Posts tagged: Barack Obama

Photo of Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter Did His Bit

[Editorial note: Rather than read the post below, try this wonderful article by journalist James Fallows, a Carter speechwriter in the 1970s: An Unlucky President, And A Lucky Man. And …..

Bo the Dog Has Crossed the Rainbow Bridge

Bo in 2009. (Official White House photo by Chuck Kennedy) Bo the Dog has died, sad to say. The former First Dog passed away at age 12 after a bout …..

Re-upping: Barack Obama’s Apartment from Harvard Days

Future president Barack Obama lived in a basement apartment in Somerville, Massachusetts while he attended Harvard Law School — living in a not-so-fancy part of town to save money, as …..

The NY Daily News cover has photos of Barack Obama, George Bush, and Bill Clinton speaking at the funeral of civil rights leader John Lewis. Below is a photo of Trump with the subhead, 'As past presidents honor Lewis, pouty Trump touts delaying elex.'

NY Daily News on Trump: ‘Three Men and a Baby’

Now, there’s a headline writer who went home with a sense of a job well done. Noted the article: Trump was the lone living president to play no official role in …..

John Lewis, wearing a dark suit and tie, speaks behind a lectern in front of a rather bland gray backdrop

John Lewis Biography and Photos

Congressman John Lewis has died at age 80. A towering civil rights figure who survived having his skull fractured by Alabama state police on “Bloody Sunday” in 1965, Lewis had …..

Medal of Honor winner Florent Groberg stands at attention in his Army uniform, with the blue ribbon of the Medal of Honor around his neck

Medal of Honor Winner Florent Groberg Is Married

Vows — the weekly wedding section of The New York Times — is always good for an unusual courtship story, a meet-cute or even a few tears. This week it …..

Anthony Bourdain is Dead at Age 61

Anthony Bourdain is dead. The chef, author and superstar host of the cooking show Parts Unknown committed suicide in a Paris hotel this morning, according to a report from the show’s network, …..

Barack Obama looks thoughtful as he sits in front of a riot of green leaves.

The Obama Official Portraits: One Strange, One Wonderful

The new portraits of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were unveiled today at the National Gallery. Here they are:   Barack Obama’s portrait is by Kehinde Wiley, and …..

Newspaper front pages from around the world on the day that Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States of America.Featuring: New York Post - USA. When: 09 Nov 2016.

A Coastal Elitist Votes for the Heartland

Coastal elites have been voting for the heartland for 50 years. The problem is that the heartland has been voting the other way.

President Obama Meets President-Elect Trump

President Barack Obama met president-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office this week, two days after Trump’s surprise election as America’s next president. Another great photo by ace White House …..

Donald Trump is elected 45th President Of The United States Of American as displayed on the Empire State Building.Featuring: Donald Trump Wins Election displayed On the Empire State Building. Where: New York, New York, United States. When: 09 Nov 2016.

Donald Trump Elected President

Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States on Tuesday night. He will succeed Barack Obama on January 20, 2017. While final totals are not yet in, …..

Lin-Manuel Miranda photo portrait, with Miranda wearing a goatee and a blue t-shirt reading ARTIST in big cursive script

Lin-Manuel Miranda Biography: New!

Our Lin-Manuel Miranda biography is now live. Who is Lin-Manuel Miranda? Only the certified genius who created, wrote and stars in the Broadway mega-show Hamilton. And also the Tony-winning writer …..

Sasha Obama’s Real Name is Natasha

Natasha Obama is a search we see a lot of, so we’d like to clarify for our readers: Natasha Obama is the real name of Sasha Obama, the second daughter of …..

Barack Obama in a white shirt, seen through a doorway, smiling at his family as he sits at dinner

Just a Nice Photo: Barack Obama in Cuba

President Barack Obama is in Cuba for a goodwill visit. This was shot on Sunday night, March 20, as he had dinner with his (unseen) wife Michelle Obama and daughters …..

Merrick Garland Biography – New!

Our Merrick Garland biography is now live. Merrick Garland is the U.S. Court of Appeals judge nominated to the Supreme Court by President Barack Obama on March 16, 2016. Here …..

Sri Srinivasan in a blue suit with blue tie and white shirt, in front of a U.S. Flag

Sri Srinivasan Biography: New!

Our Sri Srinivasan biography is now live. Sri Srinivasan is the U.S. Court of Appeals judge who seems to be one of the leading candidates to fill the Supreme Court …..

President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle share a moment in the Oval Office of the White House. Official White House photo by Pete Souza.

Just a Nice Photo: The Obamas in the White House

President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle share a moment in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, as former President George Washington looks on.  Just a nice photo, that’s all. …..

Obama’s Presidents’ Day Gift

[Michelle hands Barack a single gift] This is for Valentine's Day AND Presidents' Day. — OhNoSheTwitnt (@OhNoSheTwitnt) February 15, 2016 Heh! Happy Presidents’ Day, everyone!

Just a Nice Photo: Michelle Obama’s Birthday

Michelle Obama turns 52 years old today, and the White House has been circulating this photo on social media. It’s a great shot. Michelle Obama was born on January 17, …..

Loretta Lynch Biography: New!

Meet President Barack Obama’s nominee to be the next U.S. Attorney General.

Michelle Obama in Vogue

Well, she looks great. Let’s just admit she looks great.

Jack Lew Biography: New!

The new Secretary of the Treasury is “exceedingly meticulous” and “the most unassuming power broker in Washington.”

Barack Obama: Re-Elected

Barack Obama has been re-elected as president of the United States.

The White House Inserts Obama Into Bios

The White House has added Obama-flavored icing to several of the official biographies of former presidents. Doesn’t that make you furious?

Letters to the Dallas Morning News, 1963

“A truly socialistic regime.” “Free enterprise is finished. States’ rights have vanished. We now have taxation without representation.” Gee, they’re talking about Barack Obama, right? Not quite.

An Interview with Mikhail Gorbachev

Got a spare hour? Watch (or listen) to an interview with former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at the LBJ Library and Museum.

What Happened to Barack Obama?

“When he wants to be, the president is a brilliant and moving speaker, but his stories virtually always lack one element: the villain who caused the problem, who is always left out, described in impersonal terms, or described in passive voice, as if the cause of others’ misery has no agency and hence no culpability.”

How Many Other Presidents Turned 50 in Office?

Barack Obama turns 50 years old on this very day.  Question: How many other U.S. presidents have turned 50 while in office?  Take a guess, and we’ll give you the answer after this roll call.

Barack Obama: A Birthday Timeline

Ever think to yourself as a kid, “Gee, I wonder where I’ll be when I’m 50?”If you’re Barack Obama, the answer to that question turned out to be: “In the White House, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, as the duly-elected President of the United States.”

“This Is the Stuff of Which Heroes Are Made”

Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry received the Congressional Medal of Honor today from President Barack Obama. From the official citation:  “Instantly realizing the danger, Staff Sergeant Petry, unhesitatingly and with …..

President Obama Uses Twitter

In a long-overdue show of “I can do the modern world, too,” President Barack Obama has apparently *tweeted* — asking for your opinion:

It’s Going To Be A Long Presidential Campaign

It’s hard to keep track of who is running for president in 2012 among the Republicans. In part because there seem to be so many of them, but also because these days there are a dozen stages of announcing your candidacy before you actually announce your candidacy.
And to think we have 19 months to go! Just this week, the slate of candidates and maybe-candidates have been in the news more for their wacky ideas and missteps than for any policy proposals. Let’s take a look:

The Pope, The Queen, and Nelson Mandela Walk Into a Bar…

“I have known few greater honours than the opportunity to address the Mother of Parliaments at Westminster Hall. I am told the last three speakers here have been the Pope, Her Majesty the Queen, and Nelson Mandela, which is either a very high bar or the beginning of a very funny joke.”President Barack Obama, opening his speech to Parliament today with a little joke. Heh!

Oprah’s Last Show: 14 Ways It Might End

Oprah Winfrey’s producers say they won’t reveal the details of her very last show on May 25th. Here are 14 guesses for how that final episode will end:

The Day They Got Bin Laden: Photos

The White House has released a remarkable series of photos from Sunday, as President Barack Obama and his national security team followed the attack on Osama bin Laden’s compound. 

Just a Nice Photo: Barack Obama and His Cardboard Wife

President Barack Obama poses with a photo cutout of his wife, Michelle, during a visit to Miami Central High School in Florida last month. (Official White House photo by Pete Souza.)See photos of the real Michelle Obama >>

Startling Outbreak of Sanity in Arizona

Arizona Govenor Jan Brewer vetoes bills putting guns on campus and requiring proof of citizenship from Obama in 2012.”I never imagined being presented with a bill that could require candidates for president of the greatest and most powerful nation on Earth to submit their early baptismal circumcisi

Barack Obama: “This Will Be My Final Campaign”

“This will be my final campaign, at least as a candidate.”So said Barack Obama in an email to supporters this morning, announcing that he’s filing the paperwork to run for president in 2012.

Presidential Candidates 2012: Tim Pawlenty Gets Things Rolling

Tim Pawlenty, the former governor of Minnesota, declared today that he is forming a presidential exploratory committee for 2012. “Declared” isn’t quite right: he announced it via this video on his Facebook page:

The History of Black History Month

February of 2011 will be National African American History Month, as proclaimed by the president. President Barack Obama issued the proclamation yesterday, following a tradition started in 1976 by President …..

David Axelrod Reflects

For political wonks (and Chicagoans) only: David Axelrod talks about Obama’s first two years.

Sarah Palin Uses Naughty Internet Slang

Over at Media Matters, they’re featuring a video clip from Fox News — in which former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin uses naughty internet slang — on national tee-vee! — to harp on President Barack Obama’s recent State of the Union address (hint: it’s not SOTU).

Did Kwilliam Snub Marack?

A new email rumor has Prince William and Kate Middleton snubbing President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle with a pointed non-invitation to their royal wedding in April.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is 60!

Grab a bushel of corn and raise a toast: Tom Vilsack was born on this day in 1950.  He has been America’s Secretary of Agriculture since January of 2009.

Barack Obama: The Rolling Stone Interview

Where has this sharp, feisty, straight-talking guy been for the last two years?  He’s been so far offstage, I wasn’t sure he was even still in the theater.Here’s the Rolling Stone Barack Obama cover, by Mark Seliger.

“The American Combat Mission in Iraq Has Ended”

How beautiful to hear those words — spoken by President Barack Obama from the Oval Office on Tuesday night.  We’re not out of Iraq by a long shot: 50,000 U.S. troops are still there. They’re all supposed to be home by the end of 2011. In the meantime, what a great step in the right direction.

Barack and Michelle Obama: Helicopter Parents

President Barack Obama, with his wife Michelle (at top) and daughters Malia (right) and Sasha, returned to the White House yesterday after the family’s 10-day vacation in Martha’s Vineyard.  All four made a stopo

Barack Obama With an NFL Jersey

Because we just like photos of presidents getting sports jerseys. That’s Super Bowl-winning quarterback Drew Brees on the left, with other members of the New Orleans Saints in the background. Barack Obama is the 44th U.S. president.

Barack Obama is ‘Charming’ on ‘The View’

Barack Obama is “charming as usual” on his pre-taped appearance on The View this morning.  That’s according to Joy Behar — or so says CNN.  “The president was at ease, Behar said, and did not appear nervous during the taping.”That’s a relief.

Mama Grizzly Sarah Palin Sees Pink Elephants

Here’s a new video from Sarah Palin, called “Mama Grizzlies.”
Not because a mother grizzly bear raises her offspring without the help of the father, who is off roaming the wilds of Alaska in search of another mate. And certainly not because a grizzly’s diet is 90% vegetarian. No, “Mama Grizzlies” because mother bears are protective of their cubs, and according to former governor and part-time biologist Sarah Palin, “‘cuz moms just kinda know when somethin’ is wrong.”

General Petraeus to Replace General McChrystal

Those nasty things said in Rolling Stone magazine by U.S. General Stanley McChrystal have cost him his job.
President Barack Obama met with General McChrystal this morning, then announced that the general was being replaced by General David Petraeus as the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

White House Gate Crashers in TV Series

Remember Tareq Salahi and his wife Michaela Salahi? Last November they were busted for making it into a White House state dinner without an invitation. They mingled with Barack Obama and Joe Biden, then they had a long talk with the Secret Service about how they managed to get past security. The Salahis said it was a mix-up, and so far there have been no repercussions from the long arm of the law.

Paul McCartney Gives Republicans Fits

Republican and House Minority Leader John Boehner wants an apology from Sir Paul McCartney. Stop the presses.

The story is here.

Cash for Canines: Bo Worth 1600 Bucks

The First Dog is valued at $1600 — as revealed in President Obama’s financial forms. He’s listed as a gift to the Obamas from the late Sen. Edward Kennedy.

Wings, Medium; Obama, Smokin’ Hot

President Barack Obama got medium wings and hot chat yesterday on his trip through Buffalo, New York.Obama stopped for lunch at Duff’s Famous Chicken Wings, ordering 10 medium wings (five extra crispy) plus fries and onion rings. Then the president got some extra-spicy banter from local resident Luann Haley, who told him: “You’re a hottie with a smokin’ little body.”

Elena Kagan is the Next William Rehnquist

Neither one had judicial experience before being nominated to the Supreme Court.William Rehnquist was nominated to the court (and then became Chief Justice) after serving as a lawyer in the Richard Nixon administration.  Elena Kagan was nominated after serving as a lawyer in the Bill Clinton administration, and as Solicitor General under Barack Obama.

They Say Faisal Shahzad Tried to Bomb Times Square

Below are several links on the man accused of trying to set off a car bomb in Times Square in New York City. His name is Faisal Shahzad, and he was arrested before he could make his flight to Dubai. Authorities say he is cooperating with the investigation, and there are still quite a lot of unknowns.First, here’s President Barack Obama’s first public statement about the incident:

Barack Obama at the White House Correspondents Dinner: TRANSCRIPT

President Barack Obama did the usual presidential joking last night at the White House Correspondents Association Dinner — though his jokes were maybe better than most. The Chicago Sun-Times has the full transcript, god bless ’em.  A few zingers:

Occupation: Alpha Dog

One perk of being President of the United States:  When filling out your tax return, under Your occupation you get to write “U.S. President.”It’s the little things that count.

Barack Obama IS the Six Million Dollar President

Barack Obama and Michelle Obama paid $1.8 million in taxes this year on a gross adjusted income of $5.5 million.  (Most of the dough came from book sales, and it boiled down to $4.98 million in final taxable income.)Toss in the $1.4 million he earned for winning the Nobel Peace Prize, and Barack Obama is your first Six Million Dollar President!

SCROTUS Update: John Paul Stevens

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is your newest Supreme Court Retiree Of The United States.

One Shining Moment: Obama Takes Down Clark Kellogg

President Barack Obama played former NBA first-round draft pick Clark Kellogg in a game of P-O-T-U-S (standing in for H-O-R-S-E) yesterday at the White House. And Obama took him down!

Barack Obama Signs Historic Health Care Bill: Transcript

(Secretary of State Hillary Clinton congratulates President Barack Obama prior to a meeting in the Situation Room of the White House, March 22, 2010. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Shepard Fairey Draws a Crowd

Shepard Fairey has a new exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati. Called “Supply and Demand,” it runs through August 22nd and shows about 250 of his works.

C.J. Chivers, War Reporter on the Job

Amazing piece of reporting on Afghanistan in The New York Times this morning by C.J. Chivers.Marines Do Heavy Lifting as Afghan Army Lags in BattleA taste:

Roger Ebert Horsewhips Rush Limbaugh

Film reviewer and internet jockey Roger Ebert came out swinging today, in an open letter to Rush Limbaugh that starts with “You should be horse-whipped for the insult you have paid to the highest office of the nation.””You should be horse-whipped for the insult you have paid to the highest office of the nation.”

Thanks for Nothing, Ted Sorensen

Here’s a belated book review of my most frustrating read of 2009: Ted Sorensen’s book Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History.The book came out in 2008 and it’s billed as Ted Sorensen’s frank personal memoir of his 11 years as John Kennedy’s speechwriter and right-hand advisor.

The Wisecracker Suite

An annual tradition: The President lights the national Christmas tree, and reporters bring on the nyuks.I count at least eight wisecracks in that LA Times post (“allegedly green”… “BlackBerry loving”… “aging Vice President”… “Watson, come here”… “unable to resist”… “Warning”… “obese, seasonally employed”… “wasting precious electrical energy”). Not bad for eight short paragraphs.

Obama, Sherlock Holmes, and Afghanistan

Today’s Mike Lupica column expresses exactly how I feel about sending more troops to Afghanistan.You know when we are going to be out of Afghanistan, where the United States has become just one more losing road team? Sometime around the 12th of Never. The more who die there, the more we send over.

Book Review: ‘Road Dogs’ by Elmore Leonard

Here’s a funny moment from Road Dogs, the latest novel by veteran crime writer Elmore Leonard.The setup: Road Dogs brings back Jack Foley, the charming bank robber from Leonard’s 1996 book Out of Sight. This time Foley is on Venice Beach, hanging out in the mansion of a former prison buddy. Page 233:

Barack Obama Wins the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

“The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama’s vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.”From the official announcement from the Nobel Peace Prize committee.

“For Bushies Only”

According to a report in The Raw Story, former staffers from the administration of President George W. Bush plan to create a social network, Facebook-style, specifically for fans and ex-employees of the former president.

Happy 48th Birthday, Mr. President

U.S. President Barack Obama turns 48 today.He was born the same year as hockey star Wayne Gretzky. And he’s exactly two weeks older than Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

Transcript of President Obama’s Press Conference

So let me be clear: This isn’t about me. I have great health insurance, and so does every member of Congress.President Barack Obama, talking about health care reform on Wednesday night. Full transcript here.

Obama: “This is the hope of all humanity”

I am grateful for your hospitality, and the hospitality of the people of Egypt. I am also proud to carry with me the goodwill of the American people, and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: assalaamu alaykum.President Barack Obama has given his much-anticipted speech at Cairo University on the relations between the U.S. and the Islamic world. (“Assalaamu alaykum” is a traditional greeting which means, roughly, “Peace be upon you.”)

The New First Dog is a Puppy Named Bo

He’s named Bo.The identity of the first puppy — the one that the Washington press corps has been yelping about for months, the one President Obama has seemed to delight in dropping hints about — leaked out Saturday.

Joe Lieberman Now Pro-Bama

After campaigning across the country for Republican John McCain in 2008 and attacking Obama as naive, untested and unwilling to take on powerful special interests, Lieberman now showers praise on the popular new Democratic president.

Stevie Wonder! Yeah!

“I think it’s fair to say that had I not been a Stevie Wonder fan, Michelle might not have dated me. We might not have married.” Stevie Wonder received the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song last night at the White House, after handsome remarks by both President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.

Some (Presidents) Like It Hot

“He’s from Hawaii, O.K.? He likes it warm. You could grow orchids in there.”Obama advisor David Axelrod on his boss’s Oval Office habits.

An Inside Peek at Air Force One

National Geographic does the honors.No photos, but still a cool look at the plane. Who knew the president’s suite was in the nose?

President Obama Begins His Day With Darth Vader

What is Barack Obama’s calendar for his first full day in office?Here’s a basic schedule. He starts with a 10 am worship service at National Cathedral — the one with the Darth Vader gargoyle.Then Obama hosts an open house at the White House while also meeting with military leaders, economic experts, etc, etc.

The New White House Website

Barack Obama has been sworn in as the 44th president of the United States.And the White House website has formally been flipped to the new administration.

Bush Leaves a Note for Obama

During his last moments at the White House, former President Ronald Reagan scribbled a note for his successor on a notepad with a turkey insignia that said, “Don’t let the turkeys get you down.”Thus starting a tradition that George W. Bush apparently carried on today, leaving a note for Barack Obama. No word on whether it included a sketch of a turkey.

The Order of Business

The step-by-step schedule for Barack Obama’s inaugural ceremony.

The Improbability of Obama

“The essence of Barack Obama has been his capacity to avert life’s roadblocks and disappointments during his journey. The first could have been his unusual family biography, with the challenges it presented in terms of stability and psychology. The second could have been the sociology of race in America, with its likelihood of rejection and cynicism. And the final was the geography of elective politics, with all the variables of ideology and luck.

Arne Duncan, the Hoop-Shooting Secretary of Education

Here’s a great 10-minute interview with Arne Duncan, the new Secretary of Education-to-be. (Courtesy of the education site Edutopia.)Duncan’s a fascinating guy. His basketball history has gotten quite a bit of coverage, and rightfully so: After starring at Harvard, he went to Australia and played pro ball from 1987-91.

Greatest Inaugural Story Lede So Far

“Thank God that Doris Kearns Goodwin didn’t write a profile of Montezuma’s cabinet. Otherwise they’d be eating human flesh at Barack Obama’s inauguration!”Political Machine chuckling about the Lincoln-oriented menu for Inauguration Day.

Obama’s New Limo is an Armored “Cocoon”

Made by Cadillac.”One news agency, noting its 8-inch-thick doors, says the limo can withstand a ‘direct hit from an asteroid.’ But GM spokeswoman Joanne K. Krell laughed off the comments. ‘And it will fix you a latte if you ask,’ she jokes.”A $25 billion latte, if you include the cost of the GM buyout.

“India,” First Cat, Dies at White House

It’s been quite a month for White House pet news.First the hubbub about a new dog for the Obama family.Then the poor health of Socks, the former First Cat favored by Chelsea Clinton.

Bill Richardson Out as Commerce Secretary

Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico has withdrawn his name as nominee for Secretary of Commerce, says NBC News.NBC says Richardson cited “a pending investigation into a company that has done business with his state” as the reason. The network also says that president-elect Barack Obama accepted the withdrawal with “deep regret.”

Obama Arrives for Haunted Honeymoon

The Obamas are now staying at the historic Hay-Adams Hotel. Supposedly it’s haunted:”Staff housekeepers have reported someone unseen calling their names and the sensation of invisible arms around them.

Cavalcade of Shirtless Presidents!

Perhaps you’ve seen the remarkable photo of president-elect Barack Ab-ama, shirtless in Hawaii.The Huffington Post has now created a lovely slideshow of Other Shirtless Presidents.

Photos of Obama in Hawaii

Unexpected photos from The Honolulu Advertiser.Barack Obama, in jeans and flip-flops, takes a brief stroll through the alleys of his old neighborhood. He looks, for a brief moment, like an unknown local. (Notes the story, “Obama appeared solemn when he spotted his traveling press running toward him.”)

The Tricky Birthdays of the Obama Girls

We’ve posted new profiles of Sasha and Malia Obama, the daughters of presidential candidate Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.Both girls gave us a bit of trouble with their birthdays.