Chat Away

Former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State John Kerry among those attending Dan Rooney's funeral… twitter.com/i/web/status/8…

—
Pittsburgh PG (@PittsburghPG) April 18, 2017

President Obama Remembers Dan Rooney

Barackarooney

****

Up next:

12:45 EDT: President Obama participates in a town hall at Binghamton University, NY

White House Live * C-Span * CBS * WBNG

****

****

Syracuse.com: At Tully Junior/Senior High in Tully, N.Y., the president talked to the kids about the end of summer vacation and his plans to help make college more affordable.

…. The girls chattered, squealed and cheered throughout the visit, especially when the president posed with the Black Knights for a photo.

…. The president talked to the girls’ team first, then the boys. He tried to start a little trouble: “Can you guys beat the boys?” Obama asked the girls, and one said. “Oh definitely.”

…. Obama singled out one girl: “You don’t look like you’re in junior high school,” he said to a young girl, Julia, who is 9. Meeting the president, she had said earlier today, was on her bucket list. “Here’s a general rule,” Obama said. “When you’re 9, you don’t need a bucket list,” and the girls laughed. “When you get to be 52, then you might want to draw one up.” With the boys, Obama took a soft pass from one of the players, caught up to it and played with the ball for a couple of seconds (to oohs) before passing it back to the team.

More here

****

Tully Junior High student Wayne Rooney applauds the President’s skills

President Obama’s foot rests on a soccer ball as he talks w the soccer team at Tully High School in NY pic.twitter.com/x8IEIxPnde

— petesouza (@petesouza) August 23, 2013

Tully Central High School in Tully, New York, August 23

****

Later:

4:40 EDT: President Obama and VP Biden deliver remarks on college affordability at Lackawanna College, PA

Rise and Shine

OFA

****

10:50: President Obama departs the White House

12:25: Arrives Nashua, New Hampshire

2:15: Delivers remarks at a campaign rally at Elm Street Middle School, Nashua

4:30: Vice President Biden, Jill and Beau Biden campaign in Lynchburg, Virginia (live on C-Span)

5:05: President Obama departs Nashua

6:45: Arrives White House

****

On Wednesday, the President will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio and Akron, Ohio for campaign events. In the evening, the President and the First Lady will welcome local children and children of military families to trick-or-treat at the North Portico of the White House.

****

Col. Lawrence Wilkerson:

****

Paul Krugman: For a few days there the Romney campaign was boasting a lot about having Big Mo — and the press corps actually fell for it, briefly. At this point, however, the reality seems to be sinking in: if Romney has Big Mo, it looks like this:

Despite the Denver Debacle and its aftermath, state polls are showing a clear Obama lead in the electoral college, which if anything is getting a bit stronger….

Why? Jonathan Cohn singles out the auto bailout, and rightly so. I’d add, however, that the killing of Osama bin Laden mattered too …. what the auto rescue and the bin Laden strike have in common is that they were both very courageous decisions — decisions that could easily have gone wrong, that faced lots of second-guessing. You can criticize Obama for many things (and I have, and will in future), but he showed true grit when it mattered, and now seems likely to reap the reward.

Full post here

Thank you Criquet

****

****

Truly, Steve Benen is heroic trying to keep track of all these lies

****

****

****

In case you missed it:

Link

****

If you can bear to see Trump’s face, make sure you look at the clip of him on Letterman (at the very start of the video)

****

Thank you Meta

****

Charles Blow: The saying goes: A man is known by the company he keeps. If that is true, what does the company Mitt Romney keeps say about him?

….. Sununu has apologized, somewhat, for his racial attack on Powell’s motives. But what should we make of all this?

We have a very racially divided electorate …. I worry that Sununu’s statements intentionally go beyond recognizing racial disparities and seek to exploit them.

What does that say about Romney, and what does it say about his campaign’s tactics?

Remember: A man is known by the company he keeps.

Full article here

****

Maddow Blog: ‘Susan B. Anthony would be appalled’

****

Mediaite: Bill Maher used his final New Rule of the night to warn voters unhappy with President Obama of the political and social consequences of the other guy winning. Maher argued that Mitt Romney winning the presidency would not just be a victory for him, but for every Republican extremist Romney has ever supported in his recent political career. Maher said Romney “may seem like a nice fella,” but he’s “a compulsive liar whose whole life is secret” and would bring too much unwanted baggage into a relationship with America.

…. Maher also warned about the “fresh can of nuts” in Congress with wildly anti-scientific beliefs that would have more free reign under a Republican administration. Maher said that a Republican in the White House would mean the return of “Bible-thumping bullshit” in government.

More here (video at the link)

****

Las Vegas, Oct 26 – report and more photos at the Las Vegas Sun. C-Span will have the video of the speech some time today – see here

****

😎

****

Cagle

McClatchy

****

Moooooooorning everyone! Will catch up with emails today, I’m waaaaaaay behind.

****

PS:

night everyone

Too many blissful moments to choose from today, but go on then …. I’ll pick these three minutes … just listen to the crowd from 0:18 and watch the President and First Lady’s reaction:

And these five photos….

1 Because the President visiting Ireland meant so, so much to Dan Rooney – just look at his face at Dublin airport this morning, and the way he’s holding the President’s hands:

2 Because the sight of President Obama with a hurley in his hands just cracked me up …. especially when he threatened to use it against Congress:

3 Because the Obamas’ visit to Moneygall gave the village’s people a day they will never, ever forget:

4 Because this photo just showed how fun and utterly lovely the first couple are:

5 Because, for me, this photo is iconic. The sight of President Obama pointing towards the skies, in the general direction of the Irish flag, will hardly make Ireland’s economic disaster go away …. but his speech today made more than a few Irish folk believe that Ireland can come back again: Is Féidir Linn … Yes We Can.

Can I have a sixth? Please? Thanks!

Because they said President Obama couldn’t possibly attract as big a crowd in Dublin as Bill Clinton did 15 years ago.

He did 😉

Thank you for your company on a beautiful day – I won’t be able to post as frequently tomorrow, but I’ll do my best 😉

dublin dan

Irish Times: When Air Force One touches down in Dublin next month, a frail but sprightly gentleman nearing his 80th birthday will be on the tarmac to greet President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. For US ambassador Dan Rooney, that moment will rank right up there with his Pittsburgh Steelers winning the Super Bowl.

The first time Rooney met Obama (then running as a candidate) was in Pittsburgh in September 2007: “I told him, ‘You gotta go to Ireland.’ He said, ‘I will, and I’ll go with you.’”

….Rooney used his prestige as the owner of the Steelers to win over crucial working-class areas of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia for Obama’s election. He arrived in Dublin, as the ambassador of a grateful president, on July 2nd, 2009, with two goals: to visit every county in Ireland, and to welcome a presidential visit.

Obama “is a friend, in addition to being the president”, Rooney explains. “I want him to have a good time . . . enjoy himself. He’s got a hard trip following.”

…The US president and first lady are expected to reside with the Rooneys in the ambassador’s residence in the Phoenix Park. On Saint Patrick’s Day in 2010, Rooney recalls, Obama said, “Yes, I am coming to Ireland, and I’m staying at his house.”

As the ambassador notes, it already has very good security. Built in 1776 by a British colonel, the ambassador’s home is rented from the Irish Government for a symbolic one dollar each year. Presidents Kennedy, Clinton and George Bush snr have slept in the presidential suite, as well as Princess Grace and Bing Crosby.

…The ambassador loves his life in Ireland, but as Obama’s unconditional fan, he’s thinking of returning to the US soon. “I would probably have to resign to campaign for President Obama’s re-election,” Rooney says. “I think that would be the number one thing I can do for him, and I’d be willing to do so. He’s the best man for the job, without question.”

Full article here

“some folks are wise and some are otherwise”

CBS (November 14)

Thanks Chi 😉