Politics. On Point.

In effort to bring manufacturing jobs back to America, the Obama administration will highlight an American manufacturing company this week. Vice President Biden will travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he will visit American Seating Company ’s factory. The Vice President will discuss with workers the Administration’s plan to help businesses bring manufacturing jobs back to America by eliminating incentives to ship jobs overseas and offering tax credits for insourcing. American Seating Company is a 125-year-old company that makes seats for buses, trains, stadiums, and concert arenas.  The company has done its work in Grand Rapids since the 1880s, and 75 percent of its components come from Michigan, Indiana, or Ohio. President Obama, who will speak in Falls Church, Virginia on February 1st about the economy in Fairfax County, is proposing to eliminate unfair tax breaks for shipping jobs overseas that put companies like American Seating at a disadvantag...

We all know First Lady Michelle Obama inspires millions, both here in the U.S. and abroad. Books have been written about her, bloggers track her every move, fashion and style mavens write about her commanding and glamorous style , food critics critique her healthy eating initiative ,  military families are thankful for her, and kids love her for keeping them active ! So, it was just a matter of time before someone came out with a song about her. Enter Talia Wheeler, one-fifth of the talented members of Hip Hop Education  (H.H.E.), the educational hip hop group that puts positive rap lyrics to music for young people. Their mission is to provide youth with an opportunity to use their voices for positive and social change. In her song, 'Like Michelle Obama', Wheeler raps about being just like the first lady. Take a listen. More about H.H.E. Another purpose of H.H.E. (per their website) is to educate, empower and activate ...

The White House released the guest list of those joining First Lady Michelle Obama in her section during tonight's State of the Union Address. Guests include Dr. Jill Biden, Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President; SGT Ashleigh Berg, USA Malibu, California whose husband, SGT Matthew Berg, USA is currently deployed to Afghanistan on his 3rd combat tour.  Other scheduled guests include: Alicia Boler-Davis , Plant Manager, General Motors Orion Assembly, Detroit, Michigan. Davis is the plant manager at General Motors Orion Assembly and Pontiac Stamping, and is responsible for overseeing the production of the first new small car program from General Motors to be manufactured in the United States.  Debbie Bosanek , Assistant, Berkshire Hathaway, Bellevue, Nebraska. A Nebraska native Bosanek has worked for Berkshire Hathaway for 37 years and has been Warren Buffett’s secretary for almost two decades. Last September, the President proposed the “Buffett Rule” as...

President Obama will address the nation tonight, taking the stage for his third State of the Union speech where he is expected to talk more about jobs creation, reviving the economy, and affordable education.  'We're headed in the right direction, but we have more work to do', is how many believe the president's speech will be themed.   The president will also continue to pitch his idea that richer Americans should pay their fair share of taxes. Here are a few excerpts from the evening, as provided by the White House. “….The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important. We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. What’s at stake are not Democratic valu...

It has been one year since Giffords became the victim of a gun shot wound to the head while reaching out to her constituents in a shopping center in Tucson. Her recovery has been nothing short of miraculous. Now, just two days away from the president's 2012 State of the Union address, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords made the decision to step down from Congress. In 2011 an empty seat where Giffords would have sat, set the stage for the president honoring her and remembering the other victims of that unfortunate day. "I'm getting better every day. My spirit is high," said Giffords in an online video, her speech recognizably slow. A statement by the president recognized Giffords for her "dedication to fairness, a willingness to listen to different ideas, and a tireless commitment to the work of perfecting our union". Added President Obama, "Over the last year Gabby, and her husband Mark, have taught us the true meaning of hope in the face o...

When he wasn't predicting (to a group of wound-up San Francisco 49er fans --- in San Francisco) that the New York Giants were going to the Super Bowl, or fighting wild fires in Reno , the VP still made time to visit wounded warriors and their families at Camp Pendleton. Our pool report comes from Elaine Sanchez, American Forces Press Service who informs us that: Biden, along with the second lady, Dr. Jill Biden, visited the 30,000-square-foot center opened in October 2011 to provide counseling, reconditioning and transitioning services for wounded and ill Marines, sailors and their families. The vice president said he and his wife visit service members and their families at every chance they get for one reason: “to say thank you.” “We only have one sacred obligation in the government,” he said. “We have a lot of obligations to the old, to the young, to educate, but we have only one sacred obligation and that is to equip those we send to war and care for those we bring home ...

Earlier today Rick Perry gracefully bowed out of the presidential race after a lackluster performance in Iowa.  Amid that announcement, Perry outdoes himself one further by announcing he is endorsing the 'open marriage' minded Newt Gingrich. "Today, I am suspending my campaign and endorsing Newt Gingrich for President of the United States", Perry said during a morning press conference . The final four sparred off in a heated debate in South Carolina where Gingrich came under fire (again). Meanwhile, former presidential candidate Herman Cain , who 'suspended' his campaign first, announced during the Southern Republican Leadership Conference today at the College of Charleston, SC that he plans to endorse the "We the People" campaign. Quoting the Preample to the Constitution : We the people of the United States of America, in order to form a more perfect union, Cain said, "The union is in trouble." View his remarks here , at ...

President Obama had quite a busy day today, first spoke at Disneyland's Magic Kingdom where he unveiled a strategy that will significantly help boost tourism and travel. Here are a few colorful reports on the day from White House pool reporters who have been traveling along with the president, courtesy of NY Times reporter, Jackie Calmes. -- Orlando/Disney Magic Kingdom pool report :      The pool entered the Magic Kingdom looking like we’ve only dreamed of – empty of people for the most part. At 12:40 p.m. POTUS took the stage in the middle of the kingdom’s faux late 19th-century Main Street, against a backdrop of Cinderella’s blue-spired castle and a cloudless blue sky on a gorgeous day. He opened with a couple of jokes for the audience of about 150 people seated in front of him, and scores more, many of whom looked to be Disney employees, lining the faux storefronts. (After he spoke, one of those seated in front said she and some others were memb...

President Obama has made his decision.  No Keystone XL Pipeline . The president put off deciding to have the pipeline built until further recommendations and assessments could be made.  The pipeline would run from Canada to Texas. In an official White House press release, President Obama stated, "Earlier today, I received the Secretary of State’s recommendation on the pending application for the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.  As the State Department made clear last month, the rushed and arbitrary deadline insisted on by Congressional Republicans prevented a full assessment of the pipeline’s impact, especially the health and safety of the American people, as well as our environment.  As a result, the Secretary of State has recommended that the application be denied.  And after reviewing the State Department’s report, I agree", writes the president.  "This announcement is not a judgment on the merits of the pipeline, but the arbitrary natur...

Does Presidental candidate Newt Gingrich know (or Participate)? You decide. More: Facts About Bohemian Gorve || We Are Change.org

 By Reuters JoAnne Allen The White House was locked down for more than an hour on Tuesday night as authorities investigated what appeared to be a smoke bomb tossed over the fence of the executive compound, a Secret Service spokesman said. The device was thrown over the fence at one point when about 1,000 to 1,500 "Occupy DC" protesters were demonstrating outside the White House, Secret Service spokesman George Ogilvie said. He gave the "all clear" later in the evening. A majority of the protesters had left the area earlier and there had been no arrests, he said. President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, went out to dinner to celebrate her birthday and were not at the White House when the incident began but returned while the investigation was under way. Members of the White House press pool were prevented from leaving for about 45 minutes before they were escorted off the grounds. Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House was also closed duri...

Bachman, Now Huntsman: Who Will Be Next? Presidential candidate John Huntsman, who thought he was doing fine coming in third place in the recent New Hampshire primaries just last week, has decided to drop out of the presidential race altogether. The former Obama administration's ambassador to China said he "didn't want to stand in the way of the candidate most prepared to beat Obama and turn around the economy." The 'candidate' he's referring to is Mitt Romney who currently holds a first place lead in the running in front of Perry, Santorum and Gingrich. "Despite our differences I believe that candidate is Mitt Romney", said Huntsman. Listen to Huntsman's 'most important' speech, conceding his candidacy. The next stop for the remaining candidates move to South Carolina.

President and the First Lady hosted the Tuskegee Airmen along with cast and crew members of the movie Red Tails for a screening at the White House. President Obama and First Lady Michelle address the Tuskegee Airmen at the screening of Red Tails at the White house. Official White House photo. Red Tails stars Terence Howard in a presentation of the first group of African-American fighter pilots to serve in the U.S. armed forces. Howard also screened the movie with former president George W. Bush. Said one movie goer of the advanced screening, "The movie is intriguing and has edge-of-your-seat action. It's well done, and certainly worth seeing." The movie was fronted and produced by George Lucas, who described Red Tails as being "close to 'Star Wars: Episode 7' as you could get." Lucas faced many challenges to get the movie made due to most major studios not wanting to take on a big budget risk with an almost entirely African American cast. He...

First Lady Michelle Obama joined forces with the cast of the hit Nickelodeon TV show iCarly  today at Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, VA. First Lady Michelle Obama 'random dances' with the cast of Nickelodeon's iCarly during a Joining Forces event at Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, Virginia.  Photo/CD Brown The White House and Nickelodeon are bringing awareness to ways kids can support U.S. military families. In a special episode called iMeet The First Lady, set to air Monday, January 16th, Carly Shay (played by Miranda Cosgrove) is devastated when she learns that her dad was deployed yet again and could not return home as originally planned to celebrate his birthday.   Her friends, in an effort to support the disappointed Carly, devise a plan where Carly gets to talk to her father via the Internet.   When the first lady finds out about the Internet webcast and Carly's friends rallying around her to offer their su...

Happy (early) birthday to First Lady Michelle Obama who will be celebrating her 48th birthday January 16th. To begin a busy weekend leading up her birthday, First Lady Obama will join the cast of Nickelodeon’s iCarly  this Friday at a special screening of “iMeet The First Lady,” a new episode featuring Mrs. Obama that honors America’s military children.  The show’s lead character, Carly Shay (played by Miranda Cosgrove), is the daughter of an Air Force Colonel currently serving overseas in the military.  In “iMeet the First Lady,” Mrs. Obama talks with Carly about her service to America as a member of a military family and thanks her friends for supporting her during her father’s deployment.  The episode airs on the first lady's birthday on Nickelodeon, Monday, January 16th.  Mrs. Obama will also appear in a Joining Forces PSA produced by Nickelodeon that will debut immediately following the airing of “iMeet the First Lady”. The iCarly ...

Virginia Commonwealth University and The University of South Florida are just a couple of the 130 schools associated with the Association of American Medical Colleges ( AAMC ) and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine ( AACOM ) pledging to leverage their missions in education, research, and train the nation’s physicians to meet the unique health care needs of the military and veterans communities. Speaking at Virginia Commonwealth University today, the first lady said, "I’m inspired to see our nation’s medical schools step up to address this pressing need for our veterans and military families.  By directing some of our brightest minds, our most cutting-edge research, and our finest teaching institutions toward our military families, they’re ensuring that those who have served our country receive the first-rate care that they have earned,” says First Lady Michelle Obama. Together, the AAMC and AACOM are committing to improve the education in their ...

Staying true to his promise to the American people of his intent to create jobs President Obama, along with Vice President Joe Biden, will host an “ Insourcing American Jobs ” forum at the White House on Wednesday.  The forum will focus on the increasing trend of companies choosing to “insource” jobs and invest in growing in the United States. As part of the “Insourcing American Jobs” forum, the President will meet with business leaders, as well as experts on the topic, to discuss why it’s competitive to locate in the United States and what more can be done to work with companies to take similar steps to insource American jobs. Following the meeting, the President will deliver remarks to a group that will include leaders from the government and the private sector that are taking steps to encourage companies to insource and invest in America. In the afternoon, Cabinet officials will host panel discussions with both small and large businesses and experts on insourcing and i...

Cecilia Muñoz Pegged As New White House Director of Domestic Policy Council The White House announced that current Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Cecilia Muñoz will now serve as the Director of the Domestic Policy Council.  Ms. Munoz will coordinate the policy-making process and supervise the execution of domestic policy in the White House. “Over the past three years, Cecilia has been a trusted advisor who has demonstrated sound judgment day in and day out,” said President Obama. “Cecilia has done an extraordinary job working on behalf of middle class families, and I’m confident she’ll bring the same unwavering dedication to her new position.” Cecilia Muñoz currently serves as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs where she oversees the Obama Administration’s relationships with state and local governments. As Director of Intergovernmental Affairs under Valerie Jarrett, Ms. Muñoz leads a partnership between federal, state, lo...

The application period for the Summer 2012 White House Internship Program is now open. Applicants have until January 22, 2012 to apply for a Summer 2012 White House Internship. The White House Internship Program provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable professional experience and build leadership skills. This hands-on program is designed to mentor and cultivate today’s young leaders, strengthen their understanding of the Executive Office and prepare them for future public service opportunities. The White House Internship Program’s mission is to make the “People’s House” accessible to future leaders from around the nation. Click here for more details.

The Dallas Mavericks were recognized by President Obama on Monday for winning the 2011 NBA Championship. Dallas Mavericks' head coach Mark Cuban with President Obama  at the White House on Monday. Photo/CD Brown. The Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat, 105-95, in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, winning their first NBA title in franchise history. "Some called them the Bad News Bears", joked President Obama who predicted that his beloved Chicago Bulls would be standing in the Mavs' place next year. The president continued to quote the 'naysayers' who had counted the team as down and out. "Some said Jason Kidd was too old. Some said Dirk Nowitzky was too slow." Looking around for Dirk, President Obama said to a room full of laughs, "They did say that Dirk. I'm sorry". Nowitzky may been labeled slow, but he more than made up for it - scoring 48 points in the win in Game 6 over the favored, and newly assembled Miami Heat. The n...

Lew To Take The Reins President Obama announced today that White House Chief of Staff William Daley is moving on to 'different' pastures. The COS has resigned citing he will 'spend more time with family', but reports indicate Daley will also serve as co-chair of president's Chicago-based re-election efforts.  He will be replaced later this month by former OMB director, Jack Lew. Said President Obama in a late afternoon announcement in the State Dining Room, "Obviously this was not easy news to hear.  And I didn’t accept Bill’s decision right away.  In fact, I asked him to take a couple of days to make sure that he was sure about this.  But in the end, the pull of the hometown we both love; a city that’s been synonymous with the Daley family for generations, was too great.  Bill told me that he wanted to spend more time with his family, especially his grandchildren, and he felt it was the right decision." Daley replaced former chief of staff Ra...

When one looks at 'Dictionary.com for the definition of 'rape' we find the following answer: For decades the definition of rape was thought to have included just women and young girls only. Today the FBI has decided to do one better. Based on reported data that includes more information from victims, that have included men, the new definition of rape is now: “The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” “These long overdue updates to the definition of rape will help ensure justice for those whose lives have been devastated by sexual violence and reflect the Department of Justice’s commitment to standing with rape victims,” Attorney General Holder said. “This new, more inclusive definition will provide us with a more accurate understanding of the scope and volume of these crimes.” Holder announced revisions to the Uniform Crime Repor...

We Can’t Wait : The White House Announces Federal and Private Sector Commitments to Provide Employment Opportunities for Nearly 180,000 Youth. Summer Jobs+ initiative to create summer jobs for teens in 2012. The White House announced Summer Jobs+, a new call to action for businesses, non-profits, and government to work together to provide pathways to employment for low-income and disconnected youth in the summer of 2012. The President proposed $1.5 billion for high-impact summer jobs and year-round employment for low-income youth ages 16-24 in the American Jobs Act as part of the Pathways Back to Work fund. When Congress failed to act, the Federal government and private sector came together to commit to creating nearly 180,000 employment opportunities for low-income youth in the summer of 2012, with a goal of reaching 250,000 employment opportunities by the start of summer, at least 100,000 of which will be placements in paid jobs and internships. Today’s announcement is the ...