Politics. On Point.

The First Family returned to the White House last evening around 6:45 pm. Earlier in the day, media was invited to witness the historic return to the White House, but due to weather concerns the president arrived via motor cade and not the usual return on the South Lawn by helo. The arrival was downgraded to pool reporters only. Major disappointment for the press.  You'd think that the return of the president (after having just won RE- ELECTION ) that 'open press' would be still be the order of the evening (there certainly were enough press there, including Politics. On Point.). To quote Vice President Joe Biden, "this is a big f---ing deal". But no cigar. Even world leaders were calling President Obama to congratulate him on his re-election, the likes of which included: P rime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia, President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia, President Moham...

First Lady Michelle Obama gave the commencement address at her brother's school where he coaches men's basketball, Oregon State. We caught up with Mrs. Obama's brother, Craig Robinson, before she became First Lady Obama, back in 2008 during her brother's team's visit to a local DC university. Click here . First Lady Obama, with her remarks at Oregon State, including the audience's laughter and applause, are below.  THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the First Lady __________________________________________________________                      For Immediate Release                              June 17, 2012 REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY AT OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT Reser Stadium Corvallis, Oregon 4:53 P.M. PDT MR...

While America gears up to celebrate Thanksgiving and President Obama traditionally pardoned ‘Liberty’ and ‘Peace’, two Thanksgiving turkeys who were spared  from ending up on a family's Thanksgiving dinner table, one local family saw both their liberty questioned and their peace interrupted. "Tomorrow is one of the best days of the year to be an American", said President Obama today at the White House.  "It’s a day to count our blessings, spend time with the ones we love, and enjoy some good food and some great company." For one Prince Georges County family their   holiday will be marred by the resounding sounds of Prince George’s county police officers   banging at their door. Barbara Arnwine, Executive Director of the Lawyers Committee and established attorney for more than two decades and her family, were met early Monday by the sounds of swat and police raiding their home at 5:30 am. “They held us a gunpoint for three hours”, said Arnwine, ...

A day honoring victims of the September 11, 2001 terror attack on the U.S. culminated yesterday evening with Kennedy Center Concert of Hope with remarks given by President Obama. Citing Americans' tenacity and courage, the president even after the 9/11 attack the character of America as a nation has not changed.  Our faith, said President Obama, in God and in each other has not changed.  Our belief in America, born of a timeless ideal that men and women should govern themselves; that all people are created equal, and deserve the same freedom to determine their own destiny, that belief, through tests and trials, has only been strengthened." The president's remarks, lasting well over twenty minutes, included him acknowledging the first responders and firefighters on the scene on that horrific day. "These past 10 years have shown that America does not give in to fear.  The rescue workers who rushed to the scene, the firefighters who charged up the stai...

WASHINGTON – First Lady Michelle Obama today announced that one of the country’s leading pediatricians, Judith S. Palfrey, M.D., will lead her Let’s Move! childhood obesity initiative as Executive Director starting on Tuesday, September 6. For decades, Dr. Palfrey has provided clinical care to thousands of children and families, conducted groundbreaking pediatric research, taught future physicians and led major medical organizations. Palfrey has been a longtime supporter of the Let’s Move! campaign and spoke at its launch in February of 2010 when she was president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). “It was my children’s pediatrician who first told me that I needed to pay closer attention to my children’s health so I understand the significance doctors play in family health.  That’s why we are eager to welcome Judy Palfrey to the White House where I know that she will take the Let’s Move! program to new heights. Judy has worked with families one-on-one and partnered wit...

The letters J-O-B-S hang down the front of the Commerice building in Washington.  Just a block from the White House.  Photo/CD Brown. Yesterday we learned that more than 70,000 FAA employees were returned to work after almost a two week long furlough after Congress worked together to end the FAA shutdown. Today, we learn that the July jobs report shows shows that private sector payrolls increased by 154,000 in July. The economy has added 2.4 million private sector jobs over the past 17 months, despite a slowdown in economic growth from substantial headwinds in the first half of the year. Still, unemployment remains at an all time high, hovering around 9.1%. In some cities, mainly urban, overall unemployment tops 20%. Unemployment in Detroit is currently at a staggering 30%.   President Obama continues to make jobs creation his top priority. But the affects are slow, and people remain impatient, while the White House remains optimistic. In an alm...

We love this! The First Family strolling hand-in-hand as they walk to St. John's Episcopal Church today. Here are the raw details from White House pool reporter John Stanton of Roll Call . The first fam left St Johns at 1135, and after a short stroll through Lafayette Park, returned to the White House. The homily was based on the story of Jacobs Ladder and a meditation on finding God in places you would not expect to. "The First Family were delighted to worship with the St. John's Episcopal Church congregation today as they have in the past, and look forward to visiting again," a White House official said. St. Johns is an Episcopal Church, which dates back to 1815, and since James Madison every sitting president has worshipped there ( www.stjohns-dc.org is their site). Churches in the DC area the Obamas have attended include: the 19th Street Baptist Church, Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, Shiloh Baptis...

The First Lady helps Americans with healthier menu options for a healthier plate. As I look at the new MyPlate icon presented today by First Lady Michelle, USDA’s Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak and US Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, I am reminded of a young boy at a gathering who had nothing but meatballs and cookies and on his plate. “You’re plate doesn’t have anything green on it”, I said to him, as I suggested he get some of the lovely salad and fruit that was also being offered. Reluctantly, he headed over the table with the fruit and salad. With the new MyPlate icon, kids and parents everywhere can make better food choices. The USDA and First Lady Michelle Obama launch new icon to help Americans choose healthy menu items, and portion sizes. The icon is a departure from MyPyramid. Visit MyPlate.gov.  "This is a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we're eating and as a mom, I can already tell how much this is going ...

On Thursday, June 2, First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will unveil a new food icon that will serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices. The 2010 White House Child Obesity Task Force called for simple, actionable advice to equip consumers with information to help them make healthy food choices. As a result, USDA will be introducing the new food icon to replace the MyPyramid image as the government’s primary food group symbol. It will be an easy-to-understand visual cue to help consumers adopt healthy eating habits consistent with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. MyPyramid will remain available to interested health professionals and nutrition educators in a special section of the new website. The new food icon will be part of a comprehensive nutrition communication initiative that provides consumers with easy-to-understand recommendations, a new website with expanded information, and other tools and resources. Watc...

Vice President Biden, attending an event for Senator Bill Nelson , made the following remarks at a lunchtime fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s 2012 re-election campaign. Items he spoke on include updating and renewing our infrastructure. “No business is going to build its own ports, its own runways, its own broadband networks. None are able to that,” Biden said. “The government provides seed money. That’s how we built the transcontinental railroad. That’s how we got the Internet", said Biden. "That’s why Sen. Nelson and I both thought the high-speed rail made sense.” As you know, not everyone is in agreement of the Obama Administration's vision of creating modern, faster rail options.  The state's republican governor, Rick Scott rejected the $2.4b in federal funds offered to Florida for such use, saying the project would lose money and become a state liability. Biden said the administration’s strategy is to address the national debt long-term, and s...

Today, the White House is announcing an Easter Egg Roll Poster Contest for local school children. The First Lady will be selecting the winning design, which will serve as the official 2011 White House Easter Egg Roll poster. The White House invites all elementary and middle school students in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia to submit poster designs by Monday, April 4th at 11:59pm EST for consideration. The poster design selected by the First Lady will be used as part of the White House 2011 Easter Egg Roll program. The winning student artist will be invited to attend the event, along with his or her class. Students from the Washington, D.C. area have had a special relationship with the White House Easter Egg Roll for generations. In the early 1800s, local children rolled eggs on the Capitol Steps the day after Easter. In 1878, President Rutherford B. Hayes invited D.C. area children to roll their Easter eggs on the White House lawn and a tradition was born, growi...

  **Update**  Beyond Our Greatest Hopes During remarks at Arizona University last evening President Obama gave the nation good news that Congresswoman Giffords opened her eyes. "I have just come from the University Medical Center, just a mile from here, where our friend Gabby courageously fights to recover even as we speak.  And I want to tell you, her husband, Mark is here and he allows me to share this with you: right after we went to visit, a few minutes after we left her room and some of her colleagues in Congress were in the room, Gabby opened her eyes for the first time. Gabby opened her eyes for the first time", exclaimed the president.   Giffords was last Saturday afternoon at a Safeway supermarket in Tucson, Arizona during one of her 'Congress on the Corner' events where she met with the community to discuss political issues of concern. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz recall their visit wit...