or in Palin's case, before they get elected.

4/26/2010 8:40:31 PM

i assume most of that money came from book sales.

4/26/2010 8:54:53 PM

In a new video Pres. Obama is making an appeal to the same “young people, African-Americans, Latinos, and women who powered our victory in 2008 [to] stand together once again.”

I doubt if this video of a catatonic Obama will inspire anyone to vote democratic in the fall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh-yR1HWkbM&feature=player_embedded#!

4/27/2010 12:49:24 AM

um... ok? And how is this a credibility watch?

4/27/2010 8:31:35 AM

sarijoul, I believe the bulk of that income are his books sales.

Biden made like 300k and gave like 4k to charity. O gave a bunch to charity, have to respect that.

4/27/2010 9:39:57 AM

To answer some of the points raised about the source and him giving to charities, and Biden:

Quote :

"US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle earned $5.5 million (£3.6m) in 2009, mainly from book sales, according to the White House."

Quote :

"The figure excludes Mr Obama's $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize, which he donated to 10 charities."

Quote :

"A third of the couple's income, totalling more than $1.8 million, was paid in tax."

Quote :

"In addition to the Nobel Prize money, the Obamas donated $329,100 to 40 different charities, about 6% of their income."

Quote :

"Their earnings far exceed those of Vice-President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, who reported a joint income of only $333,182 for 2009."

What the Bidens made, the Obamas gave away


[Edited on April 27, 2010 at 9:54 AM. Reason : ]

4/27/2010 9:53:25 AM

Quote :

"Even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us--the spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of 'anything goes.' Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America--there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America--there's the United States of America."

--state senator Barack Obama, Democratic National Convention, July 27, 2004

Quote :

"In the video message to his supporters, [President] Obama said his administration's success depends on the outcome of this fall's elections and warned that if Republicans regain control of Congress, they could 'undo all that we have accomplished.' 'This year, the stakes are higher than ever,' he said, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by Democratic officials. 'It will be up to each of you to make sure that young people, African Americans, Latinos and women who powered our victory in 2008 stand together once again. . . .' "

--Washington Post, April 26, 2010

4/27/2010 1:37:41 PM

he wants democrats to win in november!?!?!? who could imagine such a thing?!?!?!?

4/27/2010 7:11:30 PM

White House press corps gripes pile up

Quote :

"One of the enduring storylines of Barack Obama’s presidency, dating back to the earliest days of his candidacy, is that the press loves him. “Most of you covered me. All of you voted for me,” Obama joked last year at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. But even then, only four months into his presidency, the joke fell flat. Now, a year later, with another correspondents’ dinner Saturday night likely to generate the familiar criticism of the press’s cozy relationship with power, the reality is even more at odds with the public perception. President Obama and the media actually have a surprisingly hostile relationship – as contentious on a day-to-day basis as any between press and president in the last decade, reporters who cover the White House say. Reporters say the White House is thin-skinned, controlling, eager to go over their heads and stingy with even basic information. All White Houses try to control the message. But this White House has pledged to be more open than its predecessors – and reporters feel it doesn’t live up to that pledge in several key areas: — Day-to-day interaction with Obama is almost non-existent, and he talks to the press corps far less often than Bill Clinton or even George W. Bush did. Clinton took questions nearly every weekday, on average. Obama barely does it once a week. — The ferocity of pushback is intense. A routine press query can draw a string of vitriolic emails. A negative story can draw a profane high-decibel phone call – or worse. Some reporters feel like they’ve been frozen out after crossing the White House. — Except for a few reporters, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs can be distant and difficult to reach - even though his job is to be one of the main conduits from president to press. “It’s an odd White House where it’s easier to get the White House chief of staff on the phone than the White House press secretary,” one top reporter said. — And at the very moment many reporters feel shut out, one paper - the New York Times - enjoys a favoritism from Obama and his staff that makes competitors fume, with gift-wrapped scoops and loads of presidential face-time."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0410/36454.html#ixzz0mOMsE3c2

4/28/2010 7:09:11 AM

That sucks.

4/28/2010 8:38:30 AM

Hawaii wants aaronburro to quit with the emails already http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/27/AR2010042705765.html

(I didn't feel like digging up the Birther thread)

4/28/2010 10:22:39 AM

Quote :

"President Obama and the media actually have a surprisingly hostile relationship"

I see a very Nixonian presidency developing here. One complete with enemies lists, antagonism with the press, secrecy and cynicism.

4/29/2010 11:03:52 AM

i would MUCH rather the press be at odds with the president than in bed with him. makes for a much better-checked democracy.

4/29/2010 11:07:02 PM

^
That's what is odd. The main-stream press pretty much was in bed with Obama for the election. I believe they still want to support him. It's almost like Team Obama is driving away one of their best tools. Does Obama think that the press will support him no matter how angry he makes them?

4/30/2010 12:09:27 AM

well it does seem like many reporters these days don't want to actually do their jobs. if someone in the administration doesn't answer your question, find the answer from somewhere else.

4/30/2010 12:14:50 AM

Quote :

"The main-stream press pretty much was in bed with Obama for the election."

[Citation needed]

4/30/2010 9:05:39 AM

Quote :

"Does Obama think that the press will support him no matter how angry he makes them? "

Of course


God, just google it. There were papers showing favorable piece numbers and the breakdown of party views among reporters.

4/30/2010 9:16:18 AM

I think you're confusing opinion pieces with basic reporting.

I mean, show me an article that goes like:

ASSOCIATED PRESS -- "Obama and McCain debated at a town hall meeting on Saturday. Obama, showing a smile that lights up the hearts of children everywhere, delighted the crowd with his intelligent banter. The only dark cloud in the room was from John McCain, a man so evil that he kills babies."

[Edited on April 30, 2010 at 9:18 AM. Reason : ]

4/30/2010 9:18:05 AM

^my work blocks access to the Huffington post.

4/30/2010 9:19:35 AM

LOL!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/02/barack-obama-presidents-emails

Apparently, Obama released some emails he sent from his blackberry. Here are two:

Quote :

"To: White House Staff Subject: facebook I'd like to thank everybody who felt the need to bring to my attention the fact that there is a Facebook group with more than a million members, all praying for my death. You've really made my day. Fantastic. Thanks again. There is also, I notice, a Facebook petition group calling for the original page's removal, which is gaining members fast. I don't think we should get involved officially, but if anyone wants to join the petition group – hey, it's a free country. BHO""

Quote :

"To: VPOTUS Subject: Re: Whatever you say, chief! Thanks Joe, but you've joined the wrong Facebook page. How's that gonna look, you praying for my death? See up in the top left-hand corner where it says "leave group"? Click on that, and then turn off your computer. You shouldn't be social networking during office hours anyway. B"

5/3/2010 12:49:56 AM

haha those are real?

"turn off your computer"

5/3/2010 7:59:52 AM

From the guardian article:

Quote :

"and the first American president to use email while in office"

Seriously? Is this true?
If so, GWB was one ass-backwards motherfucker. Hell, I'd have expected email use from Clinton, too. Probably not true, though.

After further examination of the emails on that site (there's actually a ton of them if you search), it is almost certainly not real at all. 99.5% probability they are not real, at least. If they are, then Obama demonstrates absolutely incredible humor, frankness, disregard for formality and procedure, and complete apathy for public relations in releasing these.


Although I REALLY wish this one were real:

Quote :

"To: BP Group CEO Tony Hayward <tony.hayward@bp.com> Subject: Re: disaster management Tony: Let me assure you the federal govt is making every effort to keep your oil spill off our country, but ultimately that oil is your responsibility, and your problem. As president I will make every effort to ensure this does not become some kind of offshore Katrina for which you will be blamed. The buck stops with me, and then I invoice you. Hope that's clear. Barack"

[Edited on May 3, 2010 at 8:38 AM. Reason : fake]

5/3/2010 8:27:49 AM

Quote :

""With iPods and iPads and Xboxes and PlayStations, -- none of which I know how to work -- information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation," Obama said."

Information is a distraction..don't pay attention to it. Just trust that Obama will do what's right for you. No need for inquiry..it's a diversion. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

5/10/2010 10:34:59 PM

the spin on that speech today has been absolutely gorgeous

5/10/2010 10:48:38 PM

For serious.

5/10/2010 11:02:17 PM

Quote :

"Obama press aide Bill Burton was asked about the billboard in today's press gaggle. His reply was, "The President is here to talk about jobs, what his administration has done to create jobs, what we need to do in order to create an environment where small businesses can create jobs. So the answer is, we're on the path to creating more jobs, and we've got a lot more work to do.""

Cap n Tax, Health-care,, ballooning federal debt, spread the wealth etc ... the perfect environment for small business to create jobs.

5/14/2010 11:26:52 AM

^ how exactly does the debt and cap n trade affect small businesses? I presume you're aware of what a "small business" is? And that the tax burden has been reduced on most small businesses? And the health care stuff hasn't even kicked in yet?

All other things being equal, the environment for small businesses to "create jobs" is definitely better now that when bush left.

5/14/2010 8:54:59 PM

I found this line funny from today. "Malia opens my door every morning and asks, "have you plugged the hole yet daddy?""

Gold, will late nighters use it?

5/27/2010 2:08:42 PM

^^^ My guess is that those are all college republicans who had their lives handed to them.

But if they aren't:

http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/801-economy/99915-cbo-finds-stimulus-bill-boosted-job-growth

Quote :

"A report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office shows the Recovery Act has increased the number of workers by between 1.2 million and 2.8 million. The CBO also projects that 3.7 million jobs could be attributed to the stimulus by the end of September. The $787 billion measure included several tax cuts, including one for $400 ($800 per working couple) that showed up in workers' paychecks. It also created Build America Bonds, expanded unemployment insurance and funded several domestic spending programs. Several of these provisions are now being expanded in legislation extending expiring measures that the House could vote on later Wednesday. A rough estimate supplied by House Republicans shows the extender bill increases the cost of the stimulus by approximately $88 billion. A Senate Democratic aide contends the extender bill does not increase the cost of the stimulus. "According to Congress's nonpartisan scorekeeper, the Congressional Budget Office, this bill does not change the cost of the Recovery Act or any other legislation, and to say it does is purely political propaganda," the aide told The Hill. The CBO told The Hill there was no calculation on how the extender bill will affect the cost of the stimulus. Republicans say the extender bill boosts stimulus spending by increasing unemployment insurance by $47 billion; expanding the COBRA subsidy by $7.8 billion; increasing Medicaid payments to states by $24.1 billion; extending the welfare emergency fund by $2.5 billion; modifying Build America Bonds, which costs $4 billion; and by providing $1 billion for summer jobs."

5/27/2010 2:17:10 PM

^How many times do I have to prove the CBO is worthless? Stop posting shit from them.

5/27/2010 2:19:12 PM

Anything that doesn't validate my opinion is worthless or has a liberal bias.

5/27/2010 2:21:03 PM

I thought you were GOD not the CBO. Seriously they are off in their data many times by orders of magnitude. Why anyone would trust them is beyond me.

5/27/2010 2:23:54 PM

Quote :

"My guess is that those are all college republicans who had their lives handed to them."

Ah, yes. We've heard this one before. Luckily, we have you, the enlightened college Democrat that has had his life handed to him, and you know where jobs come from: the government. Why doesn't the government just give everyone a job? That would be the perfect society, wouldn't it? We could eliminate unemployment tomorrow.

5/27/2010 5:09:34 PM

Quote :

" Terror, administration officials say, is a state of mind and a tactic, not an enemy. "

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/27/obamas-new-national-security-strategy-abandons-bushs-unilateralism/

5/27/2010 8:05:38 PM

^^

I'd say so, since they created a few million since Bush destroyed the economy.

5/27/2010 8:09:03 PM

^how did he do that?

Quote :

"Why doesn't the government just give everyone a job? "

Dont laugh but Ive seen a couple people say that here. Sad huh

5/27/2010 8:16:26 PM

What the hell was this bullshit he pulled at his press conference:

Quote :

" Daddy did you plug the leak? "

Listen, this is a big fucking deal stop trying to be cute about it!

5/27/2010 8:29:53 PM

no, it was even better. it was "Daddy, did you plug the hole". lol

5/27/2010 8:37:49 PM

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7144445.ece

Quote :

"Obama secretly deploys US special forces to 75 countries across world President Obama has secretly sanctioned a huge increase in the number of US special forces carrying out search-and-destroy missions against al-Qaeda around the world, with American troops now operating in 75 countries. The dramatic expansion in the use of special forces, which in their global span go far beyond the covert missions authorised by George W. Bush, reflects how aggressively the President is pursuing al-Qaeda behind his public rhetoric of global engagement and diplomacy. When Mr Obama took office US special forces were operating in fewer than 60 countries. In the past 18 months he has ordered a big expansion in Yemen and the Horn of Africa — known areas of strong al-Qaeda activity — and elsewhere in the Middle East, central Asia and Africa. According to The Washington Post, Mr Obama has also approved pre-emptive special forces strikes to disrupt terror plots, and has given the units powers and authority that was not granted by Mr Bush when he occupied the White House. ...."

related....

Quote :

"The End of Dick Cheney's Kill Squads In March 2009, investigative reporter for the New Yorker Seymour Hersh caused a minor controversy by telling an audience in Minnesota that he had uncovered "an executive assassination ring" that the Bush administration operated abroad. "It is a special wing of our special operations community that is set up independently," he said of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). "They do not report to anybody, except in the Bush-Cheney days, they reported directly to the Cheney office." While reports for some time have indicated that the Obama administration has continued and even expanded military special operations throughout the world, it is now clear that he has increased oversight and ended the Bush-era practice running secret military operations directly from the presidential and vice president offices. Since the final years of the Bush administration, JSOC has enjoyed a rapid expansion of duties from intelligence gathering to drone-spotting in Afghanistan to targeting high-value terrorists in places like Somalia and Yemen. Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, the former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell, confirmed that Vice President Dick Cheney would personally give orders to JSOC commanders, circumventing many levels of the chain of command. While the Obama administration has not been accused of similar practices, many reports have shown its increasing use of military special operations through JSOC and through Special Operations Command (SOCOM), which has authority over JSOC. Recently, The Atlantic reported that President Obama has authorized such operations across the globe, expanding the use of secret warfare and the authority of commanders far beyond that of the Bush administration. However, Obama has made an important change to the Bush-era use of military special operations. Rather than operating as a single independent entity run out of the White House, the command of special operations has now been splintered and folded into the traditional chain of command, where it is overseen by regional military commanders as well as the State Department. The Atlantic reported that regional commanders, such General Patraeus of CENTCOM or General Ward of AFRICOM, now have authority over all special operations within their area of command. Today the Washington Post reports that the State Department has been granted oversight of the operations, which must be cleared by the local embassy. (It's unclear who at State, if anyone, would authorize operations in countries where the U.S. has no diplomatic presence, such as Iran.) This would explain why, in December 2009, the State Department began fielding media inquiries about JSOC. There are still some reasons to remain skeptical of Obama's expanded secret warfare, which apparently still lacks judicial review for such controversial policies as JSOC's authority to kill at least one American citizen. Obama's legal authority to launch operations in 75 countries, all but two of which we are not at war with, is also questionable. However, President Obama appears to have brought important improvements in oversight and to have splintered JSOC's once unilateral authority. Whatever your feelings on the use of global secret warfare, surely Cheney's so-called "assassination" squads will not be missed."

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/06/the-end-of-dick-cheneys-kill-squads/57707/

[Edited on June 6, 2010 at 12:51 AM. Reason : .]

6/6/2010 12:45:35 AM

^ that's interesting... Bill Maher in his most recent show commented that Bush shouldn't have ever started the war in Iraq, and should have gone after al-q "Munich style" like the Israelis did back in the day...

6/6/2010 2:10:44 AM

Quote :

"Obama loses the Left: suddenly, it's cool to bash Barack Europe still worships him and Washington's Obamatrons remain smitten, but former supporters are turning on the President, writes Toby Harnden. Well, at least he's still got Sir Paul McCartney. At the White House last week, the 67-year-old crooner was gushing in much the same manner as his own groupies did at Shea Stadium in 1965. "I'm a big fan, he's a great guy," McCartney told American critics of President Barack Obama. "So lay off him, he's doing great." The problem for the President is that even if the former Beatle does speak for billions, the overwhelming majority of those are overseas. Polls show that around 10 per cent of those who voted for Obama in 2008 now disapprove of his performance and the heavy turnout of young people and black voters among the 69 million who back him will not be repeated again. That reality has now begun to dawn on some of Obama's natural constituency - Hollywood and the Left. The "no drama Obama" demeanour that served him so well on the campaign trail is now becoming a liability. Bemoaning Obama's passivity after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the director Spike Lee thundered: "He's very calm, cool, collected. But, one time, go off! If there's any one time to go off, this is it, because this is a disaster." Perhaps their biggest problem is that it was not just McCartney's dyed hair and 1960s songs that seemed so retro. His adulation of Obama struck the wrong chord because few outside the White House bubble are in that place any more. It is now permissible – even fashionable – to have a go at the man once hailed as the Messiah. "

I'm not convinced Obama has "lost" the Left. But I'd agree that they are getting pretty miffed at him. If you ever wondered what it would've been like if Dukakis had won...Here you go.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/7805775/Obama-loses-the-Left-suddenly-its-cool-to-bash-Barack.html

6/7/2010 1:10:46 AM

Probably because i’m the same way, i’m not really concerned that Obama is not prone to strong outward emotions.

I can see how many people wouldn’t understand that though. Humans by and large are very reactive, emotional creatures.

6/7/2010 1:20:19 AM

Personally, the last thing that I want the leader of a nation to show is strong emotion.

6/7/2010 1:29:36 AM

^ that sounds good on paper and all, but kind of falls down when you think about what leadership really is.

A president is more than someone who simply decides a lot of shit. He is what you said he was; a leader. He needs people to follow him. It is not enough to simply decide upon something. If the rest of the nation isn't behind him, that won't last long. Charisma is an important part of effective leadership. It is not the only aspect, but it is an important aspect. Without charisma, you will have a very hard time gaining followers. Without followers, you're not really a leader.

your view that the leader of a nation should never show strong emotion is simplistic, self-serving, and shallow.

6/7/2010 2:11:34 AM

^ lol

were you taking that view when the right was trying to say he was nothing BUT charisma?

6/7/2010 2:40:40 AM

One can be charismatic enough to lead without being reactionary and excessively emotional.

If there's a disaster/tragedy/crisis, a president should not appear crying or outraged, they should appear composed and ready to deal with the problem as quickly as possible.


I understand that most people are emotional messes and like to see someone they can relate to in office, but there's also a reason the democratic process is intended to elect the best society has to offer (not that that really works as intended). What's short-sighted, self-serving, and shallow is placing public relations and appearances before effective and rational action. The right decision isn't always the popular one, and a president shouldn't be afraid to defy the public will or look unpopular if it means genuinely serving the American public.

...Hell, even with regards to public relations, strong emotion can often open up a lot of grounds for criticism by the opposition. There's almost no good reason to show strong emotions in office, besides attempting to placate the stupid (of course, placating the stupid has certainly been an effective re-election strategy for some politicians... feigned outrage is all too common in American politics).

[Edited on June 7, 2010 at 2:44 AM. Reason : .]

6/7/2010 2:42:38 AM

Quote :

"were you taking that view when the right was trying to say he was nothing BUT charisma?"

Are you kidding me or just trying to troll. Here I'll quote myself for ya:

Quote :

"Charisma is an important part of effective leadership. It is not the only aspect, but it is an important aspect."

6/7/2010 11:49:21 AM

CUSSWORD ALERT

SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN

ALL TALK

6/8/2010 9:27:52 AM

You better be careful Marko, he might learn that it is your ass he needs to kick.

6/8/2010 11:39:59 AM

bark bark bark

6/8/2010 11:57:04 AM