Backstage with President Obama

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Next up: LL’s Night Owl Chat

EuroTravesty

Today was a dark day in European history – Ireland finished last in the Eurovision Song Contest ….. out of 26 countries ….. with this epic tune.

They got five points, just 276 fewer than the winners, Denmark.

Their only votes came from Cyprus (2), Sweden (2) and the UK (1) – nothing from Greece, for example, which Ireland will remember next time there’s a European Union vote on bailing them out.

This is the musical equivalent of the fall of the Roman Empire, because Ireland have won more Eurovision Song Contests than any other country in the entire, total and complete history of Europe.

What’s gone wrong? Democracy, that’s what. Before the break up of the Soviet Union, everything was fine, Ireland kept winning, but then about 95,000 new Eastern European countries won independence, got to enter the Eurovision Song Contest, didn’t like Ireland’s music, gave them no votes, and that was that.

So tonight I say: “Mr. Gorbachev, put that wall back up.”

afternoon all

Thanks defytheodds

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The Hill: Justice expands definition of rape – Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to President Obama, said the administration supported the update and worked with DOJ on the matter. The Department of Justice has broadened its definition of rape to lead to more comprehensive statistical reporting of the crime nationwide. Attorney General Eric Holder on Friday announced the changes to the Uniform Crime Report’s definition of rape, which the Justice Department said better reflect state criminal codes….

More here

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President Obama speaks with four campaign supporters during lunch at Scion restaurant in Washington

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Thanks Esmerelda!

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Mediaite

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CBS

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Steve Benen: GOP refuses to let House Dems speak….. When President Obama wants to raise the debt ceiling, congressional Republicans respond, “You can’t do that; we’re not in session.” When the White House wants to make recess appointments, congressional Republicans respond, “You can’t do that; we are in session.” And when James Clyburn wants to say a few words from the House floor, congressional Republicans respond, “You can’t do that; we’re not in session.”

Full post here

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The Week

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Buy it at the OFA store

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woot! (and other news)

Keith Humphreys (Washington Monthly): …. the Obamas have a magic about them as a couple to which most people respond positively. If you go to any event where the Obamas are standing next to each other, turn around and look at the crowd and you will see many people – especially women – smiling.

…. Last week a friend and I were reminiscing about a White House holiday party that we both attended. My friend jumped up from his chair and asked “Did you notice how differently he stands when Michelle is next to him? He then mimicked the President perfectly, standing stiffly and intoning “Here I am the boring, aloof, professor alone at the lectern”. Then, shifting his feet as if he were mid-strut, throwing back his shoulders and smiling broadly he said “And here I am with this incredibly fabulous babe that I got to marry me – oh yeah!”.

That’s the truth of it. When the President is with his wife, his humanity comes out in a way that it often does not in other circumstances. The facade of the distant academic cracks open, revealing that skinny, accessible and idealistic young man who is still happily ensorcelled by his brilliant companion. And at that moment, many people in our cynical, brutal and heartless electoral process pause for a moment and remember that Barack Obama is a human being, and they like him.

Full post here

More photos in post from earlier today – here

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The Hill: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he will schedule a vote to proceed to a $35 billion jobs bill on Friday. “We’re going to make sure there’s a vote on our bill this week,” Reid said.

The $35 billion measure would direct federal funds to states to prevent layoffs of teachers, police officers and firefighters.

Democrats estimate the legislation will save or create 400,000 jobs. Most of the funding, $30 billion, would go to teachers. First responders would get $5 billion.

It would be paid for by a 0.5 percent tax increase on income over $1 million.

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A photo and poster of President Barack Obama hang on a door as Obama 2012 campaign volunteer Daniel Hertlein exits following the grand opening of the Georgia Democratic Party’s new headquarters, Oct. 19, in Atlanta. Democratic National Committee chairwoman and Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz says her party isn’t conceding any corner of the country in the 2012 presidential election. She says there is a growing groundswell of Democratic momentum in the state and region, bolstered by the area’s changing demographics.

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Was ‘Dick’ Halperin’s Time Page hacked today by an impartial reporter – or does even he realize his relentless negative reporting on the President has become a little embarrassing?

Presumably he’ll be back to normal soon.

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President Obama, on his return to the White House from his tour of North Carolina and Virginia, tells members of the media that the pumpkins he bought will be driven to Washington

President Obama opens a door to the West Wing for National Security Council Senior Director for Europe Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall after returning to the White House

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Here’s the woot!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, you very, very kind people – that figure is, well, crazy!

I know these are seriously tough times for so many of you, so I honestly do hate asking, but if you’re able, could you help me celebrate by contributing $5, or whatever you can, to The Obama Diary Obama/Biden 2012 fundraising page at OFA (here)? Whenever you can. Thanks everyone.

The Drive for Five!

The incomparable Donna Dem will always be TOD’s fundraising Queen, and in future I’ll use her OFA page for our fundraising drives, this is just to celebrate that 5 million.

Thanks again everyone for your support and company, love ya.

the google global science fair winners

very, very, very smart people

President Barack Obama congratulates Google Science Fair winners, from left, Naomi Shah, Shree Bose, and Lauren Hodge in the Oval Office, Oct. 3. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

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June 2011:

west wing week: “sharp elbows”

flashback …. pulitzer prize-winners

Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama with daughters Sasha (front) and Malia joined Michelle Obama onstage after she introduced him at a campaign rally at Parkview High School in Springfield, Missouri Saturday November 1, 2008.

Democratic candidate Senator Barack Obama arrived at a press conference following a town hall meeting with US military veterans in San Antonio, TX Monday March 3, 2008.

Shadrick Johnson, 6, was dressed in his Sunday best as he waited in line to see Senator Barack Obama at the Columbia Convention Center in Columbia, SC Sunday January 20, 2008.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama spoke to a crowd of over twelve thousand at a rally in Metropolitan Park in Jacksonville, FL Saturday, September 20, 2008.

Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) continued speaking despite constant rain at a campaign rally the Widener University Main Quad in Chester, PA Tusday October 28, 2008. His opponent John McCain cancelled his event that day due to inclement weather.

Damon Winter, of the New York Times, was awarded a Pulitzer for feature photography ‘for his memorable array of pictures deftly capturing multiple facets of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign’.

Damon Winter talks about covering the Obama campaign

More photos here