Politics. On Point.

The following op-ed, penned by Dr. Jill Biden, was published today in the Philadelphia Inquirer: Harnessing Community Colleges I have been a teacher for more than 30 years and a community college instructor for the last 18 of them. Every day in my classroom, I see the power of community colleges to change lives and put students on the path to opportunity and success. Community colleges are uniquely American institutions, in which anyone who walks through the door is one step closer to realizing the American dream. And they will play a vital role in the nation's economic recovery. President Obama understands the critical role community colleges will play in getting the economy back on track. They are the key to meeting his goal of making America's workforce the best educated and most competitive in the world by 2020. Last October, the president asked me to convene a summit of community college leaders at the White House, where students, faculty, administrators, and bu...

President Obama remarked once again on the current events happening in Libya. Said President Obama, "The Libyan government’s continued violation of human rights, brutalization of its people, and outrageous threats have rightly drawn the strong and broad condemnation of the international community. By any measure, Muammar el-Qaddafi’s government has violated international norms and common decency and must be held accountable. These sanctions therefore target the Qaddafi government, while protecting the assets that belong to the people of Libya." Obama spoke earlier today with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, to discuss the situation in Libya and coordinate efforts to respond to developments and ensure appropriate accountability. The President stated that "when a leader’s only means of staying in power is to use mass violence against his own people, he has lost the legitimacy to rule and needs to do what is right for his country by leaving now." Going forward,...

After the hit and run bike accident last September that killed U.S. Senate's green party candidate, Natasha Pettigrew , the state of Maryland is revisiting its vehicular manslaughter law. Currently, drivers who cause fatalities, when sober, by flagrantly violating the rules of the road, and deviating from the standard of care used by any reasonable person, pay no more than $1000 in fines through traffic court. These cases are dealt with as though they are all situations of simple negligence. The standards for prosecution under the current statute -vehicle (negligent) manslaughter --are very high. Proof of gross negligence is required for this felony offense. Upon conviction, the person would face up to 10 years in a house of correction and/or $5000 fine. Under the new proposed Manslaughter by Vehicle or Vessel legislation, or House Bill 363, a person upon conviction, would be subject to imprisonment not to exceed 3 years and/or a fine not to exceed $5000. Natasha's kille...

Openly Gay, First Male To Hold Post As Social Secretary The White House announced Jeremy Bernard has been named Special Assistant to the President and Social Secretary. He joins the White House staff from the U.S. Embassy in Paris, where he serves as Senior Advisor to the Ambassador. Prior to this role, he worked as the White House Liaison to the National Endowment for the Humanities. “Jeremy shares our vision for the White House as the People’s House, one that celebrates our history and culture in dynamic and inclusive ways. We look forward to Jeremy continuing to showcase America’s arts and culture to our nation and the world through the many events at the White House,” the President said. “I am deeply humbled to join the White House staff as Social Secretary and support President Obama and the First Lady in this role,” said Jeremy Bernard. “I have long admired the arts and education programs that have become hallmarks of the Obama White House and I am eager to continue these ...

Yesterday at the White House, media and students from around the country were treated to a workshop and forum on Motown Legends as part of the White House's celebration of Black History Month . In attendance:  Smokey Robinson, Motown founder Barry Gordy, and artist John Legend.  Mrs. Obama speaks to high school students during Motown student workshop. The event was not only an oral history lesson for the students, but for the media as well.  Where else could you learn that Smokey Robinson credits shows like American Idol for helping today's talented individuals live their dreams?  "When I was starting out, we didn't have that.  Thankfully, I had Berry Gordy", said Robinson.  "He was a man that I could trust." Gordy, who created Motown because he "wanted to be heard, wanted to make money, and wanted to get girls", created his empire with a $800 loan from family members that helped catapult the universally indelible Motown sound....

This week Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Mayor Vincent Gray celebrated Black History Month with the renaming of D.C.’s Historic Post Office at 2 Massachusetts Ave NE in honor of the late Dr. Dorothy I. Height. Norton, whose bill to rename the post office was signed by President Obama at an Oval Office ceremony in December, was also joined by former U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, civil rights leaders, family members of Dr. Height, and a room full of residents from the city and region. Norton noted that the building is not only a post office but also the home of the Smithsonian National Postal Museum and said, “It is especially fitting that the name of an icon for social justice should adorn one of Washington’s most iconic buildings.” Norton called Dr. Height a mentor of millions and noted her leadership on D.C. voting rights and equality for D.C. residents. “District residents, who are now in the midst of protesting undemocratic actions in Congress that tramp...

Gets Walker's True Feelings on Wisconsin's CBA Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker fell victim to a prank on Wednesday by a blogger pretending to be David Koch. The blogger, Ian Murphy, spoke to Walker in a 20-minute recorded phone call. Impersonating Koch, Murphy offered to help Walker plant "troublemakers" at the demonstrations. Ian Murphy/as David Koch: "We’ll back you any way we can. But what we were thinking about the crowds was planting some troublemakers." Gov. Scott Walker: "You know, well, the only problem with—because we thought about that. The problem with—or my only gut reaction to that would be right now the lawmakers I’ve talked to have just completely had it with them. The public is not really fond of this. My only fear would be, is if there was a ruckus caused, is that that would scare the public into thinking maybe the Governor’s got to settle to avoid all these problems." Walker's team says he did nothing wrong, and said on t...

President Barack Obama announced the Administration’s action plan, under the America’s Great Outdoors initiative, to achieve lasting conservation of the outdoor spaces that power our nation’s economy, shape our culture, and build our outdoor traditions. This initiative seeks to reinvigorate our approach to conservation and reconnect Americans, especially young people, with the lands and waters that are used for farming and ranching, hunting and fishing, and for families to spend quality time together. Recognizing that many of these places and resources are under intense pressure, the President established the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative last April to work with the American people in developing a conservation and recreation agenda that makes sense for the 21st century. The report released today outlines ways in which the Federal Government will help empower local communities to accomplish their conservation and recreation priorities by recognizing that the best ideas come f...

Meet all 44 presidents this President's Day weekend at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in our Nation's Capital. It seems that former DC Mayor, Adrian Fenty, was partly responsible for the $2M exhibit which will open February 17, 2011.  DC is the only place in the world to feature the exhibit. From the Madam Tussaud web site: Mayor Fenty helped unveil artist renderings of the new gallery and spoke briefly while attendees admired the nine new wax figures of U.S. presidents that were on display: John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, James Garfield, Chester Alan Arthur, Grover Cleveland and Gerald Ford. Additionally, 30 first grade students were on-hand from D.C. Public School Cleveland Elementary to “meet” the new wax figure of the U.S. president for whom their school is named, Grover Cleveland. “Among the many museums and entertainment options in Washington, Madame Tussauds uniquely combines art, popular cul...

We missed this event, but was given a very noteworthy account of the evening by White House press pooler, Sophia Nelson.   Sophia writes: Vice President Biden [talked] about the importance of black history month as he reflected on everything from his recent meeting with young pre-teen African American football players at Ft. Campbell (who are the offspring of deployed Afghanistan and Iraq military warriors), to his becoming an attorney in 1968 just after the death of Dr. King (and the subsequent riots), and finally to his train ride with President-elect Barack H. Obama in January 2009 as the newly elected Vice President-elect to the nation's first ever black President. In prepared remarks that lasted approximately 8 minutes Vice President Biden stayed mostly clear of the politics of the day, except for noting at the outset that many of his friends in the Congressional Black Caucus could not attend because they were preparing for votes on the Continuing Resolution to...

Recipients Include A Congressman and Former U.S. President Fifteen iconic Americans received the prestigious Medal of Freedom award today from President Barack Obama in a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.  President Obama holds a Medal of Freedom award.  One of 15 awarded in a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.  Photo/CD Brown. Among those awarded:  The Boston Celtics' NBA great Bill Russell; Stan Musial, baseball legend and Hall of Fame first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals; Congressman John Lewis , American hero and giant of the Civil Rights Movement; Warren Buffett, investor, industrialist, and philanthropist; Dr. Maya Angelou , author, poet, educator, producer, actress, filmmaker, and civil rights activist; cellist Yo-Yo Ma , Dr. Tom Little (Posthumous); Gerda Weismann Klein , Jewish Holocaust survivor;  artist Jasper Johns ; John H. Adams co-founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council;   Chancellor ...

As Well She Should Shirley Sherrod , the ousted USDA employee is finally having her just desserts.  After being called something, for which she is not, via a manipulated video last August, Sherrod is finally suing the perpetrator, Andrew Breitbart, for "defamation, false light, and infliction of emotional distress". Breitbart's infamous video portrayed Sherrod as a racist who wouldn't help white families with saving their land. "This lawsuit is not about politics or race," Sherrod said in a statement. "It is not about right versus left, the NAACP or the Tea Party. It is about how quickly, in today's Internet media environment, a person's good name can become 'collateral damage' in an overheated political debate." Sherrod, after refusing the offer from US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak to return to the USDA, said she is unemployed and that no offers of employment are on the table. "I'm just trying to survive....

Also Unveils 2011 Budget Amazing testimony today from President Obama as he spoke to students at Parkville Middle School and Center of Technology   to highlight work the students are doing in math, science and engineering. He was asked what it's like to be Commander in Chief. Read the exchange below, that includes some telling information, including what really gets on President Obama's nerves. Parkville Middle School Student: What does it feel like to be President? President Obama: " What does it feel like to be the President? You know, some days -- some days you're burdened by some really tough decisions. Some of you may have family members who are in Afghanistan, for example. And I'm the Commander-in-Chief, and so I'm responsible for sending those young men and women over, who are doing an amazing job. Some of them get hurt. Some of them get killed. And so you feel a responsibility that is profound about making that decision. Even though you think ...

Gets The Tie Seen Around The World The events in Egypt may have given the press corp something to talk about at yesterday's 250th press briefing of one Robert Lane Gibbs, perhaps overshadowing his exit, but it was an emotional  last White House briefing , nonetheless. From sounds of "aawww" coming from the press as Gibbs announced that one of his "week ahead" items would include taking his two year-old son, Ethan, to the bus stop - to the applause given after President Obama gave (or perhaps, returned) to his Press Secretary of two and some odd years, a good-bye present encased in a glass picture frame - it was press briefing to remember. Entering the James Brady briefing room moments before Gibbs was about to end his last briefing of the 2010 Obama Administration, the man himself walks in with a gift for his trusty friend, and confidant. President Obama returned to Gibbs a tie, or perhaps 'the' tie that helped launch a presidential campai...