President Obama's Weekly Address, December 12, 2009 (Video)

The President explains that while he continues to focus on jobs, it is also profoundly important to address the problems that created this economic mess in the first place. He commends the House of Representatives for passing reforms to our financial system, including a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency, and blasts Republican Leaders and financial industry lobbyists for their joint “pep rally” to defeat it. December 12, 2009.



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In case you missed it: Kennedy Center Honorees at the White House (Video)

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President Obama accepts Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway (Video, Transcript, Pictures)

Nobel Peace Prize laureate U.S. President Barack Obama poses with his diploma and medal after receiving the prize at the award ceremony in Oslo City Hall December 10, 2009. The Nobel committee is awarding the peace prize to Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples and cited his push for nuclear disarmament.

President Barack Obama accepting the Nobel Peace Prize


Full Speech of President Obama's Acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize





Nobel Peace Prize laureate U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle sign the guestbook at the Royal Palace in Oslo, December 10, 2009, after meeting with the Norwegian Royal Family.






Nobel peace prize laureate U.S. President Barack Obama (C) and first lady Michelle Obama (3rd L) pose with Norwegian Queen Sonja, King Harald, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon (2nd L-R) at the Royal Castle in Oslo December 10, 2009.


Nobel Peace Prize laureate U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle (2nd R) participate in the Nobel Peace Prize Signing Ceremony at Oslo City Hall December 10, 2009.





Norwegian Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland, U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Barack Obama, First lady Michelle Obama, Norway's King Harald V and Queen Sonja (L-R) pose for pictures before the Nobel banquet in Oslo December 10, 2009.




President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on the balcony of the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway


President Obama's Toast at the Nobel Peace Prize Dinner


Transcript

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President Obama's press conference with Norway's Prime Minister Stoltenberg (Video)

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Public Option looks deader than a rock (Video)

For me, it is about costs and what I have read and heard, so far, this bill does not do it. I like the medicare buy in for folks 55 and above, but it will be expensive until it is in the exchange in 2014. People 27-55 are SOL. And a trigger is in this final bill, but the insurance companies will continue to raise rates and for me, that is business as usual.

Ezra Klein from Washington Post with Keith Olbermann:



And Rep. Lynn Woolsey with Keith Olbermann on LACK OF COMPETITION and how the American Public must by health insurance, meaning GIVING the insurance companies more customers:



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Ron Reagan kicked Ron Christie's ASS on Hardball (Video)

This is a barn burner, one to see....



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Change we can believe in. Really? (pictures)

I know, I know, I am about to be attacked, but before you do, let's stroll down memory lane.


This sign was downtown Chicago, I actually went downtown just to view this. Being African-American, I can not explain, how proud I was, many of us were.


The NIGHT, at Grant Park in Chicago. Barack Obama won, he is the next POTUS. Before there was Blackwaterdog, Muzikial203, there was me and before ME, there was Al Rodgers. A very happy, jubilant and shocking time. See all the pics, here.


Remember when Barack did Denver? 100K came out. What a memory.


Remember when Barack did the Philly Sprint? The pictures and more important the people, with HOPE in their eyes, came out from everywhere in Philadelphia. This diary, as I remember, I received more personal emails about.

And my weekly, This Week With Barack Obama.

And the CHANGE PLANE:



I wrote a weekly diary following and capitalizing on Barack Obama and his phenomenal campaign. I did this from 2007 through the end of the campaign. I raised over 12K through the Obama Campaign's grassroots fundraiser. Most of the money, from these diaries and the hard fight that was fought, came from people right here on this website, the money came from you. I can not tell you HOW MANY people contacted me, actually gave their max donation through my little link. People telling me to keep going, keep writing, loving the pictures. Many know my story, how I grew up in politics, it was interwoven throughout my life. Yes, me.

Now, I am directly against what the Democrats in congress has done to health care for the people of this nation.

While I am happy that Medicare is now starting for those at 55, what about everyone else? Because I am no where near 55, as many reading this. And the public option?

I am mad, angry at Barack Obama and the Democrats. Why? Because for 2 years Barack Obama campaigned on "Health Care like Congress", but once in office Obama became a cricket. I am angry because if a campaign, YES, campaign was run with this slogan, who in their right mind would DENY IT. This would have been difficult for even the Republicans to deny. Do you think they will actually say, "We don't want the American people to have health care like us!!!"

This issue was too easy to win, but was not used.

I am mad because I watched the leaders in the White House do very little over the summer against the lies and repeated noise that was on television about the public option. Yes, it was utter bullshit, but when you are limited in response, that disinformation just sits. That is what happened. Oh, don't forget we had to listen to President Obama say wonderful things about the Republicans, especially Chuck Grassley, while Grassley continued to turn the knife in our President's back. That was hard to watch, swallow and many became angry that we have a President that continues to PRAISE the very party that will NEVER vote on ANYTHING with his name on it. Sad.

Now we have a public option or bullshit, that will be given to the very entity (health insurance companies) that have destroyed many families, killed many by denying their claims, and will rescission you to your grave. We are suppose to trust a non-profit organization to protect us? Remember, everyone how Blue Cross Blue Shield started, as a non-profit insurance company. We are supposed to trust this? And let us not forget how the Obama White House made secret deals to various health care industries before A BILL was even out there. That deal with pharmaceutical industries was a very bad deal, especially when you try to LIE yourself out of it, but then must come clean. Whatever happened to "know when to hold em' and know when to fold em'?" Because they did not even TRY to negotiate with this industry, especially when Barack Obama ran around this country talking about "heat of the night deals" with this very industry in regards to the Bush Administration. This White House did the same damn thing, as Bush.

Finally, the public option is not recognized any longer. It is a watered down provision that covers about 2-6M people in this country. Which is real bullshit. That is not change anyone can believe in. In fact, expect the insurance companies to laugh themselves to the bank. Yes, bank, because through all of this, we the American Public, MUST purchase health care, while we have gotten screwed (as some believe) through this process.

I worked very hard for Barack Obama and the Democrats. I worked my ass off, many on here KNOW THAT. So, to write I am disappointed is being nice. So, from here on out, I will not give a dime to OFA, DNC, Democrats. I will OPT OUT and choose candidates that I believe will fight for change. I will PICK and CHOOSE who I will support.

I am a Democrat and will DIE one, but Barack Obama and the Democrats in D.C. got in with a mandate vote. The very many, millions, who are young, voted for the first time, disenfranchise voters, cross-over voters, what about them? Because right now, many of these voters feel it is still business as usual in Washington, D.C. and certainly don't represent them. Not for this, not for this watered down health care package.

OK, flame away.

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

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Good-bye public option. The status quo seems to have won. (UPDATE and Video)

This is what I have to say.

President Obama did not do enough to push for the public option. We heard for 2 years that we should have "health care like congress", yet, when it was time to push for it there were crickets from the White House. The public option was an easy sell, yet, this White House allowed the public option to be defined by the very persons they were coaxing, Republicans.

And folks are wondering why Barack Obama's poll numbers are dropping? He needs to look around him and the people he have around him, that is the first start.

Dumb ass Democrats.

Democratic senators say they have a tentative deal to drop a government-run insurance option from healthcare legislation.

No further details were immediately available.

But liberals and moderates have been discussing an alternative, including a private insurance arrangement to be supervised by the federal agency that oversees the system through which lawmakers purchase coverage. Additionally, talks centered on opening Medicare to uninsured Americans beginning at age 55, a significant expansion of the large government healthcare program that currently serves the over-65 population.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) told reporters he didn't like the agreement but would support it to the hilt in an attempt to pass healthcare legislation.

At this point, with the Democrats and the White House having this legislation drag on, of course, they have to support anything and try to call it reform.

Dems, lost some voters on this one,if in the end it is true. And President Obama? Your base? If this is true, kiss them, GOOD-BYE.

More here.

From The Rachel Maddow Show:



(UPDATE)

Now, Harry Reid states the reports are wrong

It just keeps going on........

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President Obama's speech on jobs and job recovery at the Brookings Institute (Video, Transcript)

Overall a good speech, good digs at the obstructionists in the Republican Party, but asking folks to spend money to get us out of this mess is a bit much to ask. Especially, when many don't have jobs or are fearful of losing their job. And from recent polling, Obama is losing ground on the economic front.



Transcript

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President Obama Celebrates Kennedy Center Honorees (Video/Pictures)

The President speaks at a reception to pay tribute to this year’s Kennedy Center Honorees -- Dave Brubeck, Mel Brooks, Grace Bumbry, Robert DeNiro and Bruce Springsteen. December 6, 2009.


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Transcript


U.S. President Barack Obama (R) hosts the 2009 Kennedy Center Honorees at an East Room reception in the White House December 6, 2009 in Washington, DC. The group was gathered for the taping of the 2009 Kennedy Center Honors tribute program to be aired December 29th. (L-R) Honorees Mel Brooks, Dave Brubeck, Grace Bumbry, Robert DeNiro, and Bruce Springsteen.

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President Obama SILENT on the public option (Video)

From the Ed Show with Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA):



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