The Obama Diary

President Obama arrives at John F. Kennedy International Airport

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President Obama’s limousine is seen under a tent outside a private residence as he speaks at a campaign event in New York

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Another gentle reminder:

Please vote for the kids at Desertflower’s school – the deadline is midnight tonight (see today’s Rise and Shine post for more info).

You can do so either online or by text:

Go to the RefreshEverything website – registering takes two minutes, just type “desert shadows” in the search box and the school will come up. Then vote!

Or, Text 73774 and type in the message code 109320.

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Esquire

Charles Pierce: It is gradually dawning on people that Newt Gingrich is not the flavor-of-the-month/week/day/hour, and is very likely going to be the Other Guy for as long as there is a contest for the Republican nomination. It’s certainly becoming clear to Willard Romney, who yesterday got pissy with a Fox News anchor and lapsed into that unattractive part of his personality that can best be described as his Flog-the-Scrimey-Help mode…. Willard, you’ve got a problem.

If Newt Gingrich really thinks he can win, then Newt Gingrich will do absolutely anything to accomplish that. He has no conscience in these matters, and he has no soul to speak of. He believes that the rules governing ordinary mortals in matters like public prevarication and gross public deceit do not apply to him….

… This is no longer a campaign. It is Newt Gingrich’s last chance to define himself in history as the grandiose figure he sees when he looks in the mirror … If anyone thinks he’s likely to abandon that great quest just because he’s fundamentally unprincipled, and because the image itself is a tinpot fraud, they’re fooling themselves….

Full post here

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Osborneink: The Occupation movement has a large contingent - not quite half - that is passionately opposed to endorsing the president of the United States for reelection …. this portion has managed to make the president into a source of division within the broader progressive movement. The Occupation was supposed to break our silos, but we are still talking past one another and that’s got to stop.

You’ve probably heard by now that black Americans are not taking part in the Occupation….

…. I can’t help thinking back to Jane Hamsher, whose participation in the XL Keystone protests actually hurt their credibility in the African American ‘sphere. I’m also reminded of how John Lewis got shunned in Atlanta, giving that city’s mayor room to deny the Occupation legitimacy. Puritan gatekeeping gets you nothing.

Joan Walsh and Glenn Greenwald and David Sirota, et al - what I’ve come to call the Salonites - don’t seem to understand the topic of race privilege, much less class. Recognition that race is a cultural construct does not blunt the cumulative effect of constant attacks on the character and intelligence of the first African American president.

Put simply, the Bill Maher - Michael Moore set has alienated a huge Democratic demographic…..

Read the full post here

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Thank you Video Queen Donna

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First Lady Michelle Obama meets with members of the board of Partnership for a Healthier America, an organization working to end childhood obesity, at the Omni Hotel in Washington, D.C., Nov. 30, 2011. Mrs. Obama later delivered the keynote address at the PHA’s inaugural Building a Healthier Future Summit. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)