Four years ago – Pete Souza: “I was sitting in the reception area outside the Oval Office when Sasha walked by and headed to the Oval. I suspected something was up, so I followed her. Sasha then crawled into the office, hiding behind the sofa, and when she reached the far end, jumped up and yelled trying spook her dad.” Aug. 5, 2009
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Today (all times Eastern):
12:45: Press Briefing by Jay Carney
6:0: The President meets with former Negro League baseball players
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The Week Ahead:
Tuesday: The President will travel to the Phoenix, Arizona area to continue talking with Americans about his better bargain for the middle class
That afternoon, the President will travel to Burbank, California, to tape an appearance on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Wednesday: The President will travel to Camp Pendleton to visit with troops and their families
Thursday: The President will welcome Prime Minister Antonis Samaras of Greece to the White House
Friday: The President will attend meetings at the White House
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Happy birthday, Barack! Your hair’s a little grayer, but I love you more than ever. –mo pic.twitter.com/xxYTA9cMK7
— FLOTUS (@FLOTUS) August 4, 2013
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USA Today: President Obama has a string of meetings on his schedule Monday, one of them with a group of legends.
Early this evening, Obama meets with former Negro League baseball players at the White House.
The president will honor the players’ “contributions to our nation’s history, civil rights, and professional baseball,” says the White House schedule.
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WCHB: Minnie Forbes Owner of the 1956 Detroit Stars Honored by President Obama
The Michigan Chapter of Negro League Baseball Players celebrate one of their members, Minnie Forbes. She is the former owner of the 1956 Detroit Stars Baseball Team. Forbes is credited with being the third woman in the United States to own a team in the Negro Leagues. After 1958, Forbes went on to be the fourth woman to play baseball in the Negro Leagues. She was the third basemen for the Kansas City Monarchs.
Louis Manley, Jr is a well-known Detroit historian and the president of The Michigan Chapter of Negro League Baseball. He is excited to be recognized nationally as a leader in Negro League Baseball. As he prepares to meet and greet President Obama on Monday August 5, 2013 at 5:00 pm in the White House, he is delighted to accompany Minnie Forbes.
More here
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The Grio: Obama turns 52: 52 things that the president has accomplished so far
More here
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Dallas News: Obama order in wake of West blast a ‘game-changer’ in chemical safety, senator says
Barbara Boxer, chairwoman of the U.S. Senate’s environment and public works committee, sat visibly frustrated in a June congressional hearing. She finally told the Environmental Protection Agency official that “lives are being lost” while the agency failed to better safeguard the fertilizer chemical that blew up West.
Weeks later, Boxer wrote to the nation’s governors. She implored them to do what they could to improve the security of ammonium nitrate. Finally, the California Democrat turned to the White House. The results of her efforts became public last week when President Barack Obama issued an executive order directing the federal government to improve safety at chemical facilities.
“For me, it’s a game-changer,” Boxer said in an interview with The Dallas Morning News. “I saw the intransigence of some of the agencies. I saw them arguing and not committing. … We asked the president to help make sure this [type of disaster] never happens again.”….
More here
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Greg Sargent: Be very afraid of a government shutdown
Eric Cantor’s lengthy interview yesterday on Fox News Sunday is really worth reading in full and pondering at some length. It perfectly captures why it’s looking more and more likely that we are genuinely headed for a government shutdown this fall.
In the interview, Fox host Chris Wallace practically begs Cantor to have a reality-based conversation about the coming shutdown fight, the sequester, and Obamacare. Again and again, Cantor steers the conversation back into pure fantasy….
More here
And see Steve Benen: The wrong way to play the shutdown blame game
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Paul Krugman: Republicans Against Reality
Last week House Republicans voted for the 40th time to repeal Obamacare. Like the previous 39 votes, this action will have no effect whatsoever. But it was a stand-in for what Republicans really want to do: repeal reality, and the laws of arithmetic in particular. The sad truth is that the modern G.O.P. is lost in fantasy, unable to participate in actual governing.
Just to be clear, I’m not talking about policy substance. I may believe that Republicans have their priorities all wrong, but that’s not the issue here. Instead, I’m talking about their apparent inability to accept very basic reality constraints, like the fact that you can’t cut overall spending without cutting spending on particular programs, or the fact that voting to repeal legislation doesn’t change the law when the other party controls the Senate and the White House.
Am I exaggerating? Consider what went down in Congress last week….
More here
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Thanks to all those coming to my defense….for doing my job.
— petesouza (@petesouza) August 5, 2013
#FF everyone follow @petesouza — white house photographer critcized by RWNJs today
— Richard Hine (@richardhine) August 5, 2013
Funny how the media shills adored @PeteSouza's previous Presidential work…. pic.twitter.com/Auz10KUxWk
— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) August 5, 2013
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Time: Obama’s Photographer Joins Instagram
On July 24, Pete Souza, Chief Official White House Photographer, joined Instagram. However, his first photo was not of the President, but the instantly-recognizable Presidential Seal, along with the caption: “My maiden voyage on Instagram. Will bring you behind-the-scenes of the Presidency.” His second picture? Presidential grapes.
Since then, @petesouza has documented the inner workings of the White House and it’s staff, from Marine One’s shadow to the Presidential dog – Bo. Souza talked with TIME’s international picture editor, Patrick Witty, about Instagram and what we can expect to see on his feed (more Bo) and what we won’t see (selfies).
What made you take the plunge and open an Instagram account?
The digital folks here at the White House have been asking me to do this for some time and I thought the time was right to finally take the plunge.
More here
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Welcome to Twitter:
Honored to sit behind the sign that says “United States” and stand up for American values and interests at the UN.
— Samantha Power (@AmbassadorPower) August 5, 2013
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But, truly, Twitter is a cesspit:
This threat from @breakobama came in a few days ago. @Twitter did nothing. pic.twitter.com/FpQLAvuk1v
— Goldie Taylor (@goldietaylor) August 5, 2013
This account @breakobama has repeatedly threatened me and others. Yet @Twitter refuses to shut it down or even confirm complaints made.
— Goldie Taylor (@goldietaylor) August 5, 2013
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Steve Benen: ‘It’s a critical first step’
In recent weeks, progressive activists in Florida have pushed a very specific message: in the wake of the George Zimmerman trial, state policymakers need to revisit the controversial “Stand Your Ground” law. Their task hasn’t been easy — Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) has refused to consider changes to the status quo.
Late last week, however, there was an unexpected breakthrough….
More here
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MooooOOOOoooorning everyone! I’m half way through my break but reckoned after all her stupendous posting UT deserved a Monday morning lie-in – endless thank yous to her for the brilliant posting the past week, she’s like Wayne Rooney and Cheesy Puffs rolled in to one.
Hope everyone’s doing great?
The Obama Diary 
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