President Barack Obama greets troops during a rally at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Aug. 7, 2013. Photo by Pete Souza
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Chuck Schumer, who said it was a mistake to pass Obamacare, now comes out again the Iran Deal. This is our next Senate leader?
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Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) August 07, 2025****
All Times Eastern
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10:00AM: President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the Presidential Daily Briefing
4:35PM: The First Family departs the White House en route Andrews Air Force Base
4:50PM: The First Family departs Andrews Air Force Base en route Massachusetts
6:00PM: The First Family arrives Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Cape Cod Coast Guard Air Station
6:20PM: The First Family arrives Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
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The arguments against the Iran deal bear a striking resemblance to the arguments for the Iraq war thkpr.gs/3688422
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ThinkProgress (@thinkprogress) August 07, 2025****
Justin Salhani: Why All The Arguments Against The Iran Deal Sound Familiar
President Obama invoked the memory of Iraq in his latest speech on the Iranian nuclear deal. “Now, when I ran for president eight years ago as a candidate who had opposed the decision to go to war in Iraq, I said that America didn’t just have to end that war,” Obama told a crowd at American University in Washington DC. “We had to end the mindset that got us there in the first place.”
As the president’s term winds down, the Iran deal will largely be what defines his foreign policy legacy just as Bush’s was defined by the 2003 Iraq invasion. Obama has taken flak from critics on his policies concerning Iraq and Syria, and while the Iran deal has also faced criticism from the right and Israel it has also found widespread support among former U.S. ambassadors to Israel and Israeli security chiefs.
More here
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Entire discussion of Black Lives Matter at Republican debate lasts 47 seconds thkpr.gs/3689058 http://t.co/Wu6kHaeX9p
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ThinkProgress (@thinkprogress) August 07, 2025****
Alice Ollstein: GOP Debate Spends Less Than A Minute On Police Violence And Black Lives Matter
Though the first GOP debate took place in Cleveland, a city rocked by police violence against its African American residents, only one candidate had to speak to the problem: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. The Fox News moderators asked Walker how to address the problem of “overly aggressive police officers targeting young African Americans,” noting that some call it “the civil rights issue of our time.” Yet
Walker’s only response was advocating for proper training for law enforcement, particularly when it comes to use of force. He then called for showing those who step over the line that “there are consequences to show that we treat everyone the same in America,” Wisconsin already had the some of the worst racial disparities in the country when he took office, but it has gotten much worse under his tenure. Soon after taking office, he defunded a program that tracked the race of people stopped by police, even though black residents of Madison’s Dane County were found to be 97 times more likely to go to jail for a drug crime than a white resident.
More here
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President Barack Obama listens during a health care reform meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, on Aug. 7, 2009. Photo by Pete Souza
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WDH.com: Obama Heading For Martha’s Vineyard Vacation A Day Early
President Barack Obama is returning to his summer vacation spot of choice, the Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard, a day earlier than originally planned for more than two weeks of hoped-for rest. He is leaving the White House on Friday afternoon with his wife, Michelle, and teenage daughters Malia and Sasha, instead of on Saturday as initially planned. Last year, he was forced to break his self-imposed vacation silence several times and appear before news cameras to address political developments in Iraq, the beheading of American journalist James Foley by Islamic State militants and violent protests that erupted in Ferguson, Missouri,
following the fatal shooting of an unarmed, 18-year-old black man by a white police officer. He also returned to the White House in the middle of last year’s vacation. There are no plans for a similar trip before Obama returns to Washington on Aug. 23. The president heads to Martha’s Vineyard following a recent string of legal and legislative victories on trade, health care and gay marriage. Last month, he announced that the U.S. and five other world powers had reached a deal to grant Iran relief from crippling economic sanctions in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program.
More here
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President Barack Obama talks with members of the 2012 Summer White House intern class before a group photo in the East Room of the White House, Aug. 7, 2012. Photo by Pete Souza
President Barack Obama gestures during a roundtable discussion with Hispanic print and web media in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, on Aug. 7, 2009. Photo by Pete Souza
President Barack Obama walks with Press Secretary Josh Earnest on the Colonnade prior to delivering a statement on Iraq in the State Dining Room of the White House, Aug. 7, 2014. Photo by Pete Souza
White House.gov
1ST!
Congrats Don!!
Gorgeous R&S NW. Thank you!!!
Important news ….
She knows what War means ….
Congrats Don….
Good! That is 14 Firm Yes votes.
:)
Congrats on #1 Don and Good Morning/Evening to you and to all TODers.
Good Morning…. 215,000 jobs added , unemployment stays at 5.3 %
Sent Schumer a one word comment……………… ” COWARD “
Congrats on 1st Don! GM TOD!
Good Morning, Everyone :)
Good morning, TOD ohana.
NW, you are doing yeoman’s service in keeping the blog running while Chips and Danny are away; you rock.
Thanks also to amk (hope the meeting with the client was successful) and L L for also taking turns as “blog tyrants.”
Thanks, CEB. :)
I hope that our President is going on vacation early with a sense of a job completed, rather than with disgust at his colleagues in the Senate. Nobody deserves a break more than he does. My wish is that he has a crisis free time, a chance to unwind and many joyous hours with his family. As for Schumer, he is an unworthy representative of my great home state of New York and the poorest possible choice for Senate leadership. I hope and pray he has a dynamic primary challenger and loses his Senate seat to a real Democrat.
GM JackieG. I really want NYers to call, write, and tweet just what you said… That Schumer is challenged by a Dem candidate. He needs to hear from voters!
I’d forgotten Schumer saying passing Obamacare was a mistake. Now I’m even MORE angry! :-(
I do wonder if Obama leaving for Martha’s Vineyard a day early means he knows we have the vote to sustain his veto…?
CNN’s Brooke Baldwin thinks PBO needs 2/3 rds of Congress to sustain a veto…when in fact, he only needs 1/3 plus 1.
Fareed Zakaria had to correct her. If he wasn’t there, her misinformed self would have never been challenged and the viewers would believe what ” The most trusted name in News ” spews out as accurate.
Grrr.
It’s truly sad that our politicians are ignorant of our own Constitution and the “news” entertainers are only there for their looks with no brains. If they can just stick to the script then keep their mouths shut….
Good West Coast morning NW & TOD family.
PBO former speech writer, Jon is saying what we’re thinking about Schumer. Whadda ya know
and now they have donald dreck in their shoes.
Once a swarmy, slimey pol, always a slimey, swarmy pol….he should be ashamed of himself but he doesn’t have that capacity. Somehow, someway I hope karma pays a visit and I will laugh. Hard. Hopefully, PBO can do this agreement w/o his cowardly ass…he seems to like to be on the wrong side of every major issue….
Back to work for me today…was awake at 4:30am, just waiting for the alarm to go off…ever do that?
So glad to hear that the First Family will get an extra day at the Vineyard. No one deserves it more.
Have a great day DF!
Thanks, GGail:)
it is things like this that reveal where these politicians stand…we should remember this
The debate last night was a farce. Trump should not have been given so much attention. Why did they bother to have Carson on the debate?
The debate to me, showed Carson was the perfect example for how the GOP regards minorities. They want enough of us so they can save face, but they don’t care one bit about the issues that are important to us.
They pretty much want us to be seen and not heard.
Badda Bing…Badda BoooooooooM!
And that’s exactly what they did to him last night.
I hate to say it but I’m almost getting the impression that the debate was a Clinton infomercial from FOX NEWS as well the GOP candidates. It’s as if they want Clinton to be the Dem Nominee…gives me a whole lotta pause.
enjoy it while it lasts.
<3
I hope and pray that the First Family’s vacation will not be interrupted and that they have the best time ever with friends and family. May they be without hurt, harm and danger in their journeys back and forth and while they are there. may they return refreshed and energized to deal with the challenges ahead.
Good MOOOOOrning, TOD!
President Obama is leaving for vacation a day early with a pretty fantastic 7 months of 2015 accomplishments under his belt. Bravo, sir!
As for Schumer, he can go fuck himself because he will lose every time he tries to derail this historic and lives saving agreement.
BOOM- excellent tweets NW! :)
Thanks, HF! :)
Thanks for the information about the job numbers. President Obama has done a fantastic job turning the economy around. Best President Ever!!
:)
Good one NW 😄
:)
What a tweet!!!!!!
Great one and good morning to you Nerdy.
And TOD.
:)
Nerdy Wonkaaaaa is on Fireeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!….Wooot
LOL. :)
They have the same capacity as my 5th graders to answer foreign policy questions. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
http://www.juancole.com/2015/08/foreign-moments-debate.html
Look! Sharia Law!
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/08/07/3689094/extreme-abortion-rhetoric-debate/
#TrustBarack
And, good morning TOD …
Senator Schumer’s outrageous treasonous stance against the President of our country and Schumer’s own party was a blow.
Even though I’d known he might do this.
Even so.
So soon.
And so emphatically.
And defiantly.
I can tell you the playlist of the Senator’s on-hold line. It starts with Fur Elise and next comes (I think,) a Brandenberg Concerto or is it The Four Seasons? Point is, I sure wasted a lot of my time leaving messages.
Senator Schumer MUST NOT be in Senate leadership, let alone The Democratic Leader next year.
I see lots of support for this but is there any actual possibility of stopping this train????
I have no idea.
Schumer should not be considered as a leader for the Senate when Reid retires. He’s a traitor to his own party and doesn’t need to be in a leadership position. Ever.
G’morning Nerdy, TOD, even amk, lurkers, and congrats Sir Don on #1 :) Happy Friday everyone, and thanks Nerdy for yet another fabulous Friday R&S round-up! :) :)
Happy Friday, HF! :)
From Reuters:
Senator Tammy Baldwin said on Friday she would support the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration because it will “best serve America’s national security interests.”
Baldwin’s emailed statement came a day after another Democratic senator, Chuck Schumer of New York, said he opposed the deal.
Thank you, Tammy Baldwin
I want Schumer driven from Dem leadership and to face defeat in the Primaries ….
Me too, Bob!
:)
Good morning. So glad the President is leaving for his vacation a day early. If ever a man deserved an extra day, it is he!
If ever a man was a traitor to his president and country, it is Schumer. He is disgusting. So are all the Rethug “candidates” running for president. I believe that not one of them understands the office, not one of them has studied foreign policy, not one of them understands the constitution, not one of them cares about average American lives, not one of them is intelligent enough to do this job, not one of them is honest, not one of them has integrity, not one of them has any core principles, not one of them has a North Star guiding them…….they all make me absolutely sick!
Thanks to TOD for keeping me somewhat informed these past few weeks. I’m learning to live alone with my precious doggy, Chanel…..we’ll make it, but oh, I miss my husband so much!!! This weekend I’m driving to Dallas with a friend to see my son and family. I want him to see that I am doing okay. Also….have taken care of business this week….Social Security……very well treated, very efficient…..State Teachers’ Retirement fund, and one insurance policy. Next week will be the Veterans’ stuff. I can handle only so much at a time. Have written THREE thank yous out of the dozens to send.
Two days before my husband passed, he sat up in his bed in our sunroom, and said “I feel love all around me.” He was right; it was coming from everywhere. Now, I can honestly say I feel the same way, and a part of that is coming from right here at TOD. Thank you.
(((carolyn)))) Giant hugs and well wishes to you…you are in my thoughts daily… be good to yourself. He would want that for you..
{{{{Carolyn}}}} we are all with you!! Safe travels.
Huge, huge, huge hugs to you, Carolyn. You are always in our thoughts and we are always here for you.
{{{Carolyn}}} Hope you have a wonderful trip to and from Dallas. And you’re so right about President Obama deserves an early vacation. He’s worked so hard on so many issues. He needs a break.
Surround you with love and light, my friend. {{{{{carolyn and family}}}}}
Best wishes, Carolyn. You will find the strength to move on.
{{Carolyn}}!
{{{{{{Carolyn}}}}}}}}}
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ Carolyn, many loving hugs to you from me.}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}HZ
Good Morning! Happy Friday!😎
I’m packed and waiting for POTUS to pick me up for our birthday trip to Martha’s Vineyard. Can’t wait to see FLOTUS.
I don’t exactly have an invitation but that was just a minor oversight. Right? 😎😎😜😜
:)
gobrooklyn, when AF1 pick you up, and you are sitting back chilling make sure that you tell POTUS, FLOTUS and the Obama family Anniebella said hello.
You got it! 😉
I endorse that statement.
Me too..
If it were up to Fuckabee we’d be a nation of zygotes because all the people would be dead from guns, Bible thumping crazies, and wars.
You call him “Fuckabee” too:) Fits, doesn’t it? I think Fuck Shumer works too….
Of course fuck works, in the history of the world when has fuck not worked?
I agree with this, too:) Such a perfect word for so many things:)
Oh yes.
I like that….I hope he feels our displeasure in his siding with Israel over America. I hope he does not become the Dem leader. I may have to change my political affiliation when PBO leaves office.
yup. huckster said it the best.
Yep. That’s the GOP alright. They sure can’t govern but they can send other people’s children to unnecessary wars. They’re itching to start a war with Iran. Cheney will be happy about that since he makes $$$ off his investments in the defense industry.
I hope that many Senators and Congresspeople follow Tammy Baldwin today in affirming their support for the Iran Deal and Our President.
It would be a pleasant send-off for the Obama family vacation
one thing I like though about donald dreck. he is taking it to the pox news crew including kelly of there can only be white santiklaus. hopefully this will turn the poxheads away from that putrid channel.
Agree re: poxheads, putrid channel and the trumpster :)
Hope you’ve had success with your client, amk!
submitted the bid today. competition is all big shot multinationals. so, we stand a good chance. :)
Thanks, Bob for all your wishes. :)
You bidding on building an Olympic pool somewhere? Kidding:) Good luck!!! If you get it you have to fly us all to India to party at your house!
It’s a deal ….. wait a minute, all of you?
TOD is a FAMILY, right?? I’m not coming all that way by myself:)
but, but… it’s a frigging big family.
What fun we would have!!!
Oh yes.
We’ll pack a lunch! Party at amk’s!!!!!!
and I haven’t even won the contract yet. wimminz/smh
You Will Win!!! :)
Good luck!!
danke. one injun vs four eewropeans. It’s on.
I think Trump’s mission is to diss and insult every single person/group he can and flaunt his arrogance. He knows this will play with the base because they love nothing more than a nouveau riche carnival barker who can denigrate and malign without conscience.
Thank you Nerdy.
I must admit that I am with MoveOn asking members to withhold donations because of the backstabbing Schumer. I am not member of MoveOn, but I have been and will continue to withhold my from DSCC and other Democratic organizations because of their treatment of President Obama. I contribute to individual representatives.
I am thoroughly disgusted with him. And to think he wants to be Senate Leader of the Democrats. Twitter tore into him yesterday, but I doubt if the creep will change. He’s so beholding to Bibi and the hardliners in Congress that his allegiance is to them rather to the people of America, the Democratic President and the Democratic Party.
What I don’t understand is if we can prevent another war, why not try to do so. Have these Senators learn anything from the debacle in Iraq, we were told it would be easy, that they would welcome us with open arms. Four thousand sons and daughters were kill, and that does not include innocent Iraqis. Thousands came back home without limbs and messed up in the head. It cost the U.S. over 1 trillion. And now we are still stuck in Iraq fighting ISIS, there was no ISIS before the U.S. invaded Iraq. So now with all that, we have United State Senators who rather put us on the path to starting another war, this time with Iran. I can not believe that any Democrat would chose that path.
Yes We MUST
What makes Chuck Schumer look more like a joke is the fact that Kirsten Gillibrand the junior senator from New York is supporting it. If Schumer had so much sway and seniority you would think he would be able to get her on his side.
TGIF, TOD. NW, BTs, thank you so much for all you do! Anyone in Toronto next week? This one’s for you:
.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1604818416451096/
Batuki Music Society presents the second annual Habari Africa Festival in partnership with Harbourfront Centre from August 14 – 16, 2015. This year’s curatorial theme is ‘New Voices: A view of African music from a Canadian perspective’. The artistic works will explore the changing styles of music, dance, and other art forms as practiced by African artists living in Canada as well as their non-African counterparts.
The artists featured will represent an array of music genres and dance styles from Congolese rumba and mutuashi, afro-roots reggae, Ethio-jazz, afrobeat, morna, batuque, kizomba, traditional and contemporary West African sounds, North African shaabi and Andalusian fusion, African gospel, to the new afro-house music from South Africa. The festival will also have activities for children of all ages, workshops, films, visual arts, vendors selling African crafts, and delicious cuisine from the World Café.
[…..]
Habari Africa Festival
Venue: Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto, M5J 2G8
Dates/Times: Friday August 14: 7:00pm – 11:00pm Free
Saturday, August 15: 12:00pm – 11:00pm Free
Sunday, August 16: 12:00pm – 6:00pm Free
All performances and activities are free to the public except the late night ticketed show with Mi Casa.
Awesome stuff!
Indeed NW! Made me want to book a flight pronto! :)
Twitter brigade: please use #DumpSchumer
Sorry meta, I’ve been pushing #PrimarySchumer because that is the only way we get rid of him, for good.
I don’t know anything about his district.
Sorry, I had Engel on my brain. Whatever!
;)
african chillies are real, real, real spicy. causes brain damage. love them.
LOL! Piri-Piri, sindiyo!
sawa, sawa.
Sounds delicious!
I don’t sweat. wifey unit hates for me it. It’s 16 deg C brrrr here and yet when I eat those, I get a patina in the forehead while my head is in a mincer.
I think that Patty Murray would be an EXCELLENT leader:)
Definitely df!
#PrimarySchumer
with you 100%.
Hopefully they will nuke him from space, its the only way to make sure.
He needs to be defeated in the NY Senate 2016 Dem Primary, Don ….
Hey, NW, please free me? :)
You’re free, Sir Bob. :)
Thank you NW :)
And this is just another reason why I don’t believe the speculation that the WH was “okay” with Schumer’s No vote.
yup, surrogates are at it. why is harry silent?
Harry Reid is on the fence about the deal.
Son of a bitch! I loathe Dems who don’t know how to be powerful in 21st century politics.
I AM FUMING as well.
I’m beginning to feel like some of these older people really need to go. Someone like PBO is such a forward thinker, he’s had these dead weight throwbacks tied to his ankles dragging him down every step of the way. Harry is leaving but they the rest will hang on, especially if HRC is our next president.
If you read Schumer’s lengthy statement, I am sure there is no way the WH is OK with it. In fact, I’m expecting someone to refute it paragraph by paragraph.
YUP!!
In my opinion I think John Kasich won last night’s debate, though his economic policies are fucked up, but what won me over is that he didn’t give off that scorched earth vibe.
He is the only one that actually made any sense. Although, I know he’s not really moderate, either.
I was at a democratic watch party last night, but left early, because I couldn’t listen to the moderators or the panel any more.
agreed Don. Everyone else came off as rabid nutjobs.
I’M WITH DON…I WATCHED ALL OF THE DEBATES LAST NIGHT AND AS HYSTERICALLY FUNNY AS ALL THE STOOGES WERE AND THERE WERE PLENTY OF THOSE JOHN KASICH WAS A SHINING STAR AND RUBIO HELD HIMSLEF WELL. HOWEVER…MY TIME WITH A PRESIDENT WILL END WHEN PBO LEAVES BECAUSE HE WILL NOT BE REPLACED….WHEN JESUS CHRIST RETURNS…THE WORLD WILL FIND THE PERFECTION IT NEEDS…TILL THEN..I SUGGEST A BIDEN RUN BECAUSE HILLARY IS DONE! AND I’M A POET AND DIDN’T KNOOW IT!
Sue, dropping knowledge all up in this piece!
She sure is, Don!!!!
Good Morning TOD
The Chuck Schumer No Vote has me furious this morning.
I just got off the phone with Senator Reid’s DC office expressing my unhappiness with Schumer’s no vote on the Iran Deal and that I will not accept that he should be the Democratic Leader upon the Leader’s retirement. Please take a moment today and contact Reid’s office (they said they haven’t gotten very many calls today) to express how you feel about Senator Schumer.
Thanks Donna! I just called his office in Washington and spoke to his aide about how upset I am with Schumer about his voting no on the Iran agreement, and that he shouldn’t be the new democratic leader, if he didn’t back the President on this. I, also, noted that why would our allies ever trust us in negotiations anymore, if congress overrides this agreement.
Thank you sjterrid!!!!
I AM THANKFUL THAT I WILL BE IN ARIZONA…GOD WILLING…DURING ALL THIS 2016 TRASH BECAUSE I DON’T WANT TO LOOK AT IT…PBO WAS MY FIRST AND AST PRESIDENT. AM SO HAPY HE IS GOING ON VACATION….HE NEEDS IT!…I LOVE MY ENERGZER PRESIDENT!…BON VOYAGE…ADIOS….IF YOU GO SWIMMING…PLEASE SEND IN SS SHARK PATROL FIRST…MERCI…GRACIAS..THANK YOU…ADIOS!
I called my Senator Bill Nelson this morning. He went from a leaning “no” to full support. He has also been battling cancer this summer and is doing well. I also sent a scathing tweet to Debbie Wasserman Schulz to get off her ass and get all Dems in line.
Thank you Proud and good to see you!
She’s against the deal. I heard that last week and don’t know if she changed her mind - I certainly haven’t heard that she did. She stood with Bibi in Congress instead of our POTUS. She is a worthless POS. She did a terrible job supporting Democrats. She totally ignored Gov Quinn here in IL, and look at the Scott Walker wannabe we got stuck with. She cares more about Israel than her own party, her own country or the best interests of the ME and the world. I am one American Jew who despises her.
New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/08/07/chat-away-641/
John Kasich is the GOP/Fox choice for VP.
Win Ohio and win the WH. That is The Plan.
Candidate for President?? To be determined.
GM, TOD!
I just emailed Senator Reid.
They’re not going to dump Schumer regardless of how many calls or petitions. He’s got it on lock.
Schumer looks sick to me. I don’t think he’s going to be leader
I know this is late to the show, but I wanted to let you know I sent Sen. Reid a little love note today as well regarding this! If you can’t support our president and party, then you are UNFIT to lead anything, except the local PTA.