A Presidential Small Business Saturday

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President Barack Obama joined by his daughters Malia and Sasha, talk with manager Anna Thorn as they shop at Upshur Street Books on Small Business Saturday

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https://twitter.com/TheObamaDiary/status/670683774494105601

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The President’s Day In Alaska

Markers throughout Exit Glacier show how much it’s receded over time. The impacts of climate change are real, and the people of Alaska are living with them every day. It’s never been more important for us to work together to address this challenge. -bo

President Barack Obama pauses to view the Exit Glacier in Seward, Alaska, which according to National Park Service research, has retreated approximately 1.25 miles over the past 200 years

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President Barack Obama makes a selection at the Sweet Darlings ice cream shop

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President Barack Obama takes a boat tour to see the effects of climate change at the Kenai Fjords National Park

Doug Mills: President Obama looks from his boat at Bear Glacer during his boat tour of Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska. @POTUS

President Obama Goes Shopping At The Gap

President Barack Obama looks for gifts for his family with saleswoman Susan Panariello after stopping off at the GAP in New York

President Barack Obama shops at a GAP clothing store in Manhattan during his unannounced visit. Obama used the visit to talk about raising the minimum hourly wage standards and applauded the GAP, who earlier in the year announced it was raising minimum wage for its employees

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Mary Bruce: President Obama Visits NYC, Takes Surprising Shopping Trip To The Gap

Apparently even President Obama knows that New York City is a great place to shop. During a trip to the Big Apple today, the president made a surprise stop at the Gap. Obama checked out some khakis and sweatshirts. A cheery saleswoman talked him through a few options, including a V-neck pink sweater. Obama said he was worried the V-neck would “slip” off his daughter’s shoulders. He ultimately settled on a light pink crewneck for Sasha and a bright pink one for Malia.

A White House official explained the president’s impromptu stop: “In his State of the Union address, the President called for businesses to raise workers’ wages, and today the President will visit a Gap store to show his support for Gap Inc.’s decision to increase wages for their US based employees.” During his visit to the store, Obama also picked out navy blue zip-up workout shirtfor the first lady. The president then greeted the woman behind the counter, who told him he was better looking in person. “You hear that?” The president said to reporters. “I think the ladies will be impressed with my style sense,” the president said as his items were rung up.

More here

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Early Bird Chat

Completely Random Recent Pic

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MoooOOOooorning Early Birds! Thank you all for the suggestions for the blog list, added a couple to the previous post and will update the blogroll today. You’re fabulous!

Buy the Book

Photo by Pete Souza

President Obama and his daughters Malia and Sasha in ‘One More Page Books’ on Small Business Saturday, Arlington, Virginia, November 24

#SmallBizSat

Iowa, Day Two

President Obama holds baby Ethan Muhire, B.R. Miller Middle School, Marshalltown, Iowa

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Children greet President Barack Obama’s motorcade as it passes through Tama, Iowa

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The Nelson Pioneer Farm & Museum in Oskaloosa, Iowa

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Visiting the Heil family farm in Haverhill, Iowa

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President Obama orders muffins at the Coffee Connection in Knoxville, Iowa

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B.R. Miller Middle School in Marshalltown

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Next up:

8:45 (?): President Obama delivers remarks at the Waterloo Center for the Arts in Waterloo, Iowa

C-Span * CBS 1 * CBS 2 * CNN  * KWWL

Streaming has started at KWWL, so tune in now!

Mansfield, Ohio

Mansfield, Ohio, August 1

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… speaking with members of the 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio National Guard as he arrived at Mansfield Lahm Airport

… greeting children on the tarmac upon his arrival at Mansfield Air National Guard Base

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President Obama is given a sample of fudge to taste by LaDonna Secrist, owner of the Squirrel’s Den

… with employees Lia Brunetti (L) and Carol Fisher (C) while buying fudge at the Squirrel’s Den

More later

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Next up:

3:55: President Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event at the John S. Knight Center, Akron, Ohio

christmas shopping

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Pool report: Presidential motorcade left a soggy South Lawn at 12:45 p.m. for shopping and lunch. Fourteen minutes later the motorcade arrived at Potomac Yards in Alexandria, where the President headed into the Pet Smart store. By the time the pool was allowed in a shirtsleeved POTUS was at a checkout counter with Bo, who appeared to be sizing up a small brown “standard poodle” named Cinnamon, according to the dog’s owner.

“Okay, Bo, don’t get too personal here,” POTUS admonished, holding tightly to Bo’s leash. He pulled out a $50 bill to pay for two items, one a large dog bone. Total was slightly more than $41.

After a quick stroll POTUS entered the nearby Best Buy at 1:10 p.m. “This (stop) for the girls now,” he said as he went in.

After a round of handshaking he headed straight to the Wii section, where he bought a Just Dance game for his daughters.

“The girls beat me every time on these dance games,” he said, “but you’ll never get a picture of me (playing) because I get graded F every time.”

He also bought a pair of $50 iTunes gift cards and an unidentified game. Tab came to 194.48. “Let’s see if my credit card still works,” he said. It did.

After more grip-and-grins outside, motorcade left at 1:21 p.m. Nine minutes later, POTUS arrived via side streets at intersection of East Del Ray and Mount Vernon to pick up some pies at the Del Ray Pizzeria. More handshakes, a little sports banter…

Pool ushered out. Minutes later POTUS emerged with three large pizzas. Then he worked the crowd on all four corners of the intersection plus a fifth cluster of squealing well-wishers a bit further down Del Ray.

Motorcade including Bo rolling at 1:48, arriving South Lawn 2:05 p.m.

President Obama and his dog Bo with a poodle named Cinnamon as they check out at PetSmart in Alexandria, Va. Obama bought the presidential pup a toy bone and a bag of food while Bo played in the store with Cinnamon.

President Barack Obama speaks with customers while picking up his pizza order at Del Ray Pizzeria in Alexandria after purchasing gifts

President Barack Obama greets people after stopping for pizza at Del Ray Pizzaria in Alexandria, Virginia

President Barack Obama shops for Christmas gifts at a Best Buy store on December 21, 2011 in Alexandria, Virginia

mmm, pumpkins….

Washington Post: ….. President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, pulled up to a roadside farmer’s market in their imposing Ground Force One presidential bus for a little pumpkin shopping.

…. As Obama talked to the shopkeepers, the first lady was busy inspecting pumpkins. She seemed very interested in oversized white-colored ones, which Betty Wood later explained were called “full moon pumpkins.” Michelle Obama picked one up by wrapping both arms around it to load it into a metal rolling cart with a long metal handle. Betty Wood later estimated the pumpkin could weigh 70 pounds.

The president quipped: “Don’t hurt yourself now.” He yelled out to an aide: “Where are we going to put it? In the back of the bus?”

Michelle Obama loaded more into the cart. “How many are you going to buy?” her husband asked. “You want anything else?”

“No, we’ll have enough trouble getting these back,” she said.

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama stop to buy pumpkins at Wood’s Orchard in Hampton, Va

a face in the crowd

First lady Michelle Obama stands in line at a Target Department store in Alexandria, Va., Sept. 29, after doing some shopping