Hug Wars

@TheObamaDiary: Gauntlet thrown. Whatchu got? => Obama Hugs!!! http://t.co/gKQPcr4nkb

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

Hugger-in-Chief by @SmartyPants -> http://t.co/u73C2ynGnx pic.twitter.com/bogYLOD6ge

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

Okay @Smartypants60, that post is annoyingly, outrageously exceptional, but….. 🎈🎉 💥 ——> pic.twitter.com/wWJ2D3W0QT

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@TheObamaDiary One down…twenty to go 😉 pic.twitter.com/e9A2TW3RDk

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

@Smartypants60 🏆 -> pic.twitter.com/v5IEFm4X3p

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@TheObamaDiary Yep – that’s definitely one of my favorites. So’s this one. pic.twitter.com/fvtHvWXNTl

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

@Smartypants60 Okay, I concede, that’s a gem, but: 🌟 —> pic.twitter.com/Ab9XNZihBL

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@Smartypants60 That was a completely misplaced comma – delete comma after ‘concede’, this war has only just begun.

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@TheObamaDiary OK. You got me with #’s there. But I’ll counter with an overdose of adorable. pic.twitter.com/QPU9ymgvT2

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

@Smartypants60 Drat, one of the greatest. But….. 🍸 🍸 🍸 🍸 -> pic.twitter.com/06jxakkJ46

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@TheObamaDiary But… pic.twitter.com/BsH6gsj5aP

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

@Smartypants60 Yeah, yeah, iconic ……. but: 👌-> Born to Hug: pic.twitter.com/Z732QSDbJE

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@TheObamaDiary Who needs celebrities when you get a Lifts-me-off-my-feet hug! pic.twitter.com/MvUKGkVZaC

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

@Smartypants60 Oh, okay, not bad. But…… Presidential-Vice Presidential 🐻-hug –> pic.twitter.com/HZiPTpz0JJ

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@TheObamaDiary Yeah, yeah. But nothing beats a Daddy/First Daughter hug. pic.twitter.com/FB6M7rKQOF

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

@Smartypants60 Hmm, fair enough, although not far behind…. 🐶 -> pic.twitter.com/5ED9UCbaTd

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@TheObamaDiary Yeah, but knee hugs from a cutie-pie are the BEST! pic.twitter.com/0wUbrmG7M4

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

@Smartypants60 Huh, going for the knee hugs, are ya? How about….. 🍼 -> pic.twitter.com/eUtbWYzpzb

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@TheObamaDiary Oh yeah, we’re goin’ there… pic.twitter.com/ravzH6PidJ

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

@Smartypants60 Very, very lovely …. and sorry about this ….. but: 🐣 -> pic.twitter.com/J6vH4SVw0L

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@TheObamaDiary Too sweet for words. But…enthusiasm counts. pic.twitter.com/YPiOkgr8Xx

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

@Smartypants60 Alright, that’s not bad, but….. x 2⃣ —> pic.twitter.com/F30NMkI8a6

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@TheObamaDiary Love the little ones. But how bout a the BIGGEST SMILE?! pic.twitter.com/WwhZsAyCDd

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

@Smartypants60 Grr, you’re raising the bar Smarty. But…. 🎓 -> pic.twitter.com/S5jm4YLh9K

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@TheObamaDiary As I said, quality counts. The bear hug it is!!! pic.twitter.com/3HFVQ8OSc3

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

@Smartypants60 Gorgeous. But… 🙋 -> pic.twitter.com/sPvTPj3Fll

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@TheObamaDiary Beautiful. But this one comes specially from our consoler-in-chief. pic.twitter.com/znTGa6rSMs

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

@Smartypants60 Okay, that’s beautiful, but his most compassionate Consoler-in-Chief moment *ever* 🎻 –> pic.twitter.com/WIiyUw28Ml

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) September 13, 2014

@TheObamaDiary You might have won the day with that one 😉 But there will be no dry eyes after this one pic.twitter.com/US0SIFxrT7

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

 

 Please think carefully before you vote, this is important. Thanks.

@TheObamaDiary Regardless of your poll skewering, we can’t let a hug-off end w/out the hug heard round the world. pic.twitter.com/Q3qnDvNMqF

— Nancy LeTourneau (@Smartypants60) September 13, 2014

🙄 Some people just can’t handle democracy #ThePollsDon’tLie

Rise and Shine

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Today:

3:45: President Obama delivers remarks at the Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in honor of Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Joint Base Myer-Henderson (C-Span)

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NYT: It happened a few minutes before the beginning of Jim Langevin’s junior cadet shift back in 1980 …. A bullet ricocheted off a locker and went right through the boy’s neck, severing his spinal cord.

At 16, he would never walk again and never fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer.

Now, three decades later and seven terms into his career as one of Rhode Island’s two members of the House of Representatives, Mr. Langevin, 48, is the only quadriplegic ever to serve in Congress….

For the past month, he has been on a quiet campaign to persuade his colleagues to give up their guest passes to next Tuesday’s State of the Union address by President Obama so that victims of gun violence can attend.

That way, he said, when the nation’s highest officeholders look up from the floor of the House to those watching from the gallery, they will not be able to avoid seeing the human toll that guns can exact.

More here

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Upworthy: It’s a fact so jaw-dropping it’s unbelievable — people thought it was a crazy Internet rumor until Politifact verified it. But it’s true: More Americans have died just since 1960 from gun incidents — suicides, accidents, and homicides — than died in every war in U.S. history. The deadliest war the U.S. has ever had is the war we waged against ourselves.

Politifact: Politifact: Since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, supporters and opponents of gun control have thrown out statistics to support their point of view.

Here’s one that caught our eye, offered by liberal commentator Mark Shields on the Dec. 21, 2012, edition of the PBS NewsHour.

Shields told host Judy Woodruff, “You know, Judy, the reality is – and it’s a terrible reality – since Robert Kennedy died in the Ambassador Hotel on June 4, 1968, more Americans have died from gunfire than died in … all the wars of this country’s history, from the Revolutionary through the Civil War, World War I, World War II, in those 43 years. … I mean, guns are a problem. And I think they still have to be confronted.”……

More here

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CNN: A group of four senators working behind the scenes on a bipartisan bill to expand background checks on gun sales is making significant progress, according to sources in both parties familiar with their work.

The group includes Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, who has an A rating with the National Rifle Association, Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Illinois, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, a long time advocate of gun rights, and Chuck Schumer, D-New York, a long time supporter of gun control.

CNN is told the legislation they are working on would effectively require background checks on private gun purchases made with non-licensed gun dealers, according to sources in both parties. That would include closing the so-called gun show loophole.

More here

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NYT: President Obama may have run his last political campaign, but that does not relieve him of his obligations to the Democratic Party.

The president, who has a vested interest in Democrats retaining their Senate majority and trying to narrow Republican control of the House, is already making plans to return to the campaign trail. He has agreed to hold at least 14 separate fund-raising events this year, a Democratic official familiar with the plans told The New York Times, characterizing it as an “aggressive schedule.”

…. Mr. Obama will appear at 10 events outside Washington: five for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and five for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He will also host one event for each committee in Washington as well as appearing at two joint fund-raising galas for House and Senate candidates.

More here

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Reuters: A rise in exports and lower imports of oil helped push the trade deficit to its narrowest point in nearly three years in December, suggesting the economy did much better in the fourth quarter than initially estimated.

The country’s trade gap narrowed to $38.5 billion during the month, the Commerce Department said on Friday. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a deficit of $46 billion.

“Trade data for December paint a reassuring and encouraging picture of the US economy at the end of last year,” said Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit.

More here

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‘President Obama has outlined his plan for fixing our broken immigration system. Add your name to stand with the President’ – here

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BuzzFeed: One of President Obama’s two nominees Thursday for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Todd M. Hughes, would become the first out gay appeals court judge in the country, if confirmed by Congress.

Hughes currently is the deputy director of the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Civil Division at the United States Department of Justice….. The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which runs the Presidential Appointments Project to support out LGBT candidates for appointments, praised the nomination.

More here

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NYT: Cardiss Collins, who reluctantly ran for a Chicago Congressional seat left vacant when her husband died in a plane crash and went on to become Illinois’s first black congresswoman, serving for nearly 25 years as a voice for racial and gender equality and expanded health care for the poor, died on Sunday in Arlington, Va. She was 81.

….. She campaigned little but easily won the primary in April and cruised through the general election in June with 92 percent of the vote. Six years later, and after some early struggles in office — she had never considered a political career before she was thrust into one — she became chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus. For much of the 1980s, she was the only black woman in Congress.

More here

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TPM: Outgoing Energy Department Secretary Steven Chu, who announced his resignation last week, took to his Facebook page Thursday to make light of an article from parody news site “The Onion” alleging that he woke up next to a solar panel after a night of partying in D.C. As Chu wrote in a post on his Facebook page:

    “I just want everyone to know that my decision not to serve a second term as Energy Secretary has absolutely nothing to do with the allegations made in this week’s edition of the Onion. While I’m not going to confirm or deny the charges specifically, I will say that clean, renewable solar power is a growing source of U.S. jobs and is becoming more and more affordable, so it’s no surprise that lots of Americans are falling in love with solar.”

More here

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Don’t miss Colbert at the end:

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Michelle Obama’s Playlist on Spotify:

People: My song with my husband: Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together”

Michelle Obama: Barack and I danced to “Let’s Stay Together” at this Inauguration, and it was such a special moment for us. We had spent all day together with our family and friends at different Inaugural events, and at the end of the day the dance was really our one-on-one moment with each other. Well, each other and everyone watching on TV!

More here

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MoooOOoooOOooooorning!

This and That

Tahoe International Airport in Reno, Nevada

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President Obama gets a hug from Rep. Barbara Lee after arriving at Oakland International Airport

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President Obama boards departs San Francisco International Airport for Nevada

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President Obama greets attendees after speaking during the 113th National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) at the Reno Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada

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President Obama holds up a drawing given to him as a gift after speaking at the 113th VFW National Convention

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Next up:

10:55: President Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event at The Fox Theatre, Oakland

we can expect a hoffa-like media storm, right?

Think Progress: Today, Bradblog’s Brad Friedman reports for Mother Jones about a secret meeting that the right-wing oil billionaire Koch brothers held at a Colorado resort in June with hundreds of wealthy donors who plotted to finance right-wing causes and elect conservative politicians.

Friedman reports that audio he obtained from the conference reveals that Charles Koch alarmingly referred to President Obama as “Saddam Hussein,” saying that the right had to fight the “mother of all wars”. He rallied his guests to donate millions of dollars to help defeat Obama and boost other right-wing causes….

…… Koch read off a list of 32 donors who gave a million dollars or more to his efforts to build up far-right infrastructure…

More here

‘The gop of tatooine’

Eugene Robinson: With the nation transfixed by the daring raid that killed Osama bin Laden, the first GOP presidential debate transpired last week with relatively little notice. For Republicans, that’s the good news.

The bad news is that for those who did pay attention, the debate brought to mind – and I’m just trying to be honest here, folks – the famous bar scene from “Star Wars.” At times the dialogue sounded like a faltering attempt at interplanetary communication….

Back on Earth, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that the elimination of bin Laden was good not only for national security, the interest of justice and the public mood but for President Obama’s political prospects as well. He’s not unbeatable in 2012, but at the moment you’ve got to like his chances.

Indeed, the bounce in Obama’s poll numbers was immediate – and, for potential opponents, daunting …. (but) Despite the news that nearly 270,000 new private-sector jobs were added in April – the best monthly number in five years – the unemployment rate is an unacceptable 9 percent. For the president, this is an obvious vulnerability.

Rather, it should be a vulnerability. Exploiting it would require a capable, electable candidate. If such a Republican exists, he or she apparently didn’t make it to Greenville in time for Thursday’s debate.

…Besides Romney, others who skipped the debate included Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, Michele Bachmann, Donald Trump, Sarah Palin, Jon Huntsman and Mitch Daniels. That’s a relief, because if they had all showed up, debate organizers would have had to put them on risers. Opening and closing statements would take so long, there wouldn’t be time for any questions.

….Obama, practically overnight, has dispelled the fog of ambiguity with which his opponents have tried to cloak him – the vague suspicion that there was something effete, passive, not quite fully American about him.

On “60 Minutes” Sunday, Obama’s usual caution with words seemed like disciplined reserve. His broad smile seemed fortified with steel. We like a bit of Clint Eastwood in our presidents. Come on, Republicans, make Obama’s day.

Full article here

bookkeeper

President Obama drops by the Prairie Lights bookstore in Iowa City to pick up some gifts for his daughters—and a pop-up book for his Press Secretary’s son.