Saturday’s Presidential Potpourri: It’s All About Barack

Posted on February 16, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

 
By Jueseppi B.

 

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Weekly Address: Following the President’s Plan for a Strong Middle Class

 

Published on Feb 16, 2013

In this week’s address, President Obama calls for quick action on the proposals he made during the State of the Union to grow our economy and create jobs, including making America a magnet for manufacturing, strengthening our education system through high-quality preschool for every child, and raising the minimum wage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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President Barack Obama listens during a B.A.M. (“Becoming a Man”) roundtable at Hyde Park Career Academy in Chicago, Ill., Feb. 15, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

 

 

 

From The White House Blog:

 

Giving Every Child a Chance in Life

 

 

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President Barack Obama delivers remarks to discuss proposals unveiled in the State of the Union Address that focus on strengthening the economy for the middle class and those striving to get there, at Hyde Park Academy, Chicago, Ill., Feb. 15, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

 

President Obama was in Chicago on Friday to talk about the importance of making sure every child in America has every chance in life to succeed. Speaking at the Hyde Park Career Academy, which is less than a mile from the Obama’s home in that city, the President discussed the recent death of Hadiyah Pendleton, a Chicago teenager who was shot just days after attending the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, DC.

 

 

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Hadiyah’s parents were guests of First Lady Michelle Obama at the State of the Union address on Tuesday, where President Obama discussed the need to prevent this kind of senseless violence and protect American children.

 

 

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But the important goal of  keeping guns out of the hands of criminals is not enough to ensure a bright future for all of our children, and the President also laid out a plan to rebuild ladders of opportunity for every American who is willing to work hard and climb them. This includes making sure every child in America has access to high-quality pre-K, and raising the minimum wage so that no family that works hard and relies on a minimum wage is living in poverty. But creating a path into the middle class also means transforming high-poverty communities into places of opportunity that can attract private investment, improve education, and create jobs, and President Obama talked about his plan to make that happen.

 

READ MORE

 

 

 

 

President Obama greets supporters after arriving at West Palm Beach International Airport, Feb. 15

 

 
 
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In Case You Missed It

 

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

 

State of the Union: On Tuesday, President Obama provided his vision for the country in the State of the Union address. President Obama said our generation’s challenge is “to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth – a rising, thriving middle class.”

 

The President looks to grow the middle class through balanced deficit reduction, education reform, comprehensive immigration reform, and manufacturing among others.

 

If you missed the speech or want to see the address again view our enhanced broadcast with easy-to-read charts, infographics, and statistics. While on our page share your thoughts from the Tuesday speech through the Citizens Response tool, which allows you to actually go line by line and share with others from across the country what touched you the most.

 

You can read the President’s full remarks here and listen to the audio here.

 

 

 

President Obama on the Road: After the State of the Union, President Obama traveled to Arden, NC on Wednesday and Decatur, GA on Thursday to advance his agenda for the second term.

 

After touring the Linamar Corporation auto-parts plant, the President cited the significant role manufacturing plays in a thriving economy. “And I believe we attract new jobs to America by investing in new sources of energy and new infrastructure and the next generation of high-wage, high-tech American manufacturing,” touted President Obama. “I believe in manufacturing.  I think it makes our country stronger.”

 

After weighing in on manufacturing, President Obama discussed another vital part of our economy, education. At Decatur Community Recreation Center, President Obama pushed for high-quality preschool for every child in America. The President believes it is critical to give every American child a fair shot and this should begin at the earliest ages.

 

“I am so proud of every single teacher who is here who has dedicated their lives to making sure those kids get a good start in life,” said President Obama.  “I want to make sure that I’m helping, and I want to make sure that the country is behind you every step of the way.”

 

 

 

The Medal of Honor: On Monday, President Obama awarded Army Staff Sargent Clinton Romesha the Medal of Honor for “acts of gallantry and intrepidity” and serving his Nation “above and beyond the call of duty.” President Obama shared the country’s gratitude through his remarks of Romesha. “When I called Clint to tell him that he would receive this medal, he said he was honored, but he also said, it wasn’t just me out there, it was a team effort.”

 

 

VP Biden in Philly: On Monday, Vice President Biden traveled to Philadelphia for a roundtable discussion with law enforcement officials on gun violence. The Philadelphia trip was one of many as the Administration is working hard to protect our children and our communities through common-sense gun legislation.

 

At the session, the Vice President pledged to put 15,000 police officers on the street, while also pressing for assault weapons ban and background checks for gun buyers. Download the President’s plan to reduce gun violence here.

 

 

 

POTUS Google+ Hangout: On Thursday, President Obama joined Americans from across the country in the latest “Fireside Hangout.” Speaking from the Roosevelt Room in the West Wing, the discussion revolved around his State of the Union address from Tuesday night.

 

The President fielded questions from gun violence to immigration. The discussion was not all policy as the President happily discussed Valentine’s Day etiquette and baby names for a child.

 

 

Watch the event it its entirety and follow us on Google+ for updates to learn how you can participate in upcoming hangouts.

 
 
 
 
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Filed under: Black History, Campaign Ads, Causes, Celebrity, Congress, Democrats/Democratic, Education, Good News, Gun Control, Gun Violence, History, Michelle Obama, News, Obama Week In Review, Photographs, Politics, POTUS Obama, Speech, The White House, Videos, White House Blog, World News | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

President Obama Speaks At House Democratic Issues Conference

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

By Jueseppi B.

 

 

 

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President Obama arrives to make remarks to the House Democratic Issues Conference at the Lansdowne Resort in Virginia, February 7.

 

 

 

Statements and Releases

 

February 07, 2013

Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate

 

 

February 07, 2013

Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate

 

 

February 07, 2013

President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

 

 

 

 

Speeches and Remarks

 

February 07, 2013

Remarks by the President at House Democratic Issues Conference

 

 

 

President Obama Speaks at the House Democratic Issues Conference

 

Published on Feb 7, 2013

President Obama delivers remarks to the House Democratic Issues Conference. February 7, 2013.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

 

For Immediate Release  February 07, 2013
 
 
 

Remarks by the President at House Democratic Issues Conference

 

 

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THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you!  (Applause.)  Thank you, everybody.  Please have a seat.  Xavier, thank you for that very gracious introduction and your outstanding leadership.  
 
 
 
 
Let me begin by saying that I could not be happier that one of my most important friends and partners is still leading our Democrats in the House of Representatives.  I love Nancy Pelosi. Give her a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  Love Nancy Pelosi.  (Applause.)  Also, she just generates good-looking grandbabies.  (Laughter.)  They’re all so handsome and sharp and beautiful.  
 
 
 
 
 
To Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn, as well as Xavier and Joe Crowley, thank you so much for the great work that you guys are doing each and every day.  And to Steve Israel, who worked tirelessly to bring on 49 new outstanding members of this caucus. (Applause.)  I am looking forward to spending time with all 49 of you.  And hopefully we’ll be seeing you over at the White House and at various events, but obviously I know that you came here to get something done.  And I am looking forward to working with you every single day to make sure that we’re doing right by the people who sent us here.
 
 
 
 
 
Now, I actually just changed the format here.  I called an audible — because originally the way this was scheduled was I was just going to talk and then I was going to shake some hands, and I thought, since this is not a shy bunch, it might make sense for me to take some questions and some advice I’m sure you guys have for me.  (Laughter.)  So what I’m going to do is I’m just going to make s few points at the top, and then what I’d like is maybe Xavier or Steve or somebody can come up here, you can call on folks, and we’ll spend a little time with Q&A before I get a chance to say hello to everybody.  
 
 
 
 
 
And part of the reason I want to keep my remarks short is because I just made a pretty long speech a couple of weeks ago, and I’m about to make another next week, and I don’t want you guys tired of me.  (Laughter.)  
 
 
 
 
 
But, obviously, I’m deeply grateful to have been reelected, and I’m humbled by the support that I received from all across the country.  (Applause.)  And I said at the National Prayer Breakfast this morning — and I was telling the truth — I genuinely am humbled.  The fascinating thing about this job is the longer you’re in it, the more humble you get, and the more you recognize your own imperfections.  And you try to make up with effort and hard work those gaps in your personality or your intelligence that become so apparent to everybody on the daily news every day.  (Laughter.)  
 
 
 
 
But even as I think it’s important to be humbled by the privilege of this office and the privilege of serving in the United States Congress, even as it’s important not to read too much into any particular political victory — because this country is big, it is diverse, it is contentious, and we don’t have a monopoly on wisdom, and we need to remember that — despite all those things, I think it’s also important for us to feel confident and bold about the values we care about and what we stand for.  
 
 
 
 
And I tried to do that in my inauguration speech, and I’m hoping that we all do that over the next four years.  Because when I think about what it means to be a Democrat in this day and age, I start with the basic proposition that we are all created equal, that we’re all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights.  And my governing philosophy and my interest in public service grows out of how we make that union more perfect for more people, day in, day out.  
 
 
 
 
And that starts with an economy that works for everybody.  Throughout my campaign, and throughout many of your campaigns, we talked about this bedrock notion that our economy succeeds and our economy grows when everybody is getting a fair shot and everybody is getting a fair shake and everybody is playing by the same rules.  That we have an economy in which we’re growing a vibrant middle class — that it grows from the middle out and the bottom up, not from the top down.  
 
 
 
 
 
And over the next four years as I work with this caucus and every caucus, the question I will ask myself on every item, every issue is, is this helping to make sure that everybody has got a fair shot and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody is playing by the same rules.  Because I believe that is a growth agenda — not just an equity agenda, not just a fairness agenda  – that is a growth agenda.  That is when we have grown fastest.  
And that means that what you’ll hear from me next week, I’m going to be talking about making sure that we’re focused on job creation here in the United States of America.  (Applause.)  It means that we’re focused on education and that every young person is equipped with the skills they need to compete in the 21st century.  (Applause.)  It means that we’ve got an energy agenda that can make us less dependent on foreign oil, but also that we’re cultivating the kind of clean energy strategy that will maintain our leadership well into the future.  
 
 
 
 
 
It means that we’re going to talk about, yes, deficits and taxes and sequesters and potential government shutdowns and debt ceiling — we’ll talk about that stuff, but all from the perspective of how are we making sure that somebody who works hard in this country — a cop, or a teacher, or a construction worker, or a receptionist — that they can make it if they work hard, and that their kids can make it and dream even bigger dreams than they have achieved.
 
 
 
 
 
And obviously a lot of what we’ll be working on initially over the next few weeks is going to be on how do we deal with the sequester issue.  And I just want to make this quick point.  I had a press conference this week in which I reiterated I am prepared, eager, and anxious to do a big deal, a big package that ends this “governance by crisis” — (applause) — where every two weeks or every two months or every six months, we are threatening this hard-won recovery — where finally housing is starting to pick up, and commercial real estate is starting to do better, and the unemployment numbers are still too high, but we’re seeing some job growth, and businesses are investing and manufacturing is doing well — and we continue to have these self-inflicted crises here in Washington that suddenly leads everybody to tap the brakes.  
 
 
 
 
 
And so what I said this week was I want to do something big to provide certainty and steadiness for the economy and for American families.  And that means a balanced package that will reduce our long-term deficit and debt, but that still allows us to invest in those things that we need to grow right now — (applause) — because that’s also a deficit reduction agenda, us growing faster.
 
 
 
 
And in order to have a balanced package, that means that — we’ve already done a lot of cuts.  We’ve done some revenue now.  And so the rest of the way moving forward, we can do some additional reforms, and make our health care programs work better and make them more efficient, and we can cut our programs that we don’t need.  But it also means that we’ve got to be able to close some tax loopholes and deductions that the average American cannot take advantage of, to raise the revenue to actually do the job in a way that allows us to continue to grow.  (Applause.) 
 
 
 
 
Now, the reason this is relevant is because I gather — and I haven’t gotten this from firsthand sources, but from secondhand sources in the press — that our friends on the other side of the aisle, their position is:  We’re concerned about the sequester.  We recognize that just cutting the federal spending with a meat ax, as opposed to scalpel is probably damaging — it will damage our national security; it will damage our educational system.  We’ll have kids getting kicked off of Head Start.  It will mean people who have disabled kids suddenly having less help.
 
 
 
 
They recognize that the sequester is a bad idea, but what they’ve suggested is that the only way to replace it now is for us to cut Social Security, cut Medicare, and not close a single loophole, not raise any additional revenue from the wealthiest Americans or corporations who have a lot of lawyers and accountants who are able to maneuver and manage and work and game the system.  
 
 
 
 
And I have to tell you, if that’s an argument that they want to have before the court of public opinion, that is an argument I’m more than willing to engage in.  (Applause.)  Because I believe the American people understand that, yes, we need to reduce the deficit, but it shouldn’t just be on the backs of seniors; it shouldn’t just be on the backs of young people who are trying to get a college education; it should not just be on the backs of parents who are trying to give their kids a better start in life; that all of us have to participate – and that if, in fact, it’s important for us to make sure we’ve got a strong national defense and that we reduce our spending in a smart way, we sure as heck should be willing to ask those of us who are luckiest in this society to close a few loopholes and deductions that the average American doesn’t get.  
 
 
 
 
And if that’s the choice that we’ve got, I promise you we can win that debate because we’re on the right side of this argument.  And I expect that you guys will be with me on that.  (Applause.) 
 
 
 
 
Last point I’ll make — obviously economic growth is a priority.  But making sure that we’re opening up opportunity for everybody is also important.  And that’s why immigration reform is so critical.  (Applause.)  I said this is going to be a top priority and an early priority of my administration.  I am heartened to see Republicans and Democrats starting to be in a serious conversation about getting this done.  Now is the time.
 
 
 
 
I recognize that the politics aren’t always easy.  There are regional variations.  I understand that in some places this may end up being a tough issue.  But what I also know is that part of our strength is our youth and our dynamism, and our history for attracting talent from all around the globe.  And I’ve seen that talent in some of the young DREAMers that I’ve met who want to serve in our military, want to get an engineering degree, want to help build this country, want to start a business.  And I want to make sure that that American future is secured.
 
 
 
 
So we need to get immigration reform done.  And I’m going to be pushing hard to get it done early.  (Applause.)  
 
 
 
 
And we’re also going to have to make sure that we keep the American people safe, which means that we’re going to continue to work, even as we draw down our troops in Afghanistan, to go after those who would attack America.  
 
 
 
 
And we’ve got to be mindful about steps we can take to end the cycle of gun violence in this country.  And we should do so  – (applause) — recognizing that, again, there are regional differences here and we should respect those, and guns mean something different for somebody who grew up on a farm in a rural community than somebody who grew up in an inner city and they’re different realities and we have to respect them.  But what we know is the majority of responsible gun owners recognize we cannot have a situation in which 20 more of our children, or a 100 more of our children, or a 1,000 more of our children are shot and killed in a senseless fashion, and that there are some common-sense steps that we can take and build a consensus around. And we cannot shy away from taking those steps.
 
 
 
 
So the bottom line is this, people — we’ve got a lot of work to do.  What we’ve learned over the last four years — at least what I’ve learned over the last four years — is that it won’t be smooth; it won’t be simple.  There will be frustrations. There will be times when you guys are mad at me — (laughter) — and I’ll occasionally read about it.  But as long as we keep in mind why we came here in the first place; as long as we think back to whatever inspired each of us to say, maybe I can give something back, maybe I can make a difference, maybe my purpose here on Earth is not just thinking about what’s in it for me, but thinking about what’s in it for the broader community — for my neighborhood, for my state, for my country — if we keep that in mind every single day, I have no doubt that we will continue the extraordinary progress that we’ve made already.  
 
 
 
 
And as a byproduct of doing that good work and keeping that focus, I would expect that Nancy Pelosi is going to be Speaker again pretty soon.  (Applause.)   
 
 
 
All right?  So thank you very much, everybody.  God bless you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)
 
 
 
 
END
1:12 P.M. EST

 

 
 
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Thursday’s Potpourri: We’re All Over The Place

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

By Jueseppi B.

 

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President Barack Obama travels aboard Marine One from Annapolis, Md., en route to the White House, Feb. 6, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

 

 

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President Barack Hussein Obama & First Lady Michelle LaVaughn Obama attending the 61st edition of the National Prayer Breakfast, February 7th, 2013.

 

 

 

Fresh from the White House Blog:

 

 

Keep Up to Date on President Obama’s Immigration Proposal

 

Cecilia Muñoz
                        By  Cecilia Muñoz  February 06, 2013

 

Last week the President traveled to Nevada to redouble his Administration’s efforts to work with Congress to enact bipartisan common-sense reform to fix our nation’s broken immigration system. In his remarks the President pointed out that we need a system under which everyone plays by the same rules: “The question now is simple: do we have the resolve as a people, as a country, as a government to finally put this issue behind us?”

 

The President believes that we do, but we need the American people engaged to keep Washington moving forward. That’s why he went to Nevada, and that’s why today, we are pleased to share that there is now a new and updated online resource center available through the White House website to help you stay on top of this critical debate. The new website, which you can find at WhiteHouse.gov/Immigration, includes all of the basic resources you’ll need on the issue and on the President’s proposal and will be your guide as we work with Congress on advancing legislation for common-sense immigration reform in the coming weeks and months.

 

The new site highlights the four principles at the heart of the President’s proposal: continuing to strengthen border security, cracking down on employers that hire undocumented workers, creating a pathway to earned citizenship and streamlining our legal immigration system. And it also includes links to the latest blog posts and videos.

 

Be sure to visit the new website, but more importantly, stay involved. The President isn’t going to be satisfied until a bill gets to his desk, and your voices are critically important in making that happen.

 

Sign up to stay involved and receive updates about the White House’s work on immigration.

 

 

 

President Obama Names Sally Jewell to Lead the Department of the Interior

 

Colleen Curtis
                        By  Colleen Curtis  February 06, 2013

 

 

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President Barack Obama and Sally Jewell applaud outgoing Interior Secretary Ken Salazar after President Obama announced Jewell as his nominee to replace Salazar, in the State Dining Room of the White House, Feb. 6, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

 

 

Speaking in the State Dining Room at the White House, President Obama today announced that he has chosen Sally Jewell to be the next Secretary of the Interior. For the past eight years, Ms. Jewell has been the CEO of REI, one of America’s most successful and environmentally conscious retailers. Previously, she had worked in oil fields in Oklahoma and Colorado, and as an energy expert in banking — experience the President highlighted as he introduced Ms. Jewell to the American people:

So even as Sally has spent the majority of her career outside of Washington — where, I might add, the majority of our interior is located – she is an expert on the energy and climate issues that are going to shape our future. She is committed to building our nation-to-nation relationship with Indian Country. She knows the link between conservation and good jobs.  She knows that there’s no contradiction between being good stewards of the land and our economic progress; that in fact, those two things need to go hand in hand. She has shown that a company with more than $1 billion in sales can do the right thing for our planet. 

 

The President used the occasion to thank Ken Salazar, who served as Secretary of the Interior for President Obama’s first term, for his dedication to the American people and our national treasures, and praised his accomplishments over the last four years:

Since being confirmed, Ken has cracked down on waste. He’s improved the management of the Department to make it work better for the American people. He has ushered in a new era of conservation for our land, our water and our wildlife. He’s established seven new national parks, 10 new national wildlife refuges.  He has opened more public land and water for safe and responsible energy production, not just gas and oil but also wind and solar, creating thousands of new jobs and nearly doubling our use of renewable energy in this country. He has helped to forge what is probably the strongest working relationship with tribal leaders that the federal government has seen in modern times. And when the unexpected has happened — like the Gulf oil spill or Hurricane Sandy — he has been on the ground making sure that people get help right away and we deal with these challenges as professionally as possible.

 

 

Learn more:

Read about President Obama’s nomination of John Brennan to head the CIA.

 

President Obama has tapped John Kerry to serve as Secretary of State.

 

Read about President Obama’s nomination of Chuck Hagel as the next Secretary of Defense.

 

President Obama Nominates Mary Jo White to run the SEC

 

 

 

In Munich, Vice President Biden Highlights Transatlantic Relationship with European Allies

 

Megan Slack
                      By  Megan Slack  February 06, 2013

 

 

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Vice President Joe Biden meets with British Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street, in London, United Kingdom, Feb. 5, 2013. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

 

 

Four years ago, Vice President Biden spoke at the annual Munich Security Conference to outline the Obama administration’s foreign policy agenda and reset our relationship with Russia. On Tuesday, Vice President Biden wrapped up a similar trip to Europe during which he stressed our strong cooperation with our European allies and highlighted our many joint accomplishments over the last four years. 

 

Travelling first to Berlin, the Vice President met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss our bilateral relationship with Germany and the common challenges we face in Iran, Syria, Mali, and Afghanistan. The Vice President and the German Chancellor also traded views on their respective economies as well as energy and climate change.   

 

 

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Vice President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel walk on the balcony outside the Chancellor’s office overlooking Berlin, Germany, Feb., 1, 2013 (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

 

 

Continuing on to Munich, Vice President Biden delivered remarks at the 49th Munich Security Conference and held a series of bilateral meeting with world leaders.  His speech stressed the continued importance the U.S. places on the transatlantic relationship.  “It’s hard to imagine a single threat or opportunity that we cannot address more effectively together,” he said.

 

In his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Vice President Biden emphasized the importance of the two countries working together in the interest of international peace and security, including in Syria.  The Vice President noted that while the United States and Russia will continue to have serious differences – including, among other things, on human rights and Russia’s recent ban on U.S. adoptions – U.S. and Russian leadership is necessary to achieve practical solutions to the challenges facing the world today.

 

He also met separately with UN and Arab League Joint Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, and Moaz al-Khatib, the president of the Syrian Opposition Council, to discuss bringing about a transition that leads to a peaceful, inclusive and democratic Syria, where the rights of all Syrians are protected.

 

 

In Paris, French President Francois Hollande hosted a lunch for the Vice President to discuss the French and African mission in Mali and their broader counterterrorism cooperation in the region. The two also exchanged views on Syria, Iran’s nuclear program, the Eurozone, and the U.S.-E.U. economic partnership.

 

 

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Vice President Joe Biden bids farewell to French President Francois Hollande, at the Presidential Palace, in Paris, France, Feb., 4, 2013. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

 

 

Finally, in London, the Vice President held meetings with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Prime Minister David Cameron and participated in a meeting of the United Kingdom’s National Security Council.  The meetings focused on array of economic and foreign policy issues, particularly Afghanistan and Pakistan since the Prime Minister had just hosted a UK/Pakistan/Afghanistan summit a few days before the Vice President arrived in London.

 

 

 

Vice President Biden Swears In Secretary of State John Kerry

 

 

 

 

From Ms. Emily L. Hauser:

 

1,600 Americans fatally shot since Newtown.

 

More than 1,600, actually. In 55 days.

 

That averages out to 29 people a day. On Christmas, 30 Americans were killed by guns. On New Year’s Day, it was 58. On Martin Luther King Day, 28. Last Thursday was a good day — only 13 Americans were shot to death that day.

 

Click here to see Slate’s utterly breath-taking graphic of the gun-death tally since December 14, the date of the Newtown massacre.

 

  • Call Congress: 202-224-3121
  • Call the White House: 202-456-1111
  • Find your Senators by clicking here (if you’d rather send an email, you’ll find that information here, too).
  • Find your US Representative by clicking here (if you’d rather send an email, you’ll find that information here, too).

 

 

 

 

White House Schedule – February 7, 2013

 

8:05 AM:  The President, the Vice President, and the First Lady attend the National Prayer Breakfast; the President delivers remarks

Washington Hilton
 
 
 
 
11:15 AM:  The President departs the White House en route Leesburg, Virginia

South Lawn
 
 
 
 
12:30 PM:  The President arrives Leesburg, Virginia

Lansdowne, Lansdowne Resort, Virginia
 
 
 
 
1:55 PM:  The President departs Leesburg, Virginia

Leesburg, Leesburg Executive Airport Landing Zone, Virginia Commonwealth University
 
 
 
 
2:20 PM:  The President arrives the White House
 
 
 
 
 

Speeches and Remarks

 

February 07, 2013

Remarks by the President at the National Prayer Breakfast

 

 

 

Statements and Releases

 

February 07, 2013

President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

 

 

February 06, 2013

Readout of White House and Department of Homeland Security Officials’ Meeting with Law Enforcement on Comprehensive Immigration Reform

 

 

 

February 05, 2013

Statement from the President on the Departure of Subra Suresh

 

 

 

Michelle Obama to attend Hadiya Pendleton funeral

 

First Lady Michelle Obama will attend the funeral of a 15-year-old girl gunned down last week in Chicago, a White House source said.

 

The first lady will travel to Chicago on Saturday and attend the funeral for Hadiya Pendleton at Calahan Funeral Home, according to the source. She will attend along with Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

 

 

 

 

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Some Tuesday Evening Potpourri: This & That….These & Those

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

By Jueseppi B.

 

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From The White House Blog:

 

Announcing the State of the Union White House Social

 

Kasie Coccaro
                          By  Kasie Coccaro  February 05, 2013

 

On Tuesday, February 12th, President Obama will deliver his fourth State of the Union Address from the Capitol. Over at the White House, we’ll be hosting our second State of the Union Social event. The White House Social program invites people that engage with us online to attend in-person events, and then share their experience with their own online networks in real time.

 

We’re excited to announce that the first White House Social of the second term will be a unique opportunity for our followers on social media to watch President Obama’s State of the Union Address live from the White House, and then participate in a panel discussion with Administration officials about the vision and policies presented during the speech. 

 

Interested in joining? Apply for the White House social today! Registration closes at 6:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, February 6th at http://www.wh.gov/social. After you sign up, spread the word. Let your followers know that you signed up for a #WHSocial.

 

If you plan on watching from home, we will be streaming an enhanced version of the speech on WhiteHouse.gov that features graphics, data and charts that help explain policies and the issues. You can also tune in live onFacebook, YouTube, Google+ and through our mobile apps. 

 

After the speech, stay tuned for a chance to ask White House officials your questions about the issues that were highlighted in President’s address. Before, during and after the speech, you can submit your questions for the panel here, or on Twitter using the hashtags (#WHChat & #SOTU).

 

Take a look back at the 2012 State of the Union:

 

 

President Obama Makes a Statement on the Sequester

 

Megan Slack
                        By  Megan Slack  February 05, 2013

 

 

 

 

In a statement from the briefing room today, President Obama explained that while our economy is headed in the right direction, looming automatic budget cuts will cost jobs and slow down our recovery. 

 

But, those deep, indiscriminate cuts to job-creating investments and defense spending, also known as the sequester, don’t have to happen, the President said. He’s already worked with Democrats and Republicans in Congress to cut the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion through a balanced mix of spending cuts and higher tax rates for the wealthiest Americans, but there’s more to be done to meet the $4 trillion in deficit reduction needed to stabilize our debt.

 

“I think this balanced mix of spending cuts and tax reform is the best way to finish the job of deficit reduction,” the President said.

 

The reforms to Medicare and other entitlements the President proposed during the fiscal cliff negotiations are still on the table, he said. “These reforms would reduce our government’s bills by reducing the cost of health care, not shifting all those costs on to middle-class seniors, or the working poor, or children with disabilities, but nevertheless, achieving the kinds of savings that we’re looking for”  

 

“But in order to achieve the full $4 trillion in deficit reductions that is the stated goal of economists and our elected leaders, these modest reforms in our social insurance programs have to go hand-in-hand with a process of tax reform, so that the wealthiest individuals and corporations can’t take advantage of loopholes and deductions that aren’t available to most Americans,” President Obama said. 

 

If Congress can’t finish a full budget by March 1, when the sequester is scheduled to take effect, President Obama called on lawmakers to at least pass a smaller package of spending cuts and tax reforms that would delay the the economically damaging effects of the automatic cuts.

 

 

“There is no reason that the jobs of thousands of Americans who work in national security or education or clean energy, not to mention the growth of the entire economy should be put in jeopardy just because folks in Washington couldn’t come together to eliminate a few special interest tax loopholes or government programs that we agree need some reform,” he said. 

 

 

 

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President Barack Obama meets with Cody Keenan, Deputy Director of Speechwriting, left, and Jon Favreau, Director of Speechwriting, in the Oval Office, Feb. 5, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

 

 

 

 

Speeches and Remarks

 

February 05, 2013

Remarks by Dr. Jill Biden at Wounded Warriors Reception at Winfield House

 

 

 

Statements and Releases

 

February 05, 2013

Readout of the President’s Call with Baltimore Ravens Coach Harbaugh and General Manager Newsome

 

 

February 05, 2013

Statement by Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John Brennan on Bulgaria’s Announcement of Hizballah’s Role in the 2012 Burgas Terrorist Attack

 

 

February 05, 2013

Statement by the President on the Twentieth Anniversary of the Family Medical Leave Act

 

 

 

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In Memoriam. We Will Never Forget:

 

CT Post: The six Newtown teachers and administrators who died protecting their students at Sandy Hook Elementary School will be the posthumous recipients of the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal.

 

President Obama will make the presentations to surviving family members during a ceremony on Friday, Feb. 15 in the White House….

 

More here

 

The medals will go to the families of:

 

Dawn Hochsprung, the principal, Mary Sherlach, the school psychologist and teachers Rachel D’Avino, Lauren Rousseau, Anne Murphy and Victoria Soto.

 

 

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Justice Dept. document justifies killing Americans overseas if they pose ‘imminent threat’

 

 

 

 

Attorney General Eric Holder’s press conference today:

 

Eric Holder Addresses Questions Regarding DOJ Memo Making Legal Case for Drone Strikes on Americans   

 

 

 

 

The Violence Against Women Act:

 

Here’s a telling stat: Since the Violence Against Women Act was enacted in 1994, incidents of domestic violence have fallen by more than 50 percent.

But now VAWA has expired — and House Republicans refuse to reauthorize it. Here’s the bottom line: Programs to protect women can’t be expanded or improved until VAWA is reauthorized:

 

 

ADD YOUR NAME: Help us reach 100,000 strong telling Eric Cantor and House Republicans to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

 

 

Shame-on-Cantor

 

 

 

Later this week, the Senate is set to approve an updated version of the measure.

Let’s make sure there’s plenty of pressure — at least 100,000 signatures — telling House Republicans to do the right thing and reauthorize VAWA:

 

http://dccc.org/VAWA

 

Thanks for standing with us,

Kelly

Kelly Ward
DCCC Executive Director

 

 

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Filed under: Black History, Business, Causes, Celebrity, Congress, Democrats/Democratic, DOJ, Economy, Education, Finance, Foreign Polocy, Good News, GOPukes/RepubliCANTS, Gun Control, Gun Violence, History, Jill Biden, Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security, News, Photographs, Politics, POTUS Obama, Speech, The White House, Vice President Joseph Biden, Videos, White House Blog, World News | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments »

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