Politics. On Point.

First Lady Michelle Obama invited military families and their children to the White House today to marvel at the White House Christmas decorations, while their children engaged in ornament making in the State Dining room with the First Lady. Photo by Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press/MCT. Four-year-old Gerald Hogan, Jr. was the star of the day, all smiles, with his ornament of White House dog, Bo.   Gerald tied a green ribbon on his ornament and lifted it up for photographers to see.  When asked if he was going to put the ornament of Bo on his tree at home, he replied, “We don’t have a tree.”   A cute four year-old talks about his White House Christmas ornament. Video/Politics. On Point. It may be a bit early yet for the Hogan family Christmas tree, but the White House was decked with boughs of holly, Christmas trees, and more.   Thirty-seven Christmas trees to be exact, to include 30 natural trees, seven made from paper, felt or aluminum. “It jus...

(via White House Press Office) Vice President Biden has made a suprised visit to Iraq today. While there, the Vice President will co-chair a meeting of the U.S.-Iraq Higher Coordinating Committee. He will also meet with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, President Jalal Talabani, Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, and other political leaders. The Vice President will also participate in, and give remarks at, an event to commemorate the sacrifices and accomplishments of U.S. and Iraqi troops. Over nearly three years in office, the Administration has kept its promises on Iraq. American forces withdrew from Iraq’s cities in July 2009. The United States ended its combat mission in Iraq on August 31, 2010, and drew down to fewer than 50,000 troops from approximately 144,000 in January 2009. Throughout this period, violence in Iraq has remained at its lowest level since 2003. On October 21st, President Obama and Prime Minister Maliki agreed that it was in the best interests of both the United S...

Representative Barry Frank (D-MA), ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee has announced his retirement. Speaking on the House floor Frank said, "I do not chose to run for Congress in 2012."   Citing "I've gone through some changes here."   Frank's work has included issues from agriculture to veterans affairs.  An openly gay Congressman, Frank has supported the rights of the LGBT community.  In 2010 Frank helped pass the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Frank states he will still function in some sort of "legislative capacity", and admitted he does not like fund raising, which he is required to do. (Full press conference here ). He has been outspoken on the deficit reduction talks, going against cuts in social benefits.  Stating just last week Barney said,"We should not be told that we have to reduce two of the great achievements of the United States in the 20th century, Medicare and...

The White House Christmas tree arrived today courtesy of Sue and Tom Schroeder of Wisconsin.   The Schroeders, who have a Christmas tree farm about 90 miles southwest of Green Bay, won the honor to present their tree to the First Lady after winning a national Christmas tree contest given by the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA). This marks the 46 th tree presented by a member of the NCTA.   The 18 1/2 foot Balsam fir, which can take s long as 15 years to grow, will grace the Blue Room of the White House where it will serve as the centerpiece of the White House Christmas decorations. Last year’s tree, a Douglas fir, was delivered courtesy of Christopher Botek of Pennsylvania. First Lady Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha were on hand to accept the delivery, as was White House dog, Bo. “Bo, do you like the tree?”, asked the First Lady. After sniffing around the horse-drawn carriage that delivered the tree up to the North Portico of the White House, it was ...

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, ...

We're sending out a very special Happy Birthday to Vice President Joe Biden who celebrates his birthday this Sunday. The 47th US Vice President, Joe Biden, turns 69 on Sunday, November 20th. Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr., was born on November 20, 1942 in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  The former Delaware senator turns 69. His wife, and second lady, Dr. Jill Biden would love for you to sign his birthday card. Just click here  to send your well wishes, and a Happy B-day to Mr. VP!

Sixteen hundred Pennsylvania Avenue narrowly came under siege last weekend when 21-year-old Oscar Ramiro Ortega fired shots at the White House. Oscar Ortega wanted for firing shots at White House. Photo collage/Politics. On Point. Further examination revealed a bullet smashed a White House glass window, but didn't not penetrate due to its anti-ballistic properties. It is believed that Ortega fired the shots last Friday night around 9pm using an AK-47-style rifle.  The rifle was later recovered from an abandoned car Friday thought to belong to Ortega.  Additional rounds of weaponry were also found. Ortega is described as a 5'11" tall, 160 pound Hispanic man with a medium build. He has brown eyes and black hair. Officers obtained an arrest warrant for Ortega on a felony charge of carrying a dangerous weapon. This charge should be increased from 'carrying a dangerous weapon' to 'firing a dangerous weapon' into a residence, and other relate...