Sword Beach | The Obama Diary

@PeteSouza: WW2 Veteran gets ride on Marine One helicopter: Pres Obama talks w Kenneth “Rock” Merritt over Normandy

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Arriving at Sword Beach this morning

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Presidents Obama and Hollande smile next to World War II veteran Kenneth ‘Rock’ Merritt as they arrive for the official lunch at Benouville Castle

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Between President Obama and President Putin, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, French President Francois Hollande, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II

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Russian President Vladimir Putin stands at right as President Obama and New Zealand’s Governor-General Jerry Mateparae guide Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II to her position for a group photo

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With Queen Maxima of Holland

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With Charles and Camilla

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Because it can never be posted enough: A World War Two veteran greets President Obama

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Chat on!

A World War Two veteran greets President Barack Obama as they participate in the 70th French-American commemoration D-Day ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, France on Friday, June 6, 2014

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Continuing live streaming from France

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President Obama travels from Normandy to Paris this afternoon where he will meet with embassy staff and family members. He then returns to Washington – he is scheduled to arrive at 8:45 PM ET.

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The President’s address this morning

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An Image or Two from France

@Stcrow: AWKWARD FAMILY PHOTO – President Obama, Queen Elizabeth, Petro Poroshenko, President-Elect of Ukraine (left) and Putin on right

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Putin’s expression when President Obama arrived for #DDay70 and WWII veterans and leaders gave him a standing ovation pic.twitter.com/Jv6lMGRgzI

— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) June 6, 2014

Best split screen of all time? Moment Putin and Obama both realise they are on screen together #DDay #nobloodloss http://t.co/g2usb7hMU2

— SanitaryOwl.com (@SanitaryOwl) June 6, 2014

Video: President Obama, Like a Boss, v Putin http://t.co/5hJTOW6QcS

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) June 6, 2014

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President Obama and Russian President Putin pose during a group photo for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Benouville June 6, 2014. Between Obama and Putin are (L-R) Britian’s Queen Elizabeth, French President Francois Hollande and Danish Queen Margrethe II

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Well, that’s appropriate: Red light reflected from the carpet illuminates Russian President Putin ….. pic.twitter.com/lsjPIF8gc4

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) June 6, 2014

President Obama helps Queen Elizabeth down the steps while a grumpy Vladmir Putin stands to the side. #DDay70 pic.twitter.com/PSgVyNIzkM

— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) June 6, 2014

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Greeting Veterans

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President Obama with Prince Charles at Sword Beach this morning

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President of France Francois Hollande speaks while flanked by President Barack Obama, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe and Russian President Vladimir Putin during a luncheon for Heads of State at Chateau de Benouville in Benouville

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If Chuck Todd wrote captions: ‘Angry Veterans Shun Obama in Normandy’ pic.twitter.com/Ma9BTImbwX

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) June 6, 2014

Queen: ‘Barack? Vlad is staring at us. Shall one tell him to fock off?’ pic.twitter.com/OyKcd5rlNo

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) June 6, 2014

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And Today’s BIG News:

Steve Benen: Job creation remains steady, 217k jobs added in May

Once in a while, the expectations for the new jobs report and the actual data line up remarkably well.

The new report from Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the U.S. economy added 217,000 jobs in May, which is almost exactly what economists expected. The overall unemployment rate, meanwhile, remained at 6.3% – still at its lowest point since September 2008, nearly six years ago.

… All told, over the last 12 months, the U.S. economy has added over 2.38 million jobs overall and 2.36 million in the private sector. What’s more, May was the 51st consecutive month in which we’ve seen private-sector job growth. The year isn’t quite half over, but 2014 is currently on track to be the best year for U.S. job creation since 1999.

More here

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We’re back, baby. pic.twitter.com/dRcVzEO9R9

— Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) June 6, 2014

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Since Obamacare was passed 50 months ago, health care has gained almost 1 million jobs. (982,300, to be more specific.)

— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) June 6, 2014

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to put May’s 217K job growth in recent historical perspective: in 2005, best job creation year under Bush, average monthly gain was 209K

— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) June 6, 2014

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It’s a record streak of 51 conseuctive monthly job gains. pic.twitter.com/2nBFJWQQvL

— Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) June 6, 2014

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On This Day

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama walk towards Marine One as they leave Normandy for Paris on June 6, 2009. Seeing them off are National Security Advisor James Jones, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, and Senior Advisors Valerie Jarrett and David Axelrod (Photo by Pete Souza)

President Barack Obama greets the staff of the U.S. Embassy at the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Paris, France on June 6, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama lifts a baby while meeting the staff of the U.S. Embassy at the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Paris, France, June 6, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama tours the Centre Pompidou modern art museum in Paris, June 6, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama shakes hands with French President Nicolas Sarkozy during a bilateral meeting in Caen, France, June 6, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)

June 6, 2009 – Pete Souza” “After his speech in Normandy, a crush of people tried to get close to the President to shake his hand. I noticed this guy waiting patiently and then literally being pushed back into the crowd. I felt bad for him, and mentioned the incident to the President’s trip director, Marvin Nicholson. Marvin pulled the guy out of the crowd, found him a wheel chair, and brought him over to meet the President. He was a French veteran. The man’s face shows his emotion.”

President Obama gives a ‘thumbs-up’ to a group of World War II veterans sitting behind him on stage following his speech at the 65th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in Normandy, France, June 6, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)

American D-Day veteran Clyde Combs gets a hug from President Obama at the Normandy American Cemetery on June 6, 2009 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France

President Obama embraces his great uncle Charles Payne following the President’s speech at the 65th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in Normandy, France, June 6, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama greets his great uncle Charles Payne and his wife Melanie, who is reacting to seeing First Lady Michelle Obama, before the ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, on the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings, June 6, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama former Senator Max Cleland of Georgia before the ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, on the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings, June 6, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)

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President Obama adjusts Dick Van Dyke’s tie during the Ford’s Theatre reception in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Sunday, June 6, 2010 (Photo by Pete Souza)

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President Obama talks on the phone with Prime Minister Mario Monti of Italy aboard Air Force One, June 6, 2012 (Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama walks across the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Calif., June 6, 2012 (Photo by Pete Souza)

Trip Director Marvin Nicholson watches as President Obama signs items after delivering remarks at the LGBT Leadership Council Gala in Beverly Hills, Calif., June 6, 2012 (Photo by Pete Souza)

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