Follow Barack Obama prior and during his tenure as the 44th President of the United States. Read about my personal observations along with every day facts as they happen. This blog will only submit factual information about the first black President, now in his 2nd term of office.
BARACK OBAMA MEMORIBILIA available right HERE at www.obamaitems.info

BARACK OBAMA IN THE WHITEHOUSE

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President Bush - A Historic Disappointment for a President

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Another Poll... Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider reports on new poll numbers regarding the public's view of President Bush. As stated in prior articles, at least 75% of the American people are actually glad that George Bush is done. Numbers confirmed in this report unmistakenly show that President Bush is considered one of the worst Presidents ever. Watch the video below, courtesy of CNN and check out the numbers yourself.



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Pat Quinn predicts Blagojevich to be OUT by February 12, 2009

Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn predicts that Blagojevich will be removed from office by February 12, 2009 if he doesn't resign from office which will be the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincolns birth. This birthday of Lincoln is special as it is the bicentennial birthday.
Lincoln said at Gettysburg, "We believe in government of the people and by the people and for the people; it shall not perish from this earth". Pat Quinn told CBS News that "the people of Illinois are not getting the government they deserve,"one that President Abraham Lincoln would approve of. The Lieutenant Governor most likely will take over the Governorship and would hold a special election to fill Obama's Senate seat. He also claims that most likely that would not happen now until next June or July. It appears if Quinn's prophecy is correct, that the Senate will be short one of two Illinois Senators until summer. Apparently the Governor is not concerned that this may happen, as he believes that his rule and appointment of Roland Burris will stand, regardless of what the President-Elect wants or what the people of Illinois want.


Watch CBS Videos Online

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Can the Senate not seat Burris?

Posted: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 1:32 PM by Domenico Montanaro on MSNBC

From NBC's Pete Williams

Earlier this month, Democratic leaders in the U.S. Senate strongly suggested that they might refuse to seat anyone appointed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich to fill the Obama vacancy.

But can the Senate do that? There's reason to think not, and here's why.

In January 1967, Adam Clayton Powell of New York was re-elected by the Harlem district he represented since 1942, despite allegations that he had misused official travel funds and made improper payments to his wife. The House, invoking a provision of the Constitution that says, "Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members," decided that Powell was unqualified and refused to seat him, declaring the seat vacant.

So, he sued.

The Supreme Court ruled -- by a vote of 8 to 1 -- that the House was wrong and that Powell must be seated. The court said in deciding whether to exclude, Congress is limited to considering only whether a member meets the very minimal requirements for office set out in the Constitution.

There have been other cases in which Congress refused to seat incoming members based on allegations of irregularities in elections, and many legal experts believe Congress has the Constitutional authority to examine potential election violations.

But given that Blagojevich is still legally the governor of Illinois and has the sole power to fill vacancies in the U.S. Senate, the Senate's power to refuse to seat his appointee may be far more limited than the leadership was implying.
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Blagojevich appoints Burris in a bold-premeditated move

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

In a bold - premeditated move today, Governor Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris as Obama's successor in the Senate.

President-Elect Barack Obama has formally stated his disapproval of the decision of Illinois Governor Blagojevich to name Roland Burris to fill his Senate seat that was vacated since he has become President-Elect. He claims that Governor Blagojevich has completely ignored his warnings, as Obama has agreed with Senate leaders that Burris will be blocked from the appointment. Obama is again urging the Governor to step down. He has essentially become a lame-duck governor, and eventually will be stripped of the Governorship, as he faces possible impeachment by February.
Unfortunately, if the Senate Democratic leaders block the appointment and do no resolve this issue within a week, the new year will start with one less Democratic Representative in the Senate. Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White claims that the Burris' appointment will not be certified. The Senate does not have to approve of the appointment by Blagojevich, but if there are questions, and most surely there will be, the seat can be vacated by the Senate.
A reaction by Representative Bobby Rush warns other senators that they should not block the appointment, mainly because there are no African-Americans in the U.S. Senate. This is a case where the color of a mans skin might be the reason why he may be allowed to fill the Senate seat.
Burris, a former Attorney General, who is not one of the six people who were originally considered to fill Obama's Senate seat, claims that his appointment by Blagojevich is not about race, but it seems clear to me that the Governor has chosen Burris to make it as difficult as possible for the Senate to overturn his decision.
President-Elect Barack Obama has stated his wishes on this, and hopefully he will be a little more forceful in this matter, communicate with Blagojevich and directly state to the Governor that he disapproves of his appointment. Is he bold enough to actually tell the President-Elect that he will not do what he wishes? It appears to me that only Barack Obama can resolve this issue in a speedily manner.
The American people must understand the situation, and how it was masterminded by a Governor that has been arrested and surely will be impeached if he doesn't step down from office.

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Obama vs. Bush in 2008 - Monumental Differences

Monday, December 29, 2008

2008 is finally coming to a close, but not without the rise and fall of one of the worst presidents in modern history, to a historic election which nominated a black man to become the next President of the United States, in an election where a prior first lady of the United States almost won the nomination to be the Democratic Candidate to run against one of the oldest Republican candidates of all time, who ran with a female to be his Vice-President.
When you look at President Bush, you can't help but wonder where this mans brain was for the last couple of years. Yes, it is true that the President of the United States kind of lives in a bubble, since his direct communication is mostly cutoff from the entire world. His perception of what is happening comes directly from the people around him, and honestly, I think that his staff did a very poor job in advising the President of what was actually happening around the world. I don't think that the President even had much of a chance to watch TV. Everything he sees is usually filtered by the secret service as a form of protection for him and his family. I honestly believe that he didn't have a clue about the economy situation, and most of the other disasters that happened during his term that will define his Presidency. His advisers need nothing less than jail terms, as they ill-advised the President from the war in Iraq, needed disaster relief in New Orleans, National Security that was too low that may have caused the 911 disaster in New York City, to the failing economy. He had a wonderful chance to become one of the most liked Presidents since Ronald Reagan, but instead his popularity fizzled into an all time low for an American President in modern times, mainly due to the Iraq war.
Thousands of people have been killed in a war that we didn't need to be involved with in the first place.Their families will be forever without their loved ones. Possible future children of these dead soldiers will never be born. The reputation of the United States will forever be tarnished with the actions of an administration that failed the American people. And of course the failing economy is topping off the year which is proving to be one of the worst years in history. People's life savings fizzled into almost nothing, and stocks plumited. People lost their homes because of a failing job market. Because of the so-called 'FREDDY' companies, ignorant people signed mortgages that they could never pay back, thus the historic figures of bankruptcy and foreclosures. What a grim outlook 2008 had taken us to.
So now what?! Only in America will a country come together is such difficult times and do the unthinkable in hopes to beat the crises everyone is facing. Only in America will such fierce competition for the White House would produce a black man, Barack Obama to become the next President of the United States. Just 20 days, and the inauguration will be history and we will have a black family in the White House.
No other President in the last fifty years in my opinion will be more ready to take the reigns of this country and do everything in his power to make things better than Barack Obama. He has a level headed mind, including the intelligence, patience, and virtues needed to be a successful President. No other President in modern history drew the attention to him than Barack Obama during the election process. No other President was as popular as Barack Obama before his inauguration. Only time will tell. The present in time always becomes history, and it already is very interesting what the history books will say about Barack Obama, as he has already started writing the history books with his election.
As the days tick down towards the beginning of his Presidency, you can catch glimpses of his actions on a daily basis, as President-Elect Obama announces the creation of his cabinet and other staff positions. He has been virtually busy with work, in direct contrast of the incumbent president, George Bush, who is doing nothing more than trying to help write the history books trying to convince people that he has done things right. Regardless of what he writes, in my opinion, Bush will be known as one of the worst Presidents in U.S. history. Many people will tell you that he's done more for the Iraqi people than he has done for the American People.
Yes, it is true that America was never again attacked since 911, but even the steps that were taken since then could be done much better. With the creation of Homeland Security, not everything has been put in place to secure our borders, especially along the Mexican border. What will Barack do? One thing is for sure, he will do what he can do in his power to protect the American people, starting by pulling out troops from Iraq and put them where they are needed, Afghanistan. He will not initiate such a change in our military presence without a plan of withdrawal which he will demand be kept. He will expect the Afghanistan's to take over their country, assist and run out Al-Kida, the number one group of terrorism in the world in this day and time. Then he will expect the leaders in Afghanistan to control terrorism so that he can send troops home and put an end to our over-bearing presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. I can see no less than 8 years of the Presidency for Barack Obama, as so many people believe that he is the ONLY answer to the worldly problems we now face. Again, another opinion of mine, that Barack Obama will accomplish more good for the American people during his first year in office than President Bush has done in 8 years.
Up front, you can say that I am biased, and I most likely am biased. You can say that I'm a liberal thinker, and that I am. You can say allot about me if you wanted too, but all I'm trying to do is bring out the truth about two Presidents that will have affected our lives and the lives of our children in a day and age where proper leadership is key to health, wealth, security and happiness..

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Political 'POLITICO' videos

Watch the best 2008 Political moments in the following POLITICO video



Watch the Best of Kotecki 2008 Video below by POLITICO

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STRONG, SILENT TYPE

Article Reprint: from the Chicago Sun Times


December 17, 2007

BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter/apallasch@suntimes.com



OBAMA'S LEGAL CAREER He was 'smart, innovative, relentless,' and he mostly let other lawyers do the talking


The oratorical skills White House hopeful Barack Obama has shown on the stump -- and in his "There's not a black America and white America ... there's the United States of America" speech -- would seem to make him a natural for wowing juries.
So why did Obama never make impassioned speeches in court when he returned to Chicago from Harvard Law School in the early '90s to, as his Web site says, "practice as a civil rights lawyer"?
A review of the cases Obama worked on during his brief legal career shows he played the "strong, silent type" in court, introducing himself and his client, then stepping aside to let other lawyers do the talking.
Only once did Obama appear before the prestigious 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, where Judge Richard Posner is legendary for tearing into inexperienced lawyers. But Posner knew Obama as a fellow senior lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School and kept his grilling polite. Obama never lost his cool, and he won the case.
Obama campaigns as a Harvard Law grad but never claims to match the courtroom skills of rival John Edwards, who won multimillion-dollar verdicts for his clients; or even of Hillary Clinton, whom opposing counsel remember as a formidable adversary during 15 years as a litigator at Little Rock's Rose Law Firm.
Obama admits he played a mostly behind-the-scenes role at his law firm, Miner Barnhill & Galland. He researched the law, drafted motions, prepared for depositions and did other less glamorous work during his three years full-time and eight years "of counsel" to the firm. Many trial lawyers spend their time similarly, part of a trend over the last 20 years of settling a greater percentage of cases before trial.
"I was an associate, and a lot of my work was in the research and writing," Obama told the Sun-Times on Sunday.
"I was one of the better writers. I ended up doing the more cerebral writing, less trial work," Obama added. "That's actually something I regret -- not doing more trial work."
"He wrote lots of substantial memos, but he didn't try any cases," said Judson Miner, a partner in the firm who was Obama's boss.
A search of all the cases in Cook County Circuit Court in which Obama made an appearance since he graduated from Harvard in 1991 shows: Zero.
His practice was confined mainly to federal court in Chicago, where he made formal appearances in only five district court cases and another five in cases before the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals -- a total of 10 cases in his legal career. He was on the winning side of just about all those cases. Miner said there were 30 cases to which Obama contributed in some way.


Drove 'Motor Voter' victory


In 1995, former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar refused to implement the federal "Motor Voter" law, which Republicans argued could invite fraud and which some Republicans feared could swell the ranks of Democratic voters.
The law mandated people be allowed to register to vote in government offices such as driver's license renewal centers.
Obama sued on behalf of ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. The League of Women Voters and other public-interest groups joined in.
"He and his client were the ones who filed the original case -- they blazed the trail," said Paul Mollica, who represented the League.
Transcripts show that at court hearings, Obama identified himself, then let Mollica begin speaking. Maria Valdez of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund sometimes spoke. The U.S. Justice Department joined in.
Letting the heavy-hitters at the Justice Department make the arguments appears to have been a sound strategy -- Obama's side won, even without him talking.
"Obama was involved to some extent in the legal work, but he was not the leader in actually litigating the thing -- Paul [Mollica] probably was the leader of the coalition and did most of the legal work," said David Melton, who represented Cook County Clerk David Orr. "Obama did have some expertise in certain constitutional aspects of the case."


He was just 'a young kid'


"Barack was a young kid when he came here," Miner said. "Senior lawyers are not going to be very deferential to Barack. He was not 'THE Barack Obama' yet." Obama was 32 in 1993, having entered law school at 27.
After Obama's side won in court, Edgar appealed. Obama's side won again -- without Obama talking. The lawyers then gathered in a small room in the courthouse to decide how to push the state to fix the problems.
"We had a raucous meeting shortly after the remand, and Barack was a very adamant spokesman for taking a very aggressive stance to try to repair the damage," Mollica said. "He's the one who put a charge in us that it was time to move and hold the state accountable."
Around that time, Obama announced he was running for state Senate and bowed out of the case.


Fought red-lining


Obama represented Calvin Roberson in a 1994 lawsuit against Citibank, charging the bank systematically denied mortgages to African-American applicants and others from minority neighborhoods.
"I don't recall him ever standing up and giving an impassioned speech -- it was a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff," said Fay Clayton, the lead lawyer on the case.
"He was the very junior lawyer in that case," said attorney Robert Kriss. "He had just graduated from law school. I don't recall him being in court at any time I was there. I was the lead lawyer for Citibank and he was not very visible to me."
Kriss, Clayton and every other co-counsel and opposing counsel interviewed for this story praised Obama's legal ability, temperament and everything about his courtroom demeanor, even though, they agree, he didn't say much in the courtroom. Many are now donors to his campaign.
On Feb. 23, 1995, Obama billed 2 hours and 50 minutes for an appearance before Judge Ruben Castillo on behalf of his client, and also for reviewing some documents in advance of a deposition. That cost Citibank -- which ultimately had to pay the winning side's fees -- $467 at Obama's hourly rate of $165.
Miner commanded the higher rate of $285 an hour. During his appearance before the judge, Obama said he would need more time to file a response to a motion, and the judge agreed. That was all Obama said during the half-hour hearing.
His final bill on the case was 138 hours, or $23,000.
Obama had offers from more prestigious, higher-paying firms. But he chose to work for Miner -- former Mayor Harold Washington's counsel -- because of his firm's focus on civil rights litigation and community redevelopment.
Obama was also recruited in law school by developer Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who back then had a reputation as "a star" of the urban renewal movement in Chicago. More recently, Rezko was indicted for allegedly using his clout with elected officials to amass taxpayer funds for self-enrichment.
Rezko was a client of the Miner firm, and Obama worked on some of his redevelopment projects. Miner says Obama put in six to seven hours of work on Rezko projects. He has not produced detailed records of Obama's billings on the cases.
The firm was headed by Allison Davis, who eventually left the firm to become a developer of low-income housing himself, sometimes in partnership with Rezko. Obama worked on some of those projects.
Rezko and his friends have donated at least $168,000 to Obama's campaigns over the years.


'Nuances' over simple answers


During Obama's three years working as a full-time associate at Miner's firm, Miner noticed some of the qualities that have become known as his strengths and weaknesses on the campaign trail:
"As smart as he is, he is very quick to appreciate all kinds of nuances with legal issues," Miner said. "He finds it very hard to shoot back a real quick, simple answer. His instinct was to better understand what the nuances were."


Defending a whistleblower


In 1994, Obama went before the 7th Circuit to defend Ahmad Baravati, a trader blackballed by his bosses after he reported them for fraud.
An arbitrator awarded Baravati $60,000 in damages plus $120,000 in punitive damages against the former bosses.
They appealed, saying arbitrators don't have the power to award punitive damages.
Obama had a tough job because the same court had ruled a week earlier that an arbitrator could not award punitive damages. But Obama convinced them this case was different.
"You're suggesting that there's a federal common law that likes punitive damages, but this could be preempted by a state law that says 'no punitive damages,'" Posner told Obama.
"I don't think I'm saying there's a federal law that 'likes punitive damages,'" Obama responded, not dropping his tone of respect. "I think what I'm saying is that there's a federal law that likes the notion that the same remedies that will be available in court will be available in arbitration."
Obama won, and Baravati got to keep the extra $120,000. He still is grateful.
"I found he's a very smart, innovative, skilled, relentless advocate for his client," Baravati said. "When I met him, he reminded me of Abraham Lincoln."
After three years doing "first-rate" work as an associate, Obama was elected to the state Senate, and Miner offered to keep him on salary and let him open a Springfield branch of the firm.
"He's such an honest guy. On the third day, he calls me up, 'Jud, I'm not going to have any time here, so I don't want to take a draw,'" Miner recalled him saying.
So instead, Obama became "of counsel," working out of the office during the Legislature's summer breaks until he was elected to the U.S. Senate.
Obama said he laments missing his chance to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court a case he had helped brief on behalf of a psychologist fired by Cook County for blowing the whistle on the county mis-spending a federal grant. Obama was launching his U.S. Senate campaign at the time. His firm won the case.

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OBAMA's SHOES - Priceless

Sunday, December 28, 2008

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Barack Obama - Admired By So Many People ...

Well, you can live with them and I guess you can't live without them. More polls.... This time, a survey of 1,008 adults, taken by landline and cell phone Dec. 12-14, has an error margin of plus or minus 3 percent, claiming that Barack Obama is the one person that Americans admire the most. But is admiring a person something that should last forever?After the so called honeymoon prior to becoming the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama is running high in popularity amongst most people. Appearently he has done everything right, but how long will that last? Since he is only human, that should at least allow him to make some mistakes, doesn't it? In this case, a good majority of people believe that he is so fit to be the next President of the United States, and that he will rarely make a wrong decision in office. Sometimes a decision can only be decided as actually being right or wrong when after a time passes and the answer surfaces itself. But what Barack must do is make those gut wrenching decisions with his Cabinet with the hope that most everyone of these decisions will be correct. One thing that I'm pretty sure about this man, is that he would never start a war, and turn a country completely upside down like his predicessor George Bush. I'm pretty sure that people will not look back at his Presidency 4 or maybe even 8 years later and call him a failure or one of the worst Presidents in modern time. I think he is already safe from winning that poll. If he plays his cards right, he will be one of the most admired people of all time, even more admired than Ronald Reagan.
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Obama's stand on Cuba

During the past 8 years, President Bush tightened his grip against Cuba, not alowing people to visit freely or even to be able to send money to Cuba. But now it appears that what Barack Obama may do is to allow Cuban-Americans to visit more frequently, along with allowing them to send more money to the island.At the present time, there is a trade and travel embargo, and has been since 1962 in an attempt to bring down Fidel Castro's government. For 50 years now, the only thing proven is that the embargo doesn't work, and is actually counterproductive towards positive results and besides, there is no international support.
Just recently Castro at age 82, has ceded his presidency to his brother Raul Castro, now at age 77. Nothing likely seems forthcoming anytime soon of any fundamental changes in the Cuban government and their policies. According to msnbc.com, 'Obama has promised to lift limits that President George W. Bush tightened on Cuban-Americans wanting to visit and send money to relatives. He also says he's open to a dialogue with Raul Castro — something the Cuban president has indicated he would welcome.'Maybe what Obama might do is to see if Congress could act in eliminating the embargo altogether, which will allow Americans to freely travel to Cuba.This would bring a boost in the economy in Cuba, as visitors would spend their money in Cuba. At the present time, Barack Obama supports the Embargo, but it is almost certain that he will do whatever can be done to help the cause between Cuba and the United States. If he does, then it will be just another bold move by a man who seems to tackle most any problem that comes his way. It is my personal opinion that Obama may outperform President Bush very early in his presidency, which will highlight just how good a President he is, along with how bad President Bush was while in office.

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Obama talks to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the Phone

President-Elect Barack Obama decided to call the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Saturday. Barack just won't stay still, as he disgussed issues concerning violence in Gaza, which left over 200 people dead according to aids to CNN. It appears that Israel has been pounding targets in Gaza, aimed against Palestinian militants who continuesly plague southern Israel with rocket attacks.
Another pledge by Obama, to make the Middle East peace process a priority right from the time he takes office. During the election, he vowed to back Israel and people are looking forward in seeing if he keeps his promises. Lately, he has made a few, and he appears to be more than ready to begin his journey. People who became involved in the election who voted for Barack Obama for President may have too high of expectations of his administration. His campaign was centered around 'hope', and that is just what so many people are doing now. But right now, both Palestine and Israel are not ready to make political decisions to create common ground in their principles, and until they come to grips with each other and mutually want peace, there is not much President Elect Obama can do in the Mid-East. So it will be extremely interesting to see how he attempts to bridge the gap between Israel and Palestine.

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President-Elect Christmas Address

Thursday, December 25, 2008

President Elect Barack Obama in his weekly address talks about the men and women serving in foreign countries during the holidays and the sacrifice they are making away from their families. This year, it is especially difficult for families, due to the failing economy, but Obama promises better days ahead.
A full transcript of the speech is immediately below.



Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama
Holiday Radio Address
December 27, 2008


Good morning. This week, Americans are gathering with family and friends across the country to celebrate the blessings of Christmas and the holiday season.

As we celebrate this joyous time of year, our thoughts turn to the brave men and women who serve our country far from home. Their extraordinary and selfless sacrifice is an inspiration to us all, and part of the unbroken line of heroism that has made our freedom and prosperity possible for over two centuries.

Many troops are serving their second, third, or fourth tour of duty. And we are reminded that they are more than dedicated Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guard – they are devoted fathers and mothers; husbands and wives; sons and daughters; and sisters and brothers.

This holiday season, their families celebrate with a joy that is muted knowing that a loved one is absent, and sometimes in danger. In towns and cities across America, there is an empty seat at the dinner table; in distant bases and on ships at sea, our servicemen and women can only wonder at the look on their child’s face as they open a gift back home.

Our troops and military families have won the respect and gratitude of their broader American family. Michelle and I have them in our prayers this Christmas, and we must all continue to offer them our full support in the weeks and months to come. .

These are also tough times for many Americans struggling in our sluggish economy. As we count the higher blessings of faith and family, we know that millions of Americans don’t have a job. Many more are struggling to pay the bills or stay in their homes. From students to seniors, the future seems uncertain.

That is why this season of giving should also be a time to renew a sense of common purpose and shared citizenship. Now, more than ever, we must rededicate ourselves to the notion that we share a common destiny as Americans – that I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper. Now, we must all do our part to serve one another; to seek new ideas and new innovation; and to start a new chapter for our great country.

That is the spirit that will guide my Administration in the New Year. If the American people come together and put their shoulder to the wheel of history, then I know that we can put our people back to work and point our country in a new direction. That is how we will see ourselves through this time of crisis, and reach the promise of a brighter day.

After all, that is what Americans have always done.

232 years ago, when America was newly born as a nation, George Washington and his Army faced impossible odds as they struggled to free themselves from the grip of an empire.

It was Christmas Day—December 25th, 1776 – that they fought through ice and cold to make an improbable crossing of the Delaware River. They caught the enemy off guard, won victories in Trenton and Princeton, and gave new momentum to a beleaguered Army and new hope to the cause of Independence.

Many ages have passed since that first American Christmas. We have crossed many rivers as a people. But the lessons that have carried us through are the same lessons that we celebrate every Christmas season—the same lessons that guide us to this very day: that hope endures, and that a new birth of peace is always possible.

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The 'Paparazzi' in action taking photos of the future First Family in Hawaii

While Barack Obama takes a little vacation in Hawaii this past week thinking he was in privacy, the picture takers somehow found a way to take some shots of the future first family. The Paparazzi managed to take several pictures at Obama's vacation resort, and even took pictures of the two children. The Obama's were upset about the invasion of privacy of their children, but I would seriously believe that when the Obama's take residence in the White House, their children will be well protected from the photographers. Mrs. Obama will do everything in her power to make sure of that. She has stated from time to time that their children will live a normal life even though now they will be the Presidents children. Only time will tell. But knowing how the paparazzi can invade your privacy regardless of your wishes, or whether it is right or wrong, it may be more difficult for the new first family to have the privacy they desire as occupants of the White House. View the CNN videos below to see what the reporters have to say about this subject.



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Barack Obama's Honeymoon prior to Inauguration

Honeymoons.. Well Barack Obama is defining what a Presidential Honeymoon is all about. Appearently he knows how to do things right, and if his pre-presidency period is any indication of how he may do, just checkout these numbers as they stand now.

82% of Americans are happy with the way Obama is handling his transition. Even 61% of the republicans like him. He is scoring very high on his cabinet picks. 80% approve of his so called team of rivals. Scoring 20% better than Bush did in 2001. Obama is tough enough and the public express confidence in his leadership. 15% higher than Reagan, and 23% higher than Clinton.

Watch the CNN video below and discover how his honeymoon is shaping up....

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The Inaguration Bible - Used by President Lincoln

Tuesday, December 23, 2008





The day is near. President-Elect Obama will be sworn into office on January 20, 2009. Most Presidents state their oath of office using a special Bible, for example their personal family bible. But this President-Elect has decided to use the exact bible that President Abraham Lincoln used when he became President. Barack Obama has identified Lincoln as the one President from the past he admires the most, and is taking great pride and honor in having the ability to use the same bible that is part of the collection at the Library of Congress in his inauguration. Library officers will accompany the bible to the inauguration and will take it back to the Library of Congress that happens to be just accross the street from the inauguration site. It is not believed to be harmful to the aged bible that is being preserved in a special air-tight box stored in a hiddle place at the Library of Congress. Anyone who handles the bible wears gloves, but it is not expected that Barack Obama will be required to wear gloves during his ceremony. Also noted, hopefully the weather will be good, with no snow or rain. If the weather is less than perfect, it is not known if the bible will be used. My guess would be that another bible, maybe the Obama family bible will be present just in case needed for the inauguration. Most likely, the use of the Lincoln bible will be a last minute decision, especially if the weather is less than perfect.

In the back of the volume, along with the Seal of the Supreme Court, is the following:

I, William Thomas Carroll, clerk of the said court do hereby certify that the
preceding copy of the Holy Bible is that upon which the Honble. R. B. Taney,
Chief Justice of the said Court, administered to His Excellency, Abraham
Lincoln, the oath of office as President of the United States….

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Rahm Emanuel plagued by Blogojevich, but should be cleared soon!

Sunday, December 21, 2008


Illinois Gov. Rod Blogojevich has been nothing short of poison for the Democratic pick for Obama as incoming chief of staff. Why is the Governor considered poison. Because Rahm Emanuel spoke regularly to the Democratic governor. The FBI has taped conversations between the Governor and other people. The question is whether Rahm Emanuel tried to influence Blagojevich to swap appointment of Obama's Senate successor for cash or a job. President-Elect states up front that Rahm Emanuel is innocent of any charges. He will present details about his transition staff's contact with the ill-fated Governor, who is almost sure to face impeachment to be removed from office no later than the end of January if he doesn't resign from office before then. Tuesday will be the day Obama will release an internal report, or maybe on Monday. The report should clear Rahm Emanuel of any wrong doing with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
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Obama Promises JOBS - 3 Times as many as in his Campaign

President-Elect Barack Obama makes another bold statement raising his expectations of job creations for the next two years from a predicted about of 2.5 million to 3 million. During his campaign, he pledged to save 1 million during his campaign, then just last week he upped the ante to 2.5 million, and now he claims 3 million. That is 3 times as many jobs as he stated in his campaign. The transformation is supposed to be one of the first things that will enacted right after Obama takes office.

I just wanted to state up front that for a man not even in the office yet, he
has been promising allot to the American people. Is it just to steep of a
promise??!!! I hope not, just like most American people who want to dream about
better times. Or will it be one of a long series of broken promises. If he does
bring jobs like he claims he will in the next two years, I could already see his
re-election for a second term in 2011. Likewise, his promises can blow up and
work against him, if the American people see that all he has been promising is
empty promises.
Again, this blog will highlight all of the newsworthy
stories, good and bad. The goal here will be to give readers of this blog the
correct news and information as it happens.

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More Economic team members announced by Obama Fri. Dec. 19, 2008

What the following picture show of President-Elect Barack Obama. Read another speech as he announced additional members. (Obama speech in blue)

Friday, December 19, 2008 04:58pm EST / Posted by Dave Rochelson

“Jobs and wages” are the way to measure the strength of the economy, President-elect Barack Obama said as he announced additional members of his economic team, including the Secretaries-designate of Labor and Transportation.
“I know we will be headed in the right direction again when we are creating jobs, instead of losing them, and when Americans are gaining ground in terms of their incomes, instead of treading water or falling behind,” President-elect Obama said.
He announceed Congresswoman Hilda Solis as Secretary of Labor; former Congressman Ray LaHood as Secretary of Transportation; Karen Mills as Administrator of the Small Business Administration; and former Mayor Ron Kirk as United States Trade Representative.
“The appointees announced today will play an integral role in our efforts to turn our economy around,” he said.
In addition to announcing the appointments, the President-elect opened the press conference with remarks on what he called the Bush administration’s “necessary step” of promising emergency loans to the auto industry.
“The auto companies must not squander this chance to reform bad management practices and begin the long-term restructuring that is absolutely necessary to save this critical industry and the millions of American jobs that depend on it, while also creating the fuel-efficient cars of the future,” he said.
You can see photos from the event and read the text of the President-elect’s remarks below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/changedotgov/sets/72157611426248418/show/

Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama
Labor, Transportation, USTR, SBA Announcements
Friday, December 19, 2008
Chicago, Illinois


Good afternoon.
Before we begin, I’d like to say a few words about the necessary step taken today to help avoid a collapse in our auto industry that would have devastating consequences for our economy and our workers. With the short-term assistance provided by this package, the auto companies must bring all their stakeholders together – including labor, dealers, creditors and suppliers – to make the hard choices necessary to achieve long-term viability. The auto companies must not squander this chance to reform bad management practices and begin the long-term restructuring that is absolutely necessary to save this critical industry and the millions of American jobs that depend on it, while also creating the fuel-efficient cars of the future.
Whenever I have been asked how I measure the strength of the American economy, my answer is simple: jobs and wages. I know we will be headed in the right direction again when we are creating jobs, instead of losing them, and when Americans are gaining ground in terms of their incomes, instead of treading water or falling behind. In recent weeks, I’ve announced members of my economic team who will help us make progress in these areas.
Today, I’m announcing several other appointees who will play an integral role in our efforts to turn our economy around: Congresswoman Hilda Solis as Secretary of Labor; former Congressman Ray LaHood as Secretary of Transportation; Karen Mills as Administrator of the Small Business Administration; and Mayor Ron Kirk as United States Trade Representative. Together with the appointees I’ve already announced, these leaders will help craft a 21st Century Economic Recovery Plan, with the goal of creating two and a half million new jobs and strengthening our economy for the future.
If jobs and incomes are our yardsticks, then the success of the American worker is key to the success of the American economy. For the past eight years, the Department of Labor has not lived up to its role either as an advocate for hardworking families or as an arbiter of fairness in relations between labor and management. That will change when Hilda Solis is Secretary of Labor. Under her leadership, I am confident that the Department of Labor will once again stand up for working families.
Hilda has always been an advocate for everyday people. When she received an award several years ago, she said, “Fighting for what is just is not always popular, but it is necessary.” And that is exactly what she has done throughout her career, blazing new trails every step of the way. Whether it’s creating green jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced or expanding access to affordable health care or raising the minimum wage in California, Hilda has been a champion of our middle class. And I know that Hilda will show the same kind of leadership as Secretary of Labor that she showed in California and on the Education and Labor Committee by protecting workers’ rights – from organizing to collective bargaining, from keeping our workplaces safe to making our unions strong.
Standing up for our workers means putting them back to work and fueling economic growth. Our economy boomed in the 20th Century when President Eisenhower remade the American landscape by building the interstate highway system. Now we need to remake our transportation system for the 21st Century. Doing so will not only help us meet our energy challenge by building more efficient cars, buses, and subways or make Americans safer by rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges – it will create millions of new jobs in the process.
Few understand our infrastructure challenge better than the outstanding public servant I am asking to lead the Department of Transportation – Ray LaHood. As a Congressman from Illinois, Ray served six years on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, leading efforts to modernize our aviation system by renewing our aging airports and ensuring that air traffic controllers were using cutting edge technology. Throughout his career, Ray has fought to improve mass transit and invest in our highways. But he has not only helped rebuild our landscape, he has helped beautify it by creating opportunities for bikers and runners to enjoy our great outdoors. When I began this appointment process, I said I was committed to finding the best person for the job, regardless of party. Ray’s appointment reflects that bipartisan spirit – a spirit we need to reclaim in this country to make progress for the American people.
To strengthen our economy, we must also strengthen the small businesses that are its backbone. I can think of no one better to lead this effort as Administrator of the Small Business Administration than Karen Mills. With Karen at the helm, America’s small businesses will have a partner in Washington, helping them create jobs and spur growth in communities across this country. A venture capitalist who invests in small businesses, Karen understands the challenges faced by both small business owners and the workers they employ. With a background in the private sector and experience helping Maine’s governor promote growth across the state, I am confident that Karen will lead an SBA that will not only help small business owners realize their dreams, but help our nation rebuild our economy.
We also know that the success of American businesses, small and large, depends on their ability to sell their products across the globe. That is why we must engage in strong, robust trade and open doors for American products. In our global economy, we must compete and win if we are going to strengthen our middle class and forge bonds with other nations that can contribute to peace and stability around the world. But I also believe that any trade agreement we sign must be written not just with the interests of big corporations in mind, but with the interests of our whole nation and our workers at heart.
Ron Kirk understands this better than just about anyone. As Mayor of Dallas, Ron helped steer one of the world’s largest economies. He has seen the promise of trade, but also its pitfalls. And he knows there is nothing inconsistent about standing up for free trade and standing up for American workers. During his tenure as Mayor, Ron brought different groups together to create jobs, invest in the community, and spur economic growth. As a leader, negotiator, and principled proponent of trade, Ron will help make sure that any agreements I sign as President protect the rights of all workers, promote the interests of all Americans, and preserve the planet we all share.
With these outstanding appointees, I have filled out our economic team, and done so at an earlier point than any President in history, because we face challenges unlike any we have faced in generations.
Daunting as the challenges we are inheriting may be, I’m convinced that our team and the American people are prepared to meet them. It will take longer than any of us would like – years, and not months. It will get worse before it gets better. But it will get better – if we’re willing to act boldly and swiftly. And that is what we will do when I am President of the United States.


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12/20/08 President Obama's Weekly Address

Another weekly address by President-Elect Barack Obama, he now has name named people to advise him in science and technology. Also, make note the broad sprectrum of experience he has elected to assist him. You can also read along with the video presentation, as the written speech is contained immediately below. (blue font)




In the latest weekly address, President-elect Barack Obama took a bold stand for making decisions based on science and facts rather than ideology as he introduced leading members of his science and technology team.

“The truth is that promoting science isn’t just about providing resources—it’s about protecting free and open inquiry,” President-elect Obama said. “It’s about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology. It’s about listening to what our scientists have to say, even when it’s inconvenient—especially when it’s inconvenient. Because the highest purpose of science is the search for knowledge, truth and a greater understanding of the world around us. That will be my goal as President of the United States—and I could not have a better team to guide me in this work.”

President-elect Obama announced his appointment of Dr. John Holdren as Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Co-Chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). He also announced Dr. Harold Varmus and Dr. Eric Lander as the other co-chairs of PCAST, which the President-elect said he hopes will be “a vigorous external advisory council that will shape my thinking on the scientific aspects of my policy priorities.” Addtionally, he named Dr. Jane Lubchenco as his choice to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“I am confident that if we recommit ourselves to discovery,” President-elect Obama said,” if we support science education to create the next generation of scientists and engineers right here in America; if we have the vision to believe and invest in things unseen, then we can lead the world into a new future of peace and prosperity.”

Saturday, December 20, 2008 06:00am EST / Posted by Dave Rochelson

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Remarks of the President-Elect Barack Obama
Science Team Rollout Radio Address
Friday, December 17, 2008
Chicago, Illinois,


Over the past few weeks, Vice President-Elect Biden and I have announced some of the leaders who will advise us as we seek to meet America’s twenty-first century challenges, from strengthening our security, to rebuilding our economy, to preserving our planet for our children and grandchildren. Today, I am pleased to announce members of my science and technology team whose work will be critical to these efforts.

Whether it’s the science to slow global warming; the technology to protect our troops and confront bioterror and weapons of mass destruction; the research to find life-saving cures; or the innovations to remake our industries and create twenty-first century jobs—today, more than ever before, science holds the key to our survival as a planet and our security and prosperity as a nation. It is time we once again put science at the top of our agenda and worked to restore America’s place as the world leader in science and technology.

Right now, in labs, classrooms and companies across America, our leading minds are hard at work chasing the next big idea, on the cusp of breakthroughs that could revolutionize our lives. But history tells us that they cannot do it alone. From landing on the moon, to sequencing the human genome, to inventing the Internet, America has been the first to cross that new frontier because we had leaders who paved the way: leaders like President Kennedy, who inspired us to push the boundaries of the known world and achieve the impossible; leaders who not only invested in our scientists, but who respected the integrity of the scientific process.

Because the truth is that promoting science isn’t just about providing resources—it’s about protecting free and open inquiry. It’s about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology. It’s about listening to what our scientists have to say, even when it’s inconvenient—especially when it’s inconvenient. Because the highest purpose of science is the search for knowledge, truth and a greater understanding of the world around us. That will be my goal as President of the United States—and I could not have a better team to guide me in this work.

Dr. John Holdren has agreed to serve as Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. John is a professor and Director of the Program on Science, Technology, and Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, as well as President and Director of the Woods Hole Research Center. A physicist renowned for his work on climate and energy, he’s received numerous honors and awards for his contributions and has been one of the most passionate and persistent voices of our time about the growing threat of climate change. I look forward to his wise counsel in the years ahead.

John will also serve as a Co-Chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology—or PCAST—as will Dr. Harold Varmus and Dr. Eric Lander. Together, they will work to remake PCAST into a vigorous external advisory council that will shape my thinking on the scientific aspects of my policy priorities.

Dr. Varmus is no stranger to this work. He is not just a path-breaking scientist, having won a Nobel Prize for his research on the causes of cancer—he also served as Director of the National Institutes of Health during the Clinton Administration. I am grateful he has answered the call to serve once again.

Dr. Eric Lander is the Founding Director of the Broad Institute at MIT and Harvard and was one of the driving forces behind mapping the human genome—one of the greatest scientific achievements in history. I know he will be a powerful voice in my Administration as we seek to find the causes and cures of our most devastating diseases.

Finally, Dr. Jane Lubchenco has accepted my nomination as the Administrator of NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is devoted to conserving our marine and coastal resources and monitoring our weather. An internationally known environmental scientist and ecologist and former President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Jane has advised the President and Congress on scientific matters, and I am confident she will provide passionate and dedicated leadership at NOAA.

Working with these leaders, we will seek to draw on the power of science to both meet our challenges across the globe and revitalize our economy here at home. And I’ll be speaking more after the New Year about how my Administration will engage leaders in the technology community and harness technology and innovation to create jobs, enhance America’s competitiveness and advance our national priorities.

I am confident that if we recommit ourselves to discovery; if we support science education to create the next generation of scientists and engineers right here in America; if we have the vision to believe and invest in things unseen, then we can lead the world into a new future of peace and prosperity.

Thank you.


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Education Secretary and Interior Secretary Posts Filled..

Tuesday, December 16, 2008








Yesterday was a big day for Barack Obama as he continues to elect people to fill important posts in the government. He also picked Arne Duncan (pictured left) as the education secretary and for interior secretary, he picked Senator Ken Salazar(pictured right). As in the past, President-Elect Obama has chosen another candidate from the Chicago area, as Duncan has been acting head of the Chicago pubic school system since 2001. He also worked to create educational opportunites for 6 years for inner-city students in Chicago. Also a Harvard Law graduate, he has been seen playing basketball with Obama during the election and on election day.
Ken Salazar from the state of Colorado, is also a first term senator who was mainly involved in public land and energy resources issues during this brief time in the Senate. With him leaving the Senate, some may think that the balance of power in the Senate may be jeopardized. Since there is a Democratic Governor in Colorado named Bill Ritter at this time, you can be sure that Ritter would name a Democratic replacement. Now with these latest announcements Barack Obama now has completed his environment and energy team.

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Today, Barrack Obama was Officially Elected 44th President

Monday, December 15, 2008

You may have thought that on Nov 4th, Barack Obama was elected President. Yes and no. Actually, he was not formally elected until today. Today was one of those very official days, especially for Barack Obama. Equally important for winning the election and becoming President-Elect since November 4th, he now has been formally elected as the 44th President of the United States.
Today, December 15, 2008, electors in a cerimonial procedure accross state capitals which is a mandated procedure spelled out in the Constitution have pushed Barack Obama above the 270 mark in electoral votes needed to win the election. The tally was confirmed by the Associated Press.

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New Energy and Environment Heads named by Barack Obama


When it comes to energy, President-Elect Barack Obama has vowed in his campaign to move away from fossil fuels and lean towards renewable energy. His goal, to create a cleaner resource of fuel, energy efficiency and a clear shot in the ability to tackle the challenge of climate change. Finally, he announces his energy and environment team, including Nobel-prize-winning physicist Steven Chu as Energy secretary and former Environmental Protection Agency head Carol Browner in a new position to coordinate climate policy and energy. Lisa Jackson has been named as the director of the EPA,along with Nancy Sutley named the head of the Council on Environmental Quality.
Chu will oversee the nation's nuclear weapons and their cleanup and will supervise research into both traditional and renewable forms of energy. Unlike Bush, Obama supports our government scientists and he is sending a clear signal to the current administration that his new administration will make decisions based on the facts and that bold action will be a result of the facts.
Browner, now the acting climate and energy coordinator will direct efforts of federal agencies, which includes the Department of Energy, the Transportation Department, the Commerce Department, the EPA and Interior Department. She has been around Washington for a while, so she has a good idea what must be done to get laws successfully implemented that support Barack Obama's desires concerning energy.
Others chosen received their job because of their experience, for example Nancy Sutley was an EPA staffer during the Clinton Administration and served under Browner. It may look like more of the same with Washington Insiders involved, but according to Karen Wayland, the legislative director for the Natural Resources Defense Council " You couldn't ask for a bigger change from what we had over the past eight years."
So why the big change in policy reflecting back to George Bush? Obama states that his major reason to move away from fossil fuels and toward cleaner energy sources is a big part of his plan to start the economy. He says "We can spark the dynamism of our economy through a long-term investment in renewable energy," he said. "We can create millions of jobs, starting with a 21st- century economic recovery plan that puts Americans to work building wind farms, solar panels, and fuel-efficient cars." The upcoming stimulus package will be geared towards helping Obama achieve these goals.
It appears that Barack Obama has a clear plan concerning the future of energy and environmental issues, and should come out swinging on January 20th when he becomes the new President.

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An Economic Stimulas package around the corner? How about the Cost?

Sunday, December 14, 2008

As since he has done since his election, Obama stays hard at work laying down the ground floor to his ideas that he hopes will turn into reality when he becomes President in a little over a month. He plans on meeting with his economic team to work on an economic stimulus package that may cost somewhere between $500 billion to $700 billion dollars over a two year time frame. The bill if passed will be one of the first that he will sign soon after the beginning of his presidency. Also slated are funds for infrastructure projects, aid to local and state governments, cuts for the middle class, and money to fill in the gaps for food stamps and Medicaid. Because of the failing economy, President-Elect Obama doesn't have much time to turn things around. Some critics think that he will be acting too soon, as do the Conservatives, who now believe that Barack Obama will continue to spiral the Federal deficit deeper into the ground. But is there another way to get out of this? If there is, no one has come forward with it. Again, let's give Barack some room, and some credit for what he wants to do, and let's make sure that we criticism him for what he does, both good and bad. I don't think that there will be much room for criticism for what he doesn't attempt to do, because it appears now that he will not be ignoring any issues. Ultimately it will the Congress who will pass or reject the bills if they are to become the law of the land. The congress that works with the 44th President of the United States should be the busiest in U.S. history.

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Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States

Just 37 Days Away....

One of the most expensive parties that Barack Obama will have attended in his lifetime will be the inauguration ball. Barack Obama has recently stated that they most likely will be toned down, but never-the-less, he is looking forward to them. But what are they truly celebrating?

An easy answer, the participants of the ball will be celebrating the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama. it is the official day that the President of the United States is sworn into office. The ball along with other activites are in place to honor the incoming president with formal ceremonies, including a Presidential Swearing-in Ceremony, an Inaugural Address and parade.

On January 20, 2009, on the steps of the U.S. Capital in Washington D.C. Barack Obama will take office.

The following are the words that he will state, just after Joe Biden takes a similar oath.

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."


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President-Elect Obama's Weekly Address on the Economy Saturday, December 13, 2008

Listen to Barack Obama's latest radio address to the American people, courtesy of CNN, this time highlighting the economy. He also introduces the new Secretary of Housing and Urban developement, Shaun Donovan. Both supplied by CNN, watch the video below and read the speech immediately below the video.



Remarks of President-elect Barack Obama
Radio Address on the Economy
Saturday, December 13, 2008


Good morning.

Earlier this week, we learned that the number of Americans filing their first claim for unemployment insurance rose to a nearly 30-year high. This news reflects the pain that’s been rippling across our entire economy. Jobs are being cut. Wages are being slashed. Credit is tight and people can’t get loans. In cities and towns all across this country, families enter a holiday season with unease and uncertainty.

To end this economic crisis, we must end the mortgage crisis where it began. This all started when Americans took out mortgages they couldn’t afford. Some were reckless, aware of the risks they were accepting, but many were innocent, tricked by lenders out to make a quick buck. With banks creating securities they could not value, and regulators looking the other way, the problem began infecting the whole economy, leading to the crisis we’re now facing.

One in ten families who owns a home is now in some form of distress, the most ever recorded. This is deeply troubling. It not only shakes the foundation of our economy, but the foundation of the American Dream. There is nothing more fundamental than having a home to call your own. It’s not just a place to live or raise your children or return after a hard day’s work -- it’s the cornerstone of a family’s financial security.

To stem the rising tide of foreclosures and strengthen our economy, I’ve asked my economic team to develop a bold plan that will dramatically increase the number of families who can stay in their homes. But this plan will only work with a comprehensive, coordinated federal effort to make it a reality. We need every part of our government working together -- from the Treasury Department to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the agency that protects the money you’ve put in the bank. And few will be more essential to this effort than the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

From providing shelter to those displaced by Katrina to giving help to those facing the loss of a home to revitalizing our cities and communities, HUD’s role has never been more important. Since its founding, HUD has been dedicated to tearing down barriers in access to affordable housing -- in an effort to make America more equal and more just. Too often, these efforts have had mixed results.

That is why we cannot keep doing things the old Washington way. We cannot keep throwing money at the problem, hoping for a different result. We need to approach the old challenge of affordable housing with new energy, new ideas, and a new, efficient style of leadership. We need to understand that the old ways of looking at our cities just won’t do. That means promoting cities as the backbone of regional growth by not only solving the problems in our cities, but seizing the opportunities in our growing suburbs, exurbs, and metropolitan areas. No one knows this better than the outstanding public servant I am announcing today as our next Secretary of Housing and Urban Development -- Shaun Donovan.

As Commissioner of Housing Preservation and Development in New York City, Shaun has led the effort to create the largest housing plan in the nation, helping hundreds of thousands of our citizens buy or rent their homes. Prior to joining Mayor Bloomberg’s administration, Shaun worked both in business, where he was responsible for affordable housing investments, and at one of our nation’s top universities, where he researched and wrote about housing issues. This appointment represents something of a homecoming for Shaun, who worked at HUD in the Clinton administration, leading an effort to help make housing affordable for nearly two million Americans. Trained as an architect, Shaun understands housing down to how homes are designed, built, and wired.

With experience that stretches from the public sector to the private sector to academia, Shaun will bring to this important post fresh thinking, unencumbered by old ideology and outdated ideas. He understands that we need to move past the stale arguments that say low-income Americans shouldn’t even try to own a home or that our mortgage crisis is due solely to a few greedy lenders. He knows that we can put the dream of owning a home within reach for more families, so long as we’re making loans in the right way, and so long as those who buy a home are prepared for the responsibilities of homeownership.

In the end, expanding access to affordable housing isn’t just about caring for the least fortunate among us and strengthening our middle class -- it’s about ending our housing mess, climbing out of our financial crisis, and putting our economy on the path to long-term growth and prosperity. And that is what Shaun and I will work to do together when I am President of the United States.

Thank you.

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An Iraqi throws shoes at Bush during his visit

In a CNN video below, you can watch a news conference when President George W. Bush ducks a pair of shoes thrown by an angry Iraqi man during a press conference in Baghdad on Sunday. You would think that the Iraqi people favor the U.S. intervention to restore democracy in Iraq. For the most part, that is true, but even in a country that President Bush will be credited for helping remove terrorism and Osama bin Laden, he is still hated by many. The fact of the matter is in a war torn country, you cannot have everyone supporting your actions, especially that of George Bush. What is interesting here is that he has elected to leave the White House on his last visit to the troops in Iraq, and Barack Obama is actively trying to fit the pieces together for his new administration at home. Obama has displayed more hope for the American people in his 18 months of campaigning and pre-inauguration times, than President Bush has done in his 8 years of office.


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Highlight Video's of Obama, Before and After the Campaign

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Watch the MSNBC videos below, from a historical race, to the chant of 'change', and a win by a most unlikely moment in American history, Barack Obama becomes the President-Elect of the United States. Below are 3 videos that highlight these messages of hope.
Also watch Obama's campaign chief strategist David Axelrod in a video explain the pivotal periods from the financial crisis through the debates, and how the President-Elect responded to these issues.



Looking back at the Historical Race



Nov. 5th, CHANGE HAS COME TO AMERICA -- BARACK WINS ! ! ! -



NOV. 4th... NBC Calls OBAMA WIN..



David Axelrod on Obama Win


Click on the link below and watch reaction to Obama's victory in Dallas Texas..!!

http://www.dallasnews.com/video/dallasnews/elections/index.html?nvid=300210&shu=1

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Obama Press Conference to announce his Health Care Team and talk about the Governor's Corruption Charges

Thursday, December 11, 2008


Watch Barack Obama speak in a news conference stating the present situation regarding the U.S. economy and discuss the jobs that have been lost just this month. He also mentioned about the Governor issue and that he is not aware of any deal regarding the Governor.
Vice President Biden a Barack Obama set up a heath care team and announce two more people to his team, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle as the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and Director of the new White House Office on Health Reform.

Senator Tom Daschle




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Democatic Governor Blagojevich goes to Jail. Must Step Down or Get Impeached


Governor Blagojevich of Illinois has been arrested by the FBI on Tuesday involving federal corruption charges in relation to trying to sell the vacant Senate seat that was available since Barack Obama left the Senate as President-Elect. Obama suggests that public trust has been violated, and that the Governor must step down from office, regardless of any findings in the case. Public trust is one of the main reasons why Barack Obama ran for office in the U.S. Senate and eventually for the President of the United States, as he says "Part of the reason that I got into politics, ran for the state Senate, ran for the United States Senate and ultimately ran for the presidency is because we have to reclaim a tradition of public service that is about people and their lives and their hopes and their dreams. And it isn't about what's in it for me,".
Regardless of what has transpired so far, Governor Blagojevich has returned to work after his arrest, but eventually must resign or be impeached by the Legislature out of office. In any case, it is a big embarrassment for him and his family. Another option is to go to the Supreme court and ask the top court in the land to declare basically that the governor is unable to serve.
The person that most likely will take office when the position is vacated is Lt. Governor Pat Quinn.
As expected, conservative talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh are having a field day over the facts in this case. You don't have to go far to listen to the outward negative rhetoric involving any incident concerning the Democrats or Liberals. Rush has the credentials to smear anyone's name in the mud, and in this case, he morally has the right to do so. It is unfortunate that the Democratic leaders can be so stupid to let this kind of thing happen. It seems that anyone that ever associated with the Governor happens to be under fire, including Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. who is "'Senate Candidate No. 5'" according to Brian Ross of ABC Nightline. Rumor has it that the Governor was willing to a million dollars to name Jackson to the U.S. Senate, his attorney confirmed today after it was reported earlier on ABCNews.com "The Blotter"."According to the FBI affidavit in the case, Blagojevich "stated he might be able to cut a deal with Senate Candidate 5 that provided Rod Blagojevich" with something "tangible up front.", according to the report by Brian Ross. Also reported by Brian Ross, "Jackson Jr.'s attorney James Montgomery confirmed that the Chicago congressman is "Senate Candidate #5" but said "Jackson has never authorized anyone to seek the Governor's support in return of money, fund raising or other things of value." Watch Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., deny anything to do with the case and a report with Brian Ross at the following URL's... including ABC News, 'The Blotter'
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6435787

http://abcnews.go.com/blotter

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President-Elect Radio Address on the Economy Saturday December 6, 2008

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Remarks of President-elect Barack Obama
Radio Address on the Economy
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Good morning.

Yesterday, we received another painful reminder of the serious economic challenge our country is facing when we learned that 533,000 jobs were lost in November alone, the single worst month of job loss in over three decades. That puts the total number of jobs lost in this recession at nearly 2 million.

But this isn’t about numbers. It’s about each of the families those numbers represent. It’s about the rising unease and frustration that so many of you are feeling during this holiday season. Will you be able to put your kids through college? Will you be able to afford health care? Will you be able to retire with dignity and security? Will your job or your husband’s job or your daughter’s or son's job be the next one cut?

These are the questions that keep so many Americans awake at night. But it is not the first time these questions have been asked. We have faced difficult times before, times when our economic destiny seemed to be slipping out of our hands. And at each moment, we have risen to meet the challenge, as one people united by a sense of common purpose. And I know that Americans can rise to the moment once again.

But we need action – and action now. That is why I have asked my economic team to develop an economic recovery plan for both Wall Street and Main Street that will help save or create at least two and a half million jobs, while rebuilding our infrastructure, improving our schools, reducing our dependence on oil, and saving billions of dollars.

We won’t do it the old Washington way. We won’t just throw money at the problem. We’ll measure progress by the reforms we make and the results we achieve -- by the jobs we create, by the energy we save, by whether America is more competitive in the world.

Today, I am announcing a few key parts of my plan. First, we will launch a massive effort to make public buildings more energy-efficient. Our government now pays the highest energy bill in the world. We need to change that. We need to upgrade our federal buildings by replacing old heating systems and installing efficient light bulbs. That won’t just save you, the American taxpayer, billions of dollars each year. It will put people back to work.

Second, we will create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s. We’ll invest your precious tax dollars in new and smarter ways, and we’ll set a simple rule – use it or lose it. If a state doesn’t act quickly to invest in roads and bridges in their communities, they’ll lose the money.

Third, my economic recovery plan will launch the most sweeping effort to modernize and upgrade school buildings that this country has ever seen. We will repair broken schools, make them energy-efficient, and put new computers in our classrooms. Because to help our children compete in a 21st century economy, we need to send them to 21st century schools.

As we renew our schools and highways, we’ll also renew our information superhighway. It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption. Here, in the country that invented the internet, every child should have the chance to get online, and they’ll get that chance when I’m President – because that’s how we’ll strengthen America’s competitiveness in the world.

In addition to connecting our libraries and schools to the internet, we must also ensure that our hospitals are connected to each other through the internet. That is why the economic recovery plan I’m proposing will help modernize our health care system – and that won’t just save jobs, it will save lives. We will make sure that every doctor’s office and hospital in this country is using cutting edge technology and electronic medical records so that we can cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help save billions of dollars each year.

These are a few parts of the economic recovery plan that I will be rolling out in the coming weeks. When Congress reconvenes in January, I look forward to working with them to pass a plan immediately. We need to act with the urgency this moment demands to save or create at least two and a half million jobs so that the nearly two million Americans who’ve lost them know that they have a future. And that’s exactly what I intend to do as President of the United States.

Thanks for listening.

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Illinois Governer tried to make money on President-Elects Senate Seat

In remarks made to the reporters long with the video published on msnbc.com, President-Elect Obama mentions his feelings on what had happened about the Illinois Governor that was trying to sell the Illinois Senate seat that Barack Obama has vacated now that he is President-Elect. Watch the story immediately below about Governor Rod Blagojevich.

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Barack Obama and former Vice-President Al Gore meet in Person


President-Elect Barack Obama and former Vice President Al Gore met in Chicage today to exchange ideas on the environment. Obama believes that his ideas are key in helping figure out the nation's struggling economy recovery plan. Along with Vice President-Elect Joe Biden, the three people sat down to figure out a way to get the economy jump started. One of the first things Obama mentioned was 'green jobs' could help the economy and help create jobs. Former Vice-President Al Gore who worked with Bill Clinton, shared ideas about global warming and came to the conclusion that global warming besides being a problem is also an opportunity that we must take to help resolve issues.
It appears now that the meeting between Obama and Gore was not to offer the former Vice President a job in the new administration.
Unfortunate to the American people, Al Gore lost the 2000 Presidential election to George Bush in such a close race, that the Supreme Court had the job of determining the outcome. We could only wonder what could have happened during the last 8 years if Gore was President. As most already know, Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 and won an Academy Award the same year for his documentary called "an Inconvenient Truth".
Obama's ideas, which also include the use of alternative energies and "green" technologies wants to use his proposed economic stimulas package to develope these technologies.
During the election, former vice-president Al Gore suppored Obama's nomination when Obama won the long primary battle with Hillary Clinton.

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Barack Obama - with one of the BEST approval ratings ever for a President-Elect


More polls.. polls.. polls.. But I guess that most every poll you see is in Barack Obama's favor. But you can bet that he has allot to do with it. Just recently, it was reported that Barack Obama appears to be doing a terrific job when it comes to the transition. He is up on President Bush by at least 50 points. He has an approval rating of 79 percent, which according to a report on CNN, those kind of numbers you only see "when the public rallies around a leader after a national disaster,"according to Bill Schneider, CNN's senior political analysis."To many Americans, the Bush administration was a national disaster." All you have to do is look how he handled 3 American disasters. The first, 911, he did handle that the best he could, according to just a few people who just don't realize what he could have done but didn't, and Americans rallied around him. Even though you get the idea that his administration could have helped prevent it, 911 was something that happened that was so unbelievable, that the President could have said anything, promised anything, the American people wanted to rally with him. But that didn't happen during the Natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina. Maybe it was because he could blame it on no terrorist. He could have become a President that people would never forget, but instead, he has become a President that most people want to forget, especially after he handled the New Orleans debacle during hurricane Katrina. President Bush had no problems invading a country on the other side of the world that he claims had nuclear weapons, and he sent brigades of troops in harms way to capture Sudaam Husain, when he lost his target all together by not concentrating on his efforts in Afghanistan where the terrorists are concentrated. The dictator that ruined so many lives still lives somewhere in Afghanistan. But Bush did nothing. During the hurricane, you would think that he would want to help his own citizens on home soil, instead of putting the troops in harms way to fight terrorism in Iraq, and spend so much money in that war. With the money spent on the war, President Bush could have totally rebuilt New Orleans, by building a new home for every man woman and child in New Orleans. Or, he could of at least provided assistance so that the people of the disaster could feel that their government did everything they could possibilly do.Instead, Bush elected to ignore the dying in New Orleans, the sick and homeless in New Orleans and blamed the lack of help during the New Orleans tragedy on FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Association). That agency had the task of working with disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and finally recovery and planning. Of course, maybe he doesn't realize that it happened to be a Federal Agency, and that it would reflect directly on him how the disaster was handled. Today, parts of New Orleans still look like the day Katrina came ashore. And last, let us not forget that he was at the helm as President for 8 years when the Economic Crisis surfaced. President Bush, with the lowest approval rating in history is the disaster, and should be a President remembered as a 'do nothing President of the American people'. The one thing he was successful in doing regardless of what it actually should be, was to help everyone in the world except the American People.
Enough about President Bush, because actually, he is not even worth the time it takes to write about him on paper. As the saying goes, 'only time will tell'. President-Elect Barack Obama has proved allot and done allot as only a President-Elect, but the real story about him will surface when he is the acting President of the United States as of January 20, 2009. Good old President Bush left mounds and mounds of work for him to do. If Obama plays his cards right, he will become one of the most popular Presidents in American history, even better than Ronald Reagan. Thanks to President Bush, it most likely will be a long long long time that a Republican President holds office.
If Barack Obama can keep his word, and make good on his promises to the American people, if he brings all the troops home and keeps the peace around the world and breaks terrorism, if he puts many, many people back to work and if he turns around the economy, then he will be without a doubt the most famous President of modern times. That's allot of ifs, but I believe he has the strength and courage as our President to get it done

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