Another uninvited guest gets into the White House?!?!

This is ridiculous. Is it just me? Am I the only one thoroughly disturbed at the fact that there has now been another person identified as getting into the same White House dinner that media-whores Tareq and Michaele Solahi go into?!

The secret service announced that a third unidentified person was able to get through security and attend the White House state dinner for India's prime minister. Apparently he arrived with members of the delegation but was not on the Secret Service's prescreened list of approved guests.

The Secret Service says that the man did not get near the President of First Lady. Really? How do they know? Oh, they must have checked the man's facebook.

The Secret Service director has said that the security breach was his agency's fault but the President was never at risk. Umm, how do you put the words: Secret-Service-Security-Breach-President-never-at-risk in one sentence?!

If I were President Obama, I'd be looking for a more thorough security detail...like Paul Blart mall cop.

Heated White House exchange

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs got into a heated discussion with April Ryan, of American Urban Radio yesterday. Ryan was questioning Gibbs about those stupid annoying party crashers and the role that the White House social secretary played at the party. He got annoyed and belittled her. She shot back.

He made a good point at the end, stating that they should get back to more important things, "like 98,000 men and women in Afghanistan" True, but I think they use the war as an excuse when they don't want to talk about a subject.

"How did those party crashers get into the White House?!"
"Why are we talking about this, there's a war going on!"

"Why is the President keeping Bernanke on?"
"Why are we talking about this, there's a war going on!"

"Will sending 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan speed up the completion of our mission there?"
"Why are we talking about this, ther.....oh..."

President Obama calls Kanye a jackass *audio*

Here is the audio of President Obama speaking "off the record" with some reporters before his appearance on CNBC yesterday.

Listen to in HERE

Hey, crazy. Stay away from my President please

So this Lee-Harvey-esque nutjob shows up at a Presidential event carrying a sign that says "The tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants". Fine, protesters are allowed to march and say their peace. One of the greatest Constitutional rights in this country is the freedom of speech. No argument there. The problem is, he showed up with a gun strapped to his leg. Ummm, anyone else see a problem with this?

I'm not only a first amendment proponent, I'm very much a fan of the second amendment. I enjoy shooting guns, have no problem with them, and value the right that I have to walk into a store and purchase one. Having said that, there is a time and a place and a PRESIDENTIAL EVENT IS NOT ONE OF THEM!!!

This crazy was on Hardball with Chris Matthews yesterday. (Whom I'm a huge fan of. He's by far my favorite journalist on television). Nutty's argument is that he was trying to make a statement about the many rights in this country that he feels are being stripped away.

Check out the video of wacky's (ok, guess I'll give his name, William Kostric) exchange with Matthews on Hardball. Chris really hits him about the stupidity of his move at 2:45.

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Will someone please shut off the internet service to Wasilla?

The former governor of Alaska, Mayor Mooseburger as I so lovingly call her, is spouting off yet again about health care and how under President Obama's plan, advisors will walk into nursing homes and put down any old person who's medicine costs more than $4.75 a day. Ok, so that's not exactly what she's saying but it's close. The "death panels" she refers to are supposed groups who will decide who gets and who is denied health care. Please, do people really believe this?

My favorite part of this whole thing is that now that Mayor M doesn't have the gubernetorial podium to stand on (which I believe consists of two salmon crates tied together with twine), she must now give her two cents through a slightly less grandiose platform...Facebook status updates. She went from having a press secretary issuing press releases, to broadcasting her views from her sectional sofa and iBook through status updates and Tweets. (Which, incidentally, I asked her if she would no longer be using the Twitter handle AKGovSarahPalin...she has yet to respond to me).

Who thinks they can influence people through silly social media sites like Facebook or Twitter?! Oh...wait...oops. Hey, if you are reading this you fell for it! :)

Madame Justice

The Senate has just confirmed Sonia Sotomayor as the first hispanic Supreme Court Justice in a 68-31 vote. This is President Obama's first Supreme Court appointment and is seen as a win for progressives and hispanics alike.

Democrats praised her saying she brings a moderate voice to the bench while the Repubs say she will come to the court with a liberal agenda. She replaces David Souter, a liberal who was appointed by George H.W. Bush, ironically enough.

Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed as the 111th Supreme Court Justice, the first hispanic, and only the third female. (Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg are the other two). She is of Puerto Rican decent and was born in the Bronx. She graduated from Princenton University Summa Cum Laude in 1976 and went on to gradulate Yale Law School in 1979. Wow, quite a ways from 180th street and the D train.

She worked in private practice and was an assistant disctrict attorney until George H.W. Bush nominated her to the U.S. Court for the Southern District of New York in 1991. President Clinton nominated her to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1997 and she was eventually confirmed in 1998 (Confirmation slowed due to the Repub majority in the senate)

Congratulations Justice Sotomayor!

ROCK STAR

What else can you say about President Clinton? The man is still the most powerful man in the world in my opinion. You all know I'm a huge fan of President Obama, but Bill Clinton is a force. You think George W. Bush could have flown to North Korea and recued those journlaists? No way. I don't even know that President Obama has that kind of influence (yet). President Bill Clinton is probably the most respected man in the world. He deserves to be.

The video below is really touching. They had no idea where they were going, they were prisoners. Then, they walk into a room and see President Bill Clinton. What an awesome feeling and tremendous relief. Talk about a sight for sore eyes!

My only question is, I wonder how Secretary of State Hillary Clinton felt about that? Isn't that her territory? Well, to her credit, she stepped aside and let him take the lead...again.

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Happy Birthday Mr. President!

"Chuck E. Cheese was booked" said Press Secretary Robert Gibbs of President Obama's birthday plans. The President is celebrating his 48th birthday today. He will have lunch with Senate Dems followed by cake.

Yes, 48 years ago today Barack Obama was born in Hawaii. I know it's hard for many to believe, but this fact has been proven again, and again,...and again.

So, 48th, 44. Let's hope the Senate gives you the birthday gift of 2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers. That program is helping our economy and our environment!

FYI - Billy Bob Thornton and Jeff Gordon both share a birthday with the President.

Bill Maher takes on the "birthers"

Here is a funny video from Bill Maher taking on the ridiculous "birthers" who are still trying to claim that President Obama was not born in the U.S. Love him or hate him, he's funny. Most find him offensive. I find him awesome. Happy Saturday! Enjoy:

Harvey Milk to receive posthumous award: Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Barack Obama will award 16 people with the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom on August 12th. Among those, 14 are living including Ret. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy, and Billy Jean King (who lives in my friend's building in NYC...I have yet to experience a BJK sighting on my visits). There are two posthumous awards being given. In otherwords, two dead people are getting medals. Congressman and Vice-Presidential candidate Jack Kemp, and GLBT rights pioneer, activist, and hero, Harvey Milk.

Also on the list are other actors, politicians and community leaders. A proud day for all those that fight for equal rights as two pioneers, Billy Jean King, who faught for gender equality, and Harvey Milk, who fought to his death for equal rights for gays and lesbians, will be recognized with this high honor.

President Obama hopes to end negative press with "a cold one"

Well, now that we actually have a President who can have a beer without having it considered "falling off the wagon", President Obama plans to use an age old common bond of men to smooth over tense feelings....booze. The President plans to reach out this afternoon to Harvard Professor, Henry Louis Gates, Jr, and Cambridge police officer, James Crowley.

If you don't know the story, here's the rundown, Crowley shows up at Gates home investigating a burglary and arrests Gates, even though Gates has proven he is in his own home. The racial tension heated even more when President Obama made a statement that Gates acted "stupidly" and in the same statement said he didn't have all the facts. Ok, you can have one or the other. You can say he acted stupidly but you better have the facts straight. Or, you can say you don't have the facts and not comment, especially in such a damning way to the officer and Cambridge police.

The story did not do him any favors in the news. A Pew Research poll shows that 41% disapprove of how President Obama handled the issue, while only 29% approved.

Well, the three are meeting in the Rose Garden of the White House for a beer this afternoon. Will this symbolic meeting put an end to racial tension in America? Probably not. Will it put an end to a negative story that has been hanging over the President all week? Probably. I think that will be good enough for this administration. One step (and beer) at a time...

News flash: The President is American

UGH! Enough with this stupid speculation!! Hawaii again confirmed that President Obama was born in Hawaii and is a natural born citizen, therefore Constitutionally qualified to hold the Office of President. In a statement made today, Health Director Dr. Chiyome Fukino said "I ... have seen the original vital records maintained on file by the Hawaii State Department of Health verifying Barack Hussein Obama was born in Hawaii and is a natural-born American citizen, I have nothing further to add to this statement or my original statement issued in October 2008 over eight months ago."

Really neo-cons? That is the straw you are grasping? Far-right repubs are still trying to prove that President Obama was not born in the U.S. What do they expect to accomplish by doing this? "See, he's born in Africa, that means Sarah Palin should be President" Is that their logic? There are two pieces of paper I'd like to hand to these close-minded sore losers. First, is his birth certificate from Hawaii. Second, is the Constitution that not only shows the requirements to hold the Office of President, but also shows the Order of Succession. Duh repubs, if you prove he's not eligible, you don't get to pick who you want. You'd get President Biden. Happy now? I think not.



So, read it an weep:

Fired soldier pleads with Obama and congress to change outdated policy

The following is a letter addressed to President Obama and congress from Lt. Daniel Choi who was discharged from the military after revealing his homosexuality. He is a graduate of West Point and a founding member of "Knights Out", an organization for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender West Point Alumni.

By Lt. Daniel Choi

Open Letter to President Obama and Every Member of Congress:

I have learned many lessons in the ten years since I first raised my right hand at the United States Military Academy at West Point and committed to fighting for my country. The lessons of courage, integrity, honesty and selfless service are some of the most important.

At West Point, I recited the Cadet Prayer every Sunday. It taught us to “choose the harder right over the easier wrong” and to “never be content with a half truth when the whole can be won.” The Cadet Honor Code demanded truthfulness and honesty. It imposed a zero-tolerance policy against deception, or hiding behind comfort.

Following the Honor Code never bowed to comfortable timing or popularity. Honor and integrity are 24-hour values. That is why I refuse to lie about my identity.

I have personally served for a decade under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: an immoral law and policy that forces American soldiers to deceive and lie about their sexual orientation. Worse, it forces others to tolerate deception and lying. These values are completely opposed to anything I learned at West Point. Deception and lies poison a unit and cripple a fighting force.

As an infantry officer, an Iraq combat veteran and a West Point graduate with a degree in Arabic, I refuse to lie to my commanders. I refuse to lie to my peers. I refuse to lie to my subordinates. I demand honesty and courage from my soldiers. They should demand the same from me.

I am committed to applying the leadership lessons I learned at West Point. With 60 other LGBT West Point graduates, I helped form our organization, Knights Out, to fight for the repeal of this discriminatory law and educate cadets and soldiers after the repeal occurs. When I receive emails from deployed soldiers and veterans who feel isolated, alone, and even suicidal because the torment of rejection and discrimination, I remember my leadership training: soldiers cannot feel alone, especially in combat. Leaders must reach out. They can never diminish the fighting spirit of a soldier by tolerating discrimination and isolation. Leaders respect the honor of service. Respecting each soldier’s service is my personal promise.

The Department of the Army sent a letter discharging me on April 23rd. I will not lie to you; the letter is a slap in the face. It is a slap in the face to me. It is a slap in the face to my soldiers, peers and leaders who have demonstrated that an infantry unit can be professional enough to accept diversity, to accept capable leaders, to accept skilled soldiers.

My subordinates know I’m gay. They don’t care. They are professional.

Further, they are respectable infantrymen who work as a team. Many told me that they respect me even more because I trusted them enough to let them know the truth. Trust is the foundation of unit cohesion.

After I publicly announced that I am gay, I reported for training and led rifle marksmanship. I ordered hundreds of soldiers to fire live rounds and qualify on their weapons. I qualified on my own weapon. I showered after training and slept in an open bay with 40 other infantrymen. I cannot understand the claim that I “negatively affected good order and discipline in the New York Army National Guard.” I refuse to accept this statement as true.

As an infantry officer, I am not accustomed to begging. But I beg you today: Do not fire me. Do not fire me because my soldiers are more than a unit or a fighting force – we are a family and we support each other. We should not learn that honesty and courage leads to punishment and insult. Their professionalism should not be rewarded with losing their leader. I understand if you must fire me, but please do not discredit and insult my soldiers for their professionalism.

When I was commissioned I was told that I serve at the pleasure of the President. I hope I have not displeased anyone by my honesty. I love my job. I want to deploy and continue to serve with the unit I respect and admire. I want to continue to serve our country because of everything it stands for.

Please do not wait to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Please do not fire me.

Very Respectfully,

Daniel W. Choi
1LT, IN
New York Army National Guard

Wanda Sykes "too much?"

That's the question Wanda asked of the audience at the White House Correspondence Dinner this weekend. This is always an entertaining event where politics, the media, and A list celebs collide. The President was very amusing but Wanda made the biggest news. Take a look and let us know if you think she went too far. You probably know what I think...

Fox puts fiction over fact...what a shock.

Fox news has refused accept President Obama's request to air his news conference on Wednesday. Really? A failing economy, sky-high unemployment, failing banks, automakers, a possible Pandemic, maybe even the close-minded Fox viewers might actually poke their heads out of the dirt to hear what he has to say. They'll have to switch to MSNBC or CNN then. For those repubs who refuse to hear anything he has to say, enjoy your episode of the Tim Roth drama, "Lie to Me". That's what Fox is airing in it's place. Why are they even allowed to be called a news organization? My blog is less biased! Ugh.

A kinder, friendlier G-20 summit

Is it just me or is this picture a little odd? I mean, this is what they release? Not exactly a formal portrait with the world's most powerful leaders. All that's missing is Prime Minister Gordon Brown doing rabbit ears behind Chinese President Hu Juntao. (PS, I like the mischievious look on the Saudi Prime Minister's face in the lower left corner)

Notre Dame needs to get over themselves

In 1977 President Jimmy Carter spoke to the graduating class at the University of Notre Dame. So did President Reagan in 1981 and President George W. Bush in 2001. It is a tradition for new Presidents to speak at the Notre Dame graduation but this year, there is some hesitation among the faculty at the nation's most prominent Catholic university to allow President Obama to speak due to his change in Bush policy which allows for federal funding for stem-cell research.


Really, Notre Dame? Do you really think you are that elitist that you can turn your nose up at the President of the United States? Not only a President, but the most signifigant election of our lifetime! Who do they think they are?! Oh wait, they are a Catholic institution, that answers my question. Having the President speak at your institution is an honor, no matter who you are or what your beliefs are. The Presidency is an institution. I was never a fan of 'W' but if given the opportunity to listen to him speak, I would have in a heartbeat. It's history.

It sounds like the University of Notre Dame came to their senses and will allow the President to speak after all despite their disgust at his desire to cure cancer with cells that would have been thrown away anyway. If they're so hell-bent at having an anti-stem cell research speaker there, they should just invite Newt Gingrich or Ann Coulter...see what kind of crowd they draw.

Watch President Obama on Leno

Here is the complete video of President Obama on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Enjoy

The President does late night

If you'd like to see President Obama discussing the economy tonight, no need to watch MSNBC or C-Span. Just stay up until midnight and you can catch him bantering with Jay Leno. Yes, for the first time ever, a sitting President will be the headlining guest on late night TV. This could be a very good idea, as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno sees an average of five million viewers, or it could be a terrible one. We shall see later tonight...or tomorrow if you're like me and tivo-ing it.

Obama pays tribute to Christopher Reeve

President Obama ditched another lame Bush policy by lifting the ban on using federal funds for stem cell research. This is a huge step forward in the medical field. He paid tribute to Christopher Reeve and his wife Dana who both fought so hard for stem cell research. President Obama mentioned how much he wished the two of them could have been at the White House today when he signed the bill into law. Reeve died in 2004 and his wife Dana died of cancer in 2006.Nicely done, Mr. President. I'm sure Superman is proud.