Homeward Bound: President Obama waves as he departs from Royal Australian Air Force’s Base Amberley after the the G20 Leaders Summit on November 16, 2025
****
MoooOOOooorning - Happy Sunday!
16
Nov
14
111 Responses to “Early Bird Chat”
Leave a Reply
White House.gov
- President Obama Holds a Meeting on Ebola, Discusses Attacks in Jerusalem
- It's On Us: Raising Awareness to Prevent Sexual Assault with Snapchat
- Travel Journal of the Vice President’s Trip to Morocco, Ukraine, Turkey
WH Tumblr
- Want to help more Americans sign up for health coverage?...
- We just launched a new toolkit to help communities respond to...
- "The affordable health care act will help so many like me. It is...
OFA
- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
The People’s View
- Off-Message: Why Democrats Failed to Ignite Their Base During the 2014 Midterm Elections Trevor LaFauci
- You Mad, Bro? Republicans Flip Out as President Obama Reaches Historic Climate Pact with China Spandan Chakrabarti
- A political system on life support Liberal Librarian
Smartypants
- Learning to glide
- President Obama has always favored Congressional action
- Post-Policy Punditry
Greg Sargent
- Happy Hour Roundup
- Poll: American public split on whether to shred Constitution
- Can Republicans shut down the government without actually shutting down the government?
Steve Benen
- Citations for the November 18, 2025 TRMS
- School board reconsidering ripping out textbook pages
- Maddow show accumulates junk... and domains
- Missouri risks creating an emergency by declaring one
- A tale of two emergencies, real and imagined
WH Flickr
|
GM CHIPS AND TOD.
Goooooooooood morning to ya COS!!
Good morning. Last comment on last thread. :). Good day to all.
Moooooooooorning Tnmtngirl!
Congrats on 1st COS
Thx Roberta.
Good morning, y’all! Congratulations on FIRST, COS! Thanks for this and every single other thing, Chipstix…
Goooooooooooood morning {{Nancie}}, may your Sunday be sensational! :-)
Did you watch PBO’s presser last night Chips?
This is embarrassing, COS, especially after I teased VC all night about her being sleepy ….. I couldn’t keep my eyes open so headed to bed before it started. I feel ashamed :???: Will watch it today. I presume the US media embarrassed itself as usual?
Don’t feel ashamed Chips. I would have been sleep also if I had not been on West coast time. :) it started a little later than advertised. Of course the media embarrassed themselves. PBO was on his game and ready to go home therefore, he was not taking any BS. :)
Ah, as I suspected, awesome POTUS, abysmal media. Thank you COS!!
GM Chips,
PBO was succinct, no doubt exhausted — think of how tired we all were, and we had nothing like his schedule for this past whirlwind week.
So of course, that’s what the traveling media is complaining about this morning.
Example of how succinct:
Reminds me of that Dem debate in 2007 when Joe Biden was asked a long-winded question about whether he’d be able to meet the short window for response in that debate’s format, given his history of lengthy answers, and @VP answered, “Yes.” LOL.
I love that! Idiots!
It must peeve PBO that the MSM is so dense that they seem to only be able to understand Yes or No answers.
The MSM seems incapable of remembering any answers from PBO longer than that, since they combatably ask the same questions over and over again.
Morning, east and west coast, Arapaho. I suspect that PBO is way beyond ‘peeve’ with these ignoramuses/ignorami! I suspect he’s probably a bit embarrassed by their inability to get a clue, especially when they are on the world stage.
I cannot remember one such occasion when any of them has shown a smidgen of awareness of their international host, or audience! Shockingly ill-mannered as well as ignorant and narrow-minded, IMO!
I C U, Great Celestial Goddess of TODmania, (© Dudette)! :) They say, ‘confession is good for the soul’ so hopefully you feel better after this admission.
A very ‘Good MoooOOooorning’ to you, and gracious ‘thanks’ for your Asia-Pacific tour!
‘Good Morning, and thanks’ also to all other members of the traveling team!
I was soooooooo hoping you’d miss my confession. Any way, it was your fault, I lent you my matchsticks so I had no way of staying awake.
Well, alright, I apologize, especially since I only used them for a bit before giving up since the broadcast was late. :grin: The irony was that once I shut down and did a bathroom run I was wide awake again, but decided not to boot up the laptop again. Instead I lay in the dark trying to count sheep….or was it koalas?
:lol: Probably better than counting kangaroos, though, that would be quite dizzying.
:grin: :grin: And wearying on my neck muscles because I’d want to look them in the eye ……. so that I might recognize them again. Definitely better!
“I’d want to look them in the eye” :lol: Here, I’ll help ya:
smh Not now! At bedtime. Maybe
Also, this is how happy President Obama was to be rid of the WHPC jackals and ready to be on his way home.
Good Morning Chips,
Yes, true to form, the U.S. media embarrassed themselves by totally ignoring President Obama’s opening remarks about what had just been accomplished at the G20 summit. Ed ‘Cheshire Cat’ Henry asked a question (dripping with sarcasm of course) about the Gruber nonsense. And don’t get me started with Welker and Acosta. Each response from PBO came with the usual schooling necessary for the toddlers. They have the attention span of a flee. The Australian media noticed too.
————————————
6:01pm: All the questions at the Obama gathering go to US journalists.
Their focus, interestingly, is not on the G20. But on domestic issues - e.g. immigration - and foreign affairs - e.g. Syria.
————————————
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/g20/g20-brisbane-live-november-16-2014-20141116-3kg3t.html#ixzz3JEiymaUP
Oh gawd Ladyhawke, I’m almost relieved I missed it now, my head would have exploded. PBO’s graciousness in calling on the likes of Henry and Acosta never fails to amaze me, I’d never call on them one damn time again. And there we have it again, a host nation taken aback by the US media’s ignorance and their focus on domestic issues even while they’re on the international stage. I need a whiskey.
Yeah, I was a bit disappointed that PBO didn’t call on any Aussie journalists. One last chance to hear their accent, and for PBO to joke about beer, crocodiles and koalas.
I wonder if PBO called on them to curtail what would be sure to be moanings and groanings later that they were ignored? Plus I suspect he feels ‘sorry’ for them traveling so far then not getting any chance to showcase their ignorance. ;)
I TAKE MITCH MCCONNELL AT HIS WORD
Major Garrett (paraphrasing): As you know the CR expires on 12/11. It provides needed funding for ebola, Iraq, Syria, and day-to-day running of the government. What are the odds we will see a government shutdown? And how does this impact the timing of your immigration executive order.
President Obama (paraphrasing): I take Mitch McConnell at his word when says there will not be a government shutdown. I think Mitch McConnell and Speaker Boehner are aware of the damage that was caused by the last shutdown. On the immigration executive order, it’s not about timing it’s about getting it right. PBO also included a little tutorial schooling Garrett on how a democracy is supposed to work.
I’m puzzled that the president ignored other journalists. He NEVER does that in international trips. Did he want the US journalists to expose themselves and maybe, MAYBE, learn a lesson ? Did he want the US journalists to be SCHOOLED by journalists of other countries ?
This is the only explanation that makes any sense. It’s certainly not because he wanted to insult australians journalists.
Or… is there any chance that this particular press conference was supposed to be for US journalists only and others were admitted in the room anyway ? I admit I’ve not had the time to follow things closely this week.
There may have been a very good reason that we just simply aren’t aware of. It’s highly unlikely that PBO would simply ignore Australian journalists if given a choice. I wouldn’t worry about this too much.
Probably to highlight how dense many Americans really are, to prepare the more enlightened about the shenanigans he expects coming forth by rethugs. There is a strategy, as we all should understand by now.
It may be PBO just enjoys letting them reveal their idiocy over and over again. We know he doesn’t take any of their crap personally, and he’s not about to start now!! Good they had commentary from civilized media, ie the Aussie broadcasters, so the world can see the low standards set by Koch media! I took the iPad in to set up beside the pillow, thinking I’d boot up and watch the pressed. Ha. Once my head hit that same pillow, I realized not only I had no prayer of staying awake, but i didn’t want the sight or sound of imbeciles in my brain before sleep. Tho PBO’s voice as healing qualities! Bless him as he is in flight now, praying for him to rest and recharge. His beloved family awaits his return, bless them for sharing him with the world.
Good Morning Chips & Danny. Tests all done for now & really didn’t find the cause of my feet going numb.Any suggestions TODville. No diabetes ruled that out.
Morning Roberta. Sorry you couldn’t get any answers. My left leg sometimes feels numb, but it’s from a herniated disc that causes pressure on my sciatic nerve. If I force myself to walk, I can usually work it off in 30 minutes. Hope you find a solution.
They tested for the sciatic nerve. But that wasn’t the problem. Said possible soft tissue. So next step is pressure socks and I think I will start with acupuncture again. Annoying when the feet hurt so much you have a hard tie walking in any shoes or just laying down in bed at night. :-(
Oh Roberta, sorry to hear you didn’t get an answer to this.
Morning Chips and early TODers. I have so much to catch up on with yesterday’s magnificent posts, but I had an absolutely perfect day yesterday. We had lunch with daughter and our beautiful granddaughter at a gorgeous country inn and then spent the day Christmas shopping at an Amish mall. At two plus years, toddlers are learning so many language skills, it’s a joy to see their minds put things together. Hate to see our president head back to the cesspool of DC, but I’m sure he’s anxious to be with his family again. Anyplace they are must be just right for him.
Thrilled you had a wonderful day Jackie, although intensely alarmed you got some Christmas shopping done - people who don’t leave it until Christmas Eve are just odd.
Got mostly stocking stuffers, Chips. Couldn’t get anything significant with the major receivers walking beside me.
Chips, I do not (hee hee) accept your premise on Xmas shopping. I do it year round when I see something I think someone would like especially if I am traveling. I also have become a big fan of catalog shopping from the comfort of my own home.
GM JackieG,
How cold was it while you were out and about?
It wasn’t bad, Arapaho. Winter coat weather and we stayed under cover most of the time. Our little one just got a winter coat with a big hood and loved playing peekaboo under it as she strutted about. She’s such an utter joy to be with.
Sounds great, JackieG! Good Sunday morning to you. I admit I am starting to feel a teeny-weeny, itsy-bitsy, tad bit jealous of you, DonnaD, TS, JO’B, and all you grandmothers with young, cute grand-ones. BTW, what did you get me for Christmas? Just asking so I won’t buy *that* for myself this year.
I get to have the pleasure of my brother’s grandchildren, 2 absolutely adorable little girls, ages 6 and 3. And I’m super thrilled cause they’ve invited me to spend the night after Thanksgiving dinner. They say they have the spare room ready for me! Whhheeeeeee!!
Suh-weet, Meta! Have a great Thanksgiving sleepover!
Reminds me somewhat of years back when I’d get the mothering urge (before having my own) and I used to ‘borrow’ a friend’s little ones for the weekend to give her a break. Of course, by the end of the weekend I’d be ‘cured’ for a good long time…..until the next time. :grin:
Exactly!
;) ;)
That’s a deep, dark secret, VC. Literally never to be revealed.
But-but-but, how am I going to know what not to get myself this Christmas? And what’s with the ‘never’? You’re not going to not put me on the Christmas list!!!!!
Howdy, TODville!
SAFE travels to our President Obama. I really love these trips but I’m also VERY glad when he returns HOME.
Ain’t this the truth:
I still don’t think people fully appreciate the media’s role in suppressing the (DEM) vote and keeping people apathetic, disillusioned and disinterested.
I get extremely disgusted, almost to the point of rage, when hypocritical hosts on MSNBC and elsewhere start commenting on low turnout, pretending that they are completely innocent of this, when they were busy doing their part to ensure that the GOP would win - by peddling crappy polls, by constantly attacking and undermining PBO, by selling the “Clintons” as the head of the Dem party, etc..
Obama Isn’t In Support Of Amnesty, You’re Thinking Of Reagan (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/11/15/obama-isnt-in-support-of-amnesty-youre-thinking-of-reagan/
Good morning and thanks for this, LH. I’ve been hoping someone would point this out.
I wish President Obama would show a Reagan video in the WH briefing room. Just to shove it in their faces. And force the press corps to , FOR ONCE, give some historic perspective to the public.
The national press corps is an absolute disgrace. Ignorant, lazy, shallow.
Critics Say Executive Action on Immigration Would Be Unprecedented. They Forget Their History.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/next-america/perspectives/critics-say-executive-action-on-immigration-would-be-unprecedented-they-forget-their-history-20141001
On the critics all I have to say is so what?
Tell Congress to pass the bipartisan bill that is sitting on Boehner’s and this is all moot.
I got a ridamndiculous email from the DNC HQ this morning regarding some fool in the GOP who is talking about impeaching our President. With a call for me to sign some frakking form litter. Needless to say it pissed me off.
I wrote back and said… “Just a quick note to let you know that this is your fault. If you had supported the President and not run away from him or the wonderful work this administration had accomplished to include legislation passed with Democrats in Congress in his first 2 years we would not be having this conversation.
I would prefer to see notes regarding actual steps that map out exactly what the DNC, DCC and other democratic groups plan to do to support POTUS and his agenda for the next 2 years. Or is the plan to sit back and let POTUS do the work as he has been doing the last 4 years?
When Democrats make the decision support our President, support his policies and his agenda for the next two years…then and only then will I get involved. Until that time…you can miss me with this type of useless nonsense. “
I never see any follow-up to these emails asking us to sign on to some issue. I know the idea is to get out emails for eventual donations but they already have our email. Do they expect us to forward to our friends or something?
Anyway, I’m with you. They should be spending their time figuring out how to get the upper hand on all the nonsense that gets spewed every single day without any pushback.
Should read, “get our emails”
I’m so pissed off meta. I really need to start picking up the phone more and telling them verbally as well.
the worse part is that they accept no responsibility in allowing this shit to happen. F*ck ‘em. P*ssyas*ed ratf*ckers they need to grow up and stop acting like middle school drama queens.
Those two pathetic tweets from DWS are all I’ve heard about this colossal disaster. They really don’t get it.
I’ve got afew emails from the DNC also, but right now they might not like what I have to say. I did email Sen. Kay Hagan and I told her what I thought of her decision to distance herself from the President. But they will hear from me too, because I will never forget what Gov. Patrick said about the Democrats need to grow some backbone. They didn’t, Instead they acted like cowards and ran away from the accomplishment of this President and Democratic party.
I appreciate your fire, NoSpin. I like to think that if everyone here continuously pushes back with the kind of response you shared in your email, AND on the phone, they will EVENTUALLY get the message! As Carolyn pointed out previously, numbers matter to them. A steady stream of such (polite and informative) responses should get their attention, and get them to realize their email lists are not made up of uninformed people with money to dish out, but with a core of voters who are not impressed with their work to date. I hope.
Yes, vc, the more we write, the more difference it will eventually make. I did not stop with my first emails, and am so glad to see others are joining in. These people, like the press liv in the New York, D.C. bubble, and truly have no idea what life is about for most people, and no idea how we see them.
You have convinced *me*, Carolyn. If every time we remember or feel ticked with them we sent them a well-written letter of explanation, I bet they’d at least start to get an inkling of how we truly feel. I think letters/emails of calm, reasoned facts, if done persistently and en masse, would eventually make a dent in their DC-centred world.
I am reminded of Linda at What is Working suggesting that when someone writes a response (to them) they should post it here, like NoSpin has done, as a possible template or as a means of encouragement to others. They bombarded us with doom and gloom begging letters instead of formulating a sensible plan, we can bombard them with our true feelings and suggestions. The letter would be bound to be more advantageous than what they did this past round.
THIS!
Good Morning TOD.
YAY! Apparently there was a homecoming last night:
Aw! <3
So sweet! That’s why you have been fighting/protecting your country - for his/her future.
Reagan, Bush also acted alone to shield immigrants
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/1f5e041c11294c318d11779be7d22119/reagan-bush-also-acted-alone-shield-immigrants
this is a different scenario. There is a bipartisan bill in Congress that is sitting on Boehner’s desk. All Congress has to do is pass it. Everything else is just noise.
No spin, it wouldn’t surprise if Boehner hasn’t a clue what’s really in that bill/act.
A LOT of congressional republicans are ignorant idiots. They simply repeat the talking points that have been given to them. As for their staff, I suspect a lot of them are pretty ignorant too. Their briefing papers, their policy papers are written by lobbyists of big corporations.
There is not a lot of brain power in the republican party. And that’s pretty worrying when you see all the political power those guys have.
When you see that someone like John Boehner is Speaker of the House, that tells it all. Boehner has been proved to be really ignorant, in economic matters for example. Striking contrast with the likes of Nancy Pelosi, Chris Van Hollen, etc.
Yes, yes, yes and yes. I see them as programmed speakers, I really do. To a certain extent I believe politicians mostly all are (Dems too), but what shocks me is that the elected ones never seem to READ their policy papers! Honestly, it boggles my mind that many never seem able to discuss issues they are supposedly concerned about beyond repetitive sound bites. IMO their laziness also suggests laziness in their aides. I mean, who is ensuring aides do good research and preparation if they know their briefing papers do not need to be thorough, factual, informative? If they know they are not really going to be read properly or used? One of PBO’s biggest advantage over them all is that he ‘knows what he’s talking about before he speaks’! To my mind, it’s upsetting that elected pols are paid so handsomely for really shoddy work and work ethics.
Another successful trip! Good morning TOD folks!
I was surprise MSNBC carried POTUS news conference early this morning.
morning everyone…congrats to COS on first this Sunday morning….my pipes are making quite the racket this morning!
Cool round-up here, thanks to vc:
http://www.smh.com.au/business/g20/g20-brisbane-live-november-16-2014-20141116-3kg3t.html#ixzz3JEzee9X6
And heads up! A tip on how our handsome POTUS stays handsome POTUS:
“If Barack Obama comes to dinner at your house, don’t serve him pasta.
Speaking of Obama, did you realise he don’t dig the carbs?
Brisbane Times reporter Natalie Bochenski has been talking to Josue Lopez, the executive chef of the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art who fed the G20 leaders last night. Lopez says that Obama’s food taster (he has a food taster) was in the kitchen and let the team there know that the US President would not be eating bread as he was mostly carb free.”
Wow, thanks Meta.
You know I’m terrible at math, and when there’s lots of zeros added to a number I am hopelessly lost.
I know that most people on this planet are Asian, but this response to one of my tweets blows me away:
WHOA! That does put it all in perspective, doesn’t it?!
meta, of course POTUS has a food taster. They all do I am sure. You have to be very care when you travel around from country to country. A food taster is a great idea and I always thought all leaders have them. You know Putin does, specially right now. when he’s one of the most hated man among leaders. He might bring his own chef along. Speaking of Putin you know you are hated when even the animals don’t like you. That koala bear wanted to run away from him.
Ever so slowly wending my way down so just seeing this, Meta. It was Arapaho (that seeker of info far and wide) who brought the link to TOD.
^5, Arapaho, ONE of TOD’s dedicated investigative reporters!
Ah! YES, ^5 to Arapaho!
:oops: And to LadyHawke, who actually brought this one to my attention! Sliding up and down the thread has blurred my observational skills this morning (that’s the excuse I’m sticking with). :grin:
:oops: Meta, I got the link originally from LadyHawke’s comment. Sorry, LadyH - maybe I should go back to bed and try to sleep. LadyH, I also credit you as one of our investigative reporters who often bring valuable info to the village.
Awww, how sweet ((( VC ))) ((( meta ))).
Verklempt now.
{{{Arapaho}}}
Hey, Meta, didn’t you say once that you were mostly carb free? Did you and Pres O plan this? Frankly, I can’t imagine I would survive without eating bread (carbs). For starters, it would mean I’d have to THINK about food and pay greater attention to what I have on hand to eat, and that would be too much work!
Well, since I’m a pastry chef and recipe developer, avoiding carbs most of the time is the only way to keep my weight where I want it. So no bread, pasta, rice, etc., etc. It definitely requires lots of paying attention.
;) ;) Yes, too much work. I avoid work whenever I can. :grin:
THIS!! this is why he functions so well, and he doesn’t drink coffee, he drinks tea, boosts anti-oxidants. check out The Alkaline Way dietary guidelines, pretty amazing.
POTUS is a clean machine!!
Good morning TOD.
this is me, bleary-eyed from late TV viewing. Yes, I made it throught the entire Presser and then raised my blood pressure a notch or two watching brain-dead and vicious MSNBC “commentary.”
Lots of TOD folks have remarked about the President’s patience with the dopes in the WHPC. While I’d like to slap them, PBO appeared to me to be enjoying himself enormously. Those “Yes” and “No” single word answers were wonderful.
Unlike Martin Bashir who I firmly believe lost it and blew his gig because he had to deal with who he called “the great Kristin Welker” on a daily basis. KW is beyond terrible. Her scorn and disrespect are very ugly. What is wrong with her? Just $$$$$ ?
News from MO changes rapidly. Breathless accounts from the verdict will be out today to now a report not until Thanksgiving. My heart goes out to everyone desperate for justice and living on the edge in St. Louis and around the country.
Goooood Moring!
So where do I get to watch this news conference? The site up above WH, doesn’t come through.
The press conference starts around the 1:21:10 mark.
One of the few I don’t have. Thanks Dudette. Love Stephane Grapelli!
MoooOOrning, Chiparoo and TOD.
President Obama was amazing during his press conference. His response to the gossipy Gruber question by Ed Henry was motherfreaking GENIUS!!!
Yes….HE was a thing of beauty! Those Newstainers…still idiots in a clowncar.
Thanks NW for the POTUS’ presser summation.
I have been clueless on a few things.
TOD is the Info Blog with Truth and Complete Coverage of all things President Barack H. Obama.
Thanks gang ;)
Danke as our Amk would say…….Hi Amk ^5 or if you prefer, fist bump to you Mr Engineer.
thanks for this Nerdy. You have such a talent of getting to the core of a matter in 140 characters or less. You are amazing.
GM TODable TODville Community.
Sunny Crisp and Cold with a little snow, say a tad over one inch on the ground.
I will try on and off today to catch up.
TOD you are The Blog, The Place and the Fun of it all.
My congrats to all TOD Gold Medalists in the last 36 plus hours.
R&S!
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/11/16/rise-and-shine-956/
Poor Pooty.
The Emperor has soft flab……. ;)