President Barack Obama speaks at the American Legion’s 96th National Convention at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina
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Text of the President’s remarks here
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“If you want somebody who knows how to get the job done, no matter the mission, hire a veteran.” —President Obama #ActOnJobs #ALConvention
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The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 26, 2025"We’re not going to stop until every veteran who defended America has a home in America." —President Obama on ending veteran homelessness
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The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 26, 2025****
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"I’m announcing 19 new executive actions to help improve mental health care for...American heroes and their families." —Obama #ALConvention
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White House Live (@WHLive) August 26, 2025"They were there for America, now we need to be there for them." —Obama on helping our veterans with mental health issues #ALConvention
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The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 26, 2025****
President Barack Obama points out a special guest as he speaks during the American Legion national convention
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"We need to make sure veterans are actually getting the health care you need when you need it." —Obama #ALConvention http://t.co/qvLrJwXGQ4
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The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 26, 2025"We’re going to fix what’s wrong & we’re going to do right by you & your families. That is a solemn pledge." —Obama on the @DeptVetAffairs
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The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 26, 2025****
President Barack Obama reacts after he is presented with a commemorative coin by American Legion National Commander Daniel Dellinger
Very timely speech as always
Great Pics. Thanks Nerdy. How anyone can see him as other than a warm, fun loving, practical man is beyond me. He talks to everybody and treats all with respect and remains thoughtful about how he can make America grow for everyone.
THIS!!!!^^^
Alma-bee, shouldn’t you be napping round about now, or did they leave you on door duty all day?
I am just headed into mini lala land. I was about to close the door and up popped these delicious pics. He still looks tired. Wish he had more time off.
IMD(diagnosis), his face looks a bit more rested than before he left, but it’s his eyes that still have a tinge of tiredness. ~Dr. vc I wish he had had more ‘down’ time too, but I’m also happy he did squeeze in a little golfing and a little family-together time.
Have a restful time in la-la land!
I will thanks. Excellent diagnosis. Agree 100%. It’s the eyes.
I THINK HE IS EMOTIONALLY TIRED…HE HAS SO MUCH ON HIS PLATE…MAY THE LORD BLESS AND STRENGTHEN HIM AS HE FACES SO MANY OF THESE DECISIONS AND CHALLENGES AND IN BETWEEN MUST RISE HIGHER THAN MORONIC PEOPLE.
Amen.
Thanks, Vetivera24.
Congrats “alma - vee” :-D
Thanks Dudette
WONDERFUL ADDRESS TO OUR VETERANS AND FANTASTIC PICS…I WATCHED HIM TOO SHAKING HANDS AFTERWARDS…HE THRIVES ON THAT WARMTH…THE HUMAN CONNECTION…TOO BAD WE DON’T HAVE ANY HUMANS IN CONGRESS.
That’s what I get for discussing Allison Janney’s fabulous Emmy dress with a friend in the office. I would have been FIRST.
No problem, 57F, you are FURST instead.
Thank you, JER, for keeping “Obama-Cam” going. I love keeping up with where the Good Guy is and how he travels, and that he is back home.
Thanks a GAZILLION Nerdy!!!!!
Thanks, Chiparoo.
Best President Ever!
He did a wonderful job today. And if the American people can not understand what this man is all about, then they are some sick SOB’s. Thanks you for the tweets & pictures Nerdy. Watched a replay on C-Span, he told it like it really is. Just love him.
Friends of mine, husband & wife, both USMC retired, were in the hall. They are members of the California delegation.
Woot!
Hello TODers!
I am about to make donations for 2014 elections. Since I live in a blue state, I would like some advice on Senate and House, etc. races in other places that could turn Dem or need to stay Dem. Since many folks on here are active in their local politics, I was hoping you could advise me on who/what to donate to.
Help me out TOD; where will my dollars make the most difference?
Thanks!
Madame Soph-There is a wonderful candidate running for an open seat in Pennsylvania’s CD 6. Manny is an MD and an Iraqi war vet and he would make a great contribution to the state and the country as a member of Congress. Below is his web site. I’ve met him many times and I know all of us at TOD would love him.
http://www.trivediforcongress.com/splash/
House races in Arizona. Keep the seats blue. Candidate 1 is Kyrsten Sinema and the other one is Ron Barber. They only squeaked by in 2012. They need all they help they can get. There is no Senate race here this time but we definitely need help electing Fred Duval for Governor (replacing finger pointer and wicked witch of the southwest, Jan Brewer). Thanks!
AND Ann Kirkpatrick. She is also trying to get reelected. Koch brothers and Karl Rove have poured millions into to her opponent’s campaign.
Ha Ha! “Finger pointer and wicked witch of the southwest, Jan Brewer”) :-) Now I can’t stop thinking of PBO carrying a bucket of water onto that tarmac (“Oh, what a world, what a world!)…
Sam Wang of Princeton recommends donating in very close races to maximize your impact. In the Senate, we need to keep Mark Udall of CO (also Begich of AK, Landrieu of LA, and Pryor of AR). It would be fabulous to kick out Mitch McConnell and replace him with Alison Lundergan-Grimes in KY. Other Democrats to consider are Nunn in GA, Braley in Iowa, Shaheen in NH.
:)
aloha madame soph~
i’m also in a blue state, and have come to rely on sam wang’s analyses to help me share my campaign dollars where they’re most needed. he has an excellent website, princeton election consortium, where he breaks down his use of data to make recommendations and predictions. in the left column is a vote blue icon-click on that and it will take you to the page where you can put your money on the candidates who are most pivotal right now.
http://election.princeton.edu/
We have 2 wonderful progressive candidates in Montana for our lone House seat, John Lewis, and for our Senate seat we have a new candidate Amanda Lewis. She is getting a late start but I really think she has a chance. Neither Zinke, the Republican running against Lewis for the House seat or Daines the Republican running for the Senate seat will debate the Dems. The Repubs have loads of money coming into this state from the Koch’s and others. We are a purple state want to keep our Senator a Dem and turn the house seat into a Dem. Both Lewis and Curtis have Act Blue accounts.
Thank you so much jackiegrumbacher, Jackie 4 Obama, Judith Fardig, susanne and mtmarilyn! These are great links, good advice and recommendations! You guys rock!
I am bookmarking this page, so if anyone else out there has any ideas, I’ll be back to check before I do my donations tomorrow.
Dems 2014!
Hey, MadameSoph, check out John Bucy at BucyForTexas.com. He’s a great Democrat to donate to because he’s very close to flipping a red seat to blue in Texas.
Awesome Nerdy! Would love to do what I can to turn Texas blue :-)
Putting in a plug for Braley in Iowa—-a great guy, ahead by 1 in the most recent poll—-have to prevent the piggy castrator and tea party dariling Joni Ernst. Need to win that one.
Thanks dote-ster :-) Can’t stand that Joni Ernst chick!
I am disliking Hillary more and more and am unsure if I can vote for her if she’s the front runner… I hate to say this but it’s getting harder and harder! :(
I know what you mean…..we all may have to hold our noses in 2016.
NO. We will have better choices.
YES. That primary is really going to be an important way to weed people out. Just like in ’08!
We may, but most likely we won’t. The media is trying to now force Dems to accept HRC as the default candidate. From my recent experience, the MSM does not have a good track recording in predicting primary DEM politics…
Oh, hopefruit, don’t give up.
The MSM is not the factor they want to be, remember?
Please notice that Gaza and Israel have all but disappeared from the news today. That is because John Kerry’s Peace Plan was the one that has been implemented.
Mahmoud Abbas thanked and credited SOS Kerry in a speech I caught before Al Jazeera America cut the feed from Al Jazeera English which I’d been watching.
Engel and Moyheldin are on and on about ISIS, no Gaza ceasefire mentioned because that is not what they are paid to do.
I fully believe that we will have a Democratic candidatefor 2016 we can be happy about.
Right After # landslide dems in 70 days.
Oh no Vicki, I haven’t given up - in fact just the opposite. That’s why I’m telling Linda, most likely we WON’T have to “hold our noses” and vote for HRC!!! :) :)
I mean, it’s true anything is possible, but I am confident like you that we will have a viable candidate that the majority of us at TOD and in the Dem party can be highly enthusiastic about. :)
phew! that’s a relief. So glad I misunderstood you, HF
My sister said what Jeff just posted. Linda, I also told her that we may have to hold our noses in 2016 and vote for her. Frankly, I will vote for anything or anyone with a D in front of their name. I despise all Republicans, and I literally mean that. I detest liars, and every word they speak is usually a lie.
My feelings exactly.
Wonderful post, Nerdy. TY.
i have to say I like the Vets chances with PBO in their corner.
Some other random thoughts; Lis Smith has been named Martin O’Malleys press person. If it is the same Lis Smith she did a great job for Bill deBlasio but was fired when her personal relationship with Eliot Spitzer became known. I have no further comment or opinion on this.
Also Steve Schmidt joining Oops Gov. legal team? Will Schmidt still be appearing on MSNBC during Election time?
Or is MSNBC planning to avoid the midterm elections altogether now that the Repub wave is nowhere to be seen? #landslidedems2014
And there are a few primaries tonight and then the season ends in 2 weeks with several races including a NY primary.
I’m hardly hearing about the midterms. I’ve heard more about PBO’s golf playing than anything to do with the primaries or upcoming general midterm election. Whereas in 2010, MSNBC and the rest of the MSM were on top of the midterms like white on rice. So that alone suggests to me that there is no GOP wave as desired by the MSM.
Thanks, Vicki and thanks for the update.
Our president’s speech today-whether listened to or read— is packed with information and loaded with deep love and respect for our veterans that comes from his heart, not just from his obligation as CIC. You cannot imagine being a member of that audience and not being moved by the depth of his commitment to those who’ve served our country. Our president means business; he gets things done. His words are brilliant and moving, but he always follows them with action. No US veteran could ask for a finer president or one more committed to his/her interests. And there is nobody-NOBODY-on the horizon that can begin to measure up to this extraordinary man.
NOBODY!
I only heard part of the Burger King story, but this seems to touch on that.
They bought a Canadian chain and will move their ‘corporate headquarters’ to Canada, to avoid U.S. taxes.
Understand, the ‘move’ is an effing keystroke on a computer.
Traitors.
Thanks. New trend, like any of them needed any new ways to avoid U.S. taxes that the rest of us pay.
And they are lying through their teeth. It has NOTHING to do with tax avoidance, yada yada. Their carefully worded statement yesterday was a masterpiece of obfuscation.
A US Citizen, by the name, Douglas MacArthur McCain joined ISIS/ISIL and now was killed in the fight in Syria.
John McCain’s long lost son?
Goodness, you had the same thought as I did. The ONLY reason why I posted the links.
I have this printed on the side of my luggage. #Kidding
Shooting Instructor Dies After Being Accidentally Shot In The Head By Student
An Arizona shooting instructor has died after being accidentally shot in the head by a 9-year-old student Monday morning.
Mohave County Sheriff’s officials told the Associated Press that the 39-year-old shooting instructor was injured at about 10 a.m. at an outdoor range in Dolan Springs, Ariz. He was then airlifted to a medical center in Las Vegas, where he died later that night.
Sheriff Jim McCabe told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the girl, who was vacationing from New Jersey with her parents, had safely fired a 9 mm Uzi several times in the “single-shot” mode.
The firearm was put into “fully automatic” mode the next time she fired, McCabe said, with the instructor, identified as Charles Vacca, standing to her left. The weapon recoiled and she lost control of the Uzi while firing an undetermined number of rounds. Vacca suffered at least one gunshot to the head.
“The guy just dropped,” McCabe told the Review-Journal.
No charges would be filed, the sheriff said.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/arizona-girl-accidentally-shoots-instructor-in-head
No words.
What the eff does a 9 year old girl have to shoot an Uzi for?!?!?!
That poor child. What parent allows this stupidity?
I have a few:
I respectfully propose a few words. One word-set and one single word. They are these: “9-year-old”. and “Uzi”.
He seems to be going out of his way to not give PBO credit, but the S & P was barely at 1300 in 2009 when PBO took office. So it took less than 6 years to gain 700 of those 1000 points from Jan 2009 to now.
Here’s a link to give us a glimpse of what we were dealing with at the end of Jan 2009…good times! good times!
http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/30/markets/markets_newyork/?postversion=2009013018
In his eulogy at Mike Brown’s funeral, Rev Al touched upon something I wanted to expand a bit on here. He asked the audience if they didn’t find it suspect that in many of the poor inner city Black communities, people are getting harassed by cops and thrown in jail for “trivial” things such as marijuana, jaywalking, selling cigarettes, etc., yet the buying/selling or distribution of illegal guns seem to go unreported and unpunished in the community - which never results in good outcomes for the residents.
It also occurred to me that since PBO became President, the crime rate in many of these regions have actually gone done (although you won’t hear any of that from the media). The the crime rate has gone down in a manner that is ahistorical - given the tendency of crime to rise at times of economic downturn, which pretty much characterized much of PBO’s 1st term. So sociologists have surmised that there may be an “Obama effect” on these communities which have mitigated the poor economic conditions where crime is concerned.
So it is quite possible that the drop in crime in these communities could mean that many of the cops who work in these regions are more idle, making less overtime, and already they are mad that PBO is President, so they are out for some sort of revenge. If Ferguson had a high homicide rate, the media would not fail to mention it - in fact there would probably be a sentence front and center about the high homicide rate in every media segment on Ferguson. So we now find the media harping on Black teens who use marijuana, wear hoodies, drink alcohol, jaywalk, get suspended from school for being late, etc….what will they do next, remind us that Black teens who chew gum while talking are “no angels?”
I read that Michael Brown’s death was the first, one & only homicide in Ferguson this year. So much for the media being able to play up Ferguson as a “crime ridden” community. Also, Ferguson was financing their PD by fines & court costs for mostly traffic stops & petty things at an almost 90% ratio for the black residents.
Yup, yup…exactly aquagranny!
Issa’s next target :
WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairman of a House panel is asking Labor Secretary Thomas Perez to turn over to Congress documents and information the lawmaker alleges will show “a pattern of wasteful spending and mismanagement” at the Labor Department.
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Next he will investigate the cleaning staff. I heard they pick up and throw away paperclips….what a waste !
Hey, that reminds me: What ever happened to that new, special, super-duper House committee on BENGHAZI!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Haven’t heard a word.
My guess is when they get back from their 5 week vaca they will pretend it never happened.
My thoughts exactly.
I actually saw Trey Gowdy in an old ” Forensic Files ” recently…..
LOL!!
LOL re: paper clip wastefulness
I used that because before I retired, my millionaire boss used to go around the office and pick up paperclips from around everyone’s cubicles…..it was hilarious….
Sure. Wasteful spending and mismanagement doesn’t happen in the House.
I don’t know what to say about this incident. Ah? or No! or Wow! or even Bingo!
Nerdy Wonka, always you are on it and you get it and you serve it up. But this particular post means so much to me, because I believe that the American Legion audience would probably contains some quantity of people who watch Fox and listen to garbage in media and choose to cling to old bad ideas. And I only caught last part of his speech. Seeing these close ups of grateful, excited, honoring Vets, appreciating our President with warmth and gratitude and dignity, makes me happy and proud. Thanks for all you do.
Thanks, Nancie.
Now where the heck would a 2 yrs old hear such words?
Notice the dog barked after she said it. Dogs know what these words mean as well…
:) I didn’t. But now, I do.
Howard Kurtz is a partisan hack. A water carrier for the righties.
But I posted this here to show that even a despicable Howard is not so sweet of This 3/4 married C. West with his latest attacks.
We’ve gone through some kind of looking glass when someone on Fox News is now more reasonable than gone-around-the-bend Cornel West.
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2014/08/26/2008-meltdown-was-worse-than-great-depression-bernanke-says/
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, a prominent student of the Great Depression, contends that the 2008 financial crisis was actually worse than its 1930s counterpart.
Mr. Bernanke is quoted making the statement in a document filed on Aug. 22 with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims as part of a lawsuit linked to the 2008 government bailout of insurance giant American International Group Inc.AIG +0.34%
“September and October of 2008 was the worst financial crisis in global history, including the Great Depression,” Mr. Bernanke is quoted as saying in the document filed with the court. Of the 13 “most important financial institutions in the United States, 12 were at risk of failure within a period of a week or two.”
Former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is quoted in the document offering a similarly apocalyptic assessment. From Sept. 6 through Sept. 22, the economy was essentially “in free fall,” he said.
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In other words…..it’s a miracle that US rebounded as quickly as it has…..But why were We The People Not told the truth……and then made sure that the GOP owned and felt their calamity……since Jan 20th, 2009?
Not until 1941-44 did US started recovering from the Depression of the 1929.
Since the 2008 Financial meltdown, the GOP has done nothing to help, but to hold US hostage, Downgrade our Credit and Shutdown our Gov’t. They have Not [aid One Prize for the large population is not educated 24/7 to hold those in the wrong accountable.
54% of Americans favor airstrikes against ISIS/ISIL.
Majority of Us think that POTUS golfing is no big deal.
But, but, but, DC/NY Pundits, mostly White and Males say: ??????
ODS…..the severest form of illness.
HAHAHAHahahahahaha! Will my Twitter friend John report as breathlessly as he did the NY Times report with their “Dems on record”?
In the article it said the Dems flinched at the optics if PBO golfing after his comdemnation of the killing of Foley. The Dino & weak kneed Dems flinch when the media tells them to. PBO can’t run back to the WH every time tragedy happens and there is nothing he can do about.
Maybe those Dems and the MSM wanted PBO to wear black from head to toe, a sign of mourning for Foley. Then again he would be accused of supporting the ISIS. They are the ones always in black, to reflect the terror they inflict on people.
The “Dems” they’re referring to are not Dem voters - they are certain DINOS in congress and in the media who have never really liked or supported PBO.
hopefruit2, You think it’s the same Democrats who are going around complaining cause they feel that the First Lady haven’t done enough to help them with their election.
Maybe they are so ready for Hillary and Bill act 2.
Oprah will be playing Grandma of the late Richard Pryor in a Biopic Movie.
WTG Lady O!
Correction: his bordello-owning Grannie!
Surely Darrell Issa wastes more “taxpayer” money than any government department in the last 100 years. Why does anyone vote for him? Have those anti government constituents of his ever been told what he costs the USA?
It’s almost 8PM EST. Do you know where Dennis Kucinich is? Do you care?
I can only say I hope to heck he is not hanging around in Seattle. Loser.
Remember he was all the rage in 2010?. He was always on the Teevee attacking PBO, along with his other “Dem” sidekicks Alan Grayson and Anthony Weiner. They were all gonna primary that loser Obama…
ROTFLMAO!!!
Okay - now time to get rid of that GOPer Rick Scott in November…
yay! Step one is achieved.
Isn’t it ashame how ex Gov.McDonnell has thrown his wife under the bus to try to save his own behind.
Oh boy, what geniuses we have reporting the news to us.
Chris Hayes gets points for at least mentioning that fighting has stopped in Gaza. Most Media has avoided mentoning Israel’s loss on all fronts.
But then, he had to ask what it was all for, all the loss of life and property???
Here is the simple answer. Gaza fought to break an unbearable siege.
The siege will be lifted.
Gaza fought to break open the prison doors.
The doors will be opened.
On the other hand……
Israel fought to disarm Hamas.
Hamas will keep every gun and every rocket.
Israel fights to take ever larger pieces of Gaza and the West Bank.
Gaza will reclaim 2/3 of their lost land as a result of this agreement. (The so-called buffer zone depriving farmers of their land has been reduced from 300 yard? meters? to 100 .)
Israel fights for the Neo-Con vision of walls, guns, nightmare
That vision was not fulfilled. Not this time.
New post:
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/08/26/a-tweet-or-two-101/