President Barack Obama signs an accompanying letter to Congressional leaders after signing H.R. 152, which provides fiscal year 2013 supplemental appropriations to respond to and recover from the severe damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Jan. 29, 2013. (Photo by Pete Souza)
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Today:
10:0 Senate Judiciary Hearing on Gun Violence: Live on C-SPAN
3:55: President Obama is interviewed by Jose Diaz Balart of Telemundo
4:15: Interviewed by Maria Elena Salinas of Univision
(Interviews will be released at 6:30)
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Washington Post: President Obama is riding a wave of personal popularity into his second term, with his highest favorability ratings since his first year in office, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Fully 60 percent of Americans have a favorable impression of Obama in the new poll, up slightly from October but a clear shift in opinion from an election year in which his ratings hovered in the mid-to-low 50s.
More here
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Washington Post: In hailing an emerging bipartisan consensus in the Senate on immigration reform, President Obama added Tuesday to the momentum to fix a broken-down system that long ago stopped making sense and serving the country…
….. the president did the sensible thing by standing aside, for the time being, to let Congress take the lead on crafting a bill in the coming months…..
But Mr Obama also made clear that if progress slows toward a deal, the administration will submit its own bill. The implication, and the threat to Republicans, is clear: Act soon to forge a reasonable deal, or risk being seen — once again — as impeding progress on the issue that will shape political attitudes for the nation’s fastest-growing group of minority voters.
More here
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On Thursday, learn more about President Obama’s vision for a 21st century immigration system as the White House hosts the next in an ongoing series of conversations with administration officials on Google+. Starting at 1:00 p.m. ET on January 31, Cecilia Muñoz, the Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, will join the latest “Fireside Hangout”– a 21st century take on FDR’s famous radio addresses – to talk about immigration reform.
The conversation will be moderated by Jose Antonio Vargas, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and founder of Define American….
More here
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Maddow Blog: This visual goes a long way in explaining why Republicans decided to get on board with immigration reform:
More here
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Washington Post: Former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) is expected to testify Wednesday at a Senate hearing on gun violence, lending the emotional resonance of her experience with the issue to what had already promised to be a dramatic exchange between lawmakers and advocates for and against stricter gun-control laws.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold its first hearing on gun-related violence in 14 months on Wednesday morning, and observers expect that it will help set the tone for congressional debates over legislation introduced in the wake of the deadly shooting last month at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., that killed 26 people, including 20 young children.
More here
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Washington Post: By Mark Barden and Jackie Barden, parents of Daniel who died in the Sandy Hook shootings
Wednesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on gun violence is the latest in a series of events following the Dec. 14 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Our 7-year-old son, Daniel, 19 of his first-grade classmates and six educators were killed in the tragedy. We believe this hearing is an opportunity to rise above the hard-line rhetoric and intransigence that too often lead to inaction and hopelessness, and we hope that our leaders and our nation will start a new conversation with a chance of achieving real change.
…. We have joined with other families, neighbors and friends in making the Sandy Hook Promise (www.sandyhookpromise.org). We hope every member of Congress and Americans nationwide will join us in pledging to honor the lives lost last month by coming together to end these violent tragedies.
More here
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@VP – “State is in good hands – the hands of my good friend John Kerry – VP on Senate confirming Sen Kerry as Sec State”
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BuzzFeed: January marked Fox News Channel’s lowest 25-54 demo delivery for Monday-Sunday Primetime and Sales Prime (M-Su 7p-2a) since August 2001.
January was also the worst month ever for FNC’s On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren in the 25-54 demo. It was also Fox’s lowest total at 10 pm since July ’08.
January saw MSNBC up 11% in the 25-54 demo from Jan. 2012.
MSNBC remained #1 with African American viewers during primetime for the 36th consecutive month.
More here
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Morning!
Good morning all.
Morning Mariele, morning everyone!
Way to go!
Good morning everyone, congrats Mariele
Hello all – congrats Mariele – a great collection of good news to read thank you Miss Chips.
G’morning Chips, TOD, lurkers, etc, and congratulations Mariele! Auntsis also claimed #1 on the last thread
4th:)
Good morning all.
GM folks. Good news all around today.
Boy, do I hate that kenyan muslin usurper.
The media will be pushing the “GDP shrank” narrative ALL DAY – without honestly stating the reason – which is a decrease in government spending, something the GOP and their GOPMedia friends have been pushing all along. So we need to call them out on this.
Meanwhile, they will ignore the ADP jobs report which beat expectations.
Both wall street and main street don’t seem to give a shite about emmessem.
That’s true.
Also. Too. PBO and his team should tout these numbers repeatedly and loudly insist they would have been much better if only the goposauruses didn’t obstruct 24×7 all the jobs & economy programs.
“goposauruses”
Superb!
They changed the commentary on the link after I posted it amk – must have found the GDP to be negative about
That was weird 99ts, it went from a hugely positive story to one that looked like it had been hacked by Fox. Bizarre.
It’s still there, only they pushed it to the bottom. One thing is clear. Despite the third fourth estate fuckers trying to push their narratives, the markets don’t give a damn about them.
That’s right. The Republicans cannot simultaneously argue that government cannot create jobs and needs to spend less, while touting this GDP which is a direct consequence of less government spending.
The markets won’t ignore it hopefruit – which is the story. The whole reason for the GOP non stop debt talk is to shrink the GDP – so they have something/anything to blame on President Obama – and it’s just not working for them.
Actually,the lower GDP is the result of less federal spending – not decreased consumption, or private sector jobs. ALL other areas of the economy are positive. Retail and home sales are up. Manufacturing is up. Oil & gas are up. So the market might initially react to this GDP – but it will be short-lived.
I haven’t read the details – but isn’t the reduced state govt spending also having an impact? Our govt in Oz is about to go down the
austerity trail because the media is now picking up on the deficit talk. Our state has already done it – and employment is tanking – and it is all so ridiculous. I live in the most right wing part of my city – so not much joy talking to the reps.
34,35 consecutive months of positive job growth from the private sector, the ADP report exceeds expectations and the economy contracted?
I think even Faux news viewers are just wising up to the fact that the junk being dished out everyday is not healthy for them.
Quite a few RWNJ sites are calling fox out for being too “liberal” – truly hard to imagine the society they want to live in, but it seems they have been turning off for many different reasons.
RWNJ thinks fox is now liberal.
Double wow! I will respond as as Scooby doo ……huuuuuhhhh. LOL
Good Morning TOD!! Chips and congrats Mariele.
Mooooooooorning Sonjia, moooOOOooOOOoooorning everyone!
Howdy! There’s gonna be some P.O.’d RWNJs with these news items! Poor things, they’ll all have to put a big ole pout on! If only they could move back to Mayberry where there would be no young people, no smart women, no dark skins no creativity and no one that understand science. Actually, why don’t we designate a huge, area of dust in Oklahoma MAYBERRY and let them have it? WE COULD BUILD A GIANT BORDER FENCE AROUND IT!!!!!!
They couldn’t live in Mayberry. It’s not angry enough for them. Sherriff Taylor ran a quiet town. By the way Aunt Bee says heh.
Gooood morning all!
My beautiful POTUS, on behalf of the tri-state region over here on the East Coast, a big thank you for signing HR152!
Morning CTGirl!!
I saw a fabulous Beyonce image with her shoutin’ out about women and equality. I think it was here I saw it.
If so, and if somebody remembers that, would you re-post it for me please. It so blew me away I could not
quite handle it; and now I want to spread it all over the place. thanks
Is this it Sara?
ohmygod, yes, this is it. Chips, honestly . . . amazing you are. you and Beyonce. thank you so much. xoxo
You’re welcome Sara! A powerful statement from her, she was obviously on fire in that innterview!
Hell yes! Go Beyoncé!
When I was first married – late 1960s – my income was slightly higher than my husband’s. Being very serious (not a joke) a couple of the men I worked with said they could “never marry a woman who earned more money than them”. Controlling women’s allowances seemed to be needed to prove their manhood.
How long does it take? In 1928 Virginia Woolf was invited by a woman’s group to speak about the situation of women writers and fiction. The initial state of her thesis is:
“… a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.”
LOVE that quote!
Love, love, love this and Beyonce is exactly right, although the only reason why this happens is because women have historically LET it happen. Women have to stop letting men define their value, or sex appeal or anything else, especially at a time when more women than men go to college and when women often earn more than men. The tired old saw that feminists aren’t attractive dies on its feet in the face of the drop-dead gorgeous Beyonce. Here she is looking like a goddess and sounding like a 21rst century Betty Friedan.
This!
Good for her for speaking out for women and pay equity, but it may be a tad disingenuous for her to mention letting men define “sexy” as everything she wears is what men would definitely define as sexy.
Just because men might define something as sexy, doesn’t mean it isn’t sexy… I think the point is that women get to decide what they define as sexy for themselves – be it brains, beauty, all of the above or none of the above.
I read that and thought it was so true.
Aw, Jim Nabors just married his long time partner. I ‘m verklempt, I always loved him on Andy Griffith
EXCLUSIVE: Actor Jim Nabors marries his longtime male partner – Hawaii News Now – KGMB and KHNL http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/20805642/exclusive-actor-jim-nabors-marries-his-longtime-male-partner#.UQkooPZUQWI.twitter
Pres. Obama is soaring and Fox News is tanking. There really is a Santa Claus.
Zing!!!!!!!!!! Loved it
Tweet it, nerdy wonka. Or I will.
Tweet away. I give you the tweet freely.
Dankesan.
Good morning all. Have been engaging in an epic battle with WP since earlier this a.m. Think I finally won the battle, although the war continues. The president’s approval rating and the economic numbers are big blasting bullhorns telling Repubs that people DON’T like what they’re selling and do like PBO. Sixty percent of the people in this country are giving our president a honeymoon, even if the Congress won’t, so the obstructionism is going to stand out like a giant neon flag. I honestly think most people–decent ones, not continually filled with hatred–want to move forward and are tired of the sick games played out every day in the GOP controlled House and the hate mongering Senate minority. They’ve seen this show before and they’re tired of it.
This needs to be underscored whenever the GDP is discussed:
Sounds like a good reason for a contraction in GDP, but why call it a “collapse.” We spend far too much on defense and on useless overpriced weaponry that’s outmoded before it’s even completed. Shift this spending to education, infrastructure and green energy and not only would be GDP soar, but the world would be a better place.
You said it, Jackie. Money is better spent on infrastructure, green/new technologies and education, rather than wasting it on defense as wars wind down and times change the nature of war. I just heard an article yesterday on the radio that there is a bidding war about to begin for talented cyber-security experts. Hundreds of thousands of people needed, and only about 1% of the demand can be met. We need to invest in educating kids to enter these fields, where it’s less dangerous but more needed. And the skills can be easily transferred in and out of war time. The world is changing.
On Thursday, learn more about President Obama’s vision for a 21st century immigration system as the White House hosts the next in an ongoing series of conversations with administration officials on Google+. Starting at 1:00 p.m. ET on January 31, Cecilia Muñoz, the Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, will join the latest “Fireside Hangout”– a 21st century take on FDR’s famous radio addresses – to talk about immigration reform.
The conversation will be moderated by Jose Antonio Vargas, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and founder of Define American
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/01/29/fireside-hangout-cecilia-mu-oz-joins-conversation-immigration-reform
I hope Mr. Vargas is fair. In his interview with Rachel, he said a couple of things that bothered me. He said that the contribution of immigrants is not discussed, without acknowledging that President Obama DOES talk about at, and beautifully. As for the deportations that are occurring, there may be a problem right now, in the sense that the whole administrative apparatus deports more “non-criminals” than the President would like. I’m not sure that the “system” at the local level is following the instructions of President Obama to concentrate on criminals…
Another perspective on the GDP numbers.
More perspective. Read the article.
Very good. We need more of these critical analyses – less of the GOPMEdia simplistic memes/narratives.
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/01/30/1513791/economy-shrinks-2009-gdp/
U.S. Economy Shrinks For First Time Since 2009 Due To Government Spending Cuts
Good News. When one delves beneath the surface of Q4 GDP, there’s actually really good news. It shows our economy is beginning to surge and become more dependent on solid products rather than endless military spending and wars. Spread it around.
One of 3 shot and killed in broad daylight yesterday, and 1 of 42 killed in January in Chicago. Teens and young people killing teens and young people daily—-everyone has a gun—-it’s out of control.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-chicago-homicides-january-20130130,0,526706.story
What the hell is going on? Why is this happening?
Just heartbreaking.
this is beyond awful. Was it the ‘south side’? I mentioned because there is a fight amongst dems for Jesse Jackson Jr congressional seat. The lead is a women but she has an A+ rating for NRA. I hear she is quite cantankerous.
For everyone who watches the freaking amazing show Scandal, Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn (Olivia Pope and Fitz) will be on The View today at 11AM ET / 10AM CT on ABC.
West Coast, check your local listings. You all live in some alien time warp.
Everyone else….enjoy!
Who’s this?
I don’t know – but this is from tpm
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/deval-patrick-appoints-mo-cowan-as-mas-interim
Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick has tapped his close confidant William “Mo” Cowan to occupy the Senate seat left open by Secretary of State John Kerry’s cabinet appointment. Cowan, a North Carolina native who became a prominent lawyer in Boston, will join the recently appointed Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) as one of two African Americans in the Senate.
GM Chipsticks, TOD. Just woke up and saw this horrific story. I dont know if I want to even watch that demon La Pierre when he testifies this morning at 10:00. Hopefully seeing Gabby Giffords will bring me back to some sense of sanity.
What a terrific Rise and Shine. Thank you Chips. This is full of information, funny cartoons (I love the “license” for 21st Century card)! I teared up just to read that Gabby will be testifying in Congress today, so there is no way I can watch it. I would be crying here at the office. I hope others here if you watch will relay some of what she says or what others say in response to us. I will say a prayer for Gabby and for the others who are there to support her.
Looks like Gov. Deval Patrick is making a historic choice.
William “Mo” Cowan is Governor Deval Patrick’s choice to serve as the interim US senator until the successor to John F. Kerry is chosen by the voters June 25, according to a source in the governor’s office.
This week, Kerry formally resigned from the US Senate seat he held for 29 years and was also confirmed as the nation’s secretary of state by his Senate colleagues in an 94 to 3 vote.
Cowan is a North Carolina native and Duke University graduate who came to Boston to attend Northeastern University Law School in the early 1990s – and never left the region. One of the city’s leading African-American lawyers, Cowan is a former partner in the politically connected law firm of Mintz Levin.
Cowan will become the first African-American to represent Massachusetts in the Senate since Edward Brooke held the seat as a Republican from 1966 to 1978.
Patrick and Cowan built up a strong friendship over the years, in part, because both men have risen from difficult childhoods to prominence in Boston and in the state. Patrick also served as a mentor to Cowan when both were practicing lawyers.
Cowan has also mentored many black professionals and has served as a talent scout frequently called upon to help diversify the city’s institutions. He helped Governor Mitt Romney, who faced criticism for the lack of diversity in his judicial picks, identifying lawyers of color who would make good judges. He recruited black lawyers for the law firm Mintz Levin and for Middlesex District Attorney Gerard T. Leone Jr.
http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/01/30/governor-deval-patrick-announce-interim-senator-pick-today/0dFtO6tg5pnvg6WiLgw7dL/story.html
Gov Patrick seems to be his own man – all those pundits who gave the position to Barney Frank should take note.
OMG…that is right. They were toting Barney Frank. They are always WRONG!!
I feel if Barney Frank wanted to stay in politics…..he should have stayed instead of retiring. He can always run for Kerry’s seat if he really wants it that badly.
Senate Judiciary Hearing on Gun Violence has started on C-SPAN, Gabrielle Giffords due to speak soon:
http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Committee-Investigates-Solutions-for-Gun-Violence/10737437674/
Thank you Chips for a lucious juicy R & S. Best news for me is 60% approval of POTUS. Country is smarter than Pox Noise thinks.
Crikey, nothing has started at my link – confused!!
I made the Sandy Hook Promise. From all reports an unprecedented number of people were filing in for the gun hearings today. The gun violence continues daily in this country, including the horrible situation still going on in Alabama. A 60 something man who is obviously mentally ill and should never have had access to a gun jumped onto a school bus yesterday as it stopped to let off kids demanding child hostages, shot the bus driver dead and grabbed a 5 yr. old whom he has taken as hostage and both are still in underground bunker as FBI tries to negotiate a release.
Are they going to kiss his ring ?
Probably Linda, what a disgusting spectacle.
Why not these politicians have already kiss the NRA ass.
Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly have entered the chamber.
http://www.c-span.org/Events/Senate-Committee-Investigates-Solutions-for-Gun-Violence/10737437674-1/
Waterworks and soon as I heard her voice.
oops…. and s/b as
{{{{Hugs Ladyhawke}}}} {{{{{Gabby}}}}}
Gabrielle Giffords: “Too many children are dying, we must do something. It will be hard, but the time is now. We must act.”
Heartbreaking and appreciation for her courage as Gabby haltingly makes her statement.
Gabby Giffords was courageous beyond words. Her statement was heartbreaking.
New post:
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/01/30/too-many-children-are-dying-we-must-do-something-it-will-be-hard-but-the-time-is-now/
Grassley reading from a script. Probably given to him from the NRA