Star Obama

Obama says U.S. to follow aggressive Iran sanctions

2010-03-17T23:55:00.000-07:00

Obama, who had made the goal of pursue dialogue with Iran a cornerstone of his administration's foreign policy at the beginning of his presidency, said he had been successful in getting the international community to isolate Tehran.

"As we've seen, the Iranian government has been more concerned about preventing their people from exercising their democratic and human rights than trying to solve this problem diplomatically," Obama said in an interview on Fox News Channel's Report with Bret Baier.
"That's why we're going to go after aggressive sanctions. We haven't taken any options off the table. We are going to keep on pushing," Obama said.

Obama said prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon was one of his administration's highest priorities.

U.S. officials said on Tuesday the pace of Iran's nuclear weapons development appears to have slow, buying time for a new round of sanctions now and possibly more sweeping measures later.

Firdt lady Michelle Obama's designer goes bankrupt

2010-03-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

US first lady Michelle Obama's favorite city-based designer Maria Pinto leaving out of business as sales have waned in a bad economy.

Pinto, whose clientele also includes talk show host Oprah Winfrey, is closing her store Lola Black LLC. In a five-day sale starting here next week, her collection of daywear, eveningwear and accessories would be liquidated at 50-70 % off.

Her designs were carried by major stores like Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys and Takashimaya in New York, with high-end boutiques across the country, reported Chicago Tribune.
But the designer hit a rough patch after sales to retailers started declining. She decided to close her shop and finish wholesale operations in January this year.

Michelle, who has turned into an icon with her beautiful taste in fashion, had worn Maria Pinto designs to several key events during her husband US President Barack Obama's political career, including the night she spoke at the Democratic National Convention.

Michelle lauches fitness compaign

2010-03-15T04:36:00.000-07:00

Statistics show that one in three American kids is fat or overweight. These numbers were part of the motivation last month for First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign to fight childhood obesity.

During remarks on March 1, the First Lady said that Americans must “move to rally this country around a single, ambitious goal - and that is to solve the trouble of childhood obesity in a generation so that kids born today reach adulthood at a healthy weight.”

In announcing the initiative, Obama stated that a healthy lifestyle, including achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, doesn’t need major life alterations, but rather “small changes that add up.”

Under this equation - and based on the formula that one pound lost equals about 3,500 calories burned - by cutting down or burning off, say, an additional 100 calories each day, a person could lose a pound every 35 days - more than 10 pounds in a year.

Barack Obama says condition in quake-hit Haiti 'dire'

2010-03-12T05:20:00.000-08:00

US President Barack Obama has warned of a second disaster in Haiti, saying people should be under no illusion that the disaster there is over.

Mr Obama said the situation in Haiti remained "dire" nearly two months after the earthquake struck.

He was speaking after talks with Haitian President Rene Preval in Washington.

Mr Obama told Mr Preval that the US would continue to assist Haiti in its recovery and reconstruction efforts.

Mr Obama said there remained a desperate need for humanitarian help, particularly as seasonal rains could threaten the more than a million Haitians left homeless by the quake on 12 January.

"The challenge now is to stop a second disaster, and that is why at this very moment, thousands of Americans, both civilian and military, remain on the scene at the invitation of the Haitian government," Mr Obama said.

Michelle Obama ditched by her girlfriends on Inauguration Day!

2010-03-10T23:17:00.000-08:00

Michelle Obama has recall the time when her girlfriends ditched her in the presidential box on Inauguration Day to get ready for the time-squeezed evening ball.

The US First Lady revealed she got only an hour to clean up for the ball on the chilly day of her president husband's historic inauguration.

"I remember the inaugural procession and how the President and I stood and we waved until every last band walked by," the New York Post quoted her as saying.

"Then we only had less than an hour-ladies, if you can trust that-all of my friends left us in the stands, by the way," she continued.

"'See ya, good luck.' I was like, 'Yeah, thanks.' 'We have to get ready for the ball.' 'Like, yeah, so do I.'

"So at the time I wasn't actually focused on what I was wearing that evening-I was really just trying to stay warm," she added.

Obama Plans Florida Forum to argue NASA’s Future

2010-03-08T23:05:00.000-08:00

President Obama will spell out his vision for the future of American astronauts in space at a conference that the administration is sheduling for Florida next month.

That pleases Florida lawmakers, who have criticize the administration’s desire to eliminate NASA’s program to send astronauts back to the Moon.

“The president’s upcoming space meeting here in Florida provides a chance for meaningful progress,” said Representative Suzanne M. Kosmas, whose district includes the Kennedy Space Center. She requested a conference when she and others in the state Congressional delegation met last month with Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, and John P. Holdren, Mr. Obama’s science adviser.

The conference will be held April 15. A White House spokesman said Monday that other information, including the agenda, the location and who would be attending, were not yet available.

NASA spent five years and $9 billion on the Constellation moon program. The president’s 2011 budget could cancel all of it. The budget also seeks to nurture the commercial space industry by turning to private companies for transportation to the International Space Station and and to invest in new technologies to make outlook exploration of the solar system easier and cheaper. The budget request would raise NASA’s budget by $300 million, to $19 billion. Mr. Obama, however, has said little publicly about the future of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

First lady Michelle Obama Takes Obesity Drive To Fattest State - Mississippi

2010-03-05T01:55:00.000-08:00

First Lady Michelle Obama brings her anti-childhood obesity drive to Mississippi - the country's most heavy state - on Wednesday, when she appears with GOP Gov. Haley Barbour, who has left the door open to a 2012 White House run.

"In Jackson, Mississippi, thanks to the encouragement of the Executive Director of Food Services, Mary Hill, the superintendent now needs elementary school teachers to eat meals with their students," Mrs. Obama said to applause. "And as you can imagine, with teachers sitting at the table - both encouraging kids to eat fruits and vegetables and eating them themselves - fruits and vegetables consumption has gone up there."

"And I'm going to be visiting Jackson on Wednesday, and I am looking forward I'm looking forward to seeing Mary and hearing more about what she's doing. And I'm eager to come to your areas, too," Mrs. Obama said.

Mrs. Obama, Barbour and his wife, Marsha Barbour, will visit two schools to talk about healthy eating and the require for kids to exercise. At the Pecan Park school, Mrs. Obama will tour the walking trail, part of a Mississippi effort to raise physical activity. Mrs. Obama's anti-childhood obesity drive is called "Let's Move;" the Mississippi scheme is called "Let's Go Walkin' Mississippi."

First lady Michelle Obama Visits Brinkley Elementary

2010-03-03T22:58:00.000-08:00

First lady Michelle Obama spent nearly two hours at Brinkley Middle School. Her first stop, a round table discussion in the lunchroom with Governor Haley Barbour, and Mayor Harvey Johnson and school nutritionists, brainstorming on ways to make school lunches better.

Governor Barbour began the meeting addressing Michelle says, "You are a leader and it needs to be done and it's not about party politics it's not about anything except we can have better lives for our children."

The highlight of the visit, a pep rally promoting Lets Move, the first lady's plan to fight childhood obesity, by providing kids better meals and encouraging exercise.

Michelle Obama promised the kids if they did their part, she could get the food and drug administration to put more nutritional facts on food labels, get more grocery stores and farmers markets into the inner city, and give more funding for healthier lunches.

"There are about six point five million kids who can't walk down the street and go to a grocery store because their communities do not have grocery stores. Part of lets move is to eliminate that. Because we can't tell people to buy clean foods if there's no where to buy it, right?" said Obama.

Those in the audience say Michelle Obama inspired them to live a good lifestyle.

Mexico's First Lady met with Michelle Obama

2010-02-26T02:42:00.000-08:00

The Mexican government says first lady Margarita Zavala meets with Michelle Obama during a visit to the White House.

The President's Office says the two women discuss obesity, diabetes, addictions and the situation of undocumented Mexican minors in the United States. It says they stressed the links between their countries in working on those problems.

Zavala was in Washington on Thursday for a conference on falling demand for drugs. She returned home on Thursday.

Obama's popularity increasing in South Carolina?

2010-02-25T02:43:00.000-08:00

President Barack Obama may be struggling to keep support nationwide, but in the predominantly Republican state of South Carolina, he's not doing too badly.

Nearly 48 percent of adults who lived in the Palmetto State approve of Obama's performance as president, a Winthrop University poll found.

That result was a small improvement over the 45 percent of South Carolinians who voted for Obama in November 2008, when Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain carried the state with 54 percent of the tally.

As president, Obama has higher name recognition than Graham or DeMint, which partly contributes to his better showing, Huffmon said.

Nationwide, 51 percent of Americans support of Obama's performance as president and 43 percent disapprove, the Gallup daily tracking poll showed Wednesday.

First lady Michele Obama is much more popular than her husband in South Carolina, where she has family trees.

President Obama call for Higher Standards in Education

2010-02-23T23:08:00.000-08:00

At a meeting with state governors, Obama spoke about new efforts to get better education for college and for jobs.

Obama plans to make college and career-ready standards in the re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Last year the president challenged states to enlarge standards and assessments that could give confidence children to work hard to graduate from high school prepared for college and the workplace.

The president calls for a redesigned Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The act aims to better teacher preparation to get better classroom instruction. The goal is to assist states improve education to successfully prepare students for college and the workplace.

“America’s prosperity has always rested on how well we educate our children - but never more so than today,” said President Barack Obama.

US Senate advance a $15 billion jobs bill

2010-02-22T23:09:00.000-08:00

The United States Senate designated to advance a $15 billion jobs-creation measures in which five Republicans joined the majority Democrats giving a major victory to the Obama Administration.

Grateful to the Republicans and Democrats who voted for the bill, the US President Barack Obama in a fast statement on Monday said this is one of many efforts they require to tackle America's economic challenges.

"We will continue to work with Congress on additional job creation measures," he said.

"Jobs remain our top priority, and I look forward to work with members from both parties to get legislation signed, and the American people back to work," Obama said.

President Obama - No weeknight television for Malia, Sasha

2010-02-17T23:24:00.000-08:00

President Barack Obama, who is spending billions of dollars to overhaul the U.S. public education system, says there's one sure thing parents can do to assist their kids learn, regardless of financial means: prohibit them from watching television on school nights.

His own daughters, Malia, 11, and Sasha, 8, Obama told Essence magazine: "The girls don't watch TV during the week. Period."

The first thing they’ll do after school is homework. If they haven't completed by dinnertime, around 6:30 p.m., they pick up where they left off after the meal. And after that, they can study until they hit the sack. Malia's bedtime is 9 p.m.; Sasha's lights go out a half hour earlier, he said.

Obama and first lady Michelle Obama also began reading to their daughters when they were babies, and encouraged them to appreciate education.

President Obama will announce plans to break ground on two new nuclear reactors, Georgia

2010-02-16T05:03:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, President Obama will proclaim plans to break ground on two new nuclear reactors at a Southern Company plant in Burke, Georgia - the first new U.S. nuclear reactors since the incident at Three Mile Island in 1979.

The president will make the statement at the IBEW Local Headquarters in Lanham, Md., where union members can learn application that can be used in the construction of nuclear power plants.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorized the Department of Enegery to issue loan guarantees "for projects that avoid, decrease, or sequester air pollutants or greenhouse gas emissions and employ new or significantly-improved technologies," the White House official said, adding that it has been one of Energy Secretary Stephen Chu’s top priorities to allot $18.5 billion under that authority.

The President has planned tripling loan guarantees for nuclear-power plant construction to more than $54 billion in his FY2011 budget.

Last month the president announces the formation of a bipartisan Blue Ribbon Commission to review policies for nuclear waste, led by former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., and the National Security Adviser to President George H.W. Bush, Brent Scowcroft.

First lady begins fight beside childhood obesity

2010-02-15T04:44:00.000-08:00

First lady Michelle Obama launches a nationwide campaign last week to fight childhood obesity, part of her effort to teach America's children about improved nutrition and exercise.

Mrs. Obama said the Let's Move campaign will cheer more physical activity for children, healthier food in schools and more accurate food labeling. Some of her plans, such as tax breaks for grocery stores to move into poorly served communities, will require congressional action.

In an interview with ABC News, Mrs. Obama acknowledged her care of burgers and fries, and ice cream and cake, as do most kids. But she said she wants her daughters and the rest of the nation's children to practice improved nutrition and exercise, too.
Mrs. Obama said she tries every day to instill the similar values in her daughters, Malia, 11, and Sasha, 8.

"My kids have to dress up and move. They can't sit in front of the TV," she said. "I have them involved in sports - to compete and to succeed and to run and to sweat. They have to understand."

US President Obama to meet Dalai Lama on Feb 18

2010-02-12T02:16:00.000-08:00

US President Barack Obama would meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the White House Map Room on 18 February, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs has said, informed an official spokesman of the Tibetan government in exile here on Friday.

“He's a spokesman for Tibetan rights. The president looks onward to an engaging and constructive dialogue,” Gibbs has said.

This would be the first meeting between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Obama as the US President obama.

The White House earlier said the problem was discussed when President Obama met the Chinese president in November.

"The President told China's leaders during his trip last year that he could meet with the Dalai Lama, and he intends to do so. The Dalai Lama is an globally respected religious and cultural leader, and the President will meet him in that capacity," Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton had said.

Obama sings praises of civil rights tune

2010-02-10T01:33:00.000-08:00

Barrack obama last night hosted a festivity of the music of the civil rights era, describing it as "a movement with a soundtrack".

The president recognized at the start of the evening the debt he owed to those who had risked their lives during the turbulent dismantling of segregation in the 1950s and 1960s, a movement intertwined with music.

"It was music that was not only inspired by the movement, but gave strength in return," Obama said.

At the end of 90 minutes of performance at the White House, he joined the artists on stage. He was pushed to sing a few words of the closing song before, thankfully, allowing himself to be drowned out by those around him, including Smokey Robinson, Jennifer Hudson and Natalie Cole.

Obama's singing might be weaker than his rhetoric but it was better than that of Bob Dylan, who gave the most horrible performance of the night.

Obama said Dylan had interrupted his "never-ending tour" to emerge at the White House. It might have been the near-constant touring, or a cold, or just old age, that added an extra coarseness to his voice. He did not assist by pecking intermittently at his guitar, as if he could not make up his mind whether to play or not.

Obama's planned NASA budget is 'fantastic' for Ames

2010-02-02T23:38:00.000-08:00

Obama planned a $100 billion five-year budget for NASA on Monday that includes a $6 billion increase for the space agency. The budget signal a major shift for NASA, with increased spending for new, "transformative technologies" and the cancellation of the Constellation program - the mission former president George W. Bush launched in 2005 to send humans back to the moon by 2020.

NASA's new plan is a good fit for what Ames has already been doing, Braxton said. NASA uses small satellites to test out new technology in space on a small scale, and Braxton said he expects that work to now expand. He added that Ames' supercomputing abilities might be a great part of NASA's renewed focus on climate modeling.

The proposed budget also includes an yearly increase of $80 million for NASA's aeronautics programs. Ames is one of NASA's four primary aeronautics research centers.

NASA has not allocated funds to individual research centers yet, but Braxton said, "we were highly confident that we are going to get more money." He said the center likely would add new works as well. Ames' budget for the 2010 fiscal year total about $690.8 million when it was announced last May, a 1.3 percent raise from the year before.

UK should follow Michelle Obama's lead with a better recipe to reduce obesity

2010-01-27T01:31:00.000-08:00

America has a latest figurehead in its struggle against childhood obesity - Michelle Obama. Last week, the First Lady told mayors from around the US how the current growth in the number of extremely overweight people was so staggering that it now threatens the ¬country's economy, through obesity-induced joblessness; children's education, because their weight issues disrupt studies; and healthcare, which may become besieged by patients with obesity-related ¬diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure..

Acknowledging the time and money pressures faced by many parents who desire their children to eat healthily, Obama admitted: "It wasn't that long ago that I was juggling a full-time job with the round-the-clock role of being a mom. And there were abundance of times when, after a long day at work, when the fridge was empty and everyone was hungry, I just ordered that pizza, because it was easier. Or we went to the drive-through for burgers, because it was quick and cheap. And I wasn't always conscious of how all the calories and fat in some of the processed foods I was buying were adding up. It got to the point where our pediatrician kind of tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'You know, you might want to consider making some changes.'"

Barack obama lauds recent Red Cross relief efforts

2010-01-20T23:38:00.001-08:00

American Red Cross disaster relief efforts in Haiti received wonderful recognition on Monday during a visit to the Disaster Operations Center (DOC) at Red Cross national headquarters by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

President Obama personally thanked Red Cross employees and volunteers for their part in the work being done to assist the people of Haiti following last week's earthquake. The President expressed his thanks to everyone at the Red Cross for their work, saying to the employees and volunteers present, "tip-top operation, thank you and keep it up; you make us very proud."

Though he spoke straight to those present here in Washington, President Obama's words were for our Red Cross team all across the country. Working jointly, we will get the job done.

First lady michelle’s 46th birthday party

2010-01-19T04:55:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Michelle! The first lady michelle turned 46 Sunday. On Saturday night, President Obama took her to dinner at Restaurant Nora, one of this city's best known particular occasion eateries with a gang of Chicago pals as guests.

Among the guests were Marian Robinson, Michelle's mother; Chicago pal and senior adviser Valerie Jarrett; Chicago pals Eric and Cheryl Whitaker; and Attorney common Eric Holder and his wife, Sharon Malone.

The Obamas linger at Nora's for four hours. My spy who happened by possibility to be at Nora's told me the presidential party was in the private upstairs room - and the other guests were frisked and wended before being allowed in the restaurant near Dupont Circle.

Barack obama to ask for extra $33b for war

2010-01-13T02:40:00.000-08:00

US President, Barak Obama is said to make a request to Congress for an additional $33 billion to fight the unpopular wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

According to the Associated Press (AP), the Obama administration is makes request on top of a record $708 billion for the US Defence Department next year.

The extra $33 billion in 2010, the AP said would typically go toward the expansion of the war in Afghanistan. Obama ordered an extra 30,000 troops for that war as part of an overhaul of the war plan late last year.

The request for that additional funding will be sent to Congress at the same occasion as the record spending request for next year, making war funding an especially difficult pill for some of Obama’s Democratic allies, it said.

Barack Obama Will Attend Biden's Mother's Funeral

2010-01-11T23:24:00.001-08:00

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will go to the funeral for Vice President Joe Biden's mother, Jean Biden, the White House has announced. The service will take place tomorrow in Wilmington, Delaware.

Jean Biden, who passed away last week at the age of 92, frequently accompanied her son on the campaign trail.

The vice president said in announcer her death that he and his family "learned the dignity of hard work" from Jean Biden, addition that "her strength, which was immeasurable, will live on in all of us."

'Back to school:' obamas family home

2010-01-07T23:20:00.000-08:00

For all that's going through the political minds of the administration, its critic and its well-wishers, there's perhaps only one thing on the mind of the Obama girls:

The vacation's over. President Barack Obama, wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia returns to the White House on jan 4th, wearing warm riggings against the sub-freezing chill of an unusual cold-spell in the capital.

They left behind the warm influence and shaved ice of Hawaii - the president called his "Snowbama.'' The 20 inches of snow that fell here before Christmas are typically gone, save for the remains of some plowed snowbanks.

For all the political heat the president faces here in Washington, it's value pausing for a moment to see just how the girls have grown, how the president has grayed and how happy the bunch look to be home.

Michelle Obama appears actuality cook show to promote healthy eating

2010-01-06T23:13:00.000-08:00

Michelle Obama made an appearance on an episode of Iron Chef America show to endorse healthy eating for children.

The mum-of-two, who became the only US first lady to appear on a actuality television show, stressed on the need to cut down childhood obesity through healthier meals, better school lunches, the use of farmers' markets and do exercises.

Michelle further brought with her a secret ingredient that she later exposed were sweet potatoes from the White House garden.

"And now we're expanding the tours of the garden to any public [state] schoolchildren that come to Washington DC, and we're doing those on a usual basis, and it's just been a wonderful educational addition," she added.

Different kind of Hawaiian vacation for obama and his familyBarack Obama is the first president in more than 20 years to escape the confines of the Wh

2009-12-31T02:43:00.001-08:00

Barack Obama is the first president in more than 20 years to escape the confines of the White House and Camp David for x-mas. But when you are commander in chief, the White House has a way of finding you anyhow.

Barack Obama has no relatives remaining in Hawaii since his grandmother died last year and his sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, moved to Washington, D.C., this year. But he has brought his family for this occasion nearly every Christmas since he and his wife, Michelle, had their daughters, Malia, 11, and Sasha, 8. This year, Obama brought his sister and close friends Eric Whitaker and Marty Nesbitt and their spouse.

Valerie Jarrett, another friend who currently serves as a senior White House adviser, also joined the relatives and friends staying in two neighboring rental houses in Kailua. Jarrett said the setting had a rejuvenate effect on Obama. "His visits allow him to reconnect with his roots and cherished childhood memories," she said.

President obama, First Lady greet military members during Christmas meal at MCBHN

2009-12-28T23:07:00.000-08:00

President barrack obama and First Lady Michelle Obama spent about half an hour on x-mas shaking hands with about 100 Marines, military members and their families at Marine Corps Base Hawaii's Anderson Hall chow hall as they enjoyed a mid-day Christmas meal.

The presidential motorcade arrives at Anderson Hall at about 3:43 pm. The president was dressed in brown slacks and blue shirt sleeves when he entered the mess hall from a side door, greeting the family with "Hi guys, Merry Christmas."

The First Lady wore flats, a white sleeveless graceful dress that came to her knees, and gold hoop earrings. The two moved to dozens of tables, shaking hands, asking service members where they were from, and thanking them for being present. At one point the president obama said "I'm proud of you guys." The president also talks to a small child and signed an autographed picture. The motorcade left the base at 4:25.

Obama Traces His Love of Basketball to an christmas Gift from his Absent Father

2009-12-23T23:21:00.000-08:00

One of the most important Christmas presents President Obama ever received was a basketball from the father who was largely absent from his life, the president told Oprah Winfrey.

Asked his beloved Christmas gift as a child, the president recalled a 10 speed bike and then said, "I do remember the one time I met my father he was visiting during Christmas and he gave me a basketball and - the degree to which I came to love basketball - it was not until much later in life that I realized, ‘Actually, he gave me that basketball.' I think there was some cause and effect there in conditions of the degree to which I just ended up taking up the sport as a kid who didn't know his dad."

President barack Obama accept Nobel Peace Prize

2009-12-21T23:22:00.000-08:00

This year U.S. President Barack Obama became the 120th receiver of the Nobel Peace Prize. President Obama's job toward a nuclear weapons-free world; his plans for combating climate vary; his insistence on multi-lateral diplomacy and maintain of the United Nations; and his ability to give new hope to people around the world, be some of the reasons that prompted the Nobel Prize Committee to award the Peace Prize to a man who had only just begun his term in office.

President Obama officially accepted the Nobel peace Prize with expressions of "deep gratitude and great humility," while acknowledging the seeming paradox of the commander-in-chief of a country fighting 2 wars being hailed as a peace maker.

First Lady Michelle Obama delivers a Toys for Tots donations

2009-12-17T23:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning on December 19th, Michelle Obama made her way to the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots Stafford County Distribution Center in Quantico, Virginia. She helps to deliver over 500 Christmas toys donated by the White House staff, during Mrs. Obama’s East Wing toy drive.

Delivering the toys, Mrs. Obama looked stunning in the always classy colors of white and black. She wore a checkered blouse adorned with black ties, a black trousers and black cardigan. To finish her look, Michelle obama kept warm with a salt and pepper tweed pea coat.

As she presented the toys, she stated "On behalf of the President, Malia, Sasha, Bo and Grandma, we wish everyone a happy holidays, Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukah, anybody who's out there celebrating anything: happy!"

Michelle Obama has also asked for extra toy donations from our country. She has informed us that the Marine Corps is lacking on present for older children, ages 11 to 14.

Obama’s Nobel Prize balance

2009-12-09T02:21:00.000-08:00

Nobel Peace Prize speeches are regularly filled with soaring rhetoric and grand humanitarian gestures. President Barack Obama will accept his prize Thursday with a speech that aims at historical resonance but is forced by his status as a new, wartime president.

Administration officials say the speech, which the president is sketching himself, will address the irony of receiving a peace prize a week after ratcheting up the war in Afghanistan, and the require for continued leadership on nuclear disarmament.

The prize is awarded not often to a sitting head of state; not in 90 years has it gone to a sitting U.S. president. Mr. Obama's nomination was based on his outreach to other nations and the Muslim world, his maintain for nuclear disarmament and election as the first African-American president.

Holiday party in white house room

2009-12-08T00:38:00.001-08:00

For reporters covered President Obama, there’s only one party in town that matters: The White House Holiday Party is a rare opportunity to walk around parts of the White House and meet the president and first lady. In the past, the highlight of the event has been the chance to get your image taken with the president in the receiving line.

This year, however, the White House seems to be doing things a slight differently. The invites went out late – and didn’t include journalists who have been invited in the long-ago. And those who have been invited seem possible to be denied the traditional receiving-line photo.

Obama faces the same level of threat as that of Bush, Clinton

2009-12-03T23:09:00.001-08:00

US President Barack Obama faces the equal level of threat as that of his two predecessors, George W Bush and Bill Clinton, a senior Secret Service official has said.

"The threats (to Obama) right now and inappropriate interest that we are seeing is the same level as it has been for the earlier two Presidents at this point," the Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan said in response to a question at a Congressional hearing.

The US Secret Service is in charge for the protection of the first family of the United States.

"They are not," Sullivan said when Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton asked him if the threats to Obama were higher or not, during a inquiry by House Committee on Homeland Security on the security breach in the White House last week.

Bill Clinton support Obama's Afghanistan decision

2009-12-02T22:43:00.001-08:00

Former President Bill Clinton on Wednesday said he support President Barack Obama's plan to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan.

"I decided several weeks ago I would support whatever he decided," Clinton said to a standing ovation at the New Hampshire Democratic Party's yearly Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Manchester. The appearance marked the first time Clinton returns to the state since attending several rallies two days before the 2008 general election.

Clinton praised Obama for carefully studying options and strategy for Afghanistan, despite criticism he was moving too slowly.

The former president noted that many things have altered since he first became president, but one thing that has remained the same is the Republicans' criticism of Democratic policies. He urged the audience to fight false statements about the recent health care proposal before Congress and efforts to fight global warming by talking to friends and neighbors about Obama's policies.

Obama family distributes the food to a group serving the underprivileged

2009-11-26T23:02:00.000-08:00

The Obama family passed out turkeys, stuffing and other Thanksgiving favorites to peoples at a food pantry organization.

President Barack Obama tucked pumpkin pies into peoples bags at Martha's Table in downtown Washington on Wednesday evening and wished them a happy holiday.

Obama's two daughters, first lady Michelle Obama and her mother, Marian Robinson, worked next to the president, putting canned food, stuffing, and fresh vegetables into bags. Those in line also received cold turkeys.

Children who attend educational services at the association designed some of the bags.

PM Manmohan Singh gets US assurance on terrorism, N-deal, China

2009-11-25T23:38:00.000-08:00

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wrapped up a "very productive" state visit to the US with assurances of support from President Barack Obama on countering terrorism emanate from Pakistan, early completion of their landmark civil nuclear deal and allaying of concerns over Chinese role in South Asia.

A day after he held broad-ranging discussions with Obama to forge a "defining partnership of the 21st century", Manmohan Singh told the media on Wednesday he was sure that India and the US will "not only continue but strengthen the momentum of relations built up over the past few years".

At his first summit talks with Obama, Manmohan said they had decided on the early and full implementation of their landmark civil nuclear deal.

There were a "few minor problems" relates to an agreement on reprocessing of nuclear fuel, he said, adding: "I am confident that we can sort out these things in the next few weeks."

Michelle Obama goes glam for a state dinner

2009-11-24T23:41:00.000-08:00

Michelle Obama welcomed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Mrs. Gursharan Kaur to the White House Tuesday night and usher in the Obama administration's first official state dinner.

Though she's become known for her (sometimes controversial) high-fashion risk-taking, tonight Mrs.Obama choose a dress with a classic floor-length cut in a subdued gold fabric and paired it with a light shawl. Her makeup was kept to a minimum and her hair finished in a dignified updo. The whole ensemble seemed traditionally feminine and sophisticated, reminiscent of the first lady's more conservative predecessors.

Tonight's look may mark a sartorial departure for Mrs. Obama, a shift into more sophisticated, luxurious, and regal attire, accessible, rather than the playful, less-polished clothing she's worn thus far.

Obama awards Zimbabwe group, blast Mugabe

2009-11-23T23:12:00.000-08:00

US President Barack Obama has given an award to a leading women's rights activist in Zimbabwe, labeling Robert Mugabe a "dictator" in the development.

Obama presented Magodonga Mahlangu and her association Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) with the 2009 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award in a White House ceremony.

"Each time they observe Magodonga beaten back, beaten black and blue during one protest, only to get right back up and lead another, singing freedom songs at the top of her lungs in complete view of security forces, the threat of a policeman's baton loses some of its power," he said.

WOZA has united tens of thousands of Zimbabwean women in a campaign of non-violent struggle against rapes and other rights violations under Mugabe's regime, lasting brutal repression and repeated arrests.

"By her example, Magodonga has shown the women of WOZA and the people of Zimbabwe that they can undermine their oppressors' power with their own power, that they could sap a dictator's strength with their own," Obama said.

North Korea among topics of discussion as Obama wraps up Asia tour

2009-11-19T23:06:00.001-08:00

Ending a sometimes bumpy week-long tour of East Asia, Obama said the welcoming ceremony in Seoul - a glorious, flags and traditional garb, sun-drenched mingling of music - was the "most spectacular" he has seen in his travels.

In his talks with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, whose right-of-center government has embrace political cooperation with the United States, Obama also found much to his liking.

The two agreed on a general approach to North Korea, with Obama announcing that his special envoy, Stephen W. Bosworth, will travel to Pyongyang on Dec. 8 to try to persuade Kim Jong Il's government to return to stalled six-party disarmament talks in Beijing.

At a brief joint news conference, Obama was asked about Iran's indication that it could not ship some of its uranium to Russia for processing, which was to have been the core of an international solution to its nuclear ambitions. He responded that the United States has started to enlarge "a package of potential steps" to penalize Iran.

Us president Obama on Tuesday nudged Chinese President Hu Jintao

2009-11-16T23:19:00.000-08:00

US President Barack Obama on Tuesday nudged Chinese President Hu Jintao allows the yuan currency to appreciate at a summit where they agreed to work to ease trade and economic frictions between the two giants.

Hu did not mention the yuan, China's currency policy or the dollar during remarks following a meeting with Obama in Beijing's Great Hall of the Peoples.

However, Obama referred fleetingly to an issue which has provoked testy exchanges in current days between U.S. and Chinese officials, with Washington arguing that an undervalued yuan is stoking global economic imbalances. The yuan has been successfully pegged against the dollar since the middle of last year.

America's first lady michelle obama - Opinion in the south

2009-11-12T23:01:00.000-08:00

In the South, opinion about First Lady Michelle Obama has lots to do with political affiliation, according to a new poll. Nearly 78 percent of Democrats had a favorable opinion of Mrs. Obama compared to only 26.2 percent of Republicans, according to the Winthrop University survey.

Independents favored Mrs. Obama by 55.4 percent to bring her on the whole favorable rating to 53.2 percent.

Among Democrats, only 18.2 percent were undecided about Mrs. Obama comparing with 51.1 percent for Republicans and 26.9 percent for independents.

The poll of 866 adults 18 years old and over was taken between Oct. 24-Nov. 7 in 11 Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. The poll included respondents with mobile phone and land lines. The margin of fault is plus or minus 3.33 percent.

America's first lady michelle obama on sesame street

2009-11-11T01:53:00.000-08:00

Sesame Street is the longest-running children's programme on American television, and has brought us much loved characters including the Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch and the inseparable Burt and Ernie.

In an episode set to air later today, America's First Lady will help mark the show's great birthday, by palling up with Big Bird.

Previews show that Michelle and her feathered friend will bond over being the longest on the street, and club together to promote healthy eating and nutrition.

The episode, which was taped back in May, also sees the First Lady having a run in with that cheeky chappy Elmo, and planting vegetable seeds with a crowd of children.

‘I never thought I'd be on Sesame Street with Elmo and Big Bird, and I was thrilled,' ‘I'm still thrilled. I'm on a high!' she said on the day of shooting.

‘I think it's probably the best thing I have done so far in the White House,' she added. ‘We were there talking about healthy eating and nutrition, and it's just been a thrill.'

Michelle Obama's style inspired fashion book

2009-11-04T03:10:00.000-08:00

Michelle Obama becomes the subject of a new book that hails her style and wardrobe for influencing the fashion pages.

The Face of Fashion Democracy, published by Hachette, celebrates the US First Lady’s secret from the campaign trail to the White House.

The tome glances at the mum-of-two’s designer dresses to reasonable brands with more than 120 pictures, reports the Telegraph.

It also features interviews from some of Michelle’s favorite designers, such as Isabel Toledo, Jason Wu, Michael Kors, Maria Pinto and Isaac Mizrahi.

Simon Doonan, the British creative director of Barneys, the chic New York clothes store Barneys, also praised Michelle, often dubbed the First Lady of Fashion, saying. "Mrs Obama has a nuanced but inspired style of dressing. She is a connoisseur who knows how to go beyond a simply conventional approach and inject her style with a dash of idiosyncracy. Nothing great, always appropriate, but never boring or conventional."

First Daughters Receive flu Vaccine

2009-10-29T00:37:00.000-07:00

A spokeswoman for the First Lady's office says Sasha & Malia Obama received their H1N1 vaccines last week after the immunizations were made obtainable to Washington, D.C. school children. The White House physicians apply for and received the vaccines through the DC Department of Health, "using the similar process as every other vaccination site in the District."

The President and the First Lady has not received the H1N1 vaccine, says the spokeswoman in a statement, "and they will wait until the needs of the priority groups identified by the CDC ... have been met.'

The Centers for Disease Control identifies that priority group as children and young people up to the age of 24, pregnant women, health care workers, and older people who have, “health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza."

All four of the Obama's have received the regular flu vaccine.

First lady Michelle more popular than barrack obama

2009-10-23T01:36:00.000-07:00

President Obama has a competition at home. It seems Americans view his wife Michelle more favorably than him, indicating a reversal of fortunes since his election last November.

A latest poll shows a surge in positive views of the first lady even as her husband’s ratings have eroded.

Michelle Obama is now viewed more favorably than the president, and her standing is almost 50 percent higher than Vice President Joe Biden.

As the first anniversary of Obama’s election approach, the USA Today/Gallup Poll taken over the past week finds:

* Obama is viewed favorably by 55 percent, unfavourably by 42 percent.

Non-Hispanic whites are regularly split, 49 percent-49 percent, while his rating among blacks is overwhelmingly positive, 90 percent-9 percent.

The day after his election, on Nov 5, 2008, his overall favorable score was 68 percent-27 percent.

* Michelle Obama viewed favorably by 61 percent, unfavorably by 25 percent. Her status among non-Hispanic whites is 57 percent-30 percent; among blacks, it is 91 percent-5 percent.

About a year ago, in a USA Today poll taken Sep 5-7, 2008, her overall favorable rating was 54 percent-30 percent.

What Barack obama Nobel Really Means

2009-10-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

Both the Right and the Left in the United States have joined in disbelief at the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama. For the Right, the decision constitutes further proof of Europe’s moral decadence, for the Left, the award seems premature and complicates Obama’s position on the house front. In fact, the award signals a cry for leadership of a global civil society that is fitfully emerging, and which an American president, exactly because of his own country’s power, is best positioned to take on.

What is global civil society? It features an internationalist outlook that transcend individual state interests - encapsulating everything from media outlets like CNN International or the English-language version of Al Jazeera television, to United Nations agencies, and the worldwide movement of non-governmental organizations, or NGOs. It refers to the kind labors of any number of relief charities operating in poor or war-torn countries. It implies, in other words, an altruism that transcends national, religious, and ethnic borders to include humanity as a entire.

Barack Obama Dances with Latina Star, Irks Michelle

2009-10-15T00:37:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama danced salsa with Latina star Thalia last night, but Michelle Obama was not impressed!

Obama got on the dance floor in a special Fiesta Latina agenda at the White House to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month.

He shows off his moves for a few seconds, and when he returns to his seat and tries to speak to the first lady, she appears to give him the cold shoulder.

Barack Obama: Momentum building for Health care reform

2009-10-13T00:32:00.000-07:00

In his weekly address, President Obama said momentum is building for health care reform, but republicans are standing firm against the plans that are make their way through Congress.

With a serious vote on a key health care bill just days away, the president and his party seem confident they have the momentum and the votes on their side.

"Health insurance reform is a complex and critical issue that deserves a vigorous national debate, and we've had one," Obama said. "The approach that is emerging includes the best ideas from republicans and democrats."

The Finance Committee statement alone is estimated to cost $829 billion over 10 years. Republicans maintain the bottom line will be $1 trillion more than that.

"It is likely that the present proposal will increase your health insurance costs, not reduce them," Florida Senator George Lemieux (r) said. "At a time when Americans are stressed to make ends meet, and the country's debt continues to rise, we should not be raising taxes."

Michelle Obama comes under the attack on baseless charge

2009-10-09T00:44:00.000-07:00

Ever since Barack Obama enter the White House nine months ago, some of his diehard political opponents seem determined to cause as more trouble for him as they can, sometimes using baseless and fabricated stories.

Now they have turned their attention on First lady Michelle Obama. In recent weeks, a group of conservative critics have used blogs, emails and chat rooms to launch an attack against the first lady accusing her of employing a "massive" staff with tax payers' money.

Of course, this is not the first time that first ladies have been criticized for such indulgences. But the current attack on Mrs Obama seemed mainly harsh given the fact that her staff is in no way bigger than previous first ladies.

As far as Michelle Obama's staff amount being "unprecedented" in modern times, this appears to be factually inaccurate.

White House to throw celebrity party Wednesday

2009-10-07T01:34:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama will welcome sky watchers to the White House Wednesday for an evening of stargazing with the first family.

A group of professional and amateur astronomers will place up more than 20 telescopes on the White House lawn during the presidential star party to mark the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009), a celebration of the 400th anniversary of famed astronomer Galileo Galilee's first use of a telescope to observe the night sky. President Obama, his family and a group of local middle-school students are probable to attend.

The White House star party will begin Wednesday night at around 8 p.m. EDT with a beginning address by President Obama to be broadcast live on NASA TV. It corresponds with World Space Week, which began Sunday and end on Oct. 10.

In Pitch for sports event, a Gamble for Obama

2009-09-29T03:15:00.000-07:00

Less than two weeks ago, President Obama lament that he was too busy to go to Denmark to lobby for Chicago’s bid to host the Olympics. “I would make the case in Copenhagen personally,” he said, “if I were not so definitely committed to making real the promise of quality, affordable health care for every American.”

Obviously, his commitment to health care is no longer quite so time consuming. Mr. Obama announced Monday that he could fly to Copenhagen this week after all to lobby the International Olympic Committee for the 2016 Summer Games.

Mr. Obama changed his mind and decided to take a gamble no other American president has been taken at the urging of his close friend and senior adviser, Valerie Jarrett, who has been deeply involved in promoting Chicago’s bid. He hopes to trump the presence in Copenhagen of his counterparts from rival countries looking for the games - Brazil, Japan and Spain - and duplicate the success that Tony Blair of Britain and Vladimir V. Putin of Russia have had in recent years by personally lobbying for their nations’ bids.

Obama pushes agenda to end nuclear weapons

2009-09-24T02:17:00.000-07:00

US President Barack Obama told the United Nations on Wednesday that he will look for to wrap up a universal treaty to ban all nuclear testing and open talks on halting production of bomb-making fissile material in the next 12 months.

Neither announcement comes as a surprise to New Delhi, but the US President's statement that the "next twelve months could be pivotal in influential whether this compact will be strengthen or will slowly dissolve means India will have to create some tough choices in the coming year - notably whether to sign the comprehensive test ban treaty - at a time where there is immense argument at home about the scale of its nuclear avoidance.

In his first speech before the UN as US President, Obama draws a sharp contrast to his predecessor George Bush by reaffirming US commitment to the United Nations, while chastising the rest of the world for expecting Washington to solve all problems. But it was his firm resolves to address a nuclear proliferation issue that was most striking for New Delhi, given the uncertainties that have come to characterize its relationship with Washington on matters of nuclear cooperation and non-proliferation.

Obama refuse to halt CIA probe

2009-09-21T05:27:00.000-07:00

"Nobody's above the law," Mr Obama said in an interview with the American CBS television programme look The Nation.

The US Attorney General Eric Holder last month named as prosecutor to examine whether the CIA had gone beyond approved interrogation methods.

The former heads wrote to Mr Barrack Obama saying the probe would hamper CIA work.

They said the cases had already been investigate during the Bush administration and lawyers had declined to prosecute in all but one.

"This approach will seriously injure the willingness of intelligence officers to take risks to protect the country," their letter read.

"In our judgment, such risk-taking is imperative to success in the long and difficult fight against terrorists who continue to threaten us."

The former CIA chiefs serve under Republican and Democratic presidents.

Obama announced the plan to fight against swine flu

2009-09-18T01:40:00.001-07:00

In a bid to ensure the global spread of swine flu, US President Barack Obama has announced that his administration is prepared to make 10 per cent of its H1N1 vaccine supply available to other countries through the World Health Organisation.

"In recognition that diseases know no limits and that the health of the American people is inseparable from the health of people around the world, the US is taking this action in concert with Australia, Italy, Brazil, France, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the UK," White House said.

Under the plan, the US will create the H1N1 vaccine available to WHO on a rolling basis as vaccine supplies become available, in order to help countries that will not otherwise have direct access to the vaccine.

Obama announced the plan to fight against swine flu

2009-09-18T01:40:00.000-07:00

Obama renew Cuba trade embargo

2009-09-15T22:26:00.000-07:00

US President Barack Obama extends 47-year-old trade embargo against Cuba for another year.
In a statement, Mr Obama said that it was in the US national notice to extend the Trading with the Enemy Act which covers the trade embargo.

It is mainly a symbolic step because the final decision rests with Congress.

Under legislation from 1996, the Helms-Burton Act, the embargo can only be lift when Cuba is deemed to have begun a democratic transition.

Cuba has been under a financial, deal and travel ban since 1962 - one of the last surviving remnants of the Cold War.

Critics see it as a missed opportunity to signal a further readiness to ease relations between the two countries.

Mr Obama has lifted some of the restrictions allowing Cuban-Americans to visit relatives whenever they need and send money home.

The Cuban authorities have describe these changes as little more than a cosmetic coat of paint, but the US administration continues to demand that Cuba must first show signs of reform before lifting the embargo.

NASA Needs $3 Billion More a Year, Panel Tells Obama

2009-09-09T01:51:00.000-07:00

NASA needs an extra $3 billion a year to send astronauts back to the moon or to deep-space flybys of Mars or asteroids and avoid an “unsustainable trajectory” of surroundings goals without adequate funding, a panel told President Barack Obama.

The space agenda “is perpetuating the perilous perform of pursuing goals that do not match allocated resources,” the U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee said in a summary of its report. The panel is lead by Norman Augustine, former chief executive of aerospace contractor Lockheed Martin Corp.

With the space shuttle program winding down, the U.S. is seeking a new mission for astronauts that might include a return to the moon, a goal set for 2020 by former President George W. Bush. Astronauts haven’t traveled beyond about 300 miles from Earth since the last Apollo mission to the lunar surface almost four decades ago.

How to obtain arms like Mrs. Obama?

2009-09-08T02:35:00.000-07:00

Perform one set of tricep pushdowns using a straight bar attached to the high pulley of a cable station and then, without resting, go behind with a set of hammer curls using dumbbells. Immediately repeat the whole process until two or three sets of both exercises have been completed.

The information of Mrs. Obama's fitness routine came as part of a series of interviews by President Barack Obama and Mrs. Obama on health care and their personal fitness and nutrition habits.

Obama was interviewed by Men's Health; he also was feature in the magazine last November. Mrs. Obama gave her first interviews to Women's Health and Children's Health, an original magazine by Rodale Inc., publisher of the men's and women's health magazines.

Obama is again on the coat of Men's Health, while his wife graces the cover of Children's Health. She is joined by a few of the Bancroft Elementary School pupils who have been involved with the White House garden.

Obama said he works out six days a week: two cardio days and four weightlifting days split between the lower and upper body. He also discusses his effort to overhaul the U.S. health care system and his late mother's bout with cancer.

Obama congratulate next Japanese Prime Minister

2009-09-02T22:29:00.002-07:00

US President Barack Obama Wednesday spoke by telephone with Japan's incoming Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama to congratulate him and his Democratic Party of Japan on a landslide election succeeds.

Obama said he looked forward to seeing Hatoyama at this month's United Nations General Assembly in New York and the G20 summit in Pittsburgh, which will blot the new Japanese leader's first steps on the world stage.

"President Obama and Mr Hatoyama stressed the importance of a strong US-Japan Alliance and their desire to build an even more effective partnership," the White House said in a statement.

Obama said he required to work with the new Japanese government on economic recovery, climate change, North Korea, in defeating Al-Qaeda and building peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

Obama and his family at Martha’s Vineyard

2009-08-28T00:18:00.000-07:00

The US President obama is on the American resort, island in Massachusetts for a family break.

Wearing a blue polo shirt, sunglasses and jeans he took his wife Michelle and their children to Nancy’s restaurant.

Michelle beamed from a behind a pair of designer sunglasses, while Sasha (8) and Malia (11) both enjoyed a Coke.

Obama played the kind father and ordered food for the family - and his love of burgers is already well known!

Obamas and his family arrived Martha's Vineyard for Summer Vacation

2009-08-25T02:05:00.000-07:00

The first family settled in Sunday for their vacation on Martha's Vineyard not long after Hurricane Bill scampered away, leaving behind big waves and heavy rip current for the Obamas.

A hot storm warning was lifted just hours before President Barack Obama began his first vacation since taking office. The hurricane forced him to delay his departure from Andrews Air Force Base by only a few hours.

"He wants you to relax and have a good time. Take some walks on the beaches. Nobody is looking to make any news," Burton told reporters.

There are the probable trips for ice cream and salt water taffy, possibly a bike ride and plenty of quiet time at a secluded 28-acre private estate that rents for $35,000 a week. The Obamas played for their share of the vacation home; taxpayers are picking up the tab for security and White House staff, which is usual for all presidents.

Ahead of the trip, Obama and his aide asked for privacy for his daughters, 8-year-old Sasha and 11-year-old Malia.

The playground for the wealthy was a vacation spot for President Bill Clinton and President Ulysses S. Grant. Obama visited twice before. More classically he has vacationed in Hawaii, where he was born and spent time as a child.

Obama appears back to school program

2009-08-19T01:53:00.002-07:00

President Barack Obama become visible in a back-to-school television special with singer Kelly Clarkson and basketball star LeBron James next month.

Obama is appearing in a 30-minute documentary that will air at 8 p.m. Sept. 8 on BET, MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, CMT, Spike TV and Nickelodeon, all of them Viacom networks.

In the program, the president says education is the key to citizens living out their dreams.

"So as this new school year begins, I urge you to set goals for your own education: to study hard and gets involved in your school, to try original things and find amazing you're passionate about," Obama says, according to a release issued on Wednesday.

In the special, Obama, Clarkson and James all are shown next to behind-the-scenes colleagues; Obama's is speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz, who talks about her time in school and current job at the White House. Also feature are Clarkson's music director, Jason Halbert, and James' marketer, Latesha Williams.

FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA

2009-08-13T23:42:00.000-07:00

When people ask Michelle Obama to describe herself, she doesn't hesitate. First and foremost, she is Malia and Sasha's mom.

But before she was a mother — or a wife, lawyer, or public servant — she was Fraser and Marian Robinson's daughter.

The Robinsons lived in a brick bungalow on the South Side of Chicago. Fraser was a pump operator for the Chicago Water Department, and despite being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at a young age, he hardly ever missed a day of work. Marian stayed home to raise Michelle and her brother, Craig, skillfully managing a busy household filled with love, laughter, and important life lessons.

A product of Chicago public schools, Michelle studied sociology and African-American studies at Princeton University. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1988, she joined the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, where she later met the man who would become the love of her life.

After a few years, Michelle decided her true calling lay in encouraging people to serve their communities and their neighbors. She served as assistant commissioner of planning and development in Chicago's City Hall before becoming the founding executive director of the Chicago chapter of Public Allies, an AmeriCorps program that prepares youth for public service.

In 1996, Michelle joined the University of Chicago with a vision of bringing campus and community together. As associate dean of student services, she developed the university's first community service program, and under her leadership as vice president of community and external affairs for the University of Chicago Medical Center, volunteerism skyrocketed.

As First Lady, Michelle Obama looks forward to continuing her work on the issues close to her heart — supporting military families, helping working women balance career and family, and encouraging national service.

Michelle and Barack Obama have two daughters: Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7. Like their mother, the girls were born on the South Side of Chicago.

Message from the President: "This is the moment our movement was built for."

2009-08-08T02:13:00.002-07:00

This is the moment our movement was built for.

For one month, the fight for health insurance reform leaves the backrooms of Washington, D.C., and returns to communities across America. Throughout August, members of Congress are back home, where the hands they shake and the voices they hear will not belong to lobbyists, but to people like you.

Home is where we're strongest. We didn't win last year's election together at a committee hearing in D.C. We won it on the doorsteps and the phone lines, at the softball games and the town meetings, and in every part of this great country where people gather to talk about what matters most. And if you're willing to step up once again, that's exactly where we're going to win this historic campaign for the guaranteed, affordable health insurance that every American deserves.

There are those who profit from the status quo, or see this debate as a political game, and they will stop at nothing to block reform. They are filling the airwaves and the internet with outrageous falsehoods to scare people into opposing change. And some people, not surprisingly, are getting pretty nervous. So we've got to get out there, fight lies with truth, and set the record straight.

That's why Organizing for America is putting together thousands of events this month where you can reach out to neighbors, show your support, and make certain your members of Congress know that you're counting on them to act.

But these canvasses, town halls, and gatherings only make a difference if you turn up to knock on doors, share your views, and show your support. So here's what I need from you:

Can you commit to join at least one event in your community this month?

In politics, there's a rule that says when you ask people to get involved, always tell them it'll be easy. Well, let's be honest here: Passing comprehensive health insurance reform will not be easy. Every President since Harry Truman has talked about it, and the most powerful and experienced lobbyists in Washington stand in the way.

But every day we don't act, Americans watch their premiums rise three times faster than wages, small businesses and families are pushed towards bankruptcy, and 14,000 people lose their coverage entirely. The cost of inaction is simply too much for the people of this nation to bear.

So yes, fixing this crisis will not be easy. Our opponents will attack us every day for daring to try. It will require time, and hard work, and there will be days when we don't know if we have anything more to give. But there comes a moment when we all have to choose between doing what's easy, and doing what's right.

This is one of those times. And moments like this are what this movement was built for. So, are you ready?

Please commit now to taking at least one action in your community this month to build support for health insurance reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/CommitAugust

Let's seize this moment and win this historic victory for our economy, our health and our families.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

"It's up to us"

2009-08-08T02:13:00.001-07:00

Members of Congress have been home for just a few days, and they're already facing increased pressure from insurance companies, special interests, and partisan attack organizations that are spending millions to block health insurance reform.

These groups are using scare tactics and spreading smears about the President's plan for reform, trying to incite constituents into lashing out at their representatives and disrupting their events.

The goal of these disruptions is for a few people to get a lot of media attention and hijack the entire public discourse. If they succeed, all Americans -- Democrats, Republicans, and Independents -- will continue to struggle under the broken status quo.

It's up to us to show Congress that those loudly opposing reform are a tiny minority being stirred up by special interests, and that a huge majority strongly supports enacting real health insurance reform in 2009.

Can you call your representative's local office in your state? Let the person who answers know that you're a constituent. Then tell them: "Please fight for real health insurance reform in 2009."

Calling should only take a few minutes, but it's a huge help. These local offices serve as the main connection between a member of Congress and voters in the district. And with representatives home on recess, the staff there are in daily contact with your member, keeping them updated on how many calls they receive that are for or against reform.

Once you've called, please be sure to report your results. Knowing how many calls are coming in from all around the country will help us better plan our campaign -- and help us show that the American people overwhelmingly want health insurance reform this year.

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

Senate Confirms Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor

2009-08-08T02:12:00.000-07:00

I am pleased and deeply gratified that the Senate has voted to confirm Judge Sonia Sotomayor as our nation’s 111th Supreme Court justice.

I want to thank the Senate Judiciary Committee, particularly its Chairman, Senator Leahy -- as well as its Ranking Member, Senator Sessions -- for giving Judge Sotomayor a thorough and civil hearing. And I thank them for doing so in a timely manner so that she can be fully prepared to take her seat when the Court’s work begins this September.

The members of our Supreme Court are granted life tenure and are charged with the vital and difficult task of applying principles set forth at our founding to the questions and controversies of our time. Over the past 10 weeks, members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the full Senate have assessed Judge Sotomayor’s fitness for this work. They've scrutinized her record as a prosecutor, as a litigator, and as a judge. They've gauged her respect for the proper role of each branch of our government, her commitment to faithfully apply the law to the facts at hand, and her determination to protect our core constitutional rights and freedoms.

And with this historic vote, the Senate has affirmed that Judge Sotomayor has the intellect, the temperament, the history, the integrity and the independence of mind to ably serve on our nation’s highest court.

This is a role that the Senate has played for more than two centuries, helping to ensure that "equal justice under the law" is not merely a phrase inscribed above our courthouse door, but a description of what happens every single day inside the courtroom. It's a promise that, whether you’re a mighty corporation or an ordinary American, you will receive a full and fair hearing. And in the end, the outcome of your case will be determined by nothing more or less than the strength of your argument and the dictates of the law.

These core American ideals -- justice, equality, and opportunity -- are the very ideals that have made Judge Sotomayor’s own uniquely American journey possible. They're ideals she's fought for throughout her career, and the ideals the Senate has upheld today in breaking yet another barrier and moving us yet another step closer to a more perfect union.

Like so many other aspects of this nation, I'm filled with pride in this achievement and great confidence that Judge Sotomayor will make an outstanding Supreme Court justice. This is a wonderful day for Judge Sotomayor and her family, but I also think it's a wonderful day for America.

LIVE: Secretary Sebelius on Health Reform Myths

2009-08-08T02:11:00.000-07:00

If you’ve been following the health insurance reform debate, you probably have a number of questions about how health insurance reform will help you and improve the quality of care you receive. With all the talk about health insurance reform, it can be difficult to sort out fact from fiction.

We want to be sure you have the facts and answer your questions. Today, I’ll be moderating a webcast with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and other top HHS officials where we’ll discuss how health insurance reform will benefit all Americans and take on some of the myths you may have heard. The webcast will begin at 1:00 PM EDT and you can watch it at www.healthreform.gov. You can also watch and discuss using the White House Facebook application.

During the webcast, we’ll be answering your questions. Questions can be emailed to hhsstudio@hhs.gov or submitted via Twitter by using the hashtag #HCRQ.

President Barack Obama - His Mortgage Refinance and Modification Stimulus Plan

2009-07-31T02:34:00.001-07:00

The Making Home Affordable plan was announced in February 2009 and has been running with very questionable results since then. Many borrowers no longer have any equity let alone the 20% equity that is often needed for mortgage refinancing these days. The stimulus or Making Home Affordable plan, from Pres. Obama is supposed to make it easier for homeowners to refinance or modify their current primary mortgage and receive lower monthly payments helping many homeowners temporarily avoid foreclosure.

The ultimate goal of the Making Home Affordable Plan is to help over 9 million homeowners keep their homes and avoid foreclosure or defaulting on their loan until the depression is over as most loans are short term fixes only. This is done by giving incentives to mortgage lenders to use new government guidelines for approving mortgage refinances. So with only a small incentive and slightly less risk to mortgage lenders some are choosing to be more compromising on who can refinance.

We believe the projected number of 9 million homeowners helped will be closer to 1 million as some lenders appear to be balking at governments incentives.

With the Making Homes Affordable program, the final mortgage payment will still not be allowed to exceed 38% of the homeowners gross monthly income. This is great news for a lot of homeowners who are fighting to make their monthly mortgage payment. A lot of homeowners currently pay 50% or more of their income towards making the mortgage payment. A 12 - 20 percent reduction would add up to a lot of saved money every month, but still leave homeowners with a house now worth hundreds of thousands less then they owe on their mortgage.

Refinancing your home can either save you thousands or cost you thousands. Predatory mortgage lenders will take advantage of you every chance they get. Learn how to properly refinance a mortgage and walk away with more money and a smile.

President Barack Obama - His Mortgage Refinance and Modification Stimulus Plan

2009-07-31T02:33:00.001-07:00

Newly elected President Barack Obama is very conscious of the latest financial and job situation in the country leaves and that it leaves many homeowners nervous about the future. Home prices have fallen to record lows and foreclosures are also climbing to all time highs, bringing neighborhood home values by as much as 15%. Property and home values have fallen so steep that numerous homeowners now owe far more on their mortgages than their home is actually worth or will be worth in the next two decades. Because of these problems, the President Barack Obama has presented the housing and homeowner stimulus plan as the fix all for Americans who are close to losing their homes.

The Making Home Affordable plan was announced in February 2009 and has been running with very questionable results since then. Many borrowers no longer have any equity let alone the 20% equity that is often needed for mortgage refinancing these days. The stimulus or Making Home Affordable plan, from Pres. Obama is supposed to make it easier for homeowners to refinance or modify their current primary mortgage and receive lower monthly payments helping many homeowners temporarily avoid foreclosure.

The ultimate goal of the Making Home Affordable Plan is to help over 9 million homeowners keep their homes and avoid foreclosure or defaulting on their loan until the depression is over as most loans are short term fixes only. This is done by giving incentives to mortgage lenders to use new government guidelines for approving mortgage refinances. So with only a small incentive and slightly less risk to mortgage lenders some are choosing to be more compromising on who can refinance.

We believe the projected number of 9 million homeowners helped will be closer to 1 million as some lenders appear to be balking at governments incentives.

With the Making Homes Affordable program, the final mortgage payment will still not be allowed to exceed 38% of the homeowners gross monthly income. This is great news for a lot of homeowners who are fighting to make their monthly mortgage payment. A lot of homeowners currently pay 50% or more of their income towards making the mortgage payment. A 12 - 20 percent reduction would add up to a lot of saved money every month, but still leave homeowners with a house now worth hundreds of thousands less then they owe on their mortgage.

Refinancing your home can either save you thousands or cost you thousands. Predatory mortgage lenders will take advantage of you every chance they get. Learn how to properly refinance a mortgage and walk away with more money and a smile.

President Barack Obama - His Mortgage Refinance and Modification Stimulus Plan

2009-07-31T02:31:00.003-07:00

President Barack Obama - His Mortgage Refinance and Modification Stimulus Plan

2009-07-31T02:31:00.001-07:00

President Barack Obama - His Mortgage Refinance and Modification Stimulus Plan

2009-07-31T02:30:00.000-07:00

Obama overlooks good

2009-07-10T02:37:00.001-07:00

Barack Obama has repeatedly told Americans that they need to sacrifice for the good of the country. Then he set the example of sacrifice hopping on a jet for an expensive date in New York City paid for by those sacrificing taxpayers.

He signed an executive order that has the United States paying for abortions throughout the world, then declares that our country does not believe in torture.

He claims the United States is not a Christian nation, then says we are the biggest Muslim country.

For whatever reason, he feels he has to apologize for the United States wherever he goes, choosing to overlook the goodness of my country.

Clinton Obama Ticket

2009-07-06T02:50:00.000-07:00

Clinton Obama Ticket

Obama Grants For Moms

2009-06-26T02:40:00.002-07:00

The newly updated Obama grants for moms to return to school has resulted in more mothers deciding that going to college is a great way to set the stage for a secure and exciting future.

The main grant that I am speaking of is the government's Federal Pell Grant. When Obama was sworn into office, one of the first actions he took was to increase the amount of the Pell Grant.

The maximum available for the 2009-2010 year is $5,350. The grant will increase to $5,400 by 2012. This money provides a huge help to low income people who wish to go to school.

The Pell Grant is a needs-based grant so it is only awarded to people who meet specific criteria and this is usually in the form of being in a low income family. You will normally have to demonstrate financial need for the grant, so if you are a mom who is considered to be low income then the Federal Pell Grant is perfect for you.

Naturally this can put you in a difficult position if you don't meet the requirements. But that certainly does not mean you should give up! There are so many other grants and scholarship opportunities for mothers out there - and it doesn't take long to find and apply for them.

Scholarships can help pay for:

- Your college books
- Stationary like notebooks and pens
- Laptop and computer software
- College tuition fees

College costs can add up to into the thousands, so I strongly suggest that you look into the Obama grants for moms and see if you are eligible for the Federal Pell Grant. If not, simply start applying for other scholarships until you finally get that money you want for college!

401k and Obama

2009-06-26T02:40:00.001-07:00

On October 24, 2008, word got out that key Congressional Democrats had held hearings about the possibility of federalizing Americans' retirement investments, phasing out the current 401k's and other 400-series retirement plans.

Note the date, because it makes a difference both politically and economically.

Ten days before the election and right at the stock market's nadir, the conservative pundits put out the word that the 401k and Obama had come to the brink of breaking-up. According to conservative pundits, Obama and Company planned to end privatized retirement plans, wresting control of Americans' futures out of their employers' hands and putting it, maybe, in the government's hands. The 401k and Obama were on the rocks.

A little perspective on the 401k and Obama
Given that the best hiding place is the most obvious place, two significant facts deserve attention: First, "hearings about the possibility" don't exactly make it a done deal. And, second, Democrats simply were responding to the heavy price American workers had paid for Wall Street's woeful deflation. In fact, the Congressional Democrats, noting that 401k's had, on the average, lost 40% of their value in the stock market's collapse, wanted to protect average working people from further plunder. Thinking about the 401k and Obama as a certified change-agent, Congressional Democrats welcomed any and all suggestions. The one set of hearings focused on a hybrid plan-employee contributions matched by government funds and invested at the employee's discretion. The plan numbered among several others up for examination when the proper time and circumstance rolled around.

The "buzz" on the 401k and Obama

In his October 24 article, which spread across the internet like wildfire across Australia and with only slightly fewer casualties, Mark Impomeni wrote, "Congressional Democrats miss the point that under current law, Americans have control over their retirement savings, where and how it is invested, and when and how much they contribute... [Democrats] want control of Americans'' retirement to reside in Washington, DC, not on Main Street, all in the name of 'retirement security'."

Once it gets written down, a rumor gets elevated to the status of fact, and then it evolves into a threat. Warning that the 401k and Obama could not peacefully co-exist, Impomeni unfortunately missed the fact that Americans' corporate employers have control of their retirement investments. The corporations establish and administer 401k s, and they determine whether or not they will match employees' contributions. Historically, many companies often had delivered their matches in the form of company shares; and, sometimes, they delivered nothing at all. In the downturn, 401k matches always has numbered among the first benefits cut. Congressional Democrats believed the 401k and Obama could do better.

401k and Obama in the cold light of day
Yes, workers determine, up to a point, where their 401k funds are invested, but they cannot choose real estate, commodities, or futures. And, yes, American workers determine how much and when they contribute, but they face stiff penalties for going over the limits, and "when" isn't quite as flexible as Impomeni makes it seem: once an employee authorizes a payroll deduction for a 401k, corporate and IRS regulations stipulate how long he must continue the deduction. The average working guy cannot show up on Tuesday and tell accounting to drop five bucks into his retirement, betting it all on Exxon.

401k's took a beating when the stock market headed south. Democrats took the initiative to explore ways for protecting Larry Lunchbox from further loss. Of course, from the oblique angle of the very far right, this initiative means the 401k and Obama have taken the first step down the slippery step toward hard-core socialism.

Looking at conservatives' treatment of the 401k and Obama, objective observers had to wonder: published just ten days before the election, had the conservatives' rhetoric mightily exaggerated the reality? Was there, maybe, a little more on the agenda than just the 401k and Obama?

Barack Obama And Kenya - Is He A Closet Muslim?

2009-06-26T02:39:00.001-07:00

Although he never lived in Africa, Senator Barack Obama - fully in the race for the American presidency - is half Kenyan by descent. He has a Kenyan father and an American mother. Rumors say Obama still is a Muslim. What are the facts?

Barack Obama's Parents

Obama's father, Barack Hussein Obama Sr., was born in a poor town in Kenya's western Nyanza province as the son of a cook in British service. It was the kind of small village where chicken roam freely and children in rags wander around the streets. The family was from the Luo tribe. The Senator's father "grew up herding goats and went to school in a tin-roof shack", as the Senator himself wrote in his book "Dreams of my Father" (1995, reissued 2004).

But the father was a smart and hard-working young man, and when John F. Kennedy launched a program to offer American scholarships to promising Kenyan students, the father grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He was able to enter the University of Hawaii that way. There he met and married Senator Obama's mother, Ann Dunham who was a fellow student at the same university. She was a full-blooded American from Kansas, coming from a blue-collar family.

Senator Obama was born there in 1961. However, the marriage only lasted until 1965. The father went on to study at Harvard, and after that returned to Kenya to work for oil companies. He went on to become an economist in the government of Jomo Kenyatta, the first Kenyan president after independence in 1963. He died in a car accident in 1982.

The mother remarried an Indonesian oil manager, Lolo Soetoro, and together with Barack Obama (who was then 5 years old) the couple moved to Jakarta in Indonesia. When Obama was ten, he returned to his grandparents in Hawaii because of the better opportunities for education there. His father came to visit him there. It would be the last time he saw him. Eventually, after Occidental College and Columbia University, Obama would enter Harvard University just like his father did.

Two Visits To Kenya

Before enrolling in Harvard, Obama visited his relatives in Kenya for the first time. His second visit in 2006, the latest to date, was an official one. Joined by his wife Michelle and his two daughters, he was received by US Ambassador Michael Rannesberger at the aiport of Kenya's capital Nairobi. From there, a tour went through the city with thousands of Kenyans - proud that somebody 'from them' made it to the US Senate - cheering along the streets. A real Obama mania swept the country.

Obama also visited his 85-year old grandmother in her little village of Nyangoma-Kogelo. She cooked a traditional ugali meal for him. She didn't buy a new dress for the occasion, saying that Obama would hug her anyway, as he had done before. She doesn't speak English, so they talked through an interpreter.

Obama A Muslim?

Especially on the internet, the rumor still goes that Obama is a Muslim. That seems to be without basis in fact. Obama's grandfather converted from Christianity to Islam as a young man and added the Arab-style 'Hussein' to his name. The Senator inherited that middle name from his grandfather and father: the Senator's full name is Barack Hussein Obama like his father. Also 'Barack' has an Islamic background, meaning "blessed" in African-Arabic (East-African languages have a lot of Arab words .

But Obama's father had already abandoned Islam before he met Ann Dunham in Hawaii, becoming a skeptic, atheist person at a young age like Obama's mother. Obama's stepfather, Lolo Soetoro, was nominally a Muslim but considered religion as of little importance. The Senator himself was also leaning towards skepticism until he heard a sermon delivered in . He became a Christian and in 1988 joined Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

But political opponents keep circulating rumors about Obama being a closet Muslim. Even the Hillary Clinton camp fed into this by circulating a photo from Obama's Kenyan visit in 2006, with Obama wearing a traditional Somali (Muslim) costume. However, this seems to have been nothing more than Obama showing respect to his hosts and trying on the clothes that he received from them as a gift.

"In no other country on earth, is my story even possible"

During his keynote speech at the Democratic Convention in 2004, Obama drew comparisons between his background and his vision of an America with equal opportunities for all. "In no other country on earth, is my story even possible", he said, pointing to the fact he made it to the US Senate as the son of a poor black immigrant.

There's an irony in that. In Kenya, the Kikuy tribe dominates both politics and the economy. They keep out the other tribes through favoritism and even corruption. For a (half)-Luo like Obama, it would be extremely hard to become the President of Kenya. Indeed, the election violence in Kenya of December-January 2008 precisely has this background. There's evidence that sitting President Kibaki, a Kikuyu (as well as virtually his entire administration), stole the elections of his Luo opponent Raila Odinga. This sparked the riots, as the Luo as well as other smaller tribes saw this as again a signal that the Kikuyu will conspire to keep any Luo out of office.

So Kenyans are now telling each other the joke that a Luo will sooner become the President of the United States than the President of Kenya.

Making Homes Affordable - President Obama's Plan For the Nation's Distressed Homeowners

2009-06-26T02:38:00.002-07:00

President Barack Obama has introduced many ideas and programs in efforts to provide guidance and aid to the millions of struggling homeowners in this country. The sub prime mortgage crisis, fueled by the greed and often negligence of the lending industry's major players has left millions of homeowners facing the worrisome prospect of losing their homes. On February 18, 2009, President Obama introduced the nation to his housing plan.

This plan involves several programs which are designed to help over seven million families potentially facing foreclosure to avoid the grief and stress of a foreclosure by giving them options. These options will include either refinancing or modifying their existing mortgages in hopes of ultimately making those mortgages become affordable and bearable once again. Additionally, Obama's program intends to reinforce and revitalize the federal government's commitment to Government Sponsored Entities, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, leaders in the secondary mortgage market.

On March 4, 2009, President Obama's administration released news and information that detailed the intricacies of the program and provided guidance on the Making Home Affordable Program.

While there are several characteristics and facets of this program, the main points for homeowners to know are listed below.
1. The Home Affordable Refinance Program. Under this program, eligible borrowers may refinance loans that Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac (the government sponsored enterprises, or GSEs) own or guarantee. The program can help homeowner-occupants who are current in making loan payments and have loan-to-value ratios (LTVs) above 80 percent but not more than 105 percent. Cash out refinancings are not permitted. The program ends in June 2010.
2. The Home Affordable Modification Program. This is a $75 billion program with lender, servicer, investor, and borrower incentives to make it work. The program is limited to homeowner-occupants who are at risk of default or already in default and who have loans at or below the maximum GSE conforming loan limit of $729,750 (or higher for 2-, 3-, and 4-unit properties). Loan modifications under the program may be made until December 31, 2012.
3. More Support for the GSEs. President Obama also announced more support for the GSEs, including doubling of potential Treasury investment from $100 billion to $200 billion for each GSE, to maintain their positive net worth. The plan also raises the cap on mortgages that the GSEs may hold in their portfolios by $50 billion to $900 billion.
Ultimately, this program intends to set this country back on the path to growth, profitability and success. Hopefully, with the government's continued support and diligence on the part of homeowners, we, as a nation, will begin to see the signs of recovery soon.

Understanding the Obama Housing Stimulus

2009-06-26T02:38:00.001-07:00

Everything sounds better when the spin is in. That is the case with President Obama's housing stimulus tax credit. This very short article will cut through the hype and reveal the facts.
Just like the old $7,500 tax credit wasn't as most people believed, after careful scrutiny, you'll see that the new one isn't all its cracked up to be either. However, the new $8,000 deal is better than the old program, but you should still understand the rules. Here they are as currently constituted:
1. The program is only for those who have not owned a home for the last three years.
2. The program is only available for homes purchased in 2009.
3. The credit is reduced when buyer(s) income is over $75,000 for singles or $150,000 for couples.
4. The credit is paid as a refund on 2008 or 2009 taxes.
Nobody is going to come to your neighborhood handing out $8,000 checks to people who want to buy a new, bigger or different house. So don't stay up late looking for them. All in all, it is still a much better deal for those that qualify. Unfortunately not as many will qualify as most of the pundits think. However, by people continuing to hype it, it will serve to build consumer confidence which is the most important thing that can happen right now.
People need to keep buying, investing (intelligently), spending and consuming. That is what our economy does best. Be aware of every opportunity you can find to make buying your house a better deal. If you play your cards right, now can be a great time to get into a home.

Simple Explanation of Obama's "Making Home Affordable" Plan

2009-06-26T02:37:00.002-07:00

If you are a homeowner and having a hard time refinancing or getting a loan modification, you are in luck. President Obama's "Making Home Affordable" plan makes getting a 2% fixed rate home mortgage easier than ever. This is a $75 billion package to help homeowners who are struggling financially make their monthly mortgage payments. Homeowners will be able to avoid foreclosure, and save huge sums of money by taking advantage of this plan. Here is how it will all go down:
-Their are new loan and grant programs offered by the Government and available to millions of homeowners, These super low interest grants and loans can be used by struggling homeowners to reduce their other debts, and increase the odds of a homeowner being able to keep their home.

-If a homeowners total monthly debts, including the mortgage, exceed 51% of a homeowners gross income will have to attend free Government credit counseling sessions in order to use this Government sponsored "Making Home Affordable" plan for their home mortgage. The same 2% fixed rate home loan will be available as long as the homeowner is approved.
-Homeowners facing all types of "Financial Hardships" can apply for the 2% fixed rate home modification option available from this Obama homeowner relief stimulus plan. The financial hardships can be a lot of things including, loss of job or income, hospital bills, and other high debts. BE sure to include a handwritten letter of your "Financial Hardships" and include any related information such as bills, bank statements, pay stubs, and tax returns.
-A lot of homeowners have seen the value of their property drop by 15% or more as a result of the housing crisis, and the tough economy in general. Now, homeowners who have experienced this can take advantage of the "Making Home Affordable" plan and get their home loan refinanced or modified into a fixed 2% mortgage.

The amount of money that homeowners can save by using this stimulus refinancing and loan modification plan is insane. You owe it to yourself to at least look into the potential savings that you most likely are eligible to get by using this plan.
At my site I will teach you how to properly refinance or modify a home mortgage saving you thousands of dollars, or even your home. A lot of Greedy Mortgage Lenders will try to suck you dry if you let them. Learn the right way to refinance or modify your home loan at my site:

Obama Stimulus Refinance - Can a Federal Stimulus Help You Refinance Your Mortgage?

2009-06-26T02:37:00.001-07:00

The fluctuating US economy and the recession together have led to a flood of foreclosures and bankruptcies. Obama Stimulus Refinance Program as introduced by the Federal Government aims at stopping these foreclosures and bankruptcy. This Package holds 'affordability' as its keyword to save the home owners. The owners can go for refinancing at lower mortgage payments under Obama Stimulus Refinance Program
The home owners who have missed any of their monthly payments can apply for the Mortgage Modification under Obama Stimulus Program. For this, you need to check certain things that can help you refinance your existing mortgage at affordable monthly payments.
Here are the tips how you can be eligible to Refinance Your Mortgage under Obama's Stimulus Refinance Program
- Your mortgage value should exceed the current market value of the house over 105% so that you are eligible to apply.
- Your mortgage deed should be owned or insured by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.
- The rates of interest for Obama Stimulus Refinance Program have been reduced from 6.5 to 5.16% now.
- The monthly payment has been made to 31% of the gross monthly income of the owners. The banks cannot go above that.
- You can directly contact the bank through its loan modification department or by visiting the official website of the bank to apply for the mortgage modification.
- You can go to the counselors appointed by the US Housing & Urban Development department. These counselors would help you choose the right option. They do not even charge you any fees for the guidance provided to you. They act as your representative in front of the bank in the dealing.
So, the Federal Stimulus surely helps you refinance your mortgage provided that you take care of certain things.
Here are some points that help you getting mortgage refinance under Obama Stimulus Refinance Program
• Try to be polite during the dealings with the bank
• Draft the hardship letter if you have missed any of your monthly payments. Be sure that the situation does not arise that you get the 'Notice of Default.' After the notice it becomes a legal matter and it would worsen the situation for further negotiations with the bank.
• Keep your documents complete. The required documents include your tax details, credit details and expenses details.Obama Stimulus Program can help you provide if all the details are completed along with required documents attached to it.
To know more about Obama's Stimulus Refinance Programs and to check if you qualify

Oprah Not an Obama Follower on Twitter

2009-06-26T02:36:00.002-07:00

Since joining Twitter Oprah has followed famous celebrities like Shaq, Hugh Jackson, and the Kutchers. However, there is one noteworthy person that she is not following. She is not following Barack Obama. Most would think that her first following would have been with Obama. After all Oprah is his number one fan. She pulled out all the stops to get him elected. Winfrey first endorsed Obama before he was even a candidate in September 2006. She made campaign appearances, and rallied behind Obama. So why is she not interested in Obama on Twitter?
There are two major Barack Obama sites on Twitter. The most followed is Barack Obama with over one million followers. The other is Obama News with around 99,000 followers. Moreover, Oprah has really gotten involved with Twitter. There are two main Oprah sites on Twitter. Her main Twitter site were she tweets. She started tweeting on April 17th and has already obtained over 800,000 followers. Next in line is O Magazine with over 45,000 followers. The best unofficial site is twitter.com/Oprah_Giveaways.
There are a couple of reasons I think that she does not follow Obama. First, Obama has not tweeted much since the campaign has been over. After the Inauguration there have only been 4 tweets. Obama'a tweets are very impersonal. They look like press releases. It would be nice if he actually tweeted on how he is doing. After all that's the slogan of Twitter . There have been a lot of Tweets on Obama News. However, the tweets on Obama News are not put out by Obama himself.
Another notable non following was Sarah Palin who at first did not follow John McCain. However, not long after the "non following" was blogged about she was following McCain. I'm sure as soon as this gets out it will only take a few seconds before Oprah is following Obama. Or perhaps she has abandoned Obama for Shaq Diesel 2012.

Obama Stimulus Money Dropping Mortgage Rates

2009-06-26T02:36:00.001-07:00

There are some good effects of the so called Obama Stimulus money on mortgage rates. The present thirty year fixed mortgage rates have gone down to it's lowest in more than fifty years according to a report from Bankrate.com. This really signals the best time to get mortgage refinancing especially if you are on the higher end of an adjustable rate mortgage. President Obama's stimulus money that has provided relief to the largest financial institutions in the US is starting to show some signs that it is helping mortgage rates to go down.

This drop in mortgage rates was brought about by the stimulus money that the federal government is pumping into the financial sector. The financial sector needs more money as they are reeling form the economic slump. When mortgage rates dropped to near all time lows, this would be the best the time to get your mortgage refinancing in order. Since the announcement of the government to buy more than I trillion dollars worth of toxic assets from the affected banks and other lending companies, this will bring about increase liquidity and improve credit conditions.
The Federal lending rate is at all time low of 0 to .25 percent and this has made most of the lending institutions to lower their lending rates. And when that happens the borrowing rates will definitely go down and more affordable. Though it is still difficult to qualify for a mortgage refinancing since the lending policies and guidelines are so stringent. If they can only be relax or loosen up then I it will benefit a lot of Americans and thus give the increase consumer spending that the experts are looking for.
The previous lows are in June 2003 and this January 5.28 percent according to Bankrate.com. Now the 30 year fixed rate is holding at 5.19 which are very low compared to the low of 6.77 in October 2008. At that time a 200,000.00 thousand dollar home loan would have meant a monthly payment of 1299.86. Now with the current mortgage rates of 5.19 percent, the monthly payment for the same loan would be 1.096.99. (This was taken from the article by Catherine Clifford, CNNMoney.com staff). This really shows that the Obama stimulus money is lowering borrowing rates.
While most people are still skeptical about the Obama stimulus money to work well in lowering mortgage rates, this is evidently signs of progress in making lending more affordable and jumpstart the economic recovery. The dropping of the borrowing rate is attributable to the Obama stimulus money but that would still be open to debate. But the fact of the matter is the dropping cannot be denied as a result of the bail out and stimulus money being given to lenders and financial institutions.

Free Money is Available - Obama Would Like All Mothers to Finally Get Their Education

2009-06-26T02:35:00.001-07:00

Free Money is Available - Obama Would Like All Mothers to Finally Get Their Education

Many mothers feel like they have lost the opportunity to return back-to-school, and this has been true for some time, but under the Obama administration, Pres. Obama is pro-women and would like all mothers to return back-to-school in order to get their education and achieve all their personal and educational goals.
If you are a mother, then you know that it can be hard to get free time to drive to campus to get an education. And all the time that is required is to be with the children you love can drain your energy to earn a substantial income to be a pay for school.
However, as a mother your ability of free money from grants and scholarships are immense.
Any money that you receive a scholarship or grant does not have to be paid back, which means that you can use it on expenses that are directly related to education and those that are not. This means that you can buy books or even take a small trip to see the college that you would like to attend.
If you do not want to travel to university, online education has made getting any bachelors degree possible. Scholarships that award up to $10,000 can be used to fund your dreams. this money can be used to purchase a computer if you decide to attend an online university. From your own home you can become anything from an art teacher to a nursing student. Prestigious colleges are now even offering online degrees for single mothers and mothers.
All single mothers and mothers should apply for both and a bomber government grant and a $10,000 scholarship for free.

Obama Wants All Mothers to Return to School So They Can Achieve Their Dreams

2009-06-26T02:34:00.000-07:00

Many mothers and single moms would love to have a chance to return back to school that they are unable to because they lack money. The Obama administration is pro-women and wants all single mothers and mothers to return back to school so they can get the education they want and achieve their personal dreams and goals.
It can be extremely frustrating when you do not have any money and you would like to go to school to achieve your dreams.
Obama has made money available for grants and scholarships, and even private companies are jumping on the bandwagon to finally help single moments and mothers get into the school of their choice and the education they want.
As a mother your abilities to get free money are tremendous. Any money that you receive from a grant or scholarship does not have to be paid back a can be used anyway you wish. And the Internet has made online education accessible to all mothers who are unable to go to a college campus. Now there are hundreds of options for you at your own home to get a bachelors and Masters degree at your own comfort level without having to take your eyes off your children.
If you're not familiar with grants for mothers, there are hundreds of scholarships that will give you up to $10,000 to use for education expenses and non-education expenses. This means that you can buy books, a computer or even take a trip to the de-stress before you start your education.
There are many online accredited universities that offer a myriad of degrees from being an art teacher to becoming a nursing student. The money is free and your possibilities are immense under the Obama administration.
Every mom should apply for an Obama education grant and 10,000 or scholarship for free.

Obama's 'Moms Return to School' Government Grant Scholarship

2009-06-26T02:33:00.000-07:00

Obama's 'Moms Return to School' Government Grant Scholarship
Did you know that the new US government is committed to helping single moms return to school? Many mothers are not aware that the Obama's 'Moms Return to School' Government Grant Scholarship is available, but there are big benefits to finding out as much as you can about this offer.
Despite the bad economy at the moment, now is a good a time as any to be considering going to college; especially if you are a mom. When the economy bounces back (which it always does), qualified workers are going to be in big demand. So having completed a degree is going to put you in prime position to get your ultimate job.
Here are some of the facts about the Obama mom scholarship and grants.
Federal Pell Grants
One of the first bills introduced by Obama, the Federal Pell Grants are being increased for low income students. That means the maximum grant allowed now is $5100 instead of $4050. There is even talk of raising it more. If you are a single mother then is one of the very best grants that you can get.
You can apply for this grant by choosing a college or university that you wish to attend. Make sure they are running your chosen program or course first.
You then fill out a deferral FAFSA form and have it submitted.
Tax Benefits for Studying Moms
Also keep in mind that the The American Opportunity Tax Credit program states that your first $4000 of higher education is free.
Grants for Online Study
You can certainly apply for Obama's 'Moms Return to School' Government Grant Scholarship program if you are choosing to study online instead of on campus. In fact, online study is the most chosen path for moms who want to be at home with their children whilst being able to study at the same time.
You can also search out other suitable scholarships and grants for you. Some are particularly suited to moms and single moms and can offer even more money than the Federal Pell Grant.

"Clean Energy, Green Jobs and Climate"

2009-06-25T00:23:00.000-07:00

The Obama Administration is dispatching cabinet secretaries and senior officials around the country this week to highlight the need for comprehensive energy legislation that makes us more energy independent, reduces climate change-causing greenhouse gas emissions and creates millions of green jobs.

... In the lead up to the vote a diverse coalition of stakeholders have ramped up their efforts to build support for the bill. Late last week, the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, the Center for American Progress (CAP), Green for All and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released two reports that outline how investments in a clean-energy economy will produce significant economic and job creation benefits.

-- The Economic Benefits of Investing in Clean Energy: How the Economic Stimulus Program and New Legislation Can Boost U.S. Economic Growth and Employment: Report explains how the investment of $150 billion annually, through public spending and private investment, would produce a net gain of 1.7 million new jobs. CAP compiled state-by-state fact sheets of clean energy jobs creation.

-- Green Prosperity: How Clean-Energy Policies Can Fight Poverty and Raise Living Standards in the United States: Report shows that shifting from traditional fossil fuel to clean energy will improve the standard of living for millions of Americans across all skill and education levels, especially among lower-income families.

In Case You Missed It: Last week, the White House also released a new report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) about the potential impact of climate change in the United States. The report lays out – in layman’s terms – how failure to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will result in significant changes to temperatures, rainfall patterns and sea level. Grist.org had a good round up.

Last month, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (also known as Waxman-Markey), cleared the Energy and Commerce Committee. Yesterday the bill was added to the schedule for the House of Representatives, and could come up for a vote by the end of the week.

Open Thread: Fatherhood

2009-06-23T05:18:00.000-07:00

LIVE: White House Health Reform Chat at 2:30 PM Eastern

2009-06-19T06:03:00.000-07:00

Today, Nancy-Ann DeParle, Director of the White House Office of Health Reform, and Michael Hash, Senior Adviser in the Office of Health Reform, will be hosting a meeting with physicians to discuss the importance of health reform this year. The meeting is another in a series of White House Stakeholder Discussions, and the physicians will discuss how prevention and wellness initiatives can keep Americans healthy, help prevent disease and illness, and lower health care costs.

For this meeting, the White House is trying out a new online chat feature that will allow you to watch the event live and ask questions through Facebook or the White House website. You can participate in the chat and watch the discussion at http://apps.facebook.com/whitehouselive, or www.whitehouse.gov/live.

The discussion with physicians and our online chat will begin today at 2:30 PM Eastern.

Open Thread

2009-06-18T02:44:00.000-07:00

PHOTO: President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet in the Oval Office Wednesday, June 10, 2009 with (from left) Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, (D-Mont.) Sen. Michael Enzi, (R-Wyo.) the ranking member on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Sen. Charles Grassley, (R-Iowa) the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Chris Dodd, (D-Conn.), the senior member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions to discuss health care reform.

The President's Plan for Financial Regulatory Reform: "A careful balance"

2009-06-18T02:40:00.000-07:00

Today President Obama announced the details of a proposed plan to reform the financial regulatory system, the culmination of a months-long process that included the President, his economic team, experienced regulators, and leaders in Congress. In his remarks, the President explained:

It is an indisputable fact that one of the most significant contributors to our economic downturn was a unraveling of major financial institutions and the lack of adequate regulatory structures to prevent abuse and excess. A culture of irresponsibility took root from Wall Street to Washington to Main Street. And a regulatory regime basically crafted in the wake of a 20th century economic crisis -- the Great Depression -- was overwhelmed by the speed, scope, and sophistication of a 21st century global economy.

...Now, we all know the result: the bursting of a debt-based bubble; the failure of several of the world's largest financial institutions; the sudden decline in available credit; the deterioration of the economy; the unprecedented intervention of the federal government to stabilize the financial markets and prevent a wider collapse; and most importantly, the terrible pain in the lives of ordinary Americans. And there are retirees who've lost much of their life savings, families devastated by job losses, small businesses forced to shut their doors.

Millions of Americans who've worked hard and behaved responsibly have seen their life dreams eroded by the irresponsibility of others and by the failure of their government to provide adequate oversight. Our entire economy has been undermined by that failure.

So the question is, what do we do now? We did not choose how this crisis began, but we do have a choice in the legacy this crisis leaves behind. So today, my administration is proposing a sweeping overhaul of the financial regulatory system, a transformation on a scale not seen since the reforms that followed the Great Depression.

...In these efforts, we seek a careful balance. I've always been a strong believer in the power of the free market. It has been and will remain the engine of America's progress -- the source of prosperity that's unrivaled in history. I believe that jobs are best created not by government, but by businesses and entrepreneurs who are willing to take a risk on a good idea. I believe that our role is not to disparage wealth, but to expand its reach; not to stifle the market, but to strengthen its ability to unleash the creativity and innovation that still make this nation the envy of the world.

That's our goal -- to restore markets in which we reward hard work and responsibility and innovation, not recklessness and greed; in which honest, vigorous competition is the system -- in the system is prized, and those who game the system are thwarted.

Some of the specifics outlined by the President in his proposal today included:

• Providing clear accountability in financial oversight and supervision. Financial institutions that are critical to market functioning should be subject to strong oversight. No financial firm that poses a significant risk to the financial system should be unregulated or regulated only weakly.

• Establishing comprehensive supervision of financial markets. Our major financial markets must be strong enough to withstand both system-wide stress and the failure of one or more large institutions.

• Protecting consumers and investors from financial abuse. To rebuild trust in our markets, we need strong and consistent regulation and supervision of consumer financial services and investment markets. We should base this oversight not on speculation or abstract models, but on actual data about how people make financial decisions. We must promote transparency, simplicity, fairness, accountability, and access.

• Providing the government with the tools it needs to manage financial crises. We need to be sure the government has the tools it needs to manage crises, if and when they arise, so that we are not left with untenable choices between bailouts and financial collapse.

Barack Obama's Family Tree

2009-06-11T01:30:00.000-07:00

The Next Generation

Barack and Michelle have two children, Malia, now 10, and Sasha, 7.

Michelle
Barack met his wife in the late 1980s, when the two worked at the prestigious Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin. They were married in 1992. Shortly thereafter, they spent a Christmas in Hawaii, where this photo was taken.

Kenya
Sarah Obama, now 86, still resides in Kogelo. In this photo, she and Obama pose together outside her home in 1995.

Extended Family
On his father's side, Obama has numerous relatives. He has made several visits to the home of his step grandmother, Sarah Obama, front row, second from right. He also has four half brothers through his father.

Family Ties
When Ann returned to Indonesia, the young Barack remained behind in Hawaii, where he was raised by his maternal grandparents. He eventually attended Columbia University in New York, where this photo was taken in the 1980s.

Half Sister
Maya Soetoro, the daughter of Barack's mother and her second husband, Lolo Soetoro, sits beside the young Barack, Ann and grandfather Stanley Dunham in this photograph taken in Hawaii the early 1970s. Ann came back to Hawaii to attend graduate school in 1974 and remained until 1977, when she returned to Indonesia.

Reunion
After the divorce, Barack Jr. only saw his father one more time, in Hawaii, in 1972, when this photograph was taken. The senior Barack then returned to Kenya, where he worked for a US oil company and the Kenyan government. He died in a car accident in 1982, at the age of 46.

The Young Obama
For the first six years of his life, Barack lived in Hawaii. In 1967, his mother remarried and the family moved to Indonesia.

Parents
Barack Sr. and Ann Dunham married in February, 1961 and Barack was born six months later. Their union did not last long, however. The marriage ended in divorce in early 1964.

Father
Born in Kenya, Barack Obama Sr. came to the University of Hawaii in order to study for a degree in economics. This photograph hangs on the wall of his stepmother's house in Kogelo, Kenya.

Mother
Though she has signed this sophomore yearbook photograph of herself "Stanley" — her parents named her Stanley Ann at birth — Obama's mother was known as Ann for most of her life. After attending Mercer Island High School in Washington, she enrolled at the University of Hawaii, where she met Barack Obama, Sr.

Grandparents

Stanley and Madelyn Dunham pose with Obama's mother Ann in a photograph probably taken in the 1950s. Born in Kansas, Obama's maternal grandparents lived in four states before settling in Hawaii.

Farmers

Louisa Eliza Stroup Dunham and Jacob Mackey Dunham are the candidate's great-great-great grandparents. A farmer in Tipton, County, Indiana in the 1870s, Jacob Dunham later owned restaurants and a confectionary in the Oklahoma Territory. He died in 1907.

Supreme Court Justice

Obama's distant cousin, Gabriel Duvall, was a member of the US House of Representatives, from the second district of Maryland. In 1811, he was appointed to the Supreme Court, where he sat until 1834. He was also a friend of Thomas Jefferson and the owner of 37 slaves.

Poll: Latino Voters Expect Great Things from Obama

2009-06-01T05:23:00.000-07:00

Latino voters, who turned out in record numbers on Election Day to support Barack Obama, also have very high expectations for his presidency, according to a national bilingual poll by ImpreMedia and the NALEO Educational Fund. The poll, conducted by Latino Decisions between Nov. 6 and Nov. 13, offers an in-depth look at the hopes, expectations and key concerns of Latino voters. Some 800 Latino registered voters were surveyed, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent. These are some of the key findings:

The Latino Vote at the Polls
Immigrant voters and new voters comprised a sizeable share of the Latino vote this November. Nearly half (46 percent) of Latino voters were born outside of the United States or in Puerto Rico. One in every four (26 percent) Latino voters this election was voting in a presidential election for the very first time.

Partisanship and Candidate Choice
Nearly three in four Latino registered voters in 2008 identified themselves as “strong partisans” (70 percent). Among Latino registered voters 61 percent identified as Democrats, 17 percent Republicans, and 14 percent Independents. But only 8 percent of Latinos say they believe the Republican Party has more concern for the Latino community. Twenty-seven percent of Latino voters believe neither party is more concerned about the Latino community. This skepticism was more pronounced among Spanish speakers, where 31 percent believe there is no difference between either party in concern for Latinos.

Latino support for President-elect Barack Obama may have been higher than initially reported in exit poll data: 72 percent of Latino voters said they voted for Barack Obama and 25 percent reported voting for John McCain. Candidate support did vary by demographic group, with second-generation children of immigrants and Spanish speakers showing the strongest support for Obama, nearly 80 percent. John McCain received his strongest support, about one-third of the vote (34 percent), among third generation Latinos.

Post-Election Expectations and Priorities
Nearly two-thirds of Latino voters (67 percent) in this November’s election say fixing the economy is the most important issue they expect the new president and Congress to address. The economy ranked over other prevalent issues like health care (5 percent), immigration (6 percent), and the war in Iraq (6 percent).

However, expectations are still high when it comes to dealing with immigration reform. Overall, 68 percent of voters say that it is extremely important (41 percent) or very important (27 percent) for the immigration issue to be addressed within the first year of the new Democratic government.

Strong support for the president-elect and the new Democratic Congress comes with high expectations on the part of Latinos to see their communities do better over the next four years. Nearly 70 percent of Latino voters expect the situation for Latinos to improve under the Obama administration. Among immigrants these hopes are higher, with three of every four immigrant voters expecting their situation to improve under President Barack Obama.

50+1: A Federal Agenda for New York CITY

2009-06-01T05:22:00.000-07:00

THE INAUGURATION OF A NEW PRESIDENT IS TYPICALLY A TIME
of great hope, and this year is certainly no exception. But the advent of the
Obama administration offers residents of New York and other city-dwellers
special grounds for optimism: that the period of years, if not decades, when
the federal government all but turned its back on the needs of urban communities
is finally at an end. President-elect Obama’s early pronouncements,
from creating a White House Office of Urban Policy to promising bold new
investments in infrastructure, education and alternative energy, suggest that
the new president understands something that many of his recent predecessors
clearly did not: what’s good for cities is good for America. New York is
the nation’s biggest city by population, economic activity, and cultural importance;
its success is inextricably linked to that of the country.
But if the Obama administration and the 111th Congress appear to present an
exciting opportunity for cities, exactly how should policymakers in New York
and other urban centers seek to capitalize on this?
In the pages that follow, we lay out 51 specific recommendations for what the
federal government could do to help New York City. These ideas range from
taking immediate steps to ensure that the 2010 Census does not undercount
New York and providing anti-terror funds to localities based on risk rather
than politics, to accelerating the rollout of new air traffic control technology
to reduce flight delays and streamlining the visa process to make it easier for
artists to enter the country. While our recommendations are squarely focused
on New York, many if not most of them would bring great benefit to cities and
metropolitan regions across the United States.

There’s no question that New York could use a helping
hand from Washington. Even before the current
economic downturn, the city lacked the resources to adequately
address mounting problems of aging public infrastructure,
housing shortages, traffic congestion, environmental
pollution and growing economic inequality.
Over the last eight years, however, these and other issues
were eclipsed in Washington by other priorities.
Cities fell short in the small print of budget documents
as well as the large headlines of politics and policy: as
this report details, New York has been repeatedly shortchanged
in federal funding formulas. The late Senator
Daniel Patrick Moynihan of New York documented in
his annual “balance of payments” reports that New York
sends much more to Washington in tax payments that
it receives back in spending; the imbalance is now estimated
at $10.9 billion per year.
The new president takes office after a stretch when
cities were repeatedly and systematically disadvantaged
in federal policymaking. Just a few examples are sufficient
to illustrate the general trend of painfully inadequate
federal resources to address issue areas of vital
importance to New York City:
• Federal support for mass transit has stayed roughly
flat since the start of the decade, even as ridership nationwide
surged by approximately 13 percent over the
same period. New York City, with a mass transit system
equal in size to the next ten largest systems combined,
has seen a much larger percentage increase as its population
surged; total ridership on buses and subways rose
by 36 percent between 1995 and 2005, and subway ridership
has continued to rise since then, setting an alltime
record in 2007. While the federal government is
not primarily to blame for the Metropolitan Transportation
Authority’s current fiscal problems, Washington’s
chronic failure to adequate support public transportation
has sorely limited the MTA’s ability to expand and
maintain the system.
• On housing, the Bush administration drastically reduced
funding for public housing, contributing to rent
hikes, service cutbacks and a nearly $6 billion backlog
in capital work at the New York City Housing Authority
(NYCHA), whose buildings are home to 403,500 lowincome
New Yorkers. The administration also badly
neglected the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) and underfunded the projectbased
Section 8 program by nearly $3 billion, dealing
a profound blow to one of the nation’s most critical affordable
housing programs at a time when demand for
low-income housing in New York and the nation far outstrips
supply. Additionally, President Bush repeatedly
attempted to cut off funds to the Community Development
Block Grant program, which provides roughly $200
million a year to New York City for affordable housing,
subsidized day care services and economic development
in low-income communities.
• Despite near-universal recognition that the smarts and
skills of American workers will determine the country’s
success or failure in the globally competitive knowledge
economy, Washington in this decade has cut funding for
the country’s education and job training infrastructure
virtually across the board. The Bush administration reduced
funding for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
by roughly $2 billion, with New York City’s job training
and employment services programs taking among
the biggest hit. The administration also did virtually
nothing as the gap continued to widen between average
household wages and the cost of a college degree.
In New York City, where the high cost of doing business
places even greater importance on knowledge and
skills, this pattern of indifference or hostility to federal
programs that build human capital has been especially
damaging.
In many instances, the Bush administration proposed
to eliminate or drastically reduce funding for
programs vital to everyday life in New York and other
cities, from Amtrak to microenterprise programs. More
often than not, Congress restored some or all of the proposed
cuts, but the constant defensive posture of urban
mayors and legislators in the annual federal budget fight
rendered them unable to craft new initiatives to address
other priorities. Partly as a result, longtime areas of
need, from interventions to reduce poverty to shoring
up infrastructure, went largely or entirely unaddressed.
Washington’s disdain for the priorities of cities like
New York was not limited to traditional areas of concern
to urban advocates. The absence of federal leadership
on a number of additional issues has meant that many
problems not generally thought of as “city issues” continued
to fester, to the point that they too now command
the attention and concern of leaders at the local level.
These include health care, energy policy, and immigration.
New York City’s health care costs are among the
highest of any local areas, and the state’s Medicaid obligations—
determined by an illogical federal formula—
now threaten to overwhelm a budget under severe strain

from the recession. The city’s energy infrastructure, famously
shown to be vulnerable during the blackout of
2003, remains precarious, and the fluctuating price of
fuel has placed an additional burden on the budgets of
working families. And the stalemate at the federal level
on immigration policy has meant that immigrant gateways
like New York City, where 37 percent of the population
is foreign born, face the real costs and challenges
of educating immigrant students and integrating workers
with limited or no English language mastery into the
local workforce without significant federal help.
In the 2008 presidential campaign, some candidates
offered much talk about “the real America,” often
with an implied—or explicit—sneer at urban centers
like ours. But the outcome of that election reaffirmed
the centrality of cities to our national life and culture.
Indeed, we settled on 51 recommendations in this report—
and used the title “50+1”—as a reference to New
York’s singular stature and importance to the rest of the
nation. As just one example, the U.S. Bureau of Economic
Analysis recently found that the New York City
metropolitan area’s economy contributed 9.1 percent of
the nation’s gross domestic product—far more than any
other region—even though it contained only 6.6 percent
of the U.S. population.
President-elect Obama, himself a lifelong resident
of cities, has sent some encouraging signals that he understands
this dynamic and intends to free up more resources
to strengthen urban areas. But having a friendlier
audience in Washington is only the first step.

Next
up is delivering on a range of laws, policy initiatives and
funding formulas.
We thought New York would be well-served to have
a set of policy recommendations ready to go when the
new president takes office. Our aim was to develop a
set of policy recommendations derived from independent
research that encompass a wide range of the most
critical issue areas affecting New York—including public
safety, transportation infrastructure, economic and community
development, housing, immigration, education,
workforce development, reducing poverty and building
assets, energy and the environment, health, the arts and
consumer protection. Indeed, the recommendations in
this report—the inaugural publication of the Center for
an Urban Future’s Fair Share New York project, an initiative
that will include ongoing research about whether
New York City is treated equitably by the federal and
state governments—were selected after considerable
background research, including several dozen interviews
with academics, nonprofit practitioners, business
leaders and city and state government officials.
Clearly, these 51 recommendations represent only a
small share of the actions the federal government could
take to positively impact New York. And undoubtedly,
the nation’s precarious economic and fiscal situation
will preclude the Obama administration from acting on
many of these recommendations early in his term. But
with change in Washington just around the corner, our
hope is that these recommendations serve as a menu of
what can be done to bolster New York and the nation.

The Center for an Urban Future is a New York City-based think tank dedicated to independent, fact-based research
about critical issues affecting New York’s future including economic development, workforce development,higher education
and the arts. For more information or to sign up for our monthly e-mail bulletin, visit www.nycfuture.org. This
report is the inaugural publication of the Center for an Urban Future’s Fair Share New York project, an initiative that
will feature ongoing research about whether New York City is treated equitably by the federal and state governments.
This report was written by Jonathan Bowles, Tara Colton, David Jason Fischer, David Giles and Jim O’Grady. Research
assistance provided by Roy Abir, Anne Gleason, Kyle Hatzes and Morgan Schofield.
The Center for an Urban Future is a project of City Futures, Inc. General operating support for City Futures has
been provided by Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel Foundation, The Citi Foundation, Deutsche Bank, The F.B. Heron
Foundation, Fund for the City of New York, Salesforce Foundation, The Scherman Foundation, Inc., and Unitarian
Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock.
City Futures Board of Directors: Andrew Reicher (Chair), Margaret Anadu, Michael Connor, Russell Dubner, Ken Emerson,
David Lebenstein, Gail O. Mellow, Gifford Miller, Lisette Nieves, Ira Rubenstein, John Siegal, Stephen Sigmund,
Karen Trella, Peter Williams and Mark Winston Griffith.

Questions over suitability of Barack Obama's treasury secretary after failure to pay taxes

2009-06-01T05:17:00.000-07:00

It has also been disclosed that Mr Geithner, who played a key role within the US Federal Reserve's recent efforts to reduce the impact of the American economic crisis, employed a housekeeper who did not have the right to work in the US for a short-period of time.

The two separate developments caused a stir ahead of Mr Geithner's grilling before the Senate Finance Committee on Friday, at which politicians will consider his suitability for the role.

However committee chairman Senator Max Baucus said he plans to go ahead with the hearing unless a member objects.

"I am disappointed in the errors found in Tim Geithner's tax returns and other information, but I am satisfied that Mr Geithner has taken the steps necessary to fix these problems, said the Senator in a statement.

"The president-elect needs a Treasury secretary on day one. We have to roll up our sleeves and get this economy moving again for the American people, and Tim Geithner has the right combination of experience and skill for these difficult economic times."

Senior Democrat Chuck Schumer also defended Mr Geithner: "Tim came to the committee, admitted he had made some mistakes and was very contrite."

Mr Geithner failed to pay self-employment payroll taxes from 2001-04, when he worked at the International Monetary Fund in Washington D.C, something which was first brought to his attention during a 2006 audit of his taxes by the Internal Revenue Service.

As a result of the lapse in 2003 and 2004, he paid tax and interest of $17,230 and the IRS waived any penalties.

But during the vetting process carried out by the Obama administration ahead of his selection as Treasury Secretary-designate, it was discovered that the same lapse had taken place in 2001 and 2002, leading him to pay $25,970 in back-taxes and interest.

Mr Geithner met with members of the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday to discuss the issue, however it remains uncertain whether the news will affects his chances of being approved come Friday's hearing.

The issue was first thought to have been brought to the attention of Senator Baucus by Senator Charles Grassley, the senior Republican on the committee.

However Robert Gibbs, the president-elect's official spokesman, said: "The president-elect chose Tim Geithner to be his Treasury Secretary because he's the right person to help lead our economic recovery during these challenging times."

His "service should not be tarnished by honest mistakes, which, upon learning of them, he quickly addressed," Mr Gibbs continued.

In addition, Mr Grassley is understood to have raised the question of the legal status of a non-US citizen who worked as a housekeeper at Mr Geithner's New York home in 2004 and 2005.

The woman's legal status was verified when she was first hired, but Mr Geithner is believed to have been unaware that her US employment authorisation expired three months before she finished working for his family.

Obama's Treasury secretary owed $26K in taxes, but it's OK

2009-06-01T05:15:00.001-07:00

Uh, it seems that Democrat Barack Obama's secretary of the Treasury-designate owed something like $34,000 in back taxes when he was picked to head the nation's financial system.

Uh, it seems Timothy Geithner owed the back taxes because the would-be member of the president's new Cabinet employed a housekeeper who became an illegal immigrant while working for him. And Geithner did not pay self-employment taxes for several years until the IRS audited him.

It seems the Obama transition team discovered the back taxes while researching the nominee, unlike the federal grand jury investigation of now former would-be secretary of Commerce-designate Bill Richardson.

Democratic President-elect Barack Obama's secretary of the Treasury-designate Timothy Geithner who owed thousands of dollars in back taxes to the IRS

It seems that such legal problems have derailed would-be Cabinet members in the past -- think Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood for Bill Clinton and Linda Chavez for George W. Bush.

It seems that Obama spokesmen are calling the nonpayment of thousands of dollars in back taxes for years a minor thing. One news report described it as "a speed bump." Sam Stein over at HuffingtonPost calls it an "embarrassing public relations headache" but really a mistake "quite common in nature."

For a secretary of the Treasury? A Federal Reserve president? Somebody who, now that Bill Richardson is stuck in Santa Fe, is gonna mastermind the economic recovery?

Oh, and for someone whose department includes the Internal Revenue Service?

It seems that the Obama team's talking points focus on the words "honest mistakes."

Incoming White House press secretary Robert Gibbs says of Geithner, "He's dedicated his career to our country and served with honor, intelligence and distinction. That service should not be tarnished by honest mistakes, which, upon learning of them, he quickly addressed."

Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he understands "honest mistakes." Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, who like Reid and Obama happens to be a Democrat, also calls Geithner's tax failures "honest mistakes" and still expects his confirmation on Obama's inauguration day.

As part of Washington's new policy of government transparency, Baucus and other committee members met with Geithner behind closed doors today.

"These errors were not intentional," Baucus added. How, BTW, do you tell that after the fact?

So you're a bank president walking out of the store with a $34,000 candy bar you did not pay for. A large person with a gun points that out. So you pay the $34 Gs. And that makes it obviously unintentional and an "honest mistake"?

Remember now, Harry Reid is the fine fellow who vowed last month that no Senate appointee of Illinois' legally troubled Gov. Rod Blagojevich would ever be seated. Tomorrow, Reid will welcome Blagojevich's appointee, Roland Burris, to the U.S. Senate and to Obama's vacant seat.

Also, here's a Washington political danger alert for the new Obama transition team. The canny Reid, who's got his own reelection next year, vowed he still supports the Treasury nominee. Second danger signal: Reid added, "I do not know Mr. Geithner well."

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN

2009-05-24T22:43:00.001-07:00

Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr., was born November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the first of four siblings. In 1953, the Biden family moved from Pennsylvania to Claymont, Delaware. He graduated from the University of Delaware and Syracuse Law School and served on the New Castle County Council. Then, at age 29, he became one of the youngest people ever elected to the United States Senate.

Just weeks after the election, tragedy struck the Biden family, when Biden's wife, Neilia, and their 1-year old daughter, Naomi, were killed and their two young sons critically injured in an auto accident. Biden was sworn in at his sons' hospital bedside and began commuting to Washington every day by train, a practice he maintained throughout his career in the Senate.

In 1977, Biden married Jill Jacobs. Jill Biden, who holds a Ph.D. in Education, has been an educator for over two decades in Delaware's schools. Vice President Biden has three children: Beau, Hunter, and Ashley. Beau serves as Delaware's Attorney General and is currently deployed to Iraq as a Captain in the 261st Signal Brigade of the Delaware National Guard. Ashley is a social worker and Hunter is an attorney. Vice President Biden has five grandchildren: Naomi, Finnegan, Roberta Mabel ("Maisy"), Natalie, and Robert Hunter.

As a Senator from Delaware for 36 years, Biden has been a leader on some of our nation's most important domestic and international challenges. As Chairman or Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee for 17 years, Biden was widely recognized for his work on criminal justice issues including the landmark 1994 Crime Bill and the Violence Against Women Act. As Chairman or Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee since 1997, Biden played a pivotal role in shaping U.S. foreign policy. He has been at the forefront of issues and legislation related to terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, post-Cold War Europe, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

2009-05-21T07:34:00.000-07:00

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

Barack H. Obama is the 44th President of the United States.

His story is the American story — values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others.

With a father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, President Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. He was raised with help from his grandfather, who served in Patton's army, and his grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management at a bank.

After working his way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans, President Obama moved to Chicago, where he worked with a group of churches to help rebuild communities devastated by the closure of local steel plants.

He went on to attend law school, where he became the first African—American president of the Harvard Law Review. Upon graduation, he returned to Chicago to help lead a voter registration drive, teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago, and remain active in his community.

President Obama's years of public service are based around his unwavering belief in the ability to unite people around a politics of purpose. In the Illinois State Senate, he passed the first major ethics reform in 25 years, cut taxes for working families, and expanded health care for children and their parents. As a United States Senator, he reached across the aisle to pass groundbreaking lobbying reform, lock up the world's most dangerous weapons, and bring transparency to government by putting federal spending online.

He was elected the 44th President of the United States on November 4, 2008, and sworn in on January 20, 2009. He and his wife, Michelle, are the proud parents of two daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7.

WHITE HOUSE STAFF

2009-05-21T07:33:00.001-07:00

WHITE HOUSE STAFF

Chief of Staff
Rahm Emanuel

Deputy Chiefs of Staff
Jim Messina
Mona Sutphen

Senior Advisors
David Axelrod
Valerie Jarrett
Pete Rouse

Obama Is A Vulcan

2009-05-19T00:42:00.000-07:00

Obama Is A Vulcan