces initiative, President Obama, Vice President Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden will make a significant employment announcement for veterans and military spouses. This event will take place at the White House

Wednesday: The President will attend meetings at the White House

Thursday: In the morning, the President will depart Washington, DC for his visit to Mexico and Costa Rica

Friday: In the afternoon, the President will depart Mexico for Costa Rica

Saturday: In the afternoon, the President will depart Costa Rica and return to Washington, DC

Sunday: The President will deliver the commencement address at Ohio State University. He will return to Washington, DC, later that day

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Please note: formal dress only for the WHCD, so any TODers who turn up here tonight in jeans will be thrown out.

Breaking: AMK wants to wear his pajamas, because of timezone issues – so, he has an exemption.

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ThinkProgress: 12 Programs Congress Refuses To Save From Automatic Spending Cuts

After thousands of flight delays across the country this week, the Senate voted Thursday night to give the Federal Aviation Administration the flexibility to keep the nation’s airports running smoothly … That means lawmakers will be able to fly home for recess this weekend without any delays ….. Unfortunately, though, Congress has shown no willingness to provide similar relief for the families that are being hammered by sequestration in other ways. Here are 12 programs that have experienced devastating cuts because Congress insists on cutting spending when it doesn’t need to — and that have been ignored by the same lawmakers who leaped to action as soon as their trips home were going to take a little longer:

1 Long-term unemployment, 2 Head Start, 3 Cancer treatment, 4 Health research, 5 Low-income housing, 6 Student aid, 7 Meals On Wheels, 8 Disaster relief,
9 Heating assistance, 10 Workplace safety, 11 Obamacare, 12 Child care….

See post for details

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Ask not what your country can do for you; ask when this f*cking plane will take off.

— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) April 26, 2013

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Business Insider: his week G.E. Capital Finance announced that it would no longer finance gun purchases, becoming the latest in a string of companies that have decided to leave a large amount of money on the table rather than risk their reputations on the gun business.

It’s one of the few places where the high-profile publicity campaign in support of increased gun control has led to a real world result….

More here

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A really powerful website: TheyDontWorkForYou.org

Thanks CarolMaeWY

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This, That – and some of the Other

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@denise4925

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Arriving in Miami

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President Obama participates in a town hall hosted by Univision and Univision news anchor Maria Elena Salinas at the University of Miami, Sept. 20

Rise and Shine

Newseum

Liberation: American Dream …. American Horror

Vive la France!

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Thank you for the caption Japa

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Retweet

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NYT: Mitt Romney appears to trim his social convictions to the party’s prevailing winds. There is no doubt, however, about where the party’s vice-presidential candidate stands. A long history of social extremism makes Paul Ryan an emblem of the Republican tack to the far right.

Mr. Romney’s choice of Mr. Ryan carried some risks, considering Mr. Ryan’s advocacy of overhauling Medicare, but it has sent the strongest signal of solidarity to those who have made the party unrecognizable to moderates. Strident conservatives had been uneasy with Mr. Romney, but it is the rest of the country that should be nervous about conservatives’ now-enthusiastic acceptance of the Republican ticket.

….. for years, he has been a reliable vote against workplace equity for women, opposing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act …. he has co-sponsored more than three dozen anti-abortion bills…. his budget would end all government financing for Planned Parenthood while slashing spending on prenatal care and infant nutrition….

Mr. Ryan’s record on gay rights is no less egregious. He supports a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, and voted against the repeal of the military’s discriminatory don’t-ask, don’t-tell policy. In 2009, a decade after Matthew Shepard was murdered for being gay, Mr. Ryan voted against a bill named after Mr. Shepard that expands the federal hate crimes act to include brutality based on sexual orientation.

…. Mr. Ryan is one of the most anti-gun-control candidates on a presidential ticket in many years, holding a grade of “A” from the National Rifle Association and opposing a background check requirement for purchases at gun shows.

Full editorial here

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The host with the most

First Lady Michelle Obama greets Anne-Mette Rasmussen, wife of NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, during a NATO leaders’ spouses event at the Gary Comer Youth Center in Chicago

… with Sanja Music Milanovic, the wife of Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic

…. with Liri Berisha, the wife of Albania President Sali Berisha

…. with Ingrid Schulerud, the wife of Norway’s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg

…. with Valerie Trierweiler, partner of French President Francois Hollande

…. with Hayrunnisa Gul, the wife of Turkish President Abdullah Gul

First Lady Michelle Obama jokes about her footwear as she visits a dance class with NATO leaders’ spouses at the Gary Comer Youth Center

First Lady Michelle Obama tries some food as she speaks with students in an educational kitchen during a NATO leaders’ spouses event at the Gary Comer Youth Center

Transcript of Michelle Obama’s remarks here

10 million thanks ;-)

Crikey Mikey, we’re nearly at the 10 million mark.

Okay, you know what annoying thing happens when the blog reaches a certain number of hits …. I pester you about donating to TOD’s Obama/Biden 2012 fundraiser.

So, here we go again:

If you could spare $10 and if you’re an exceptionally magnificent person, you could click that link below and donate.

Anyone who donates more than $10 will get 10,000 of these buttons in the post:

(I got them for free, for some reason they were no longer selling)

Thank you everyone SO much for your support – and your company (although it should be clarified: most of those 10 million hits were me checking in to clear the spam folder of links to sites offering to enlarge every body bit you could possibly imagine – even ear lobes).

Link

Time for a tune, methinks:

Love ya 😉

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And here’s the fella we’re fighting for:

President Barack Obama walks to welcome guests at the G8 summit in Camp David, May 18

… with French President Francois Hollande

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President Barack Obama hosts a working dinner in Laurel Cabin during the G8 Summit at Camp David, Md., May 18, 2012. Seated clockwise from the President are: Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of Russia, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda of Japan, Prime Minister Mario Monti of Italy, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, and President François Hollande of France. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Barack Obama talks with José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, and Prime Minister Mario Monti of Italy, during a G8 Summit welcome reception in Laurel Cabin at Camp David, Md., May 18, 2012. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of Russia and President François Hollande of France talk together at left. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

rise and shine

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11:20: PBO delivers remarks on government reform

1:45: PBO attends a campaign event at the Jefferson Hotel in Washington.

5:30: PBO and Michelle Obama host the Tuskegee Airmen, along with cast and crew members of the movie “Red Tails,” for a screening at the White House.

* Michelle Obama this morning joins the cast of Nickelodeon’s “iCarly” at a special screening of “iMeet The First Lady” in Alexandria, Va.

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Washington Post: President Obama will ask Congress on Friday for the power to shrink the federal government, proposing a first step of combining several trade and commerce agencies under a plan that the White House said could eliminate more than 1,000 jobs and save $3 billion over 10 years.

A senior administration official cast the announcement, which Obama will make during an 11:20 a.m. White House appearance, as follow-through on the president’s promise during last year’s State of the Union address to create a leaner, more efficient bureaucracy.

More here

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CBS Philly: Vice President Joe Biden is coming to the Philadelphia area Friday morning to speak to high school students in Bucks County about the cost of college and what the Obama Administration is doing to make it more affordable.

Biden and Deputy Secretary of Education Tony Miller will speak to students at Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown. Even though students have finals next week, class schedules are being adjusted to give students a chance to take part in what could be a chance of a lifetime.

More here

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CBS: On the eve of a Texas meeting of prominent social conservatives and evangelical Christians to discuss the state of the Republican presidential race, one invitee is worrying that a Mitt Romney nomination would be “John McCain all over again.”

Dick Bott, founder and chairman of Christian Radio’s Bott Radio Network, says he would vote for the former Massachusetts governor against President Obama, but that “people just won’t care.”

“Why on earth give other things [like volunteering time or donations] for someone you think is a bit of sham?” says Bott, who would not confirm he will be attending this weekend’s summit. “All of a sudden there’s a conservative movement that is being spoon-fed by Republican establishment leaders.”

More here

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Steve Benen: ….. I don’t think we need any special insights to see the line Gingrich is pushing here. The disgraced former House Speaker, in advance of the South Carolina primary, wants Republican voters to think there’s something wrong with being bilingual, especially if the other language is French.

I have no idea if this will work, but the fact that “he speaks French” is considered a potentially potent attack in Republican politics in the 21st century is just sad.

Full post here

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LA Times: As Mitt Romney defends his record running a private equity firm, he frequently points to a fast-growing Indiana steel company, financed in part by Bain Capital, that now employs 6,000 workers.

What Romney doesn’t mention is that Steel Dynamics also received generous tax breaks and other subsidies provided by the state of Indiana and the residents of DeKalb County, where the company’s first mill was built.

The story of Bain and Steel Dynamics illustrates how Romney, during his business career, made avid use of public-private partnerships, something that many conservatives consider to be “corporate welfare.” It is a commitment that carried over into his term as governor of Massachusetts, when he offered similar incentives to lure businesses to his state.

Yet as he seeks the GOP presidential nomination, he emphasizes government’s adverse effects on economic growth

Full article here

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Morning everyone 😉

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PS Thanks for the reminder Pamela 😳

eh, moneygall, france

Thank you Video Queen Donna 😉

there may be trouble ahead…

NY Mag: From the Time Capsule: Dominique Strauss-Kahn Meets Barack and Michelle Obama at a dinner during the G-20 conference in September 2009. Some pictures say a thousand words. This one just says two: No Touching.

Thank you Proud 😉

Although Michelle knows how to handle creeps …. remember her keeping Berlusconi at arm’s length?

😉