Politics. On Point.

Here we are, six months into the New Year, with the reelection of the first African American president and seemingly the rights and civil liberties of African Americans are looking even more bleak. Explanation forthcoming. As the trial of George Zimmerman continues in Florida, Americans are waiting with bated breath to see if 16 year old Trayvon Martin will receive justice after being viciously assassinated, almost one year ago, by the self-proclaimed neighborhood watchman.   Food Network’s television cook, Paula Deen was ousted last week over years of her use of the ‘N word ‘ to her staff employees. African American youth around the country, especially in New York City, are still being profiled and singled out by police for “being in the wrong neighborhood” under the state’s Stop-and-Frisk policies. And yesterday the Supreme Court of the United States, with its only African American judge, decided   that Section IV of the Voting Rights bill, would best ser...

President Obama is Time Magazine's Person of the Year. An excerpt from Time's managing editor Richard Stengel, White House correspondent Michael Scherer and executive editor Radhika Jones is below.  The trio ask the president about Lincoln , marijuana , the Middle East and Hawaii moments. View the full conversation here . TIME: So we’ll start right in. In fact, we’re going to go so far ahead. If we were sitting here four years from now and you were looking back on what your legacy is as a two-term Democratic President — we know what Ronald Reagan did and we know what FDR did — what would you want people to say about your two terms? THE PRESIDENT: I think what I’d want people to say is that having come in at a time when our economy was on the brink of collapse, when we had gone through a decade in which middle-class families were doing worse and worse, and the ladders of opportunity into the middle class for people who were willing to work hard had begun to deteriora...

Our First Lady, Michelle Obama, continues to stay busy.  In this episode of 'Keeping of With The First Lady' we've highlighted some of the activities she's participated this week, as well as give you a peek inside her upcoming schedule. For starters, the First Lady made a cameo appearance in an edition of Extreme Makeover : Home Edition that aired last evening. Next we find her looking fabulous at this year's Congressional Black Caucus Phoenix Awards Dinner on Saturday evening.    Read below for these events, and more. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition First Lady Michelle Obama traveled to Fayetteville, North Carolina to join Extreme Makeover: Home Edition as they build a dream home for an African American woman veteran, Barbara Marshall and her family. Barbara Marshal had a 15 year career in the Navy but her service to her country didn't stop there. Marshall went on to combat homelessness among female veterans and military families in the Fayetteville ...

In order to support private-sector job creation and enhance economic growth by encouraging and supporting business investment in the United States, President Obama signed into law today Select USA. Here is an excerpt: There is established the SelectUSA Initiative (Initiative), a Government-wide initiative to attract and retain investment in the American economy. The Initiative is to be housed in the Department of Commerce. The mission of this Initiative shall be to facilitate business investment in the United States in order to create jobs, spur economic growth, and promote American competitiveness. The Initiative will provide enhanced coordination of Federal activities in order to increase the impact of Federal resources that support both domestic and foreign investment in the United States. In providing assistance, the Initiative shall work to maximize impact on business investment, job creation, and economic growth. The Initiative shall work on behalf of the entire Nation and...

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama appeared at Arlington National Cemetery with military members, Gold Star families, veterans and other Americans who came to honor and remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. After presenting a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns, the President spoke at the Memorial Day Service, attempting to provide comfort to those families who lost loved ones. "This day is about you, and the fallen heroes that you loved. And it’s a day that has meaning for all Americans, including me. It’s one of my highest honors, it is my most solemn responsibility as President, to serve as Commander-in-Chief of one of the finest fighting forces the world has ever known. And it’s a responsibility that carries a special weight on this day; that carries a special weight each time I meet with our Gold Star families and I see the pride in their eyes, but also the tears of pain that will never fully go away; each time I sit down at my desk and...

President and Mrs. Obama leaving the White House last evening, boarding Marine 1 to Andrews AFB.  Photo/CD Brown. The President and First Lady left the White House last evening on route to their visit to Europe where it is expected the two will make several stops in their travel that includes Ireland (where the President has lineage).  The first event will be a meeting between the President and the First Lady, with President McAleese and her husband.  This meeting will serve as an opportunity to discuss both bilateral issues with President McAleese and also to honor her extraordinary legacy of serving the people of Ireland and advancing peace in Northern Ireland. Then the President will travel to Moneygall, Ireland, which is the town in Ireland from which the President’s ancestors came.  Later, the president will return to Dublin, where he’ll deliver remarks at a public event about the ties between the United States and Ireland. ...

In a statement in the East Room of the White House Monday, President Obama announced key changes to the U.S. National Security team. President Obama with Gates, Panetta, and Patreus. Photo/CD Brown.  The president pegged CIA director, Leon Panetta   to be Secretary of Defense, replacing Robert Gates.  Gates served 26 years in the CIA and the National Security Council. Under President George H.W. Bush Gates served as Director of Centeral Intelligence.  "I am confident Bob Gates will be remembered as one of the finest Defense Secretaries in American history.  And I will always be grateful for his service", said President Obama. Panetta - a former Republican turned Democrat - has more than 40 years of public service.  His career began in the Army as an intelligence officer in the 1960s.  Speaking of Gates Panetta said, "He’s a public servant without equal whose tenure as Secretary of Defense will go down as one of the m...

In what may prove to be a stunner for some, and an 'I told you so' for others, the White House has officially addressed the President's birth certificate issue (again). Live in the James Brady press room earlier this morning before departing for Chicago to do a taping for the Oprah Winfrey Show , President Obama made a statement surrounding the authenticity of his birth, saying "we don't have time to focus on the silliness of this issue." And so I just want to make a larger point here. We've got some enormous challenges out there. There are a lot of folks out there who are still looking for work. Everybody is still suffering under high gas prices. We're going to have to make a series of very difficult decisions about how we invest in our future but also get a hold of our deficit and our debt -- how do we do that in a balanced way. And this is going to generate huge and serious debates, important debates. And there are going to be some fierce disagr...

Today marks the one year mark of the BP /Deep Water Horizon oil spill off the coast of New Orleans.   Over 200 million barrels of oil spilled into its waters when an oil rig exploded, killing almost a dozen people.  The event has been lauded as the worst oil spill since the Exxon Valdez spill of 1989. Now, one year later, the costly affects of the spill have many doubting whether its shores will return to normalcy, whether its sea food is safe, and perhaps most of all -  the cost of human suffering. Organizations like National Research Damage Assessment are tasked with assessing the damages, a fund for the victims has been created to compensate workers (though most say they have received too little or next to nothing in compensation, and have sued  the fund for negligence), and families talk about losing loved ones . Recent reports suggest that there are still substantial amounts of oil beneath the Gulf's surface ( video ), while BP officials argue that di...

In what has been called an "awkward moment" with President Obama, actress Olivia Wilde recounts receiving a telephone call from the President, thanking her for working on his campaign. "He was calling to thank me for traveling to Iowa in October 2007 to volunteer for the campaign", said Wilde. Apparently she did what most have done after receiving a phone call from the president of the United States. "I was very professional the whole time we spoke, then I hung up the phone -- or so I thought -- and started squealing for about 15 seconds", the actress admitted. Little did she know the President heard her entire expression of OMG! "I later found out from a friend who was with him that he listened to the shrieking, and laughed the entire time." Who says the President's cool points have fallen since the election? Not Olivia Wilde.

The President will place a telephone call to the crews of the Space Shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station as Discovery conducts its final mission in orbit where he will congratulate the crews on their achievements in support of their orbiting research laboratory and express his gratitude for their dedication to the exploration of space. This event will broadcast all of the audio from the call and video of the crew in space live at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv . -- ** Update ** Conversation with President Obama and Space Station crew members:  ."We are always inspired by the images of you guys at work as you work to put some of the final pieces in place to make the ISS fully operational.You are setting such a great example with your dedication, your courage, your commitment to exploration. Col. Lindsey, it must be a great honor to be the last commander of Discovery. In response, Discovery Commander Steve Lindsey said, "On behalf of the crew, it's a re...

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....

Hear the First Lady on Let's Move! Guess who's turning 1?  Or should we ask:  Guess what's turning 1? It's the First Lady's Let's Move! campaign.  To mark the momentous occasion of the First Lady encouraging America's children (and their parents) to get fit, and eat healthy, the First Lady will embark upon a series of public speaking events, beginning next week, that include The Today Show , and Live with Regis & Kelly . The First Lady will also visit a local Atlanta school to highlight how the school is working with children to promote the principles of Let’s Move! Additionally, national and community leaders will join the First Lady on a series of conference calls to detail what has been accomplished, to share best practices, and to discuss the campaign’s next phase. She will speak with Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin on a Let's Move Medical Community Call , as well as with U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on ...

Rahm Emanuel was thrown off the ballot for mayor of Chicago today by an appellate court panel, ruling 2-1 he did not meet the residency standard to run for mayor. Following the ruling, Emanuel said he is confident he will win an appeal and be on the Feb. 22 mayoral ballot. “I have no doubt at the end we will prevail,” he said. “As my father has said, ‘Nothing is ever easy.’” Read entire article here . Emanuel served as White House Chief of Staff in President Obama's administration, and served as president Clinton's advisor from 1993 to 1998. On Emanuel's FaceBook page he invites viewers to review a recent press conference , held earlier today, where he he claims to owe a home in Chicago, and pays taxes there. His website ChicagoforRahm.com  does not appear to be functioning.

Wednesday at Howard University First Lady Michelle Obama spoke to the nation's future leaders about the benefits of studying abroad, especially in China. On the heels of Chinese president Hu Jintao  visiting Washington, Mrs. Obama told students at Howard's Cramton Auditorium, "The fact is, with every friendship you make, and every bond of trust you establish, you are shaping the image of America projected to the rest of the world.  That is so important.  So when you study abroad, you’re actually helping to make America stronger." The event was highlighted by a panel of students who have experienced Chinese culture and language.  One former Howard a lumni called the initiative "exciting".  As a Howard University graduate that studied in Beijing during the spring of 2005, she said writes, "I know just how spectacular the RJB center is. Best experience of my entire life." Mrs. Obama was joined at Howard by Madame Chen Naiqing, the wife of Chi...