#CollegeSigningDay: Our Forever First Lady

Thank you to everyone who supported #CollegeSigningDay. I’m so proud of each and every one of these students! pic.twitter.com/wzP1WUNmJI

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) May 2, 2018

Congrats, Destiny! College will open so many doors for you. Keep reaching higher and never give up! #BetterMakeRoom #CollegeSigningDay https://t.co/ViMYV80oyC

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) May 2, 2018

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So excited for you! https://t.co/s0OsriuC8G

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) May 2, 2018

Happy #CollegeSigningDay! So excited to be in Philly to celebrate all the young people making the commitment to higher education. pic.twitter.com/xWJz46dXXN

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) May 2, 2018

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Just hugged my auntie in my head @MichelleObama ...I'm in a very good place right now.

— Zendaya (@Zendaya) May 2, 2018

Was an honor to join @MichelleObama along with other star athletes and entertainers to celebrate graduating seniors who’ve all chosen the path to higher education! 🙌🏾 #Collegesigningday pic.twitter.com/bEO7dksOUW

— Malcolm Jenkins (@MalcolmJenkins) May 3, 2018

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Going to Wesleyan changed my life.
I'm proud of all of you making that commitment to college.
Show me your pride, youths of tomorrow! Tell me where you're going.#BetterMakeRoom #CollegeSigningDay pic.twitter.com/H0R5FiIaWS

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) May 2, 2018

Here's a special #CollegeSigningDay message from @MichelleObama! #BetterMakeRoom 🎓 pic.twitter.com/W6GHf3dST2

— Better Make Room 🎓 (@BetterMakeRoom) May 2, 2018

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Dancing and Celebrating #CollegeSigningDay With @MichelleObama. Forever My First Lady! ❤️#ReachHigher @BetterMakeRoom pic.twitter.com/UMXGQkz8Yr

— Ciara (@ciara) May 2, 2018

so excited to be performing for such an amazing cause today 💞💞@michelleobama is doing great work recognizing students for graduating from high school and committing to further their education through @BetterMakeRoom and im honored to be involved 🌟 pic.twitter.com/56RThxgcYG

— camila (@Camila_Cabello) May 2, 2018

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Can't stop dancing and celebrating YOU!!!!! Congratulations to those who have committed to furthering their education & who are reaching higher! The world is making room for YOU!!! @MichelleObama @ciara @KELLYROWLAND ❤️❤️💕💕💕@bettermakeroom #thankfulthankful pic.twitter.com/VCqRMgEhyv

— Bailee Madison (@BaileeMadison) May 2, 2018

Dance Party! Michelle Obama, Karlie Kloss, Bradley Cooper and Other Celebs Celebrate #CollegeSigningDay https://t.co/toBuN6KpgZ

— People (@people) May 2, 2018

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Loved being a part of #CollegeSigningDay with this inspiring group of people! pic.twitter.com/eAeKTKMrSG

— Jesse Tyler Ferguson (he/him/his) (@jessetyler) May 2, 2018

I think I can speak for all of Philadelphia when I say that we are very grateful that @MichelleObama is here for #CollegeSigningDay! Few people have demonstrated a stronger commitment to education and the well-being of our students! https://t.co/UFl97TMHPr

— Mayor Jim Kenney (@PhillyMayor) May 2, 2018

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Hanging out with Anthony Mackie backstage at @MichelleObama’s @ReachHigher #CollegeSigningDay event! Casual. No big deal. 😭 https://t.co/NlsuX0XPAQ pic.twitter.com/geL7t28Qtp

— Anne Munition (@AnneMunition) May 2, 2018

Wishing a happy #CollegeSigningDay to the class of 2022! I'm proud to be a @Penn graduate, where I learned skills that shaped my future. I know college will do the same for you. #BetterMakeRoom pic.twitter.com/pm5qrUz4Vt

— John Legend (@johnlegend) May 2, 2018

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Backstage with the band (& @kellyrowland 😜) #collegesigningday #bettermakeroom pic.twitter.com/CXrQMyiJES

— Karlie Kloss (@karliekloss) May 2, 2018

Thanks everyone for supporting #CollegeSigningDay! We’re so proud to celebrate all of the young people making a commitment to get a higher education. #BetterMakeRoom pic.twitter.com/VfFGStu34J

— Better Make Room 🎓 (@BetterMakeRoom) May 2, 2018

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Forever My First Lady ❤️. @MichelleObama pic.twitter.com/qGNACM6ulm

— Ciara (@ciara) May 2, 2018

Thank you @MichelleObama and @BetterMakeRoom for having me! #CollegeSigningDay pic.twitter.com/fOmyAtWOdD

— KELENDRIA ROWLAND (@KELLYROWLAND) May 2, 2018

all-out war

Nick Anderson

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Chat away

a ghoulishly good afternoon

Nick Anderson

Thanks Loriah 😉

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MSNBC: NBC News has confirmed that one woman received a settlement from the National Restaurant Association after complaining about inappropriate sexual conduct by Herman Cain.

NBC News is not disclosing the name of the woman nor characterizing who she is. Cain denied the allegations, saying on FOX this morning he was “falsely accused.” “I have never sexually harassed anyone, anyone,” he said, “and absolutely, these are false accusations.”

Despite being the chief executive officer of the National Restaurant Association, he said he was unaware of any settlement with the accusers, though he didn’t deny it. “If the restaurant association did a settlement, I wasn’t even aware of it,” he claimed, “and I hope it wasn’t for much. If there was a settlement, it was handled by some of the other officers at the restaurant association.”

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TPM: On Fox News this afternoon, Herman Cain dismissed the Politico story dogging his campaign this week in the strongest possible terms. There’s only one problem with his story of how the Politico piece came to be: his chief of staff blew a large hole in it already.

On Fox, Cain said that Politico came to him with two anonymous tales of sexual harassment settlements reached while he was the head of the National Restaurant Association. And that’s why he didn’t respond to Politico’s request for comment.

….. That line of reasoning is fine, as far as it goes, except Cain neglected to mention one thing …. his Chief of Staff and famous smoker Mark Block confirmed to TPM that Politico’s reporting of the events was accurate.

…. So Cain’s strong words to Fox are already being found to be less-than-true. That’s not a good sign for a campaign trying to put a tough story behind it.

Full post here

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Nick Anderson

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Greg Sargent: ‘Calling BS on GOP ideas for job creation”

As you regulars know, I’ve been stamping my feet for some time now about big news orgs that amplify the GOP’s claim to having a “jobs plan” without asking independent experts whether Republican fiscal prescriptions would actually … create jobs.

So kudos to the Associated Press for weighing in with a bracing analysis that calls BS on the GOP’s ideas for job creation, though this one is focused on the 2012 GOP presidential candidates:

Key proposals from the Republican presidential candidates might make for good campaign fodder. But independent analyses raise serious questions about those plans and their ability to cure the nation’s ills in two vital areas, the economy and housing.….

More here

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President Barack Obama signs an executive order, to head off drug shortages and to prevent price gouging, in the Oval Office, October 31. In attendance was Pharmacy Manager for perioperative services Bonnie Frawley (L), Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius (2nd L), Jay Cuetara (2nd R), a 49-year-old cancer patient who lives in San Francisco, CA, and FDA Commissioner Peggy Hamburg (R).

See the NYT and the White House site

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Daniel Bice (JS Online): Herman Cain’s two top campaign aides ran a private Wisconsin-based corporation that helped the GOP presidential candidate get his fledgling campaign off the ground by originally footing the bill for tens of thousands of dollars in expenses ….. something that might breach federal tax and campaign law, according to sources and documents.

….. Election law experts say the transactions raise a host of questions for the private organization, which billed itself as a tax-exempt nonprofit, and the Cain team. “If the records accurately reflect what occurred, this is way out of bounds,” said a Washington, D.C.-based election lawyer….

Michael Maistelman, a Wisconsin campaign attorney, agreed. “The number of questionable and possibly illegal transactions conducted on behalf of Herman Cain is staggering” ….

Full article here

Steve Benen: This looks awfully bad for Team Cain. The report points to evidence that two of Cain’s top aides set up a now-defunct non-profit entity that illegally financed the campaign, effectively helping it get off the ground. There’s nothing in FEC filings to suggest the campaign ever paid Prosperity USA back for the substantial funds it spent on Cain’s behalf.

Full post here

london, wednesday

Text of address

President Obama and British PM David Cameron wave to the media outside 10 Downing St prior to their meeting

All times US Eastern

4:50 AM (9:50 AM UK time) President Obama holds a bilateral meeting with PM Cameron

5:05 AM (10:05 UK) President Obama holds a bilateral meeting with Deputy PM Nick Clegg

5:35 AM (10:35 UK) President Obama holds an expanded bilateral meeting with PM Cameron

6:30 AM (11:30 UK) President Obama and PM Cameron attend an event hosted by Mrs. Cameron and Michelle Obama to honor military families, U.S. and U.K. service members and veterans

7:35 AM (12:35 UK) President Obama and PM Cameron hold a joint press conference

10:30 AM (3:30 UK) President Obama delivers remarks to the U.K. Parliament

11:55 AM (4:55 UK) President Obama holds an U.S. Embassy meet and greet

3:30 PM (8:30 UK) President Obama and Michelle Obama hold a dinner in honor of the Queen at the residence of the American ambassador in London

Live here

…with British Deputy PM Nick Clegg

The morning after, President Obama seemed a little confused as to why the British national anthem started playing before he was done speaking at a state dinner. Obama was overheard admitting to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg that things didn’t go exactly as he had hoped at Buckingham Palace.

“I thought that it was like out of the movies, where …” Obama began, as Clegg suggested, “There’s a crescendo?”

“… a soundtrack that kind of comes in,” Obama continued, smiling.

“With your voiceover?” Clegg asked, laughing in front of a pool of reporters.

Michelle Obama and Samantha Cameron serve food at a barbecue for British and American service members and veterans at Downing Street

President Obama arrives for a news conference to be held with PM David Cameron at Lancaster House in London

Live here

Tom Hanks with his wife Rita Wilson arrive to hear US President Obama’s address in Westminster Hall

President Obama, escorted by John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, and Helen Hayman, Lord Speaker of the House of Lords, walks into Westminster Hall to address members of both Houses of Parliament

motown, take a bow

From left, Jamie Foxx, Nick Jonas, Seal and John Legend perform a medley during a tribute to Motown hosted by President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington, February 24

Berry Gordy

Seal

Michelle Obama and Jill Biden

See 14:10 – hey, who said the President couldn’t dance?

excellent!

Motown is coming to the White House… President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will honor Black History Month by inviting a group of music legends and other artists to the White House for “The Motown Sound: In Performance at the White House.”

The concert, scheduled for Feb. 24, will feature performances by Smokey Robinson, Natasha Bedingfield, Sheryl Crow, Jamie Foxx, Gloriana, Nick Jonas, Ledisi, John Legend, Amber Riley, Mark Salling, Seal and Jordin Sparks.

Greg Phillinganes will serve as the evening’s music director. The concert will air on PBS stations on March 1.

A year ago:

ok dudes, back to work

White House staffers Ben Finkenbinder and Nick Shapiro carry surfboards as they walk away from Air Force One after arriving with President Barack Obama at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, January 4

flashback …… bet your bottom (5) dollars….

2008

game-wrecker

NPR, 2006

Thank you globalcitizenlinda!