The Obama Diary

A Year Ago Today: Fredericksburg, September 13, 2025

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Today (all times Eastern):

1:15: The President holds a bilateral meeting with the Amir of Kuwait; the Vice President also attends

3:35: The President and Vice President meet with Labor Leaders

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Eugene Robinson: Yes, Vladimir, America is exceptional

…. when Putin tries to lecture “the American people and their political leaders” from a position of moral superiority, no one on earth can take him seriously. As for Syria, the sinister and barbarous government of dictator Bashar al-Assad would not last one week without the military hardware that Russia generously provides. Putin thus has the blood of tens of thousands of civilians on his hands.

…. To me, the concept of exceptionalism underpins Obama’s strongest argument for taking military action in Syria. When we see more than 1,400 men, women and children killed with poison gas, it is not our nature to look away. We ask ourselves whether there is anything we should do. We weigh the costs and benefits, the risks and rewards, and we do what we can. The moral case for a strike against the Assad regime is predicated on the fact that if the United States doesn’t do something, nobody will.

Yes, Mr. Putin, you can call that American exceptionalism. I like it a lot better than the Russian kind.

Full post here

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I’ll say it again, Obama is the most psychologically well-balanced President ever. Not just for putting up with the Wingnutz, but all y’all.

— kara vallow (@teenagesleuth) September 11, 2025

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USA Today: Obama’s day: A new economic adviser

President Obama closes a long week Friday by meeting with labor leaders and the Amir of Kuwait, and by tapping a new top economic adviser.

Obama is expected to announce that former White House official Jeffrey Zients will be the next director of the National Economic Council; Zients will replace Gene Sperling, who will depart at the start of next year.

….. Secretary of State John Kerry is still in Switzerland, talking with Russian officials about a plan to have Syria turn over its chemical weapons to international control; the U.S. is insisting on verification, and reserving the right to use military action.

Later this afternoon, Obama and Vice President Biden meet with labor leaders who have questions and criticism of the new health care plan.

Full post here

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Sunday on @ThisWeekABC I speak exclusively with President @BarackObama at this critical moment in his presidency. http://t.co/7zRnLyvI7l

— GeorgeStephanopoulos (@GStephanopoulos) September 12, 2025

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BBC: Kerry calls Syria chemical weapons talks ‘constructive’

US Secretary of State John Kerry has described as “constructive” talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on securing Syria’s chemical weapons.

The two men began a second day of talks in Geneva by meeting UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to discuss the wider issue of peace in Syria.

Talks between Mr Kerry and Mr Lavrov on the weapons issue began on Thursday and could continue over the weekend.

Mr Kerry said they were working hard to find “common ground”.

The BBC’s Paul Adams in Geneva says this is a moment of diplomatic momentum over Syria that has not been seen for a couple of years and both parties want to make the most of that.

More here

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"Obama's Magnificent Stealth Negotiation w/Putin" What really went on in those 20 minutes when PBO spoke with Putin? http://t.co/q9qJKzl1p1

— Kasai™ (@Kahsai) September 11, 2025

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notice how news UN confirmed Assad behind “massive” chem attacks barely caused ripple among DC press? chems of no interest; all abt Obama

— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) September 13, 2025

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ThinkProgress: How Obamacare Could Revolutionize Addiction Treatment

Obamacare’s treatment of alcoholism and other drug addiction as chronic diseases that must be covered by insurance plans could lead to as many as 40 million Americans entering rehabilitation programs, according to California Health Report.

Government data shows that about 24 million Americans aged 12 and older require treatment for a substance abuse issue — but only 11 percent of them received it at a specialty facility. These facilities charge an average of $4,000 for admission, and even outpatient facilities cost an average of $1,500 per course of treatment.

Obamacare could help eliminate those cost barriers for people seeking treatment. “I don’t think there’s another illness that will be more affected by the Affordable Care Act,” said Dr. Thomas McLellan, former deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy…

More here

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They say Obamacare doesn’t work, but working Minnesotans will be able to get basic coverage for $91 starting Oct. 1 http://t.co/ItNVi3Ohoi

— Rep. Keith Ellison (@keithellison) September 12, 2025

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ThinkProgress: Don’t Worry, Young People Won’t Avoid Signing Up For Obamacare

Uninsured young people are eager to sign up for health care coverage, a new Reuters survey finds, suggesting that the new health care exchanges that are part of the Affordable Care Act could attract enough healthy people to “offset the costs of covering sicker Americans and keep the system afloat financially.”

Half of Americans between the ages of 18 through 34 support the health care law, the poll found, while one-third of “young adults in the poll said they are ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ likely to buy insurance through their state’s exchange.” As Sharon Begley writes, if half of that population follows through and purchases coverage, “the White House would easily meet its goal of getting 2.7 million young adults – out of about 16 million uninsured 19-to-29-year-olds – to buy Obamacare insurance for 2014.”

More here

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More good ACA news. Low rates and more competition coming to Iowa. http://t.co/PzToGuEbGQ

— David Simas (@Simas44) September 12, 2025

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ThinkProgress: D.C. United Sign On To Help Promote Obamacare

Major League Soccer’s D.C. United have signed on to help promote DC Health Link, the health care exchange that opens in just three weeks as part of Obamacare, President Obama’s major health care reform law. United are the second major franchise to agree to promote the law, after the National Football League’s Baltimore Ravens agreed to partner with the state of Maryland to promote an exchange there.

United will promote the law through on-field activities, public address announcements, and tailgating at RFK Stadium, United’s home, during an October 4 home game….

More here

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House Republicans and Obamacare: Trying to make sense of their senselessness http://t.co/joI2GbXohK

— Jonathan Cohn (@CitizenCohn) September 13, 2025

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Steve Benen: House GOP like a jukebox that only plays one song

….. Their irrational, wild-eyed hatred of “Obamacare” has become all consuming, GOP lawmakers can apparently think of little else. Real work is pushed to the backburner so symbolic “message” votes like these can make the right feel better about itself.

Indeed, it’s this mindless contempt for the moderate health care law that’s become all-consuming for congressional Republicans - it’s why a government shutdown is increasingly likely and why the GOP may very well trash the full faith and credit of the United States next month for the first time in American history.

“Obamacare,” in other word, has pushed Republicans to madness, for no particular reason….

Full post here

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A preview of the coming Republican crack-up over Obamacare: http://t.co/G2O8umW0ej

— Michael Cohen (@speechboy71) September 13, 2025

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Business Insider: You Can’t Resist The Medicaid Expansion — Another Republican Governor Wants In

Even though conservatives want to resist Obamacare implementation in any way they can, nine of 30 Republican governors have pushed for their states to participate in Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion. It looks like that number is about to rise to 10.

According to various publications Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett (R) will announce on Monday a plan for his state to expand Medicaid …. Corbett, like other Republican governors, is in a tough position. Conservatives are obsessed with blocking Obamacare and they don’t want states to participate in any way, even if the federal government will pay substantially all the costs. But when Republican state officials decline to participate, they will have to explain to both medical providers and potential Medicaid beneficiaries that they turned down free federal money just to spite the president.

More here

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.@Heritage puts anti-Obamacare billboard in Times Square after state announces huge premium drop http://t.co/t0dtNN6lqf

— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) September 12, 2025

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TPM: Florida Takes Obamacare Obstruction To Whole New Level

The Florida Department of Health took a big step toward obstructing Obamacare outreach this week — then almost immediately walked it back Thursday, at least in one of the state’s biggest counties.

The state health department quietly sent a directive Monday to local county health departments, telling them that Obamacare’s so-called navigators — federally funded groups that are charged with helping people sign up for coverage under the law — would not be allowed to do outreach in their offices.

…. County Commissioner Kenneth Welch, a Democrat, told TPM that the actions of the state health department, which is under the authority of Gov. Rick Scott, a vehement Obamacare opponent, were “purely political.”

“It makes no sense whatsoever. It’s ridiculous,” said Welch, whose county is the sixth-largest in Florida. “They’re reaching for any way to obstruct anything that’s related to the Affordable Care Act.”

More here

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TPM: Revealed: The Secret Koch Group That Gave Conservatives $236 Million In 2012

An almost completely unknown group with strong ties to the Koch brothers has identified itself as the secret source of almost a quarter of a billion dollars received by conservative political groups in 2012.

The group, Freedom Partners, raised $256 million in the year following its creation in November 2011, and made grants totaling $236 million to conservative groups, according to Politico, which was shown a draft of an IRS document the group plans to file shortly. As Politico put it, the upshot of Freedom Partners’ revelation is that “a totally unknown group was the largest sugar daddy for conservative groups in the last election, second in total spending only to Karl Rove’s American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS.”

More here

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When they show you who they are, believe them. @ggreenwald promotes racist, gun-nut anti-government hate group. http://t.co/h2OViRLFEw

— Spandan @ TPV (@thepeoplesview) September 12, 2025

When emotarian liberals say “I voted for Obama”, it’s their version of “I have a black friend.”

— Spandan @ TPV (@thepeoplesview) September 13, 2025

Hayes’ “EmoNation” on #msnbc down to 89,000 in the demo-> Scoreboard Wed Sept 11: http://t.co/ZcDji9HEFo via @tvnewser .@TheScottFinley

— Derek (@Dmusee) September 13, 2025

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The Hill: Biden calls House GOP ‘Neanderthals’

Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday called House Republicans “Neanderthals” for initially opposing the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).”

“I’m going to say something outrageous,” Biden said at a party at his home in Washington to celebrate the 19th anniversary of VAWA …. “I think I understand the Senate better than any man or women who’s ever served in there, and I think I understand the House … I was surprised this last time … The idea we still had to fight? We had to fight to reauthorize [VAWA]?”

Biden then blamed “this sort of Neanderthal crowd” in the House for initially opposing the legislation.

“Did you ever think we’d be fighting over, you know, 17, 18 years later to reauthorize this?,” he asked.

More here

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Well it’s Friday the 13th, and you know what that means: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

— God (@TheTweetOfGod) September 13, 2025

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A Year Ago Today:

Ricky Watson of Littleton, Colorado wipes tears from his eyes after he thanked President Barack Obama for repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” at a campaign rally in Golden, Colorado, September 13, 2012. Watson was kicked out of the Air Force 25 years ago for being gay.

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Awesome church sign pic.twitter.com/cOgsdfL7aB @CapehartJ

— rosierifka (@rosierifka) September 13, 2025

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MooooOOOOoooorning! A billion, trillion, zillion, gazillion thanks to UT for all of yesterday’s posts after I had to disappear again - Chelsea Girl is soooOOOooomething else.