Annnd Trump just snuck in an "Islamic terror" after rejecting the premise of "Islamic terror," possibly just to be able to say he said it.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) May 21, 2025
Much later, Trump talks about women's empowerment. This sounds like a speech written by multiple people who disagree with each other.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) May 21, 2025
The reality is the Saudis likely ARE thrilled with Trump. He's transactional, doesn't care about human rights, and bolsters them vs Iran.
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) May 21, 2025
And it's also easy to see why Trump likes them: they treat him like royalty and are eager customers for U.S. defense contractors. https://t.co/0GggcNpIuP
Funny because Conservatives made such a huge deal out of President Obama not using the magical phrase “Radical Islamic terrorism”. What has changed? LOL.
Good morning Ms. Chips, Danny and TOD family, I hope all is well with everyone this lovely Sunday morning. Congrats eyecandi, on being first this morning.
Nerdy, thanks so much for helping Ms. Chips and for the sacrifices you’re making for us TOD’ers. 💫🙏👌👊❤
To all, I hope God’s grace, loving-kindness, and mercy is bestowed upon you today. ❤ ❤ ❤
I am thankful to God that I lived to witness one of the greatest President of The United States of America in President Barack Hussein Obama ⭐🏆 ⭐🏆 ⭐🏆
Cummings: "Don't get so caught up in impeachment that you forget about" Russian electoral interference. https://t.co/snNj9H1ksm
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 21, 2025
Rep. Cummings on Rosenstein briefing: "This thing runs deep…There may be quite a few people that may have some problems with the law." pic.twitter.com/4xVbOIHVIP
THIS is what we should focus on — the stolen election. We prove that, Trump and Pence go away and hopefully Ryan and McConnell too. That could take down all the Executive orders and repeals and arms deals.
Hey media, learn from last time. Don't give President Dumpster points just for reading a speech off of a teleprompter.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) May 21, 2025
@10n6inthisstyle @GeorgeTakei He read a speech that he didn't write and from the way he's spoken in the past, I doubt he really meant much of what he read.
Well - he knows what he is talking about - and studies the history and geography of where he is going and who the people are. He looks even more amazing based on this aftermath.
Am I way behind? I just learned that this table book will be released Nov. 7, 2017, but pre-orders are available now.
http://www.petesouza.com/content.html?page=2
Yesterday at Little, Brown in NYC, looking at the first test proofs of my book along with designer Yolanda Cuomo and representatives from the printer. @yo.and.co @littlebrown Photo by @bonniebriant
Fascist-in-Waiting Mike Pence openly announces membership in secretive far-right John Birch Society spin-off group. Be very afraid. https://t.co/G5vZsIR62R
Fuck, fuckity Fuck.
$110 BILLION arms deal by the Illegitimate Birther-In-Chief with Saudi Arabia is the largest single arms deal in American history.
Due to no-ethics Donald and his family: America is now complicit in and party to gross Saudi war/human rights crimes.
“Obama withheld precision-guided munitions because the Saudis were using U.S.-provided munitions to repeatedly target civilian and humanitarian sites in their bombing campaign inside Yemen, despite regular protests from the United States…
By selling the Saudis these precision-guided weapons more - not fewer - civilians will be killed because it is Saudi Arabia’s strategy to starve Yemenis to death to increase their own leverage at the negotiating table. They couldn’t do this without the weapons we are selling them.” Senator Murphy also stated the fact that radicalized Yemenis blame the U.S. for Saudi attacks.
TRUMPUTIN is a greedy fucking treacherous liability to the planet.
How long?
And as always, you can only imagine the RWNJ “outrage” had PBO ever tried to have Malia sub for him at any event.
Trump can commit actual crimes, abuses of office and demonstrate his extreme unfitness to be POTUS on a daily basis, because at least his deplorables have a white guy back in the White House.
Just for fun, someone should ask them what they’ve PERSONALLY been “winning” so far.
I miss them…so very much…it is so surreal what is happening…
and as if on cue….the Bernie Bros have to keep regurgitating the 2016…in order to keep DEMs and their allies on separate pages and to keep Bernie relevant…
“…Trump considers the faith of 1.7 billion people as just another negotiable, his public stances on Islam changing whichever way the wind – or a $110 billion weapons deal – blows. ”
US Muslims Noticed Something Missing From Trump’s Speech — Themselves https://t.co/Jls3c8Zpfk
— Tom Namako (@TomNamako) May 21, 2025
US Muslims said Trump’s address Sunday at a summit in Riyadh was remarkable mainly for its blandness – shopworn lines about good versus evil from a president who once blamed his Saudi hosts for 9/11, who floated the idea of shutting down mosques, and who said, “I think Islam hates us.”
American Muslims also noted a glaring omission in the half-hour speech: themselves. There was no acknowledgment of the contributions of the athletes, doctors, actors and tech entrepreneurs who are among more than 3.3 million Muslims living in the United States.
Trump ditched his base’s preferred terminology of “radical Islamic terrorism” and, in most places, used less inflammatory terms such as “radicalism” and “extremism.” It was the kind of language Trump used to attack his predecessor President Barack Obama for using.
To many US Muslims, the about-face showed that Trump considers the faith of 1.7 billion people as just another negotiable, his public stances on Islam changing whichever way the wind – or a $110 billion weapons deal – blows. He bashed Islam in front of anti-immigrant US voters he needed to win the election; he embraced Islam in front of Middle Eastern autocrats whose help he needs on counterterrorism and trade issues.
Clue to @realdonaldtrump - Saudis don't give a f*cK what you think of #Muslims, as long as you enable them to kill the #Muslims they HATE. pic.twitter.com/OzdNIHB3S9
WEAK SAUCE for an egomaniac bully who brags about being healthiest president in history with top form stamina. Turns out he's a FRAUD. https://t.co/pEqMqRsILo
Because the GOP can brainwash their sheeple into believing that the “undeserving others” are getting things that they don’t really deserve, and therefore should have them taken away.
This is the bullshit lie that Limbaugh and his ilk have been repeating for years: “Hey white working class? Those lazy black and brown people think they’re “entitled” to your hard-earned tax dollars!”
Joe Biden: 2016 election "churned up some of the ugliest realities" of society—"but I assure you it's temporary" https://t.co/qg8T2AYCzu pic.twitter.com/YJ8HwRP9Xg
It's kind of funny that the "fuck your feelings" crowd is now complaining non-stop that people aren't being nice enough to dear leader. pic.twitter.com/q5UhuAWJmH
Good Sunday afternoon TOD family. Am just returning from 2 days in the woods with no cell service. A wonderful wonderful time with blur skies, trees and peace. Now to catch up on all the news.
They stood up for their values and calmly walked out (from non-violent protests lessons of Ghandi and King). Bravo to our young people who will not allow a day that is supposed to be about them be shanghied by folks with agendas that are anathema to them
I saw reports on Twitter that the Bibi-#45 dinner has been cancelled because so many ministers were refusing to attend even after Bibi demanded that they do. Seems some politicians in the world do have the balls to stand on their principles. 45 will be okay with this since he gets exhausted so soon. A weak, ignorant, lazy, insular, poorly educated, easily manipulated old man is the president of the world’s largest democracy; we are so f**ked. I am old enough to remember when the msm and the GOP complained that PBO was doing too much, mostly because it revealed how little they do. He stood there and asked them “What would you have me not do?” and listed all of the urgent matters that he was attending to to keep our economy and ship of state on course. They knew the brilliant Black man was showing them up and they would have rather that he failed to live down to their racists expectations. Now, we have an old white man who is showing them everyday, in living color, the reality of the things of which they falsely accused PBO and they are so scared and confused that inertia has set in. They know that the WH is a mess and the country is about to go over a cliff and they have no idea how to stop any of it.
The GOP places more nails into the coffin of Democracy…who will hold them accountable https://t.co/Zdw4FEKNqz
— Pretty Foot (@PrettyFootWoman) May 22, 2025
Republicans are keeping their Trumpcare bill classified. The Russians may see it before the American people do. https://t.co/ZCXJ9sQgRi pic.twitter.com/kTMdz8fTlW
Ok, TOD, I translated the wonderful Italian article in the tweet up top. Thank you JER, for posting it and thank you Nerdy for highlighting it.
I did it myself, not Google translate, so that it would be more accurate and natural. I’m going to try to do this a couple of paragraphs at a time, since there have been difficulties before with posting long comments.
Enjoy!
Mr. and Mrs. Obama in Montalcino: Golf for Barack, gelato and shopping for Michele
The ex President of the United States in Siena for a Tuscan vacation
Montalcino. “Michelle, we miss you”, you are missed by us, shouted Jane Ackerman from Denver, Colorado jumping up and down with emotion and poking her husband with a squeal: “The Obamas are on vacation exactly when we are!” The ex First Lady, accompanied by three friends, looked up and waved hello with her hand. Then slipped into Why Not, a gelato shop on the curve of Corso Garibaldi in Montalcino, a tiny hole in the wall judging by the yellow walls with two tables at the entrance.
It was a surprise visit made by Michelle in the town famous for its Brunello wine, during the second day of a Tuscan vacation that she is spending with her husband at Borgo Finocchieto, the Six Star resort owned by the ex American Ambassador to Italy, John Phillips. A simple afternoon walk: just the right time for a cup of chocolate and coconut gelato and a bit of shopping, while Barack plays golf with friend Richard Parsons on Massimo Ferragamo’s course at Castiglion del Bosco resort, nine kilometers away.
In Montalcino, no one anticipated a visit so illustrious: beginning with young gelato vendor, Ambra Tommasi who, recalled: “At the beginning, I didn’t recognize her. And it’s a good thing I didn’t because maybe I would have dropped the gelato to the floor from the emotion. That gracious woman: she tried to speak to me but I was making these big smiles. I understood who it was only when she lifted her sunglasses and looked at me: this one, I know her, I told myself.”
Meanwhile, a small curious crowd encircled the gelato shop where Michelle - in decidedly vacation style, a rose blouse that exposed one shoulder, white pants and white sandals - was made comfortable outside protected by three bodyguards, from the Secret Service and from the Carabinieri [Italian State Police - kind of like our FBI]. And if the residents of Montalcino were pleasantly surprised, the most excited were definitely the few American tourists, that every now and then shouted affectionate phrases to her.
After the gelato, the little group moved to the Piazza del Popolo to make purchases in the Montalcino fabric shop 564 owned by Massimo Gorelli. “And who could have imagined it” the owner told La Republica right after the visit. “I saw all these women and for a moment I didn’t understand anything. What elegance! What style! She bought two of our shawls, handmade fabrics. She had chosen a Panama-type hat but the size was too small. ‘I need a ‘big hat’ - a bigger hat, she told me with a smile. How much did she spend? No, this I don’t want to say.”
The walk lasted at least 45 minutes: and concluded at one of the rocky fortresses that dominate the region. Here the ex First Lady stopped to chat with a family from Sarzana, granting them a selfie with the children and once again greeted the curious. Then, during the applause, she climbed into a black Chevrolet with blackened windows, returning to Borgo Finocchieto for dinner. “Michelle we miss you” Jane, still behind her, shouted with a sigh.
Eccolo! (there it is!). I hope you enjoy reading about our Forever FLOTUS, how loved she is by Americans in Italy and by Italians, how gracious and kind she is, and what a wonderful example and representation of us she and Forever POTUS make on our behalf around the world.
Here is the link to the original article from the tweet at the top of Nerdy’s post here, with the video clips of our FFLOTUS and FPOTUS:
Thank you for this JER! I just posted a translation of that article you posted yesterday and Nerdy featured today. This pic goes perfectly with it! What a difference the impression PBO makes on the golf course vs. the orange embarrassment! The Italians have a saying “Fare una bella figura” which means, to “make a good impression”. It’s very important in Italy. Che bella figura (what a good impression) President Obama and Michelle Obama make on our behalf (much better than the “brutta figura” made by Cheeto Mussolini).
Bullsh!tter-In-Chief said this weekend: “This is a battle between those who seek to obliterate human life and those who protect it.”
The leader of the Death Party got it right.
Was Donald pressured by Putin to fire Comey and meet with the Russians in the Oval Office (minus our media)?
Sounded like a surrogate and subordinate when he said “I faced great pressure because of Russia.”
I’m overjoyed to be sitting with family awaiting the start of the commencement ceremony at Clark Atlanta University.
My sister’s getting her BSW. Woohoo!
We’re grateful the rain appears to be holding off for now. I’m especially grateful to know that they will be granting an honorary to NASA math legend, Katherine Johnson. Sadly, it looks like she won’t be here herself; I think her daughters will be accepting on her behalf (they did that for her at Spelman the other day). Still pretty cool though. Jesse Jackson, John Conyers, and William Pickhard (commencement speaker) are also receiving honorary degrees.
Katherine Johnson to receive honorary degree from Clark Atlanta University https://t.co/dI5iqXYUSE pic.twitter.com/qqx6xn107L
Congratulations to your sister, Dudette. I’m glad the predicted rain is holding off and the sun is smiling down on us. You and your family enjoy celebration of this achievement.
Yep, thanks! Three more coming up (high schoolers) in the next couple weeks. They’re out of state, and I can’t go, but I’ll be bragging on those babies too, cuz, ya know, that’s what auntie does! 😁
Drain the Swamp Watch: WH tries new tactic to block transparency into work of former lobbyists for admin:https://t.co/rFuIIxYp0I pic.twitter.com/FbvULe4EI3
Just another step toward DJT’s #jackbooted #autocratic #plutocracy. 😦
Wilbur Ross touts the lack of protests in Saudi Arabia during Trump's visit (maybe it's because protesters are jailed & sometimes beheaded?) pic.twitter.com/DQIENgtopz
I hope so df - he is now out and amount rearming those areas of the world where PBO pulled back on arms sales - in such a short ime he can do so much harm inside and outside the US. Unbelievable that the GOP in congress ignore what he does.
BREAKING: AP Source: Michael Flynn to decline Senate Intel committee subpoena, invoke 5th Amendment later today.— The Associated Press (@AP) May 22, 2025
Saw these on Meta’s Twitter timeline (always behind…).
Michael Flynn's decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment puts him at risk of being held in contempt of Congress https://t.co/rx9of1vSZJ pic.twitter.com/v5cDlN4qPx
— NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) May 22, 2025
And:
This makes optics of Flynn's refusal to comply so much worse.
If he believes refusing to honor a subpoena will get him a deal, he's a fool. https://t.co/LelKQG1RFz
— Resistance DB (@davebernstein) May 22, 2025
JUST IN: Former Trump associates Paul Manafort and Roger Stone have turned over documents to Senate Intel Committee, source tells NBC News
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 5/19/17
How might Donald Trump try to end the special investigation?
Rachel Maddow looks at some ways by which Donald Trump could try to get in the way of the Trump-Russia special investigation or eliminate it entirely.
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 5/19/17
Can the Trump-Russia special counsel be undermined by Trump?
Neal Katyal, former US acting solicitor general who helped draft the special counsel regulations, talks with Rachel Maddow about the ways in which Donald Trump might seek to undermine or eliminate the Trump-Russia special investigation.
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 5/19/17
Flynn inquiry calls for espionage expertise
Barbara McQuade, former U.S. attorney, talks with Rachel Maddow about what is means to be an espionage prosecutor and why one might be assigned to the the case of disgraced Donald Trump NSA Mike Flynn.
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 5/19/17
Comey firing story contains giant contradiction
Rachel Maddow shows how a request for more resources preceding James Comey’s firing was widely reported in the media but is adamantly denied by the Department of Justice - an irreconcilable contradiction.
Hi
⭐️💫⭐️
Good morning yall.
🖖🏼🌏
❤️🙏🏻
Will the media highlight the flip-flops and backtracking made through out this speech?
So happy I missed the speech or whatever it was.
Yeah, fortunately I missed it too. Just picked up these”highlights?” for Twitter.
The Way We Were
I AM SUCH A BAD GIRL…TIME TO RUB IN THE ALLEGED CHRISTIAN HATRED FOR THE BLACK GUY WHEN THIS HAPPENED!..ON MY FB…
Funny because Conservatives made such a huge deal out of President Obama not using the magical phrase “Radical Islamic terrorism”. What has changed? LOL.
Good morning Ms. Chips, Danny and TOD family, I hope all is well with everyone this lovely Sunday morning. Congrats eyecandi, on being first this morning.
Nerdy, thanks so much for helping Ms. Chips and for the sacrifices you’re making for us TOD’ers. 💫🙏👌👊❤
To all, I hope God’s grace, loving-kindness, and mercy is bestowed upon you today. ❤ ❤ ❤
I am thankful to God that I lived to witness one of the greatest President of The United States of America in President Barack Hussein Obama ⭐🏆 ⭐🏆 ⭐🏆
THIS is what we should focus on — the stolen election. We prove that, Trump and Pence go away and hopefully Ryan and McConnell too. That could take down all the Executive orders and repeals and arms deals.
He can read?
I don’t believe so.
She is such a striking woman. President Obama chose is partner well and vice versa.
Good Sunday morning, TODers.
I wish there had been more.
ProFound……Profound!
Well - he knows what he is talking about - and studies the history and geography of where he is going and who the people are. He looks even more amazing based on this aftermath.
Am I way behind? I just learned that this table book will be released Nov. 7, 2017, but pre-orders are available now.
http://www.petesouza.com/content.html?page=2
YES, you are way way way way behind!! Hahaha, JER had this for us a few weeks ago. TOD, light years ahead of the pack!!
Morning, Gail:) Yes…waaaaay behind. That said, thank you for posting this reminder here….I preordered it because you reminded me. Thanks!!
LOL, meta & df. Glad to know that I made a small contribution today. 😀 😀
morning df. I just ordered mine too. 🙂
This is one thing I was on top of. I preordered the book a few weeks ago.
We’ve all been saying for YEARS that if Pete ever made a coffee table book of the Obama Years, we’re in!! Here we are:)
I am so anxious to get it!
can’t wait to get mine.
❤ JER
I'm a little late, but, right on time 🙂
Fuck, fuckity Fuck.
$110 BILLION arms deal by the Illegitimate Birther-In-Chief with Saudi Arabia is the largest single arms deal in American history.
Due to no-ethics Donald and his family: America is now complicit in and party to gross Saudi war/human rights crimes.
350 BILLION over the next decade:
http://theweek.com/speedreads/700428/trump-signs-largest-arms-deal-american-history-saudi-arabia
“Obama withheld precision-guided munitions because the Saudis were using U.S.-provided munitions to repeatedly target civilian and humanitarian sites in their bombing campaign inside Yemen, despite regular protests from the United States…
By selling the Saudis these precision-guided weapons more - not fewer - civilians will be killed because it is Saudi Arabia’s strategy to starve Yemenis to death to increase their own leverage at the negotiating table. They couldn’t do this without the weapons we are selling them.” Senator Murphy also stated the fact that radicalized Yemenis blame the U.S. for Saudi attacks.
TRUMPUTIN is a greedy fucking treacherous liability to the planet.
How long?
Photo of the Week
Thanks JER
❤
Long Read. Important Read.
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2017/05/education-privatization-charters-public-schools-betsy-devos
Old man trump too tired
And as always, you can only imagine the RWNJ “outrage” had PBO ever tried to have Malia sub for him at any event.
Trump can commit actual crimes, abuses of office and demonstrate his extreme unfitness to be POTUS on a daily basis, because at least his deplorables have a white guy back in the White House.
Just for fun, someone should ask them what they’ve PERSONALLY been “winning” so far.
I miss them…so very much…it is so surreal what is happening…
and as if on cue….the Bernie Bros have to keep regurgitating the 2016…in order to keep DEMs and their allies on separate pages and to keep Bernie relevant…
i really try not to absorb it all into my psyche
“…Trump considers the faith of 1.7 billion people as just another negotiable, his public stances on Islam changing whichever way the wind – or a $110 billion weapons deal – blows. ”
US Muslims said Trump’s address Sunday at a summit in Riyadh was remarkable mainly for its blandness – shopworn lines about good versus evil from a president who once blamed his Saudi hosts for 9/11, who floated the idea of shutting down mosques, and who said, “I think Islam hates us.”
American Muslims also noted a glaring omission in the half-hour speech: themselves. There was no acknowledgment of the contributions of the athletes, doctors, actors and tech entrepreneurs who are among more than 3.3 million Muslims living in the United States.
Trump ditched his base’s preferred terminology of “radical Islamic terrorism” and, in most places, used less inflammatory terms such as “radicalism” and “extremism.” It was the kind of language Trump used to attack his predecessor President Barack Obama for using.
To many US Muslims, the about-face showed that Trump considers the faith of 1.7 billion people as just another negotiable, his public stances on Islam changing whichever way the wind – or a $110 billion weapons deal – blows. He bashed Islam in front of anti-immigrant US voters he needed to win the election; he embraced Islam in front of Middle Eastern autocrats whose help he needs on counterterrorism and trade issues.
Trump has a 12% approval rate among Blacks? Wow. That’s awfully high. I know of no Black people who can stand him, including me.
Me neither.
Great tweet, Bob! You are absolutely spot-on about the rulers of Saudi Arabia.
UGH, this creep can’t even make through Day 2.
What a joke this guy is. Please let him go away soon!
Think back on everything DJT has said in the past about anyone he criticized and apply that trait to him knowing it takes one to know one.
‘All hail the New World Orb-er’: Internet loses its collective sh*t over pic of Trump with Saudi orb
GE SWBG.
@eedrk was right…
Despite Trump’s pledge to Saudi Arabia, Congress has not yet approved the weapons sale and several politicians are ready to block it.
This fucker is the devil incarnate
Agreed.
Because the GOP can brainwash their sheeple into believing that the “undeserving others” are getting things that they don’t really deserve, and therefore should have them taken away.
This is the bullshit lie that Limbaugh and his ilk have been repeating for years: “Hey white working class? Those lazy black and brown people think they’re “entitled” to your hard-earned tax dollars!”
Fuck OUR FEELINGS??? Karma will not be kind.
Good Sunday afternoon TOD family. Am just returning from 2 days in the woods with no cell service. A wonderful wonderful time with blur skies, trees and peace. Now to catch up on all the news.
It’s so freaky that even being away 2 days, so much awful is happening, that it’s good you got to be away from it.
Things happen so fast I get whiplash. So having some peace and quiet has helped my attitude.
They stood up for their values and calmly walked out (from non-violent protests lessons of Ghandi and King). Bravo to our young people who will not allow a day that is supposed to be about them be shanghied by folks with agendas that are anathema to them
I saw reports on Twitter that the Bibi-#45 dinner has been cancelled because so many ministers were refusing to attend even after Bibi demanded that they do. Seems some politicians in the world do have the balls to stand on their principles. 45 will be okay with this since he gets exhausted so soon. A weak, ignorant, lazy, insular, poorly educated, easily manipulated old man is the president of the world’s largest democracy; we are so f**ked. I am old enough to remember when the msm and the GOP complained that PBO was doing too much, mostly because it revealed how little they do. He stood there and asked them “What would you have me not do?” and listed all of the urgent matters that he was attending to to keep our economy and ship of state on course. They knew the brilliant Black man was showing them up and they would have rather that he failed to live down to their racists expectations. Now, we have an old white man who is showing them everyday, in living color, the reality of the things of which they falsely accused PBO and they are so scared and confused that inertia has set in. They know that the WH is a mess and the country is about to go over a cliff and they have no idea how to stop any of it.
Sure they do, but it means giving up their tax cuts and robbing the poor to feed the rich, something they don’t want to do.
Oh I feel so sorry for him. NOT!!
Iran’s re-elected moderate President Hassan Rouhani has received a further boost after reformists won key council elections in the capital, Tehran.
The pro-Rouhani reformist group Omid (Hope) won all 21 seats, ousting their conservative rivals who had been in power for 14 years.
Mr Rouhani won Friday’s presidential election in the first round.
He promised voters a moderate and outward-looking Iran and criticised the conservative-dominated judiciary.
Council elections were held alongside the presidential vote and the results were announced on Sunday.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39992416
Poor dears - so sad.
THey really are a mob of whingers - from the top down. This is nothing compared to what the GOP did in 2010.
Elites in La La Land.
LOL.
isn’t rucker the one who kisses the gopee ass 24×7? fuck him and his ilk’s whining now.
That might work in Riyadh but when they get to Europe the local reporters will ask the right questions
Ok, TOD, I translated the wonderful Italian article in the tweet up top. Thank you JER, for posting it and thank you Nerdy for highlighting it.
I did it myself, not Google translate, so that it would be more accurate and natural. I’m going to try to do this a couple of paragraphs at a time, since there have been difficulties before with posting long comments.
Enjoy!
Mr. and Mrs. Obama in Montalcino: Golf for Barack, gelato and shopping for Michele
The ex President of the United States in Siena for a Tuscan vacation
Montalcino. “Michelle, we miss you”, you are missed by us, shouted Jane Ackerman from Denver, Colorado jumping up and down with emotion and poking her husband with a squeal: “The Obamas are on vacation exactly when we are!” The ex First Lady, accompanied by three friends, looked up and waved hello with her hand. Then slipped into Why Not, a gelato shop on the curve of Corso Garibaldi in Montalcino, a tiny hole in the wall judging by the yellow walls with two tables at the entrance.
It was a surprise visit made by Michelle in the town famous for its Brunello wine, during the second day of a Tuscan vacation that she is spending with her husband at Borgo Finocchieto, the Six Star resort owned by the ex American Ambassador to Italy, John Phillips. A simple afternoon walk: just the right time for a cup of chocolate and coconut gelato and a bit of shopping, while Barack plays golf with friend Richard Parsons on Massimo Ferragamo’s course at Castiglion del Bosco resort, nine kilometers away.
In Montalcino, no one anticipated a visit so illustrious: beginning with young gelato vendor, Ambra Tommasi who, recalled: “At the beginning, I didn’t recognize her. And it’s a good thing I didn’t because maybe I would have dropped the gelato to the floor from the emotion. That gracious woman: she tried to speak to me but I was making these big smiles. I understood who it was only when she lifted her sunglasses and looked at me: this one, I know her, I told myself.”
Meanwhile, a small curious crowd encircled the gelato shop where Michelle - in decidedly vacation style, a rose blouse that exposed one shoulder, white pants and white sandals - was made comfortable outside protected by three bodyguards, from the Secret Service and from the Carabinieri [Italian State Police - kind of like our FBI]. And if the residents of Montalcino were pleasantly surprised, the most excited were definitely the few American tourists, that every now and then shouted affectionate phrases to her.
After the gelato, the little group moved to the Piazza del Popolo to make purchases in the Montalcino fabric shop 564 owned by Massimo Gorelli. “And who could have imagined it” the owner told La Republica right after the visit. “I saw all these women and for a moment I didn’t understand anything. What elegance! What style! She bought two of our shawls, handmade fabrics. She had chosen a Panama-type hat but the size was too small. ‘I need a ‘big hat’ - a bigger hat, she told me with a smile. How much did she spend? No, this I don’t want to say.”
The walk lasted at least 45 minutes: and concluded at one of the rocky fortresses that dominate the region. Here the ex First Lady stopped to chat with a family from Sarzana, granting them a selfie with the children and once again greeted the curious. Then, during the applause, she climbed into a black Chevrolet with blackened windows, returning to Borgo Finocchieto for dinner. “Michelle we miss you” Jane, still behind her, shouted with a sigh.
Eccolo! (there it is!). I hope you enjoy reading about our Forever FLOTUS, how loved she is by Americans in Italy and by Italians, how gracious and kind she is, and what a wonderful example and representation of us she and Forever POTUS make on our behalf around the world.
Here is the link to the original article from the tweet at the top of Nerdy’s post here, with the video clips of our FFLOTUS and FPOTUS:
firenze.repubblica.it/cronaca/2017/05/20/news/i_coniugi_obama_a_montalcino_golf_per_barack_gelato_e_shopping_per_michelle-165936544/
Thank you MadameSophe. Sounds like they’re having fun.
Thank you MadameSoph - just delightful. The Obamas can travel everywhere & are loved.
thank you madame Soph…
i loved your personal touch…it felt like i was there…i can imagine the JOY it must have brought to folks to see our FLOTUS …up front and personal
I love this! ❤️😹
Thanks MadameSophe for taking the time to do that.
Thanks MSoph!
Italy is my favorite tour destination and the Obamas are my favorite people/role models.
Wonderful translation, Madame Soph! Thank you so much.
Thank you for this JER! I just posted a translation of that article you posted yesterday and Nerdy featured today. This pic goes perfectly with it! What a difference the impression PBO makes on the golf course vs. the orange embarrassment! The Italians have a saying “Fare una bella figura” which means, to “make a good impression”. It’s very important in Italy. Che bella figura (what a good impression) President Obama and Michelle Obama make on our behalf (much better than the “brutta figura” made by Cheeto Mussolini).
Thanks so much MadameSoph for your translation.
PBO looks good 😊
Bullsh!tter-In-Chief said this weekend: “This is a battle between those who seek to obliterate human life and those who protect it.”
The leader of the Death Party got it right.
Was Donald pressured by Putin to fire Comey and meet with the Russians in the Oval Office (minus our media)?
Sounded like a surrogate and subordinate when he said “I faced great pressure because of Russia.”
This is an excellent question beautifully stated. Absolutely perfect.
Good Morning Everyone! It’s a great day! 😄
I’m overjoyed to be sitting with family awaiting the start of the commencement ceremony at Clark Atlanta University.
My sister’s getting her BSW. Woohoo!
We’re grateful the rain appears to be holding off for now. I’m especially grateful to know that they will be granting an honorary to NASA math legend, Katherine Johnson. Sadly, it looks like she won’t be here herself; I think her daughters will be accepting on her behalf (they did that for her at Spelman the other day). Still pretty cool though. Jesse Jackson, John Conyers, and William Pickhard (commencement speaker) are also receiving honorary degrees.
Congratulations to your sister, Dudette! Best wishes to you all & wishing you a wonderful day together 🙂
Thanks sherijr!
Congratulations to your sister, Dudette. I’m glad the predicted rain is holding off and the sun is smiling down on us. You and your family enjoy celebration of this achievement.
Thanks swbga!
It actually started raining immediately after the last graduates left the stadium. That was wild! 😅
I wondered about that. I’m glad the rain held off until after the ceremony was completed.
Looks like you’ve been celebrating a number of graduations. A lot of pride to spread around. 😀 Congrats to all of the graduates. 👏🎓👏
Yep, thanks! Three more coming up (high schoolers) in the next couple weeks. They’re out of state, and I can’t go, but I’ll be bragging on those babies too, cuz, ya know, that’s what auntie does! 😁
😉
Continuing to drain that swamp!
Can the President overrule the ethics department
It’s only abuse of power if you’re a Republican. Honestly, it’s hard to tell these days because he seems to get away with so much.
Isn’t 45’s administration trying to do the same?
GM JER.
Just another step toward DJT’s #jackbooted #autocratic #plutocracy. 😦
Morning, family:) Happy Monday!
I hope so df - he is now out and amount rearming those areas of the world where PBO pulled back on arms sales - in such a short ime he can do so much harm inside and outside the US. Unbelievable that the GOP in congress ignore what he does.
BREAKING: AP Source: Michael Flynn to decline Senate Intel committee subpoena, invoke 5th Amendment later today.— The Associated Press (@AP) May 22, 2025
So what happens now?
He’s probably setting up interviews with the Special Counsel office.
GM Betsy.
According to Andrew Cohen on @CBSradionews, the Senate’s only option for him to testify is to offer him immunity in exchange for testimony. 😦
Really hate to see any of these #traitors get off scott-free.
That can’t be it? That makes a mockery of their subpoena power, doesn’t it?
GA Betsy.
Saw these on Meta’s Twitter timeline (always behind…).
And:
Thank you Arapaho415. Funny, 415 is the number of my classroom where I teach. Room 415. Ha ha.
Good morning all. No words for Flynn invoking the 5th.
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 5/19/17
How might Donald Trump try to end the special investigation?
Rachel Maddow looks at some ways by which Donald Trump could try to get in the way of the Trump-Russia special investigation or eliminate it entirely.
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 5/19/17
Can the Trump-Russia special counsel be undermined by Trump?
Neal Katyal, former US acting solicitor general who helped draft the special counsel regulations, talks with Rachel Maddow about the ways in which Donald Trump might seek to undermine or eliminate the Trump-Russia special investigation.
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 5/19/17
Flynn inquiry calls for espionage expertise
Barbara McQuade, former U.S. attorney, talks with Rachel Maddow about what is means to be an espionage prosecutor and why one might be assigned to the the case of disgraced Donald Trump NSA Mike Flynn.
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 5/19/17
Comey firing story contains giant contradiction
Rachel Maddow shows how a request for more resources preceding James Comey’s firing was widely reported in the media but is adamantly denied by the Department of Justice - an irreconcilable contradiction.
New post.
https://theobamadiary.com/2017/05/22/golfing-and-gelato-in-italy/