1:45: Tours classrooms at Manor New Technology High School
2:05: Delivers remarks
4:15: The First Lady Hosts Mother’s Day Tea
6:0: The President tours Applied Materials Inc.
5.40: Delivers remarks
6:35: Departs Austin, Texas
9:45: Arrives the White House
****
Steve Benen: For the fourth consecutive week, the figures on initial unemployment claims from the Department of Labor offered unexpectedly good news:
The number of people who applied for regular state unemployment-insurance benefits ticked down 4,000 to 323,000 in the week ending May 4, hitting the lowest level since January 2008 ….. Economists had expected initial claims to rise slightly …. The four-week average of new jobless claims fell 6,250 to 336,750, hitting the lowest level since November 2007, near the start of the recession.
Greg Sargent: One party is threatening the recovery far more than the other is – It’s been widely pointed out by liberals that much of the discussion of fiscal issues conducted by supposedly “neutral” reporters actually does take sides in a pernicious way. It often treats it as a given that near term deficit reduction is a good thing — sometimes even cheerleading for that outcome – when in fact there is an actual policy dispute over this point, with many arguing that immediate deficit reduction is destructive to the recovery, and that dealing with the deficit should be deferred until the economy is stronger.
And that’s why today’s big New York Times piece quoting a range of economists arguing that Washington’s deficit obsession has proven a drag on the recovery is so important and welcome….
USA Today: Starting a series of “Middle Class Jobs & Opportunity Tours,” Obama travels to Austin to visit high-tech facilities and promote his plans for education and basic research funding.
…. Among his announcements: A competition to create three “Manufacturing Innovation Institutes,” partnerships among businesses, colleges, and government to help create new manufacturing jobs. The president has asked Congress for $1 billion to create a total of 15 such institutes.
Obama will also discuss plans to require the government to make its data more easily available to business people, researchers and others.
Bob Cesca: 13 Benghazis That Occurred on Bush’s Watch Without a Peep from Fox News
The Republican inquisition over the attacks against Americans in Benghazi has never really gone away, but it appears as though in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing and the House Oversight Committee’s Benghazi hearings this week there’s renewed psycho-histrionics over Benghazi…..
1:0: The President attends a forum on Inclusive Economic Growth and Development (Audio only at White House live)
3:0: Departs San Jose, Costa Rica en route Washington, DC
7:20: Arrives Joint Base Andrews
7:35: Arrives the White House
****
Live coverage from Costa Rica:
****
Tomorrow:
9:45: President Obama departs the White House
11:15: Arrives Columbus, Ohio
12:35: Delivers the commencement speech at The Ohio State University
3:25: Arrives the White House
****
The week ahead:
Monday: The President will have meetings at the White House
Tuesday: Welcomes President Park Geun-hye of the Republic of Korea to the White House
Wednesday: Meetings at the White House
Thursday: Travels to Austin, Texas for events on the economy and to see UT. Returns to the White House in the evening
Friday: Meetings at the White House
Saturday: The President and the Vice President will honor the 2013 National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) TOP COPS award winners at the White House
****
President Barack Obama and President Laura Chinchilla of Costa Rica participate in a cultural event with Costa Rican youth at Casa Amarilla, San Jose, Costa Rica, May 3, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
****
****
President Obama at his joint press conference with Costa Rica’s President Laura Chincilla in San Jose, May 3
****
A Cinco de Mayo pic or two, even though it’s only the 4th
2009:
President Obama and the First Lady take the elevator to the private residence after a Cinco de Mayo celebration at the White House, May 4, 2009 (Photo by Samantha Appleton)
So, Denmark won Eurovision Song Contest, musical equivalent of a GOP primary. Not a patch on 2012 Russian Grannies youtube.com/watch?v=WKNRGc…1 hour ago