H.E.President Barack Obama

Letters to the President

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Letters-to-the-President/?utm_source=102312&utm_medium=topper&utm_campaign=daily

Tens of thousands of letters, faxes, and emails from Americans across the country arrive each day at my office, the Office of Presidential Correspondence. We do our best to reply to these in a timely fashion, and a handful—just ten a day—are chosen for President Obama to personally read and respond to.

The "Letters to the President" video follows the journey of your message as it winds its way from your home to the President’s desk in the Oval Office. This is the first in a series of exclusive "Inside the White House" videos that will be available here at WhiteHouse.gov.  

Every day I try to pick a sample of messages that are representative of all those addressed to the President, are representative of things happening in the news, or which contain particularly compelling stories.

President Obama has said these messages help him stay in touch with what is happening in our Nation. Some writers are critical of the President or his agenda, others express their agreement, while still others say they want to provide their unique perspective. They tell the President what is happening in their lives right now on health care, the economy, energy, the environment, national security, veteran’s issues and a host of other topics.

We appreciate your feedback on this video and, of course, your continued correspondence with President Obama.

Mike Kelleher is the Director of Presidential Correspondence

The Presidential Seal

 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/10/18/catching-curator-presidential-seal?utm_source=101812&utm_medium=photo&utm_campaign=daily  

 

There's no doubt you have seen the official Seal of the President of the United States, it is one of the most recognized symbols in the world. But did you know that in 1945, President Harry Truman issued an Executive Order that made a significant change to the Seal, one which reflected important changes he was making throughout the government?

Learn more about this iconic logo from White House Curator Bill Allman, in our latest installment of Catching Up with the Curator

Election 2012.

http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/16/candidates-spar-sharply-over-china/?ref=global-home  

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/17/us/politics/in-second-debate-obama-strikes-back.html?ref=global-home&gwh=58B45415D66855B6FA750FEF40526723

 

President Obama, who concluded that he was “too polite” in his first debate with Mitt Romney, made sure no one would say that after their second. He interrupted, he scolded, he filibustered, he shook his head.

He tried to talk right over Mr. Romney, who tried to talk over him back. The president who waited patiently for his turn last time around forced his way into Mr. Romney’s time this time. At one point, he squared off with Mr. Romney face to face, almost chest to chest, in the middle of the stage, as if they were roosters in a ring.

 

 “What Governor Romney said just isn’t true”

…………………………………………………………….

 

Presidential Debate Fact-Checks and Updates

http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/debates/presidential/2012-10-16#sha=527b299ee

The Reaction: Better for Obama

Obama and Romney, in First Debate, Spar Over Fixing the Economy

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/us/politics/obama-and-romney-hold-first-debate.html?ref=global-home&_r=0

Video of the First Presidential Debate

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/10/04/us/politics/20120804-denver-presidential-debate-obama-romney.html?ref=politics

The following is a completed transcript of President Obama and Mitt Romney’s remarks at the first presidential debate in Denver on Oct. 3, 2012.

What Romney and Obama’s Body Language Says to Voters

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/10/02/us/politics/what-romney-and-obamas-body-language-says-to-voters.html?ref=politics

Presidential Debate Fact-Check and Updates

http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/debates/presidential/2012-10-03#fact-checks

The Electoral Map: Building a Path to Victory

http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/electoral-map

A Clash of Philosophies

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/us/politics/debate-a-clash-over-governments-role-news-analysis.html?ref=global-home

Obama and Romney Debate in Denver

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/10/03/us/20121004_DEBATE.html?ref=politics

 

Jim Lehrer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Lehrer

Jim Lehrer Debate Moderating Performance Savaged

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/03/jim-lehrer-debate-moderator-reviews_n_1937896.html

fotosi,štiva

http://www.google.com/search?q=Jim+Lehrer&hl=hr&client=opera&hs=kYL&rls=en&channel=suggest&prmd=imvnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=7yxtUJKnCYOWhQex24D4AQ&ved=0CDYQsAQ&biw=991&bih=651

President Obama's speech at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/09/26/join-live-video-chat-combatting-human-trafficking?utm_source=092712&utm_medium=topper&utm_campaign=daily

President Obama spoke at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting about his administration’s efforts to combat human trafficking and made it clear that the United States will continue to be a leader in this global movement to fight modern slavery.

The Obama Administration has developed and began executing a comprehensive strategy that includes expanding our interagency task force to include more federal partners, and devoting more resources to identifying and going after trafficking networks.  Additionally, the U.S. has strengthened protections so foreign-born workers know their rights.

President Obama Addresses the United Nations

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/09/25/president-obama-addresses-united-nations?utm_source=092612&utm_medium=topper&utm_campaign=daily

"As President of our country and Commander-in-Chief of our military, I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day," he told the General Assembly, "And I will always defend their right to do so."

Congress Must Act to Create Jobs and Grow the Economy

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/09/22/weekly-address-congress-must-act-create-jobs-and-grow-economy?utm_source=092212&utm_medium=topper&utm_campaign=daily

President Obama describes how the House of Representatives left town without finishing important work that would create jobs and strengthen our economy.

President Obama Meets with Aung San Suu Kyi

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/09/20/president-obama-meets-aung-san-suu-kyi?utm_source=092012&utm_medium=topper&utm_campaign=daily  

Yesterday, President Obama met with Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese Nobel Laureate and leader of the National League for Democracy Party. The President expressed his admiration for her courage, determination and personal sacrifice in championing democracy and human rights over the years.

According to a readout of the meeting, President Obama reaffirmed the determination of the United States to support the “sustained efforts to promote political and economic reforms and to ensure full protection of the fundamental rights of the Burmese people," a process that offers them “the opportunity to take charge of their destiny and to shape a more peaceful, free, and prosperous future.”

Aung San Suu Kyi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aung_San_Suu_Kyi

fotosi,štiva

http://www.google.com/search?q=Aung+San+Suu+Kyi&hl=hr&client=opera&hs=Nyk&rls=en&channel=suggest&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=h0VbUL6jFYXm4QSBqYGgCw&ved=0CDYQsAQ&biw=991&bih=651

Bob Woodward

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Woodward

The Price of Politics, by Bob Woodward

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-price-of-politics-by-bob-woodward/2012/09/08/d910b21e-f8ff-11e1-8398-0327ab83ab91_story.html

Woodward book chronicles Obama’s fiscal policy battle with congressional Republicans

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/woodward-book-chronicles-obamas-fiscal-policy-battle-with-congressional-republicans/2012/09/05/0b6ac24c-f6dd-11e1-8253-3f495ae70650_story.html

The 10 biggest surprises of the conventions

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/09/07/the-10-biggest-surprises-of-the-conventions/  

Winners and losers from the final night of the Democratic National Convention

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/09/06/winners-and-losers-from-the-final-night-of-the-democratic-national-convention/  

Democratic National Convention

http://www.washingtonpost.com/grid/democratic-national-convention/

Caroline Kennedy at DNC: Obama has qualities of my father

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/caroline-kennedy-obama-has-qualities-of-my-father/2012/09/06/a20ec1be-f86b-11e1-a073-78d05495927c_video.html

Sep. 6, 2012 - Author and attorney Caroline Kennedy spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. Thursday night about her late father, President John F. Kennedy and the parallels between him and President Obama

 

 

Obama Makes Case for 2nd Term: Harder Path to Better Place

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/07/us/politics/obama-in-democratic-convention-speech-asks-for-more-time.html?pagewanted=all&src=ISMR_AP_LO_MST_FB

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — President Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for a second term on Thursday night, making a forceful argument that he had rescued the economy from disaster and ushered in a recovery that would be imperiled by a return to Republican stewardship.

Anatomy of a Speech: Barack Obama

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/09/04/us/politics/democratic-convention-speeches-annotated.html?ref=politics

Democratic National Convention 2012: September 6 In Charlotte (LIVE UPDATES)

http://swampland.time.com/2012/09/04/photos-democratic-national-convention-2012/

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/09/06/text-of-bidens-remarks-to-the-democratic-convention/  

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/06/barack-obama-speech_n_1849068.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/06/bill-clinton-speech_n_1850526.html?ref=topbar

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/06/democratic-national-convention-2012_n_1848873.html?ref=topbar

“The White House isn’t simply a home to First Families or meeting space for world leaders, it’s also known as ‘The People’s House,’ a place that should be open to everyone… Thousands of people have walked these halls and gazed at the artwork. They’ve examined the portraits of Washington, Lincoln, and Kennedy. They’ve imagined the history that’s unfolded here. And now you can do all of that without leaving your home. So go ahead, look around, enjoy the history and the beauty of these rooms. Because after all, this is your house, too.” – First Lady Michelle Obama

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/inside-white-house/google-art

 

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are committed to opening the doors of the White House and truly making it the People’s House.

Watch exclusive "Inside the White House" videos

Tour the West Wing, Residence, East Wing and South Lawn

Visit again to watch new videos and learn more

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/inside-white-house/interactive-tour

Preserving and Strengthening Medicare

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/08/24/weekly-address-preserving-and-strengthening-medicare?utm_source=082512&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=daily

President Obama speaks to the American people about the critical need to strengthen and preserve Medicare for our seniors and future generations.

photos

http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/august-2012-photo-day

EDWARD KENNEDY’S LAST PUBLIC SPEECH,

AT  THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION, 25^TH AUG. 2008.

http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/president/conventions/videos/20080825_KENNEDY_SPEECH.html

 

H.E. Barack Obama, 20.I.2009. Inauguration

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjnygQ02aW4&feature=related

 

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2009

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.

Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama's initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.

Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population.

For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama's appeal that "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges."

Oslo, October 9, 2009

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/

Committee members

http://nobelpeaceprize.org/en_GB/nomination_committee/members/   

Thorbjørn Jagland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorbjørn_Jagland

fotosi,štiva

http://www.google.com/search?q=Thorbj%C3%B8rn+Jagland&hl=en&client=opera&hs=iMs&rls=en&channel=suggest&prmd=imvnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=FzAUUO_yO4WVrAHG6IDQDg&ved=0CFYQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=637

 

Obama: Nobel Peace Prize is “call to action”

October 09, 2009

President Obama said Friday that he was "surprised and deeply humbled" by the decision of the Norwegian Nobel Committee to award him the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

The committee said it honored Obama for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

Obama said he viewed the decision less as a recognition of his own accomplishments and more as "a call to action."The decision appeared to catch most observers by surprise. Nominations for the prize had to be postmarked by February 1, only 12 days after Obama took office. The committee sent out its solicitation for nominations last September, two months before Obama was elected president

 

 

Remarks by the President at the Acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize

Oslo City Hall,Oslo, Norway,December 10, 2009 . 1:44 P.M. CET

THE PRESIDENT:  Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, distinguished members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, citizens of America, and citizens of the world:

I receive this honor with deep gratitude and great humility.  It is an award that speaks to our highest aspirations -- that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate.  Our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice.

 And yet I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the considerable controversy that your generous decision has generated.  (Laughter.)  In part, this is because I am at the beginning, and not the end, of my labors on the world stage.  Compared to some of the giants of history who've received this prize -- Schweitzer and King; Marshall and Mandela -- my accomplishments are slight.  And then there are the men and women around the world who have been jailed and beaten in the pursuit of justice; those who toil in humanitarian organizations to relieve suffering; the unrecognized millions whose quiet acts of courage and compassion inspire even the most hardened cynics.  I cannot argue with those who find these men and women -- some known, some obscure to all but those they help -- to be far more deserving of this honor than I.

 But perhaps the most profound issue surrounding my receipt of this prize is the fact that I am the Commander-in-Chief of the military of a nation in the midst of two wars.  One of these wars is winding down.  The other is a conflict that America did not seek; one in which we are joined by 42 other countries -- including Norway -- in an effort to defend ourselves and all nations from further attacks.

 Still, we are at war, and I'm responsible for the deployment of thousands of young Americans to battle in a distant land.  Some will kill, and some will be killed.  And so I come here with an acute sense of the costs of armed conflict -- filled with difficult questions about the relationship between war and peace, and our effort to replace one with the other.

 Now these questions are not new.  War, in one form or another, appeared with the first man.  At the dawn of history, its morality was not questioned; it was simply a fact, like drought or disease -- the manner in which tribes and then civilizations sought power and settled their differences.

 And over time, as codes of law sought to control violence within groups, so did philosophers and clerics and statesmen seek to regulate the destructive power of war.  The concept of a "just war" emerged, suggesting that war is justified only when certain conditions were met:  if it is waged as a last resort or in self-defense; if the force used is proportional; and if, whenever possible, civilians are spared from violence.

Of course, we know that for most of history, this concept of "just war" was rarely observed.  The capacity of human beings to think up new ways to kill one another proved inexhaustible, as did our capacity to exempt from mercy those who look different or pray to a different God.  Wars between armies gave way to wars between nations -- total wars in which the distinction between combatant and civilian became blurred.  In the span of 30 years, such carnage would twice engulf this continent.  And while it's hard to conceive of a cause more just than the defeat of the Third Reich and the Axis powers, World War II was a conflict in which the total number of civilians who died exceeded the number of soldiers who perished.

 

 In the wake of such destruction, and with the advent of the nuclear age, it became clear to victor and vanquished alike that the world needed institutions to prevent another world war.  And so, a quarter century after the United States Senate rejected the League of Nations -- an idea for which Woodrow Wilson received this prize -- America led the world in constructing an architecture to keep the peace:  a Marshall Plan and a United Nations, mechanisms to govern the waging of war, treaties to protect human rights, prevent genocide, restrict the most dangerous weapons.

In many ways, these efforts succeeded.  Yes, terrible wars have been fought, and atrocities committed.  But there has been no Third World War.  The Cold War ended with jubilant crowds dismantling a wall.  Commerce has stitched much of the world together.  Billions have been lifted from poverty.  The ideals of liberty and self-determination, equality and the rule of law have haltingly advanced.  We are the heirs of the fortitude and foresight of generations past, and it is a legacy for which my own country is rightfully proud.

And yet, a decade into a new century, this old architecture is buckling under the weight of new threats.  The world may no longer shudder at the prospect of war between two nuclear superpowers, but proliferation may increase the risk of catastrophe.  Terrorism has long been a tactic, but modern technology allows a few small men with outsized rage to murder innocents on a horrific scale.

 Moreover, wars between nations have increasingly given way to wars within nations.  The resurgence of ethnic or sectarian conflicts; the growth of secessionist movements, insurgencies, and failed states -- all these things have increasingly trapped civilians in unending chaos.  In today's wars, many more civilians are killed than soldiers; the seeds of future conflict are sown, economies are wrecked, civil societies torn asunder, refugees amassed, children scarred.

I do not bring with me today a definitive solution to the problems of war.  What I do know is that meeting these challenges will require the same vision, hard work, and persistence of those men and women who acted so boldly decades ago.  And it will require us to think in new ways about the notions of just war and the imperatives of a just peace.

We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth:  We will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes.  There will be times when nations -- acting individually or in concert -- will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified.

  I make this statement mindful of what Martin Luther King Jr. said in this same ceremony years ago:  "Violence never brings permanent peace.  It solves no social problem:  it merely creates new and more complicated ones."  As someone who stands here as a direct consequence of Dr. King's life work, I am living testimony to the moral force of non-violence.  I know there's nothing weak -- nothing passive -- nothing naïve -- in the creed and lives of Gandhi and King.

 But as a head of state sworn to protect and defend my nation, I cannot be guided by their examples alone.  I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people.  For make no mistake:  Evil does exist in the world.  A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies.  Negotiations cannot convince al Qaeda's leaders to lay down their arms.  To say that force may sometimes be necessary is not a call to cynicism -- it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.

I raise this point, I begin with this point because in many countries there is a deep ambivalence about military action today, no matter what the cause.  And at times, this is joined by a reflexive suspicion of America, the world's sole military superpower.

But the world must remember that it was not simply international institutions -- not just treaties and declarations -- that brought stability to a post-World War II world.  Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this:  The United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms.  The service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform has promoted peace and prosperity from Germany to Korea, and enabled democracy to take hold in places like the Balkans.  We have borne this burden not because we seek to impose our will.  We have done so out of enlightened self-interest -- because we seek a better future for our children and grandchildren, and we believe that their lives will be better if others' children and grandchildren can live in freedom and prosperity.

So yes, the instruments of war do have a role to play in preserving the peace.  And yet this truth must coexist with another -- that no matter how justified, war promises human tragedy.  The soldier's courage and sacrifice is full of glory, expressing devotion to country, to cause, to comrades in arms.  But war itself is never glorious, and we must never trumpet it as such.

So part of our challenge is reconciling these two seemingly inreconcilable truths -- that war is sometimes necessary, and war at some level is an expression of human folly.  Concretely, we must direct our effort to the task that President Kennedy called for long ago.  "Let us focus," he said, "on a more practical, more attainable peace, based not on a sudden revolution in human nature but on a gradual evolution in human institutions."  A gradual evolution of human institutions.

 

 What might this evolution look like?  What might these practical steps be?

 

To begin with, I believe that all nations -- strong and weak alike -- must adhere to standards that govern the use of force.  I -- like any head of state -- reserve the right to act unilaterally if necessary to defend my nation.  Nevertheless, I am convinced that adhering to standards, international standards, strengthens those who do, and isolates and weakens those who don't.

The world rallied around America after the 9/11 attacks, and continues to support our efforts in Afghanistan, because of the horror of those senseless attacks and the recognized principle of self-defense.  Likewise, the world recognized the need to confront Saddam Hussein when he invaded Kuwait -- a consensus that sent a clear message to all about the cost of aggression.

 Furthermore, America -- in fact, no nation -- can insist that others follow the rules of the road if we refuse to follow them ourselves.  For when we don't, our actions appear arbitrary and undercut the legitimacy of future interventions, no matter how justified.

 

 And this becomes particularly important when the purpose of military action extends beyond self-defense or the defense of one nation against an aggressor.  More and more, we all confront difficult questions about how to prevent the slaughter of civilians by their own government, or to stop a civil war whose violence and suffering can engulf an entire region.

 I believe that force can be justified on humanitarian grounds, as it was in the Balkans, or in other places that have been scarred by war.  Inaction tears at our conscience and can lead to more costly intervention later.  That's why all responsible nations must embrace the role that militaries with a clear mandate can play to keep the peace.

America's commitment to global security will never waver.  But in a world in which threats are more diffuse, and missions more complex, America cannot act alone.  America alone cannot secure the peace.  This is true in Afghanistan.  This is true in failed states like Somalia, where terrorism and piracy is joined by famine and human suffering.  And sadly, it will continue to be true in unstable regions for years to come.

The leaders and soldiers of NATO countries, and other friends and allies, demonstrate this truth through the capacity and courage they've shown in Afghanistan.  But in many countries, there is a disconnect between the efforts of those who serve and the ambivalence of the broader public.  I understand why war is not popular, but I also know this:  The belief that peace is desirable is rarely enough to achieve it.  Peace requires responsibility.  Peace entails sacrifice.  That's why NATO continues to be indispensable.  That's why we must strengthen U.N. and regional peacekeeping, and not leave the task to a few countries.  That's why we honor those who return home from peacekeeping and training abroad to Oslo and Rome; to Ottawa and Sydney; to Dhaka and Kigali -- we honor them not as makers of war, but of wagers -- but as wagers of peace.

 Let me make one final point about the use of force.  Even as we make difficult decisions about going to war, we must also think clearly about how we fight it.  The Nobel Committee recognized this truth in awarding its first prize for peace to Henry Dunant -- the founder of the Red Cross, and a driving force behind the Geneva Conventions.

Where force is necessary, we have a moral and strategic interest in binding ourselves to certain rules of conduct.  And even as we confront a vicious adversary that abides by no rules, I believe the United States of America must remain a standard bearer in the conduct of war.  That is what makes us different from those whom we fight.  That is a source of our strength.  That is why I prohibited torture.  That is why I ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed.  And that is why I have reaffirmed America's commitment to abide by the Geneva Conventions.  We lose ourselves when we compromise the very ideals that we fight to defend.  (Applause.)  And we honor -- we honor those ideals by upholding them not when it's easy, but when it is hard.

I have spoken at some length to the question that must weigh on our minds and our hearts as we choose to wage war.  But let me now turn to our effort to avoid such tragic choices, and speak of three ways that we can build a just and lasting peace.

 

First, in dealing with those nations that break rules and laws, I believe that we must develop alternatives to violence that are tough enough to actually change behavior -- for if we want a lasting peace, then the words of the international community must mean something.  Those regimes that break the rules must be held accountable.  Sanctions must exact a real price.  Intransigence must be met with increased pressure -- and such pressure exists only when the world stands together as one.

 

 One urgent example is the effort to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, and to seek a world without them.  In the middle of the last century, nations agreed to be bound by a treaty whose bargain is clear:  All will have access to peaceful nuclear power; those without nuclear weapons will forsake them; and those with nuclear weapons will work towards disarmament.  I am committed to upholding this treaty.  It is a centerpiece of my foreign policy.  And I'm working with President Medvedev to reduce America and Russia's nuclear stockpiles.

But it is also incumbent upon all of us to insist that nations like Iran and North Korea do not game the system.  Those who claim to respect international law cannot avert their eyes when those laws are flouted.  Those who care for their own security cannot ignore the danger of an arms race in the Middle East or East Asia.  Those who seek peace cannot stand idly by as nations arm themselves for nuclear war.

 

The same principle applies to those who violate international laws by brutalizing their own people.  When there is genocide in Darfur, systematic rape in Congo, repression in Burma -- there must be consequences.  Yes, there will be engagement; yes, there will be diplomacy -- but there must be consequences when those things fail.  And the closer we stand together, the less likely we will be faced with the choice between armed intervention and complicity in oppression.

This brings me to a second point -- the nature of the peace that we seek.  For peace is not merely the absence of visible conflict.  Only a just peace based on the inherent rights and dignity of every individual can truly be lasting.

  It was this insight that drove drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights after the Second World War.  In the wake of devastation, they recognized that if human rights are not protected, peace is a hollow promise.

  And yet too often, these words are ignored.  For some countries, the failure to uphold human rights is excused by the false suggestion that these are somehow Western principles, foreign to local cultures or stages of a nation's development.  And within America, there has long been a tension between those who describe themselves as realists or idealists -- a tension that suggests a stark choice between the narrow pursuit of interests or an endless campaign to impose our values around the world.I reject these choices.  I believe that peace is unstable where citizens are denied the right to speak freely or worship as they please; choose their own leaders or assemble without fear.  Pent-up grievances fester, and the suppression of tribal and religious identity can lead to violence.  We also know that the opposite is true.  Only when Europe became free did it finally find peace.  America has never fought a war against a democracy, and our closest friends are governments that protect the rights of their citizens.  No matter how callously defined, neither America's interests -- nor the world's -- are served by the denial of human aspirations.

So even as we respect the unique culture and traditions of different countries, America will always be a voice for those aspirations that are universal.  We will bear witness to the quiet dignity of reformers like Aung Sang Suu Kyi; to the bravery of Zimbabweans who cast their ballots in the face of beatings; to the hundreds of thousands who have marched silently through the streets of Iran.  It is telling that the leaders of these governments fear the aspirations of their own people more than the power of any other nation.  And it is the responsibility of all free people and free nations to make clear that these movements -- these movements of hope and history -- they have us on their side.

 Let me also say this:  The promotion of human rights cannot be about exhortation alone.  At times, it must be coupled with painstaking diplomacy.  I know that engagement with repressive regimes lacks the satisfying purity of indignation.  But I also know that sanctions without outreach -- condemnation without discussion -- can carry forward only a crippling status quo.  No repressive regime can move down a new path unless it has the choice of an open door.

 

 In light of the Cultural Revolution's horrors, Nixon's meeting with Mao appeared inexcusable -- and yet it surely helped set China on a path where millions of its citizens have been lifted from poverty and connected to open societies.  Pope John Paul's engagement with Poland created space not just for the Catholic Church, but for labor leaders like Lech Walesa.  Ronald Reagan's efforts on arms control and embrace of perestroika not only improved relations with the Soviet Union, but empowered dissidents throughout Eastern Europe.  There's no simple formula here.  But we must try as best we can to balance isolation and engagement, pressure and incentives, so that human rights and dignity are advanced over time.

 

 Third, a just peace includes not only civil and political rights -- it must encompass economic security and opportunity.  For true peace is not just freedom from fear, but freedom from want.

 

 It is undoubtedly true that development rarely takes root without security; it is also true that security does not exist where human beings do not have access to enough food, or clean water, or the medicine and shelter they need to survive.  It does not exist where children can't aspire to a decent education or a job that supports a family.  The absence of hope can rot a society from within.

And that's why helping farmers feed their own people -- or nations educate their children and care for the sick -- is not mere charity.  It's also why the world must come together to confront climate change.  There is little scientific dispute that if we do nothing, we will face more drought, more famine, more mass displacement -- all of which will fuel more conflict for decades.  For this reason, it is not merely scientists and environmental activists who call for swift and forceful action -- it's military leaders in my own country and others who understand our common security hangs in the balance.

Agreements among nations.  Strong institutions.  Support for human rights.  Investments in development.  All these are vital ingredients in bringing about the evolution that President Kennedy spoke about.  And yet, I do not believe that we will have the will, the determination, the staying power, to complete this work without something more -- and that's the continued expansion of our moral imagination; an insistence that there's something irreducible that we all share.

As the world grows smaller, you might think it would be easier for human beings to recognize how similar we are; to understand that we're all basically seeking the same things; that we all hope for the chance to live out our lives with some measure of happiness and fulfillment for ourselves and our families.

And yet somehow, given the dizzying pace of globalization, the cultural leveling of modernity, it perhaps comes as no surprise that people fear the loss of what they cherish in their particular identities -- their race, their tribe, and perhaps most powerfully their religion.  In some places, this fear has led to conflict.  At times, it even feels like we're moving backwards.  We see it in the Middle East, as the conflict between Arabs and Jews seems to harden.  We see it in nations that are torn asunder by tribal lines.

And most dangerously, we see it in the way that religion is used to justify the murder of innocents by those who have distorted and defiled the great religion of Islam, and who attacked my country from Afghanistan.  These extremists are not the first to kill in the name of God; the cruelties of the Crusades are amply recorded.  But they remind us that no Holy War can ever be a just war.  For if you truly believe that you are carrying out divine will, then there is no need for restraint -- no need to spare the pregnant mother, or the medic, or the Red Cross worker, or even a person of one's own faith.  Such a warped view of religion is not just incompatible with the concept of peace, but I believe it's incompatible with the very purpose of faith -- for the one rule that lies at the heart of every major religion is that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

Adhering to this law of love has always been the core struggle of human nature.  For we are fallible.  We make mistakes, and fall victim to the temptations of pride, and power, and sometimes evil.  Even those of us with the best of intentions will at times fail to right the wrongs before us.

But we do not have to think that human nature is perfect for us to still believe that the human condition can be perfected.  We do not have to live in an idealized world to still reach for those ideals that will make it a better place.  The non-violence practiced by men like Gandhi and King may not have been practical or possible in every circumstance, but the love that they preached -- their fundamental faith in human progress -- that must always be the North Star that guides us on our journey.

For if we lose that faith -- if we dismiss it as silly or naïve; if we divorce it from the decisions that we make on issues of war and peace -- then we lose what's best about humanity.  We lose our sense of possibility.  We lose our moral compass.

Like generations have before us, we must reject that future.  As Dr. King said at this occasion so many years ago, "I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history.  I refuse to accept the idea that the 'isness' of man's present condition makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal 'oughtness' that forever confronts him."

Let us reach for the world that ought to be -- that spark of the divine that still stirs within each of our souls.  (Applause.)

Somewhere today, in the here and now, in the world as it is, a soldier sees he's outgunned, but stands firm to keep the peace.  Somewhere today, in this world, a young protestor awaits the brutality of her government, but has the courage to march on.  Somewhere today, a mother facing punishing poverty still takes the time to teach her child, scrapes together what few coins she has to send that child to school -- because she believes that a cruel world still has a place for that child's dreams.

Let us live by their example.  We can acknowledge that oppression will always be with us, and still strive for justice.  We can admit the intractability of depravation, and still strive for dignity.  Clear-eyed, we can understand that there will be war, and still strive for peace.  We can do that -- for that is the story of human progress; that's the hope of all the world; and at this moment of challenge, that must be our work here on Earth.

Thank you very much.  (Applause.)

END

2:20 P.M. CET

President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech from Oslo, Norway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3uU_mCNcKM

Convention Open House for the Community

http://www.demconvention.com/convention-open-house-for-the-community/    

Thousands of Americans Ready to See President Obama at Democratic Convention,2012.

http://www.demconvention.com/  

The 2012 Democratic National Convention is opening its doors for Americans to come together to hear President Obama and Vice President Biden’s nomination acceptance speeches on Thursday, September 6, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Thousands of North Carolinians have already picked up their community credentials. Sign up for a community credential: http://www.barackobama.com/community-credentials.

If you already signed up for a community credential in North Carolina, you can pick them up at one of these distribution centers: http://ofa.bo/nccredentials . Be sure to activate your community credential by Wednesday, August 29: http://www.demconvention.com/register/

Hollywood bailing on President Obama and the Democratic National Convention,2012.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/08/24/hollywood-bailing-on-president-obama-and-democratic-national-convention/  

LOS ANGELES –  President Obama recently praised Hollywood superstar George Clooney, calling him a “wonderful guy” and good friend. But even in the wake of the headline-grabbing compliments, a rep for the Oscar-winning actor confirmed he will not be attending the forthcoming Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Charlotte, North Carolina.

And it seems the majority of Clooney's high-powered Hollywood counterparts are also passing on the 2012 convention – a far cry from 2008’s showdown in Denver, Colorado which attracted dozens of A-listers including Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Silverman, Fallout Boy, John Legend, Cyndi Lauper, Ashanti, Fran Drescher, Ashley Judd, Rage Against the Machine, Aisha Tyler, Anne Hathaway, Susan Sarandon, Jon Hamm, Cash Warren, Jessica Alba, Fergie, Will.i.am, Kanye West, Matthew Modine, Kerry Washington, Stevie Wonder, Rosario Dawson, Jennifer Hudson, Shawn Johnson, Forest Whitaker, Star Jones, Wilmer Valderama, Daniel Dae Kim, Kelly Hu, Jamie Foxx, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Chevy Chase,  Richard Dreyfuss, Melissa Etheridge and Pharrell Williams.

Just to name a few.

We reached out to reps for all of the above in an attempt to find out if these stars would be attending the DNC again this year. A majority did not respond, but of those who did, few will be making a return trip.

Fergie and Cyndi Lauper will not be attending, and neither will Chevy Chase due to "Community" filming commitments. A rep for Fran Drescher said her schedule remained unconfirmed. According to political publication The Hill, reps for Susan Sarandon and Jon Hamm confirmed that their clients too would not be returning to the convention.

Not only will there be fewer famous faces, but fewer lavish affairs too. For one, Vanity Fair, which co-hosted a hotly-ticketed to-do in 2008, is not holding an event this year.

"No place is more fickle than Hollywood. Obama over promised and under delivered with regard to ‘Hope & Change’ and he is experiencing the consequences with the lack of celebrity support at this year’s DNC," political expert and humorist Rob Taub told FOX411's Pop Tarts column. "Many celebrities are still making large financial contributions to the campaign, but they’re concerned about public displays of affection to a candidate with waning popularity. At best, expect B-list stars at the convention."

So who from Hollywood is going?

A rep for Alba confirmed that the actress intends to make her way to Charlotte, and Eva Longoria, Dave Grohl, The Roots and the B52s are also expected to be on-hand. In addition, Jeff Bridges is slated to attend both the DNC and RNC to promote his efforts to end childhood hunger.

It has also been widely reported that the Democratic National Committee had a hard time booking musical acts due to the fact that the MTV Video Music Awards will be taking place in Los Angeles on September 6, the same night Obama will accept the party's nomination for president. The convention also commences just after Labor Day weekend, which means celebs may already have plans.

Yet one source closely connected to the party assured us that the lack of Hollywood types this year is very deliberate, as the "Democrats try to keep celebrities away as they think it hurts their image." While Barack Obama's barrage of Hollywood fundraisers earlier this year did give his campaign fund a significant monetary boost, it proved to be a dangerous double-edged sword as many expressed concern that he was relying too much on celebrities, and that the tactic could backfire with swing voters.

"It may be that Hollywood is not all that excited as they were four years ago. It also may be that Democrats are trying to brand themselves as the everyday person party more than ever before and Hollywood royalty does not jibe with that," said PR guru Glenn Selig. "The president has relied heavily on Hollywood for money and Democrats have criticized Romney over his wealth, perhaps Democrats want to keep that as an issue and they certainly cannot do that if Democrats are seen as elitist, too."

Don Peebles, Chairman and CEO of The Peebles Corporation and a member of President Obama's National Finance Committee, concurred that simmering down the star-studded focus was likely a strategic move.

August 24, 2012 at 9:32 AM

Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal to speak at Democratic National Convention

Posted by Jim Brunner

Costco co-founder and former CEO Jim Sinegal will speak at the upcoming Democratic National Convention.

Sinegal, who retired as CEO in January, was named a convention speaker Friday along with CarMax co-founder Austin Ligon. The pair of business leaders will “make the case for why President Barack Obama should keep command of the U.S. economy,” according to a Democratic official quoted by The Associated Press.

Sinegal is a major Democratic donor and hosted Obama for a fundraiser at his Hunts Point home in June.The Democratic convention runs Sept. 4-6 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Other DNC speakers named Friday include Los Angeles Mayor (and convention chairman) Antonio Villaraigosa, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, and former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. The exact date and time of Sinegal’s speech was not immediately announced.

The Democratic convention follows the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida from Aug.

2012 Democratic National Convention

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Democratic_National_Convention

 

http://charlottein2012.com/splash/2011_11_1/index.pl

 

2012 Election Central

2012 Democratic National Convention

http://www.2012presidentialelectionnews.com/2012-party-conventions/2012-democratic-national-convention/   

 

The Shirtless Battle

Paul Ryan vs. Pres. Obama

Who'd You Rather?

http://www.tmz.com/2012/08/19/shirtless-paul-ryan-barack-obama-photo/    

OBAMA

http://dyn.politico.com/tag/Obama

http://www.politico.com//politico44/2012/05/ed-kleins-obama-bio-knocks-caro-from-on-times-list-124515.html

http://www.politico.com/politico44/2012/08/in-americans-see-unfair-attacks-from-obama-romney-133139.html

http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2012/01/shirtless-obama-photos-courtesy-tmz-109545.html

http://www.tmz.com/2012/01/04/president-barack-obama-football-hawaii/#.TwRDhIGwVgE

President Obama plays football in Hawaii

http://www.tmz.com/photos/2012/01/03/4266-president-obama-plays-football-in-hawaii/images/2012/01/03/106929-img-8619-full-jpg/   

Obama Shirtless In Hawaii (PHOTOS)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/22/obama-shirtless-in-hawaii_n_152873.html

President Beefcake? D.C. magazine to feature shirtless Obama on cover

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2009/04/president-beefc/  

Other Shirtless Presidents,See a slideshow of other shirtless presidents

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/23/other-shirtless-president_n_153097.html

Bill Clinton: Obama organization best he's ever seen

http://www.politico.com//politico44/2012/05/bill-clinton-obama-organization-best-hes-ever-seen-124447.html

By GLENN THRUSH | 5/24/12 9:48 AM EDT 

With the cash race getting tighter, the Obama campaign is increasingly leaning on the Democratic party's ATM-in-Chief, Bill C.

Thus, this morning's email blast urging supporters to attend next month's big Obama-Clinton (or vice-versa) fundraiser in Manhattan.

In it, Clinton highlights the Obama ground game, the backbone of their battleground state strategy. Bubba:

"I know a few things about presidential campaigns, but I've never seen anything like the organization you all have built."

You guys are impressive.

I'm glad to be on your team

Since last year I've been out there, helping to get Barack Obama re-elected president of the United States.

Next month, President Obama and I are getting together in New York City, and we'd like to have you as our guest.

Support the campaign with a donation today, and you'll be automatically entered to join us.

I've seen what this movement is capable of. Time and again, you've pulled off victories that a lot of people thought couldn't be done.

This race is going to be tight, no matter what you're thinking or hearing.

One thing you and I have in common is a commitment to making sure our president gets the chance to finish the job he started.

He's been an excellent president -- and no one has made it easy for him.

The other side wants to go back to doing exactly what they did before -- this time, on steroids. If they get that chance, we'll see the same results. We can't go back there.

I told President Obama I'm ready to fight alongside him until November.

If you're with me, I hope you'll think about joining us in New York. Enter today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Presidents

See you then,

Bill Clinton

Shirtless Politicians: From Beach Vacations to Treaty Negotiations

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/slideshow/Rick-Santorum-Shirtless-Politician-13781849

Shirtless Obama, Gallery Index: Funny Barack Obama Pictures, Political Humor

http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/barackobama/ig/Barack-Obama-Pictures/Shirtless-Obama.htm

 

Election 2012.

Caroline and Ethel Kennedy expected to join about two dozen family members at Democrats’ convention

Although the Democratic National Convention next month will mark the first such gathering since 1944 in which no one from the Kennedy family is serving in Congress or the White House, about two-dozen members of the clan are expected to travel to Charlotte, N.C., according to a person who is familiar with their plans.

Caroline Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy are scheduled to attend, as well as the late Senator Edward Kennedy’s sons, Ted Jr. and Patrick, the former Rhode Island congressman.

Joseph Kennedy III, who is running to succeed Representative Barney Frank, also will make the trip to Charlotte and introduce a video tribute to the late senator on the night of Sept. 4, when the convention opens. Senator Kennedy, a longtime champion of health care reform, died in August 2009 after a battle with brain cancer.

Joseph Kennedy is expected to return to Massachusetts shortly afterward to resume campaigning. The candidate’s father, former Massachusetts congressman Joseph Kennedy II, also is scheduled to attend the tribute, said the family friend, who asked to not be identified.

The convention’s opening day will include a reception by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, which is being built at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The reception will be hosted by Vicki Kennedy, the senator’s widow.

Caroline Kennedy to stump for President Obama in New Hampshire

Caroline Kennedy will campaign in New Hampshire for President Obama next week, including a stop on Wednesday afternoon at Nashua City Hall, where her father gave the first official speech of his 1960 campaign. Later Wednesday, she will reach out to voters in Manchester, the state’s largest city. On Thursday, she will travel to Meredith, a small town on Lake Winnipesaukee, as the president’s campaign appeals for support in a swing state whose four electoral votes could prove critical in November.

Obama won the state by nearly 10 percentage points in 2008, but observers are expecting a much closer race this year despite a 5.0 percent state unemployment rate that is among the lowest in the nation.

Back in 2008, Caroline Kennedy — the only surviving child of former President John F. Kennedy — delivered a rousing endorsement of Barack Obama.

 “I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them,” she wrote in the New York Times back then. “But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.”

President John F. Kennedy’s daughter Caroline sent Obama supporters a note on Father’s Day on Sunday praising not only President Barack Obama but also first lady Michelle Obama:

From: Caroline Kennedy

Date: June 17, 2012 1:20:34 PM EDT

Subject: Sign the card for President Obama

I grew up in the White House. I remember as a small child visiting my father in the Oval Office while he worked.

But really, we could have been growing up in any American home. We were just children, happy to see our dad -- even if he was stepping out of a helicopter that had landed on our front lawn.

That's why, on Father's Day, I'm thinking of Michelle Obama and the girls, and the time they'll get to spend with the President as a family.

 I can appreciate how long the days can be -- and how wonderful it feels to know that, no matter how full your father's plate is, you're the best part of his day and the most important part of his life.

So I'm joining Michelle and others all around the country to wish the President a happy Father's Day.

As you acknowledge a special father figure in your own life, I hope you'll join me by adding your name to tell Barack how much he means to all of us:

http://my.barackobama.com/

FATHER’S Day

Thanks, and happy Father's Day to every dad out there.

Caroline

P.S. -- I love this video of Michelle talking about Barack as a father -- take a second for this today.

Under normal circumstances this e-mail would be par for the course. After all, the late Senator Ted Kennedy endorsed Mr. Obama during the Democratic primary in 2008. Half of the Kennedy family followed Senator Kennedy’s lead on his endorsement. However, according to the New York Times #1 bestselling book The Amateur by Ed Klein, Caroline Kennedy was snubbed by both Barack Obama and Michelle the moment Mr. Obama took the oath of office.

Caroline began to get snubbed by the Obamas when she reached out to them to pitch ideas on education reform. According to Klein:

Since Caroline’s abortive run for the United States Senate from New York, she had lost all interest in elective office. But she wanted to secure a position as an adviser on education to the new administration. With that in mind, she sent the White House a long memo on education funding reform, which was based on her first-hand experience with the New York City Board of Education.

She ended the memo by saying that she hoped to meet with the president to discuss her ideas. She never got a response. Not even an acknowledgement that he had received the memo.

Then, in the summer of 2011, Caroline asked Maurice Tempelsman, her mother’s longtime companion and a major player in the Democratic Party, to arrange a meeting with the president and his political advisers on Tempelsman’s 70-foot yacht the Relemar , which was docked on Martha’s Vineyard, where the president was vacationing.

It was Caroline’s hope that such a meeting would further her late Uncle Teddy’s dream of forming a close bond between the Kennedys and the Obamas. Once again, the White House spurned Caroline’s overture. The president didn’t even make an effort to see Caroline, whose home on Martha’s Vineyard, Red Gate Farm, was not far from the house the president was renting.

From various source interviews, Klein describes how the Kennedys went from a family civil war over Ted’s endorsement of Obama at a family gathering to Caroline, an early Obama supporter, hearing from her own secret sources at the Obama White House that “nasty” remarks were being said about her and her family by the president and the first lady:

"Through these, sources and other people, Caroline heard back that there was a lot of nasty sh*t being said about the Kennedys by the president and Michelle,” the family member continued. “There were catty remarks about how badly the Kennedy women dressed, and how their houses were shabby and threadbare. Caroline got the impression that most of this negativity was coming from Michelle, who didn’t want the Kennedys to be part of the administration for fear that they would have too much influence over the president."

“Gradually, Caroline began to change her tune and side with Bobby and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend against the Obamas. Unlike Jackie, who was completely a-political, Caroline is a liberal with a capital L. When Obama didn’t raise taxes to balance the budget, Caroline marked him down. In her eyes, he‘s a mess because he doesn’t follow the liberal bible on politics. More important, Caroline discovered that the Obamas didn’t give a damn about her support.

Caroline Kennedy campaigns for President Obama in the Granite State on June 27 and 28, an Obama campaign official confirmed.

She attends grassroots events.

The Kennedy name doesn't have the reach it used to, but New England's lone presidential swing state (along with the Massachusetts Senate race) may fall within that orbit, and in any case it's not like the president has a line of surrogates stretching out the door.

The father’s day e-mail is particularly interesting, because Caroline makes a direct reference to her own childhood at the White House and comparing it to the present day White House with the president, Michelle Obama, and their daughters. So when Klein reveals information that runs counter to this e-mail narrative, one must wonder what kind of overtures have been made toward Caroline. Below is passage in the book that describes how angry Caroline became at the Obamas and that Ethel Kennedy, the Kennedy family matriarch, was furious with the Obamas. Klein mentions Ethel did not talk to Bobby Kennedy Jr. for a period of time for his lack of support for Obama in 2008:

“It really annoyed Caroline when comparisons were made by the media between Michelle and Jackie. Caroline had a word for such comparisons; she called them ‘odious.’ She really got annoyed. And when she began to fall out of love with the Obamas, love was replaced by outright scorn. Now she says things about Obama like, ‘I can’t stand to hear his voice any more. He’s a liar and worse’”

Ethel Kennedy, “the matriarch of the family,” similarly felt scorned, according to Klein. He tells a story of her invitation — extended to the First Family — being ignored by the Obamas. She got so upset “that she went on a rampage inside her house, cursing the president and turning over furniture.” And to top it all of, Caroline, the family source tells Klein in the book, believes “that as a loyal Democrat, she has nowhere to go, no one else to possibly support except Obama.

Obama appears to be treating a number of his major and base supporters in the same fashion. After treating them shabbily, he essentially poses the question to them, "Where are you going to go?...Romney?" Given Oprah Winfrey's lackluster response of an endorsement (and Klein writes how both the first lady and President Obama snubbed her badly too, when he reached the Oval Office) and taking union support for granted while blowing off the union pushed Wisconsin recall election, 2008 Obama supporters may very well just stay home. As for Caroline Kennedy, she may just be going through the motions or the Obamas made her promise, if he wins, she could not refuse

 

Congress Should Back Plan to Hire Teachers

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/08/18/weekly-address-congress-should-back-plan-hire-teachers?utm_source=081812&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=daily

With students starting to head back to school, President Obama discusses the critical role that education plays in America’s future.

Obama Speaks At Fundraising Event In Chicago

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/fH_ERv--ANS/Obama+Speaks+Fundraising+Event+Chicago

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks to supporters during a fundraising reception at the Bridgeport Arts Center on August 12, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. On Monday Obama will begin a three-day, nine-city campaign trip through Iowa.

 

Michelle Obama cheers on the USA Basketball Dream Team before the players spontaneously hug her after winning against France in the Summer Olympics

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/5sSuW_Z2iH-/Michelle+Obama+cheers+USA+Basketball+Dream/ECUmNpz_wEM/Michelle+Obama

 

Pictures

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/people

Obama Hosts Fundraiser At His Chicago Home

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/13/obama-hosts-fundraiser_n_1771377.html?utm_hp_ref=elections-2012

CHICAGO -- The red-brick Georgian Revival home was gleaming: An American flag extended from the porch, the evergreen trees surrounding the yard were pruned and the red impatiens and begonias were blooming. Guests mingled at tables covered with stylish lime-colored tablecloths and listened to light jazz before their host said a few words.

All-Hands-On-Deck Response to the Drought

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/08/11/weekly-address-all-hands-deck-response-drought?utm_source=081112&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=daily

President Obama discusses the Administration’s all-hands-on-deck approach to one of the worst droughts in more than fifty years.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO H.E.PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, THE 4 TH AUG.2012.

 

Obama spends his 51st birthday on the golf course

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-rt-us-usa-obama-birthdaybre8730f8-20120804,0,3234086.story

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama celebrated his 51st birthday on Saturday with a round of golf, then helicoptered to the Camp David presidential retreat for a quiet evening off the campaign trail.

Camp David

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/camp-david

Camp David, known formally as the Naval Support Facility Thurmont, is the President’s country residence. Located in Catoctin Mountain Park in Frederick County, Maryland, Camp David has offered Presidents an opportunity for solitude and tranquility, as well as an ideal place to host foreign leaders.

Adapted from the federal employee retreat Hi-Catoctin, President Franklin Roosevelt established the residence as USS Shangri La, modeling the new main lodge after the Roosevelt winter vacation home in Warm Springs, Georgia. President Eisenhower subsequently renamed the institution in honor of his grandson David.

Camp David has been used extensively to host foreign dignitaries. Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Great Britain attended the first such meeting in May of 1943; the summit held at the residence in 1978 for Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin resulted in what are now known as the Camp David Accords.

A brief history of the Presidential

mountain retreat and its famous guests

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/campdavid1.html

Camp David

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_David

 

Celebrating the Summer Olympics and Paralympics

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/08/03/weekly-address-celebrating-summer-olympics-and-paralympics?utm_source=080412&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=daily

 

President Obama congratulates all of the American athletes competing in the Olympics and Paralympics this summer. These men and women have inspired us all with their hard work, determination, and their indomitable spirit as they present the best of America to the rest of the world. The President tells our Olympic and Paralympic competitors that the American people could not be prouder of them, and thanks them for reminding us that we are one people, and by working together we can achieve great things.

President Obama Honors Early-Career Scientists and Engineers

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/07/31/president-obama-honors-early-career-scientists-and-engineers?utm_source=080112&utm_medium=topper&utm_campaign=daily

 

Today, the President met with a group of leading American scientists and engineers in the East Room of the White House to thank them for their research and encourage them to keep up the good work. Before meeting with the President, in an award ceremony today at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Science and Technology Advisor John Holdren conferred the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) to the 96 outstanding researchers.

 Last week, President Obama announced this year’s winners of PECASE, an honor bestowed upon independent researchers in the early stages of their careers. PECASE recognizes and supports scientists and engineers who show exceptional promise for leadership at the frontiers of scientific knowledge and reflects the Obama Administration’s commitment to developing outstanding scientists and engineers that contribute to the growth and prosperity of our Nation.

 “Discoveries in science and technology not only strengthen our economy, they inspire us as a people.” President Obama said.  “The impressive accomplishments of today’s awardees so early in their careers promise even greater advances in the years ahead.”

Each scientist or engineer is employed or funded by the Federal government and includes members of the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Interior, Veterans Affairs and the Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and National Science Foundation. These 11 government agencies annually nominate the individuals whose research shows the most promise for strengthening American leadership in science and engineering.

Following their meeting with the President, the awardees took part in a series of briefings with Office of Science and Technology Policy staff at the White House.

PECASE originated in 1996, when President Clinton commissioned the National Science and Technology Council to establish an award that would recognize young scientists and engineers conducting critical research.

The House of Representatives Must Act on Middle Class Tax Cut Extension

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/07/28/weekly-address-house-representatives-must-act-middle-class-tax-cut-extension?utm_source=072812&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=daily

President Obama urged Republicans in the House of Representatives to act on his proposal to protect middle class families and small businesses from being hit with a big tax hike next year.