President Barack Obama talks with Alyssa Mastromonaco, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, and Trip Director Marvin Nicholson in an elevator at the Bridgeport Arts Center in Chicago, Ill., Aug. 12, 2012. Photo by Pete Souza
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President Obama is getting seriously serious about supercomputing — here's why that's awesome: bit.ly/1Tbpo40
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Mic (@micnews) August 10, 2025****
Max Plenke: Obama’s Getting Serious About The Future Of Supercomputing. Here’s Why That’s Awesome
Gird your technological loins, world: President Barack Obama is paving the way for the Usain Bolt of computers with the processing power of the human brain. A technology program called the National Strategic Computing Initiative seeks to invest heavily in high-performance hardware. The goal is to position the United States as the king of the supercomputing mountain. The speed it’s going for: one exaflop, or almost 30 times faster than the fastest computer in the world, China’s Tianhe-2, below. He’s thinking about saving the world. Or at least making it better. With an exaflop of computing power, scientists and researchers would be able to run incredibly complex and accurate simulations, like simulating the global climate to make global warming predictions.
The ability to handle a lot of data might be the supercomputer’s largest contribution. Think of all the simulations you can run: modeling aircraft, modeling guns, predicting weather anomalies or even figuring out long-term dilemmas, like what the agricultural industry’s impact will be in, say, 50 years.Medicine takes all kinds of analysis, deep dives into our DNA and biological informatics — things that take a level of computing power we’ve scratched but haven’t come close to mastering. The White House’s Precision Medicine Initiative would use high-performance computing to collect and create huge amounts of health and genomic data to tailor treatment for individuals.
More here
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Incredibly honored to sign SB 144 in honor of Beau Biden. His legacy of protecting DE's children lives on @DelKids http://t.co/rdeljYKwz3
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Gov. Jack Markell (@GovernorMarkell) August 11, 20253 dozen retired U.S. Generals and Admirals agree: "There is no better option to prevent an Iranian nuclear weapon." wpo.st/NoAU0
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WH National Security (@NSCPress) August 11, 2025****
Twenty-nine of the nation’s top scientists, including 6 Nobel Laureates, say the #IranDeal is a good deal. nyti.ms/1PeWEBu
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Sen. Barbara Boxer (@SenatorBoxer) August 10, 2025The best option to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb and avoiding another war in the Middle East is this deal. huff.to/1MWDVvt
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Sen. Barbara Boxer (@SenatorBoxer) August 07, 2025****
.@POTUS today: #IranDeal based on hard, cold logic & our ability to verify that Iran's not pursuing a nuclear weapon n.pr/1f3A3Ld
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Samantha Power (@AmbassadorPower) August 11, 2025Here are my reasons to support agreement that's our best available option to put brakes on Iran nuclear weapon: bit.ly/1DKgoM2
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Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) August 11, 2025****
There is no better deal possible - 92 nations and counting strongly support the #IranDeal twitter.com/SenFeinstein/s…
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Sen. Barbara Boxer (@SenatorBoxer) August 11, 2025Important op-ed from Sandy Berger debunking the myth that there is a "better" Iran agreement to be had. politico.com/magazine/story… #IranDeal
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Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) August 11, 2025****
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama talk in the Blue Room of the White House before the start of the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony on Aug. 12, 2009. Photo by Pete Souza
President Barack Obama hugs Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient actor Sidney Poitier during the award ceremony in the East Room of the White House, on Aug. 12, 2009. Photo by Pete Souza
Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Joseph Medicine Crow shows a drum to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama during a reception for recipients and their families in the Blue Room of the White House on Aug. 12, 2009. Photo by Pete Souza
First Lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama greet guests at a reception for Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients and their families in the Blue Room of the White House on Aug. 12, 2009. Photo by Pete Souza
President Barack Obama waits in the Blue Room of the White House for the start of an East Room ceremony to present 16 individuals the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Aug. 12, 2009. Standing in the background, from left, are Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients; Muhammad Yunus, Stuart Milk, nephew of slain San Francisco councilman Harvey Milk, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Dr. Janet Davison Rowley, and former President of Ireland Mary Robinson. Photo by Pete Souza
President Barack Obama talks with Stephen Hawking in the Blue Room of the White House before a ceremony presenting him and 15 others the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Aug. 12, 2009. The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. Photo by Pete Souza
White House.gov
Morning, Nerdy. After last night’s post, I would like to give you a hug as well as all the love and gratitude I feel in my heart. Wish FLOTUS was around to give you a hug as well. You are such an incredibly intelligent, caring young woman and I wish the world could be a better place for you and everyone of your generation.
GM NW, Jackie and TOD. Thanks for another great thread NW.
Congrats on 1st Jackie.
Thank you, Jackie. That is my continued hope as well.
What a beautiful statement, JackieG!!! I join you in having the same hopes for NW and her generation. Congrats on 1st
NW, you are very special. Thank you!!
Co-sign this message! Thanks for saying it so well, Jackie, and kudos on first.
Hello JackieGB.
I concur with you. X1001%
Congrats on your Solid Gold⭐
THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965
President Obama’s Letter to the Editor
—————————————————-
I am where I am today only because men and women like Rosanell Eaton refused to accept anything less than a full measure of equality. Their efforts made our country a better place. It is now up to us to continue those efforts. Congress must restore the Voting Rights Act. Our state leaders and legislatures must make it easier — not harder — for more Americans to have their voices heard. Above all, we must exercise our right as citizens to vote, for the truth is that too often we disenfranchise ourselves.
—————————————————-
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/magazine/president-obamas-letter-to-the-editor.html
Good West Coast morning NW & TOD family.
NW, this is chock full of good stuff this morning! How awesome that both of my Calif Senators are in strong support of PBO & the IranDeal. YAY 😀
Still working on mine, GGail. Some prominent progressive Jewish rabbis and leaders in Portland met with Senator Merkley yesterday and came away very encouraged about the probability of his support. I wrote an email to all my friends in Portland asking them to call and/or write the entire Oregon Congressional delegation in support of both the Iran Deal and the Clean Power Plan. I looked up the phone numbers of all their local offices to make it easier. I hope this will move Senator Wyden into the supportive category and away from Schumer.
Good job Judith. We must continue to do all we can. They need to hear from us every day, all day, from every voter. If PBO can work as hard as he does for our benefit, the lest we can do give our very best.
Thank you for doing your part Judith❤
Judith, too have been calling and emailing our 2 Senators and my Rep often about the Iran Deal. I will be so mad if Wyden votes against it as well if Merkley and Schrader do too.
Thank you, OG! Ask everyone you know to be anti-war and pro-Obama to do the same. Not worried about Merkley, but Wyden is pretty tight with AIPAC. He is up for re-election, and Oregonians, as you know, have no stomach for more war.
Good morning, NW and TODer OBOTs.
Change is afoot.
Time is passing those anti-#IranDeal bat poops.
Blessed are The Peacemakers………
This is very encouraging. Thanks meta
Good Morning, Everyone
Good for Al Giordano. He doesn’t suffer fools gladly or otherwise. He just skewers them.
WOW - go Al!
Go Al indeed. He was my go to tod circa 2006-08.
There it is; clearly stated from one who knows.
I wish they’d put this in twitter form for easier sharing among those of us who don’t do Instagram (or whatever this is). So I made a copy.
Thanks, VC. And good mornin’ to ya!
A very ‘good mornin’ to ya’ too, sister JO’B!
How’s life been for you and yours these last few days?
Life’s been very pleasant, thanks so much! And you, sweetie?
I see you’re fighting the good fight, this morning!
Glad to hear all’s pleasant. Life’s good here. Just trying to do my little bit by passing pertinent .. 😉 .. info forward.
You are doing a great job at passing the pertinent info around, as usual!
#thanks
WOW…speak Al!!!!
Damn, i need to retweet this because it is awesome
Bravo Al Giordano. I especially agree with his observation Sanders and his supporters “sound and feel like a white backlash against Obama and Black Americans”. That is the impression I got from the beginning. Starting with Sanders saying racism is over in America and Black folks should stop voting based on skin color, it was clear this guy was not coming from a good or honest place.
Wow Al Giordano - you tell it!!!
That tweet says it.
Just like they’ve been standing and defending FLOTUS for the past 6 years, right?
Uh huh.
Yes, and I remember every time these feminist stood up and defended our FLOTUS. Zero, that’s 0.
Thanks, rikyrah. This is pure and unadulterated BS. Kelly takes absolute delight in trashing FLOTUS, Hillary, Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic women. She can defend herself or go to hell as far as I’m concerned.
Let the RWNJ Sarah Palin defend Kelly….oh I forgot $arah doesn’t do things for free.
As usual, only the blonde white woman is valued and worthy of protection and defense. Have seen this for over 400 years and I still don’t care. When all women of all hues and ethnicities are equally cared for then we will have equality. Anyway Megyn is finally learning the lesson of what goes around comes around.
Exactly! Not wasting any tears on the hate-enabler, Megyn.
What was the big deal anyway? The words “blood coming out of her nose and wherever” doesn’t make me think about menstruating. A younger friend told me her “friend” was visiting and I thought she meant a person. See, I’ve always been out of touch with people. Don’t understand people who speak with a forked tongue.
boom. ‘megyn’ kelly is where they draw the proverbial line? really? forget flotus, what about every other woman whom the thugs discriminate against all the time?
Exactly! It’s a huge joke.
Where’s Sarah (Palin) and Michelle (Bachman) when you need them????
THIS WOMAN IS CORRUPT….A FOX PUPPET WHO LOVES TO DESTROY PEOPLE…AND SHE DEFINITELY HATES THE PRESIDENT! THE REPUBLICANS PUT HER UP TO DRILLING TRUMP IN AN EFFORT TOO GET RID OF HIM!!!!
Democrat wins runoff for Brookhaven House seat
11:29 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015 | Filed in: Local News
Former Georgia Tech quarterback Taylor Bennett defeated former Brookhaven Mayor J. Max Davis in a Tuesday runoff for the state House of Representatives, switching control of the Northern Perimeter district to a Democrat.
Bennett captured a seat that had previously been held by Republican Mike Jacobs, who was appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal to serve as a judge in DeKalb County State Court.
Bennett and Davis, a Republican, were competing in a runoff after no candidate received a majority of votes in a four-way special election last month to represent House District 80.
Bennett will represent a district that includes parts of Brookhaven, Chamblee and Sandy Springs in DeKalb and Fulton counties.
Bennett’s election gives Democrats control of Fulton County’s legislative delegation, where Republicans had held a 13-12 majority.
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/voters-decide-brookhaven-state-house-seat/nnHMn/
Good morning, Nerdy
Thank you for continuing to speak about what Matters when it is so hard to do so.
As a white woman the most recent events—Oathkeepers, heavily armed white guys—welcomed by the Ferguson police for whom black skin is sufficient offense to warrant an arrest leave me angry and without confidence in a near time solution. And hesitant to add my voice
Ferguson (!) back in the news after a week spent reading, rereading, and thinking about Ta-nehisi Coates’ best-seller.
Ta-Nehisi explains what DeRay is tweeting about. The violation of black people’s bodies—or as DeRay puts it weaponizing black skin is the underlying basic problem we will have to confront.
What is happening is crazy as Eric said last night. However Crazy is not the stubborn core of what ails us.
White wealth is based on and always has been wrung from the exploitation of powerless people.
Nothing newsbreaking there.
Ta-nehisi takes this idea forward and says that our system of racial injustice is fueled by our addiction to profit and plunder.
Built by slaves on land stolen from a subjugated and harassed unto death native population, railroad pathways hewn from rocks split open by imported slave labor from China. The inglorious history of profit over people.
White wealth is addicted to plunder.
Wealth will protect itself.
The best response as far as I can see is increased attention to registration of all of us and voter participation.
HRC is advocating all 18 year olds automatically registered on their 18th birthday. With the option for them to opt out. I agree.
Bernie is advocating for Election Day to be a national Holiday. I agree.
Oregon, I think it was OR has recently started voting by mail, joining CO, was it? Good move.
Adding a Sunday voting day in addition to the Tuesday? Yes, good idea.
If we are able to better educate our country and get all of us to vote, I see change is possible. Keeping in mind that we will be bucking a system and media that intend to spread ignorance and fear.
Jeb! is again trying to sell the LIE that PBO chose to leave Iraq. No, Fool, your brother signed the Status of Forces Agreement that forced us out.
What AMK said late last night about the GOP WH will begin Apartheid America is accurate and terrifying. That is what Israel is and what is intended for us.
Oregon has had vote by mail for several election cycles now. What is new is that we have automatic voter registration at 18.
Yes, and Washington started vote-by-mail after we did. I t works great! No fraud because they check signatures very carefully, but if you mess up and have voted early in the two week open voting period, there is time to exchange your messed-up ballot for a clean one.
It’s happening. sc thugs voting down vra with simultaneous voter suppression laws passed by the rethugs governed states. White police armed to the teeth in a blacks majority town where they arrest unarmed 12-year old black kids while looking benignly at equally armed to the teeth white vigilante thugs. All they need is that final push into WH and it’s fait accompli.
THE BALLS ON THIS CLOWN!
………………………….
Jeb Bush sees disaster in Iraq, blames Obama and Clinton
08/12/15 08:01 AM—UPDATED 08/12/15
08:09 AM
By Steve Benen
The lead sentence in Politico’s report on Jeb Bush last night read, ” Does Jeb Bush really want to refight the Iraq War?” It’s best not to rush past the question too quickly.
The Republican presidential hopeful’s brother launched one of the most disastrous wars in American history. The 2016 candidate hopeful then surrounded himself with his brother’s team of failed foreign-policy advisers – and described his brother as his adviser on U.S. policy in the Middle East.
One of Jeb Bush’s most cringe-worthy failures as a candidate was trying to answer a simple question about Iraq – he gave four competing answers over the course of four days – and at last week’s debate, the former governor still seemed wholly unprepared to discuss the issue.
It’s against this backdrop that Jeb Bush decided to pick a fight – over developments in a country his brother invaded under false pretenses and then failed in every possible way to manage responsibly. The New York Times reported:
The war in Iraq, which dominated American presidential politics in 2004 and 2008, has returned as an issue in 2016. This time, the argument is not over whether the United States should have gone to war, but rather how the Obama administration sought to end it.
Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor seeking the Republican presidential nomination, issued a blistering attack on Tuesday on the Obama administration’s handling of Iraq and terrorism issues, asserting that Hillary Rodham Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, had “stood by” as secretary of state as the situation in Iraq deteriorated.
Obama and Clinton, Bush insisted last night, “stood by as that hard-won victory by American and allied forces [in Iraq] was thrown away.”
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/jeb-bush-sees-disaster-iraq-blames-obama-and-clinton
rikyrah - In his case, the balls are taped on. He’ll go back to having none after the election.
#Jeb!=SorryAssExcuseForAHumanBeing
‘In his case, the balls are taped on.’
Where do you come up with these images? 😀 😀 😀 > You are a bad influence on me.
I’m from New Jersey.
[And you are a bad influence on me. So, stick around!
]
Posted without comment
…………..
Poll: Sanders surges ahead of Clinton in NH
A stunning new poll has Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) beating presumptive Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire.
Sanders has eclipsed Clinton by a 44 to 37 percent margin, according to a new Franklin Pierce University/Boston Herald poll that was first reported by the Boston newspaper Tuesday evening.
The previous FPU/Herald poll taken in March had Sanders trailing Clinton 44 to 8.
Today’s poll is the first to show Sanders, whose liberal policies are popular with the Democratic base, ahead of Clinton in New Hampshire.
And it comes as reports surfaced that Clinton will turn over her private email server that she used while leading the State Department to Justice Department officials.
Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden garnered 9 percent, with the other remaining candidates hovering at around 1 percent, according to the poll
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/poll-sanders-surges-ahead-of-clinton-in-nh/ar-BBlFpGX?ocid=HPCDHP
The GOPers are in free fall and Trump dominating……..here comes the LONE Pollster, they were bad Pollster, for many years…..they have No polling numbers published in the last 6 years, but now and Wow…….the US News Media is all on this poll, WHY? To once again, disparage HRC and promote Sanders and SCARE the left about HRC. It works when many on the left willfully buy the Propaganda.
This terrible lawless man should be barred from ever practicing law and forbid from holding public office ever again. This is also the man responsible for SB 1070 in AZ. Despicable excuse for a human. I didn’t read this, but I hope the DOJ is going after him.
Morning everyone
he is certainly despicable and from my state! how he and Brownback won re-election is beyond my belief. he is also in a dispute with DG County over zoning he got for a new building but now he is opposed to another business going in near him. reason being this person wants to open a country market selling fresh meats…pork, beef, etc. and the smell etc. would be to much! need to check out the Lawrence Journal World, Lawrence, KS today 8/12/15 and read article. I do not know all the facts and would not want to be one who just posts without true facts being presented.
because this is who they are.
❤
GM TOD & many thanks NW for posting the pictures and the news. I haven’t been posting much. US politics from afar seems ridiculous. That the congress isn’t 100% behind the President re Iran is pure crazy & the candidates -
Sanders appears to be rather like Trump - in that both are appealing to white privilege. The rest of the GOP field are anti everything that makes a society work. Without a thought for policy, Trump could well be the nominee & Sanders could not beat him.
Knowing the power AIPAC has historically wielded in the U.S. Congress, it is unrealistic to expect 100% support for a policy Israel opposes. How the Iran Deal debate is playing out tells me Israel will find it is not as popular in the U.S. as it has been lead to believe. Bibi’s disrespectful speech before Congress had the unintended effect of making Israel a partisan issue, which has weakened Israel’s influence in this country. As for the presidential race, they call this time of year “silly season” for a reason.
If a GOP President had done this - would be massive support from both sides
Good Mountain West Morning everyone!
Congratulations to JackieG for being FIRST! AND writing a statement. I can barely mumble a howdy.
Thank you everyday NW for your work at TOD and staying up to date on the news that matters and dealing with the realities of your life.
It is only because of the conversations on this blog that I better understand racism better now.
Wish I could fulfill Gail’s dream of joining white people and marching in the streets with a crowd of white people demanding change. But I haven’t thought of a way to make that happen. But I’m still thinking. . .
Sorry for grammatical errors. Thought I proofread it but not “good” enough. . .
Today’s devotion in Josh’s (DuBois) book is about cowardice and your opponents.
Be not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. Phil. 1:28.
Lord, help me leave behind hesitation today, and charge forward into the future you’ve ordained. Amen.
I always picture PO reading these devotions and wonder what ordeal was he dealing with on that partricular day. In light of this battle about the Iran deal, I felt this was a good one for today-for me.
I peeked in Dubois’ TL and saw this.
Oops! I don’t get why twitter pics have started to be so huge. Grrrr.
How dumb am I? Accidentally agreed with Rubio and got an email. Boy did I unsubscribe fast. Still going through email to unsubscribe from other dumb Dems. They’re a tricking bunch, beware!
http://www.ew.com/article/2015/08/12/marc-maron-interview-president-obama-wtf
Have a terrific day everyone…off to work:)
yup.
Thank you Bobfr.!!!!!
typo corrected ….
Greetings from Iowa, where “the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye” and so are all the presidential candidates running around.
I don’t know if that even equates, but there sure are a lot of ’em here. We are making our annual pilgrimage to the Iowa State State Fair this Friday, only to find that Jeb! will be there at “The Soapbox” for a speech that same day. 😦 Mr. Muscatinegal says he wants to yell at or throw something at Jeb! during his speech, but I have my doubts. Just so he doesn’t throw any of the food-on-a-stick or something deep-fried. Hopefully by next year, they will all be leaving Iowa alone and we can attend the Iowa State Fair in peace.
Sorry to hear, nothing like having a state fair ruined by 16 GOP Klowns crapping all over the place.
Find out if there are any protest going on. Holding up a sign “Your Brother broke Iraq now you want to blame PBO & HRC”
I’m so sorry for you, muscatinegal………
Wow! What a snake Erdogan is. I hope this discovery gets very wide exposure,
He’s a truly EVIL person, JackieG. I’ve been doing what I can to reveal his unambiguous support for #DAESH which, btw, is entirely consistent with his Sunni Salafi alliance with folk in SA and other “Arab States.”
The mask was truly shredded when HDP co-President Selahattin Demirtaş motivated voters throughout Turkey to deny Erdogan a parliamentary rubber stamp on his efforts to become the ‘Ottoman Emperor’ he’s already thought of himself as deserving.
600 miles?
Wow.
That Mexican Drug King has nothing on these Deash Terrorists.
Actually Nena, it’s 600 meters, i.e., ~ 0.4 miles - but still way significant because of its size it’s likely to have been used to move substantial amounts of weapons, ammunition, communications equipment, personnel, etc.
Thanks Doc……..my idiocy………😳
your idiocy helped me to see mine, I thought it was 600 mi. also. So we learn to pay attention. AND 0.4 miles is still quite a feat.
Not an excuse…….
TOD is Global…… Nena……C’mon😉
So Bernie’s own website and tweets ask for contributions for “political revolution.”
Seriously?!?! You are using the word, “revolution?” I didn’t know you had elevated that frame to your website and your pleas for money. You effing don’t give a damn at all if this country can reasonably fight the extremists, as long as you have your “principles?”
Unbelievable.
Sen Sanders has been using Political Revolution for over 10 yrs. I have heard him saying this since 2004.
I knew that but I guess I was naive enough to think that if he was making a serious run for POTUS he would understand that he needs to appeal to a wide swathe of Americans. My point, very unartfully expressed, was that if you’re serious about leading the U.S., your rhetoric has to change. But apparently in 2015/2016, the more outrageous the rhetoric, the better. He calls himself a socialist, he calls for political “revolution” and is clueless that he will be tied to Lenin, Stalin and the rest? Hey, they call PBO a radical socialist, and he’s the most reasonable, pragmatic but progressive visionary we’ve had in the WH in decades. You call him being primaried in 2012, and have done nothing to appeal to the Obama coalition?
I don’t want chaos and “revolution” to prove my principles. I want careful progress that builds and doesn’t destroy. I don’t think Bernie gets that at all.
Look who actually did the poll for the Boston Herald that has Bernie beating HRC in New Hampshire.
1)Marlin Fitzwater. . Remember that name? Press Secretary to George Bush and Ronald Reagan. He’s the guy who conducted the poll for a firm called RKM Assocates.
2) Andy Card. . He was George W. Bush’s Chief of Staff for 6 years and head of the White House Iraq Group. He is currently President of Franklin Pierce University, the group that conducted the poll.
3) R. Kelly Myers. . Probably not a familiar name, but a fellow at the Marlin Fitzwater Center; long associated with right wing groups/funders.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/08/12/1411238/-Guess-who-s-behind-the-poll-that-shows-Bernie-in-the-lead
Peacemakers,❤
And, he means it. He and Secretary Moniz, when the history books are written, will prove to be central contributors to establishing a ‘new world order’ in the ME, as long as WE ensure that the US NEOCONSTERS are flushed from our Federal Government.
Hello TOD on a Wed, 8-12-15. Hot. Humid. Sunny
Congrats to Jackie on your⭐ GOLD!
New post.
https://theobamadiary.com/2015/08/12/chat-away-643/
Another day, Gun deaths in USA.