The Obama Diary

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Today (all times Eastern):

11:0: VP Biden attends and delivers remarks at a Nelson Mandela service at Washington National Cathedral

12:30: Josh Earnest briefs the press

3:45: VP Biden and Cecilia Muñoz answer questions about immigration reform in an online event

5:0: VP Biden delivers remarks at the 12th Annual George McGovern Leadership Award Ceremony of World Food Program USA

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Aboard Air Force One, Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes begins the editing process on the President’s speech that he will deliver at the Nelson Mandela memorial service

Hillary Clinton talks with the Obamas, Ben Rhodes and Capricia Marshall aboard Air Force One, Dec. 9

President Obama greets security personnel from South Africa as he waits to take the stage at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela

President Obama and President Bush talk as they get ready to have dinner aboard Air Force One with their wives and Valerie Jarrett, Tina Tchen and Susan Rice

All photos by Pete Souza - lots more here

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USA Today: Obama applauds congressional budget deal

Don’t be surprised if President Obama addresses the proposed congressional budget deal on Wednesday, and to say good things about it.

In a written statement late Tuesday, Obama called the deal “a good first step” toward a “balanced” budget approach that combines prudent cuts with investments in job-generating programs.

“This agreement doesn’t include everything I’d like — and I know many Republicans feel the same way,” Obama said. “That’s the nature of compromise. But it’s a good sign that Democrats and Republicans in Congress were able to come together and break the cycle of short-sighted, crisis-driven decision-making to get this done.”

More here

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Obama shakes hands with Castro. Ryan shakes hands with Murray. Can’t get much better for the conservative outrage machine.

— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) December 10, 2025

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Steve Benen: What’s next for the budget deal

That Congress’ budget chairs – Republican Paul Ryan and Democrat Patty Murray – were able to reach a budget agreement at all is a minor miracle. There was ample reason to believe the negotiations were a fool’s errand and that failure was an inevitability. The assumptions, however, were wrong, and the two leaders last night unveiled their deal to fund the government for the next two years.

Broadly speaking, there are two overarching questions to consider: is the budget agreement any good and can it pass Congress. Neither is easy to answer.

More here

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See, how it works is Republican presidents get to sell arms to dictatorial govts and support apartheid-practicing ones. Dems? No handshakes!

— Joy Reid (@TheReidReport) December 11, 2025

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BBC: ‘Volcker rule’ ban on risky trades passed by regulators

All five US financial regulators have approved the Volcker rule, designed to restrict the finance industry in the wake of the 2008-09 financial collapse.

Named after former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker, it bans banks from using their own funds for trading activities.

It is considered the centrepiece of the 2010 banking reform legislation known as Dodd-Frank. Banks will have until 21 July 2025 to comply with the rules.

…. US President Barack Obama applauded the passage of a rule proposed more than three years ago.

He said in a statement: “The Volcker Rule will make it illegal for firms to use government-insured money to make speculative bets that threaten the entire financial system, and demand a new era of accountability from CEOs who must sign off on their firm’s practices.”

More here

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#ObamaCare private insurance sign-ups cross half a million. Medicaid/SCHIP at 1.6 million. http://t.co/QtvhuGHYnF

— amk4obama (@amk4obama) December 11, 2025

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Kentucky.com: Health enrollment climbs during holiday period

Enrollment through Kentucky’s health benefits website has grown by more than 11,000 in a 10-day period starting Thanksgiving week.

Gov. Steve Beshear’s office says the technology team for the state’s online health insurance marketplace was expecting an increase in traffic, applications and enrollments after Thanksgiving and increased capacity to prepare.

A news release from Beshear’s office says the site enrolls about 1,000 Kentuckians a day.

More here

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Pope Francis is Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2013. Go Pope and Change. http://t.co/OfGRvcazKZ pic.twitter.com/9knCCjocG1

— amk4obama (@amk4obama) December 11, 2025

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On This Day:

President Obama with first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Malia and Sasha walk out from the White House to attend Sunday service at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Dec 11, 2025

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MoooOOOooorning! A bit of a rush job again, I’m sure I’m missing lots of news but we’ll catch up through the day.