Politics. On Point.

First Lady Michelle Obama will deliver the commencement address at North Carolina A&T on May 12. First Lady at GW commencement in 2010. Since becoming First Lady, Mrs. Obama has spoken at several institutions of learning. Mrs. Obama gave the commencement addresses at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and Oregon State University (OSU) where her brother, Craig, coaches basketball. In 2009, Mrs. Obama spoke at the graduation of University of California Merced’s first full senior class. She also addressed the Washington Math and Science Tech Public Charter High School Graduation in Washington DC.  In 2010, Mrs. Obama addressed graduates of the Anacostia Senior High School, the University of Arkansa s at Pine Bluff, and George Washington University . In 2011, Mrs. Obama delivered commencement addresses at the University of Northern Iowa , Spelman College , and Quantico Middle High School . The First Lady also spoke to graduate...

Students from around the country joined First Lady Michelle Obama yesterday to help plant vegetables in the White House garden. This year marks the fourth year that the first lady has invited students to partake in the planting, many who wrote about their own gardens at their schools. Added to this year's garden will be the plain, white potato.  The potato will join the sweet potato in this year's crop of healthy food items. The first lady maintains that any family can start their own garden.  White House chef, Sam Cass, who shared that spinach would be on the menu for dinner last evening, said to reporters, "This is doable by any family, be it in a window sill, back porch, backyard or community garden." "This doesn't take that much to have a huge impact on a kid.  A kid could see one seed sprout and taste one plant and have a real life changing experience." Nahmira Hishnnil, a seventh grader from Stetser Elementary School in Chester, ...

President Obama comments on the killing of Trayvon Martin. Trayvon Martin's new hoodie. After 27 days of wondering when, or if, President Obama was ever going to comment on the tragic death of 17 year old Trayvon Martin who was killed by the renegade, wannabe, so-called neighborhood watch person, George Zimmerman, we hear about the matter from the Commander-in-Chief. Speaking today in the Rose Garden, after announcing the nomination of Jim Yong Kim to replace Bob Zoellick as president of the World Bank, the president was asked: Mr. President, may I ask you about this current case in Florida, very controversial, allegations of lingering racism within our society -- the so-called do not -- I'm sorry -- Stand Your Ground law and the justice in that? Can you comment on the Trayvon Martin case, sir? THE PRESIDENT: Well, I’m the head of the executive branch, and the Attorney General reports to me so I’ve got to be careful about my statements to make sure that we’re not i...

First Lady Michelle Obama looks beautiful and wows in this white jacquard dress by L'Wren Scott as she and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appear at the State Department earlier this month to honor women from around the world who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment during this year's International Women of Courage awards. The names of this year’s honorees are below. Full biographies and photos are available here • The Honorable Maryam Durani, Kandahar Provincial Council Member (Afghanistan); • Major Pricilla de Oliveira Azevedo, police officer, Rio de Janeiro Military Police (Brazil); • Zin Mar Aung, political activist and NGO co-founder (Burma); • Jineth Bedoya Lima, investigative journalist (Colombia); • Hana Elhebshi, architect and political activist (Libya); • Aneesa Ahmed, gender-based violence (GBV) activist and former Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs (Maldives); • Shad Begum, human rights activi...

President Obama revealed a memorandum today on the expedited review of pipeline projects from Cushing, Texas to Port Arthur and other domestic pipeline infrastructure projects. With gas prices hovering well over $4.00 a gallon, the president insists that "we must safely and responsibly develop our oil resources here at home, as part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy to grow our economy and make us more secure." All Americans want to know is will doing so bring down the cost gasoline prices? The president spoke today Cushing Pipe Yard in Oklahoma where he again remarked on reducing reliance on foreign oil, saying, "Although expanding and modernizing our Nation's pipeline infrastructure will not lower prices right away, it is a vital part of a sustained strategy to continue to reduce our reliance on foreign oil and enhance our Nation's energy security." Taking heat from Congress, and supporters of the Keystone Pipeline, the president is calling f...

Outrage, shock, and dismay continues to spill out over the senseless death of 17 year old promising high school student Trayvon Martin, who was killed on February 26, 2012 in Sanford, Florida by wannabe vigilanty George Zimmerman (may he rot in some place unpleasant). Zimmerman, disguising himself as some sort of vigilanty neighborhood watch patrol official followed, chased down, and killed Martin and claimed self defense as he stood over the deceased Martin with a nine millimeter weapon in his hand. Zimmerman has not been charged, and is free to come and go as he pleases while the Martin family is left fighting for justice for their deceased son. Congresswoman Fredericka Wilson vows to speak from the floor of Congress until Martin's murderer is brought to justice.  It has been 25 days without an arrest of George Zimmerman who has been set free without charge. While President Obama has yet to speak out on the matter, or give a phone call to the Martin family, (even...

Mitt Romney won Chicago last evening, and picked up an endorsement by the brother of former president, George W. Bush.  He's riding high. He's leaving Santorum, Gingrich, and Paul in the dust, it seems. But the candidate who loves cars and lakes, is also being made fun of, again. We're 'borrowing' a paragraph, or two, from Miami Herald writer Mark Caputo to illustrate what you may already know. A man can change his mind, but it might get you laughed at. Take a read. Mitt Romney began Wednesday basking in the glow of the surprise endorsement of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush less than 24 hours after a big Illinois win. All of the good news was in danger of being erased by what’s known as the Etch-A-Sketch gaffe. As Bush’s endorsement rattled about Twitter and the blogosphere, Romney advisor Eric Fehrnstrom flubbed a question on CNN when he was asked if the campaign plans to retool its message in the general election . “I think you hit a reset but...

Women's History Month is starting off with a bang. After the latest ridiculousness from shock jock Rush Limbaugh caused such a stir from everyone who is human, Limbaugh in an attempt to be one himself, issued an apology (after about ten sponsors withdrew their advertising dollars) to Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown University law student, whom he called a "slut" last week on the national airwaves, and said he wanted to watch "her have sex". In his apology Limbaugh said: "For over 20 years, I have illustrated the absurd with absurdity, three hours a day, five days a week. In this instance, I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke. I think it is absolutely absurd that during these very serious political times, we are discussing personal sexual recreational activities before members of Congress. I personally do not agree that American citizens should pay for these social activities. What happened t...

A very telling article about Newt Gringrich from the Huffington Post talks about Gingrich and several of his organization's money woes. Seemingly a presidential candidate, unsuccessful at balancing his own budget, might have little success at balancing the country's mounting debt crisis. Writes HuffPost: Since 1984, Gingrich has launched 12 politically oriented organizations and initiatives based in Washington. Of those, five have been investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and the House Ethics Committee, another five closed down with debts totaling more than $500,000, and two were subject to legal action. Gingrich's presidential campaign finances have come under fire, leading one staffer to admit Gingrich spends incessantly and ignores warnings from staffers about it. "The best way to say it is that Newt has no brakes and no rear view mirror," observed one former adviser who still speaks highly of Gingrich, but who requested anonymity because he is fo...

Ticket Lottery Opens Today! The White House announced the beginning of the ticket lottery and sale of souvenir Easter eggs for the 2012 White House Easter Egg Roll, starring the ever popular White House dog, Bo. This year’s White House Easter Egg Roll is focused on promoting health and wellness with the theme,“Let's Go, Let's Play, Let's Move!” All of the activities will encourage children to lead healthy and active lives, which is of the focus of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative, a national campaign to solve the problem of childhood obesity within a generation. White House Easter Egg Roll tickets on sale now!  Bo, not included. The ticket lottery will open today, Thursday, March 1st at 10:00 AM EST and will close on Monday, March 5th at 10:00 AM EST. To enter the lottery, go to www.whitehouse.gov/eastereggroll. Tickets are free of charge and cannot be sold. All lottery participants will be notified via email of the results on Monday, March 1...

Andrew Brietbart , the conservative blogger best known in Washington, D.C. for his malicious manipulation of a video of then USDA employee Shirley Sherrod, has been found dead. Two years ago, Brietbart convinced millions of viewers of his video that Ms. Sherrod provided unacceptable service white farmers by saying she wasn't going to help them save their farm land. Sherrod was immediately fired, upon viewing of the video by her employer. It was later found that Sherrod never made such comments, but that Brietbart extracted pieces of her comment to make it sound as such. Sherrod was offered her job back, which she declined, and reports indicated the Sherrod had planned to sue Brietbart. No word on the outcome, or the if an original suit was ever filed. Breitbart's death came as a surprise to many, including presidential candidate Rick Santorum. "That's horrible, anybody know what happened?", asked a shocked Santorum of reporters who broke the news earlie...