On This Day: President Barack Obama talks with a little girl at the Charcoal Pit restaurant in Wilmington, Del., July 17, 2025 (Photo by Pete Souza)
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Today (all times Eastern)
5:05: The President departs the White House
6:15: Arrives New York
7:10: Participates in a DNC fundraiser, private residence, New York City
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MoooOOOooorning!
Mooooooorning everyone, I have an OBSCENELY early start today!1!1!1 Have to go out for a while, see ya later.
6:25*am*???!!! :shock: :shock: Chips, is that *you*?
/doubtfully/ Well, if it *is* really you, do have a good day - and enjoy every moment of it! There should have been no shortage of worms for your delight. :D :D
Good Morning Ms. Chips. (I feel guilty & a little weird saying GM when I see youâve been up at least since 6:25am and itâs now 10:23 am). I donât get up early unless I have to :-) But GM to you and all TODers!
Good Morning Ms Chips!
Good Morning Everyone!
Good morning all. Was shocked to see EB thread soooooooo early. đđđ. Clicked on it and saw Chipâs eplantation. Hope her day is good.
Our daughter and grands are leaving this morning. It was good having her and 4year old Aliya here for three weeks. PopPop and Mason had great trip out west. Yesterday they did one last adventure. Got up at 6:00 and drove to the Smokies……Cadeâs Cove. Saw a lot of deer and sighting of a bear. It will be good to get the house reorganized and cleaned and back to our ‘quietâ routine.
Morning Tn. Itâs lovely and wonderful to have family visit and itâs also great to get your house and routine back. Know the feeling.
gm tnmtngirl - after 2 days with “I am almost 3” and her mother, I need a rest. I love to see them for a short time - often. :) Not sure I could handle 3 weeks.
Morning AMK. Canât tell if the Obama bird has a broken foot or is carrying a coded message of peace. I hope itâs the latter.
#lameducky=#irandeal
Ah yes, thank you. Too subtle for my morning brain.
olive branch
GM Jackie and amk, at first glance, I thought it was Kerry till I saw the name Obama đ
Gâmorning Chips, TOD, even amk, and Happy Friday everyone! :)
‘sup?
WTF….
The photos of the Presidentâs face on last nightâs thread are heart breaking. For someone who cares as much as PBO, the daily magnitude of what remains to be done to bring justice and sanity to this country must feel overwhelming. He will do everything in his power to complete his agenda before he leaves office, but there will, inevitably, be things left undone that will gnaw at him. The only thing we can collectively do to ease his burden is to work with all of our might to elect a Democratic President and Congress in 2016 so that the substance of his work will continue. The marauding Barbarians represented by the Republican candidates cannot be allowed to come in and destroy all that his great leader has built.
Whatever our doubts and disappointments about the eventual Democratic nominee, we have to put them aside when it comes to electing the next President. We cannot let PBO down when he will need us the most.
Lots of descriptions of the clown platoon but marauding barbarians close to the winner jackie.
Excellent analysis, jackie. We all need to remember it every day and especially when the campaign really heats up.
Very well said Jacquie. Iâve always felt in Barack Obama an intensity of purpose that we rarely see in a politician. He is a passionate soul. So surprising that so many people donât see that, and mistake his calm demeanor for detachment.
Every bit of this. All of it.
You have put into words what I have been feeling. To that I would add, we need to pound on the current Congress relentlessly to support this agenda. I called both my Democratic Senators and Rep - all Democrats - about supporting the Iran Deal and got surprisingly wishy-washy responses from staff. Will keep at it.
Yes, I agree. We owe it to Obama to vote Dem no matter what.
GM TODville.
Every day I am grateful for TOD, for everyone here who provides a public service by commenting here — either posting links to real reporting that would be missed by our despicable east coast-based MSM.
ODS has been on full display this week. So many MSM tweets this week donât even bother trying to disguise their utter contempt for President Obama (looking directly at you, Glenn Thrush).
Hereâs some actual reporting by local OKC news media:
The article is about an inmate whose life sentence for dealing crack cocaine was commuted by President Obama in Dec 2013:
“Jason Hernandez is living proof that rehabilitation is possible.
‘I hope one of these days when they ask the president about his greatest decisions. When he names the Affordable Care Act and the other accomplishments. that he also says, “You know what? The clemency initiative and that Mexican kid, Jason Hernandez. Iâm glad I let him out because he has done so much for the community.” Thatâs how I live my life. I want to make him very very proud of me.ââ
Backstory:
“Jason Hernandez was convicted in 1998 as a drug dealer in Texas.
Because the drug was crack, Hernandez got life in prison without the possibility of parole.
‘Crack cocaine was primarily dealt by minorities and used by minorities, and thatâs the reason why our prisons are filled individuals serving 10, 20, 30 life sentences for crack cocaine,â Hernandez said.
He was supposed to die in prison for mistakes made as a teenager.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
If Jasonâs story doesnât make you weep at the unfairness of the criminal justice system today, then you have no heart.
But thankfully, Barack Obama and Joe Biden are the President and the Vice President of the USA.
Yes, Arapaho, and a Republican president will put people like Hernandez back in prison with double locks and make sure every minority kid in the country is never, ever given a second chance. Thatâs one of the things at stake in the next election. Cruelty, injustice and brutality versus fairness and justice.
Youâre absolutely right, JackieG.
Jason Hernandez would still be in prison today and only his family and friends would know his helpless plight if America had not had the smarts to elect Barack Obama President in 2008 — thank you US voters.
But wasnât WJC responsible for todayâs federal sentencing mandatory minimum guidelines?
So we need an Obama-Dem #RunJoeRun, not a Clinton-Dem.
He would not have said SHYT if Hillary wasnât running. Weâre on our THIRD generation of Young Black Men as fodder for the Prison Industrial Complex, and weâre supposed to accept a â my badâ from him?
PHUCK THAT.
If Bill was truly contrite, he & HRC should be vocally supporting PBO on prison reform.
Yes yes and yes.
typical clinton triangulation. he had to speak since Obama is talking about this and doesnât want the blowback for hillary to face.
This article states…” The act, co-written by Joe Biden, promised greater federal funding for states if they enacted stricter sentencing laws for violent offenses.”
For Violent Offenses, however, we see that the prisons are filled with minorities who committed non-violent offenses. This is the part that needs correcting.
As a bonus, hereâs last nightâs sunset viewed from Edmond, Oklahoma — breathtaking:
I have to say, that spectacular sunsets like this one, are not the exception here. We revel in them, and they surprise people from other places. Thanks to Steve Johnson for posting this.
I was just coming here to post this!! OMG, I was so choked up watching that video. Thank you for your comment. This is such a GREAT community.
This is beautiful, arapaho. Someone should send this to PBO or Valerie Jarrett so she can share:)
BEAUTIFUL…I AM SO PROUD OF OUR PRESIDENT FOR GOING YESTERDAY………………..AND JASONâS STORY IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE DONE!
Beautiful story!
Good Morning, Everyone :)
TOO CUTE
Good morning, TOD.
The NY Times got it right this morning, for once.
In their extensive coverage of the need for prison reform they emphasized PBO saying “There but for the grace of God”
It was also the NYT quotation of the day.
After 6 years and 6 months perhaps they are starting to see who President Obama is.
Another busy family day for me. See you all later.
THEY ARE OUT OF CONTROL!!
Saw this yesterday.
What a terrifying experience, an home invasion by the police — at least with a home invasion robbery (donât wish that terror on anyone) you can call 911 — but if your assaulter *is* the police you donât have that option.
Reminded me of a case awhile ago where a woman answering the door in a towel because she had been in the shower was treated similarly by NYPD (IIRC).
smh Wonder if it came to it, he would charge her for ‘resisting arrestâ?
<3
One more thing. Update for Meta and anybody else who has been following this issue.
Anita Dunn, TOD—you remember Anita Dunn, right?—-is presently working closely with John Del Cecato who is working with Bill de Blasio, who has had lunches/ties with David Axelrod.
Yes. That same Mayor de Blasio who publicly declined to endorse HRC.
VPOTUSâ Draft Biden committee is based in Chicago.
What these tidbits of info may (or may not) add up to is a below-the-surface longtime plan.
The media has reported breathlessly that this or that “Obama campaign person” has left to work for HRC. Maybe there are a few key people fitting that description.
However, most of the described “left the Obama administration to join HRC ” were working in the Clinton WH and naturally a new Democratic President needed their expertise.
This group of people—Jennifer Palmieri, John Podesta, Neera Tanden and others did not so much desert PBO as they did return to their previous employers.
I think a strong team to support our Vice President is in the making and will deliver Biden—2016.
I like how youâre connecting those dots! Would love to know what Anita Dunn is working on with JDCâŚ.
I was out to dinner last night with my dearest friends. Theyâve moved up north so I donât get to see them as often as Iâd like. We always talk politics of course and I started talking about Joe. They didnât think heâd run and werenât sure if he could overcome all the momentum of HRC. Well, within 5 minutes of me explaining my perspective, Caleb shouted, “3RD TERM, BABY! THEREâS MY 3RD TERM!!!!” He said he noticed that VP Joe has been by PBOâs side all the time lately and my remarks made him realize there may be a real reason for this. He got pretty excited and said heâd work for Joe if he runs.
Well, my friends, I think you may be hearing that from a lot of people who are either HRC fans or less than enthused about her candidacy if/when VP Joe throws his hat into the ring.
Morning Meta and TOD. From your mouth to Godâs ears. Run Biden run!
Good morning to you, Jackie. Fingers crossed!
Yeah, baby! Run Biden run!
Congrats Chips on 1st :)
Good morning TOD ….
bbl ….
WHOA. I donât know anything about the NY Post but this is a BIG problem for HRC if true.
Good morning Ms. Chips, Danny and TOD family, I hope all is well with everyone this lovely Friday morning. Congrats Ms. Chips, on being first to open up TODville for your lovely residents this morning.
To all, I hope you have an unforgettable exciting day today. TGIF <3 <3 <3
Thank God that President Obama is still the President of The United States of America. âđ âđ âđ
ICYMI, some great links posted yesterday by LP:
TGIF Chips and TOD
I was attending a funeral yesterday and missed so much but saw this in my TL and just about fell off my chair with laughter. You all may have covered this yesterday (itâs worth repeating) but John Dingell unleashed on twitter is a hoot! :)
Good morning, Donna. Have a great TGIF.
I just started following Dingell yesterday and he is unleashed!
Morning meta. He has a wager going with his wife as well so you may want to follow her also. :) :) :)
https://twitter.com/RepDebDingell
He would be great at mean tweets.
Look! Thereâs more meanness… in the middle of the night!! This guyâs a vindictive loon!
http://www.salon.com/2015/07/16/donald_trump_hate_tweets_penn_jillette_at_3_a_m_heres_the_petty_backstory/
Donald Trump sound so childish. Iâm no fan of John McCain, but if you say anything about Trump, he has to come right back at you which makes him sound like spoil rotten bully.
why is he targeting mcangry? what primary?
what an idjit as well as an uncouth.
McCain is running for reelection to the Senate in AZ
McCain had the gall to say that Trump “unleashed the crazies.”
MC CAIN unleashed the crazies with Palin, but thatâs a separate issue.
True!
GM, DD! Hope my friend-grandbabes are bouncing along and enjoying their 1st very mobile summer?
I just peeked at Dingellâs TL and noticed the tweet below. I guess I missed that #41 had had a home accident recently.
I gotta ask, were there “thoughts and prayers” on Twitter when Beau Biden died from the GOP?
Just asking.
I didnât look that far back to see what he may have said. Of course, Joe is so well-loved that I assume *everyone* sent their thoughts and prayers.
Truly, thatâs the first thing I thought of, when the President was at the federal prison … that it no doubt reminded him of Nelson Mandelaâs cell (and the number of years he spent in it), which the President and his family also saw. Manâs inhumanity to man.
Yes!
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/17/us-iran-nuclear-kerry-americans-idUSKCN0PR1FK20150717
Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday he raised the topic of detained Americans at every meeting he held with Iranians during the final weeks of nuclear negotiations and said he is hopeful Tehran would release them.
From the article, SOS Kerry said that in every meeting this topic was raised…freeing those Americans, so this isnât a new thing because of that disgusting question the other day from Major Garrett…( considering HE wasnât privy to what was talked about in those meetings that was a very arrogant and condescending question)
I hope they are freed. Continued baby steps of goodwill and cooperation between out countries.
Thank you for this, Nerdy:) He needs to know that he changed someoneâs life…saved his life, even. Validation.
Almost in tears over here. Just a beautiful story.
so what exactly is the reason for polling POTUS vs. Clinton in 2015?
Sailinâ into the weekend……….GM mates.
Looks great to me!! I would certainly be a willing passenger:)
Then come aboard and mind the jib and let the wind blow off the desert sand, eh? ;-)
I can dream…… :)
Whoa! Wish I was sailing!
Itâll make you forget your troubles for a bit!
I know yardarm. Even cruising has a way of making me forget about all problems. Thereâs something about being on the open ocean. I love it!
thatâs why i loved going to sea. ;-)
https://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2015/07/16/president-obama-visits-el-reno-federal-correctional-institution
//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/3hGZ7AMk39Q
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/07/16/3681554/alaska-medicaid-expansion/
Alaska Governor Sidesteps GOP-Controlled Legislature, Expands Medicaid On His Own
Good for him! Good for Alaskans!
Good Morning Chips and TOD.
That is nice. She was born 1905, wow she has seen alot.
I would like to meet her myself.
Trump at it again…very nasty and unprofessional…but those mouth breathers love this stuff….to them, this is what “being tough” sounds like. If you have to tear someone else down to make yourself look good…you have a big problem.
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/248260-trump-rick-perry-should-be-forced-to-take-an-iq-test
I wonât click, but i sure is time a family member/friend (if he has any) suggest to Trump that he take a ‘sanityâ test?
Why? Theyâre probably just as Fâed up as he is! Theyâve enabled this ass all these years!
By his own admission heâs loaded, so that may be why theyâve enabled him. If the sanity test turns out the way the evidence suggests it should [ ;) ] they might be able to get control of the money.
Thereâs that!! :)
:D :D
Juanita has some good toons!!
http://juanitajean.com/friday-toons-138/
GM DF. Whatâs going on with Sassy Sadie? Is she behaving or miss-behaving? :-)
Last weekend, I glimpsed in passing a segment where The Dog Whisperer was introducing a Great Dane the pleasure of getting in to a swimming pool. Does Sadie like the pool?
I was just thinking that I should email you:) Sassy Sadie about came within an inch of her life the other day! She got into my tutoring bag and STOLE my math book out of there and proceeded to CHEW IT UP! Last night, she stole the bread off the counter, but before she took the bread, she stole my glasses so I couldnât see her do it! :) Sheâs a piece of work…thatâs for sure! Her birthday is July 27th…sheâll be 2 years old…so I hope that the “maturity” will kick in:) Truly though…sheâs a blast to have around and she sure knows how to have fun:) Sheâs not a swimmer…my other Dane wasnât either. Fine by me, The thought of my dog swimming in my pool with me….not good. The ocean is one thing…pool is totally different. Glad that she doesnât want to swim in my NOT OLYMPIC POOL:) Howâs thingâs with you??
I would be happy to receive an email with pics :-) from you and Sassy Sadie any time!
Iâm well, thanks!
Maybe before you go back to school, we should write and see if the Dog Whispers; Cesear Milan will come and do a segment with you two. We would title it the Mischievous Sadie Segment :-)
O thanks for this reminder, Desertf - I had totally forgotten Juanita Jean, whom I used to read regularly a long while back! Come to think of it, this memory lane hint reminds me of Helen and ? - the 2 senior ladies who wrote that funny blog around election time.
Morning, vc:) Juanita just makes me laugh…love her turn of a phrase:) Margaret and Helen are spotty, at best, but I do love them as well. Their last piece was vanilla, though…I think they are getting on and life is getting in the way….I do appreciate their biting wit. They certainly tell it like it is!
So Helen and Margaret (TY) are still at it? Good for them! They were always spotty in my experience, but I got an occasional smile from their take once in a while.
Yes…here: http://margaretandhelen.com/
They can make you smile, for sure!
Thanks. Iâll keep them at the back of my mind for when I need a diversion.
Canât tell you how disgusting I found the conten of this ‘toon when it was first shared here! That any (previous) politician would accept a fee for speaking to vets, and Bush in particular, seemed the outside of greed and weak patriotism!
That dog shld take a bite outta his behind. :-(
Oh meta - time for cuteness :-) I hope you can post this.
http://hollywoodlife.com/2015/07/17/riley-curry-kids-choice-sports-awards-reaction-stephen-win-video/
Hey GGail, that is so hideously adorable!
I had to turn this .mp4 file into a .gif and compress it because the twitter machine wonât take that kind of file and it has to be a 2MB or less .gif, so the quality isnât that great but I tweeted it anyway. Thanks!
h/t Juanita Jean. The coffee literally shot out my nose!
I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF THESE PEOPLE….AND…MARTIANS ARE DRIVING THE TRUCKS…JIM JONES CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD TO DIRECT TRAFFIC…GLAD I DIDNâT HAVE ANY LUNCH TODAY…WOULD BE SERVING IT TWICE!
If getting myself right, means I must be like you, the NO THANK-YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! desertflower, Iâm surprise the coffee didnât burn you when you jump up and drop it and shouted OMG!!!!!!!!!!!.
then NO THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Apparently the guy is being satirical, and the person beside him, trying to keep a straight face, is his daughter.
One of the comments at the site =
SomedayGirl says:
July 16, 2025 at 10:12 am
I LOLâd. Heâs funny as all get out and I hope he keeps up the good [t]rolling, er, workâŚhereâs his first comment after he posted that vid:
I been awake for 72 hours chugging energy drinks, taking caffeine pills, and chain smoking cigarettes so that I could study Jade Helm from within the hostile zone. Because of all the drone sightings today (disguised as commercial airliners), I was forced to smash my cellphone and throw the internet box with blinky lights into the woods. This story is important, though, so I am at an undisclosed location at my neighborâs house on the interweb sending this message out to you.
They live among us and they breed too……perfect examples of why birth control is necessary in the USA.
YES INDEED…PUT A DEPOSIT ON THE MOVING TRUCK THIS MORNING…ARIZONA CALLING….MAY 07, 2016……………….WOOT-WOOT!…:)…I LOVE MY ENERGIZER PRESIDENT…IâM STILL SMILING FROM YESTERDAY…AND THANK YOU CHIPS FOR ALL OF THE AWESOME COVERAGE.
Yahoo:) Practice putting your arm in the oven so you can begin to prepare yourself for what can pass for hell…gets so hot sometimes that it feels like the skin is going to come off your bones….Nothing can prepare you….Glad that youâre so happy to come here:)
OFF TO FACEBOOK TO SEE WHO I CAN TICK OFF TODAY!!!!!!!…HOPE PBO IS RESTING A BIT..BURN THE TIES…FIND A HAMMOCK!..<3
Good morning Chips! Hope you have an awesome dayđđ.
Simple answer…..he is an overrated, overpaid, self-absorbed and might I add, lastly, he is a Republican with backward ideology.
Need a laugh? Try this! Hahahaaaa!
They are both nutcases.
Donald Trump have not fired up the crazies, those racists crazies have been fired up since January 2009 when that black family move in to the White House.
:)
Hahahahaha!
#EricGarner …. 1 year later ….
// …………………………
Perryâs report shows that he brought in only $685 in contributions, but he spent $1.48 million. That means that his legal defense costs represent 69 percent of his spending. ……………………………..//
How wonderful!
where he belongs. Truthfully, heâs not even the slightest bit “entertaining” to me, either.
Hello TOD.
TGIF.
WH Presser is already LIVE and in Progress with Josh “The Voice” Earnest on 7-17-15
https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/press-briefing-press-secretary-josh-earnest-129
Now, back to catching up.
Congrats to all the Gold :star: winners since Wednesday evening.
President Obama will be in New York this weekend with Malia and Sasha. John Karl is asking Josh why the President is not staying at the Waldorf-Astoria. Karl wants to know if itâs because the Chinese now own it.
Seriously? Seems like they all transfer their biases to him…
POTUS and the girls suppose to go see the Broadway play about Alexander Hamilton tomorrow. FLOTUS saw the play in April. The New York Post is saying that POTUS is not staying at the Waldorf-Astoria because it was sold to China and China might wire tap.
“Then, as Lust, Caution highlights, censorship is not foolproof. In China itâs a well-oiled machine, but there are loopholes. Whether using carefully crafted memes, wordplay or going through virtual private networks, Chinaâs 642 million internet users can and do find a lot of what they want.
If anything, Chinaâs internet is driving the sexual revolution. Take the example of Muzi Mei, who created a sex blog in 2003. Meiâs warts-and-all account of her sex life was an instant hit, knocking Chairman Mao off the top search term list at one point. By the time it was shut down, scores of similar sites had emerged.
Pilgrimages are currently being made to the Sanlitun Uniqlo store, with people taking selfies to upload online â an easy way to discuss the news while hopefully bypassing the internet algorithms that might censor it. Online stores are selling jokey Uniqlo T-shirts too.
None of this will please the government. But the rest of the population is moving in one direction, and thatâs towards greater sexual freedom and fun.”
:)
Like water rushing to the sea:) Canât stop it!
YUP :D :D
Made me think that perhaps VP Biden might want to add a 3rd item to the ‘Black Boxâ he referenced during his outstanding speech, yesterday :)
Yep. What I think is the most uptight state…Utah, is the porn capital of the USA.
Clearly, not only the Chinese are getting into the selfie craze at Uniqlo :D :D
Paging a BT!! Paging a BT!! Can we get a new playground, please??? :)
This is not going to make the “Fell The Bern” crowd happy ;)
New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/07/17/a-life-changed-for-the-better-thanks-president-obama/