Video: 11-year-old reporter, Damon Weaver, interviews President Obama

Student Reporter Damon Weaver was invited to come to the White House to talk about education with President Obama

Video: The First Lady celebrates 'Cinco de Mayo' with some really cute kids

She is such a totally cool and awesome first lady. If only I could be a little kid again. I'd love to be a kid and hang out with her.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Video: President Obama on his 100th Day

Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) has a challenger

This is interesting, remembering that Senator Specter was one of the three Republican Senators who voted in favor of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Yesterday Senator Specter told reporters at the State Capitol that the economy was worse than was publicly known and that the economy is on 'the bring of a depression.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Peg Luksik, who ran for governor three times in the 1990s, plans to challenge Arlen Specter for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 2010 and said Tuesday she wouldn't back down if fellow conservative Pat Toomey decides to join the race.

"This is not about hitting Specter," Luksik said in a telephone interview. "This is about giving families a voice in the U.S. Senate." source: Examiner.com

And here is Specter's Republican challenger.

Greenville, SC Tea Party

Scrapin' Southern Boys: Paul Begala goes after South Carolina's Republican Governor

That's Paul Begala over thereto your left, but you probably knew that already.

Meet Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina to your right.

Don't take the money? The money from Washington most certainly will be taken, but Paul Begala makes the point in a most excellent way.

Begala is a Southern boy so of course he can.

Go Begala!

If Republican politicians are so deeply opposed to President Obama's economic recovery plan, they should refuse to take the money. After all, if you think all that federal spending is damaging, there are easy ways to reduce it: Don't take federal money.

Gov. Sanford can lead the way. South Carolina should decline to accept any federal funds for transportation, education, health care, clean energy or any of the other ideas President Obama is advocating to fix the economy. And the rest of the GOP can follow suit.

Justice Louis Brandeis famously called states "laboratories of democracy." So let's experiment. Gov. Sanford can be the guinea pig. His Palmetto State already gets $1.35 back from Washington for every dollar it pays in federal taxes, according to 2005 numbers, the latest calculated by the Tax Foundation, a nonprofit tax research group.

South Carolina is a ward of the federal government. It's been on welfare for years. If Gov. Sanford is so all-fired opposed to federal spending, let's start by cutting federal spending in South Carolina. Otherwise, he's got about as much credibility on fiscal conservatism as A-Rod has on steroids.

Under the Bush-Sanford economic theories, South Carolina's unemployment rate has reached 9.5 percent -- among the highest in the nation. But if Gov. Sanford wants to continue those policies, good luck to him.

Make no mistake about it, Republicans like Gov. Sanford want to go back to the bad old days of George W. Bush. In his CNN.com column, Gov. Sanford expends 605 words attacking President Obama's plan to turn the country around after eight years of Bush-Republican-Sanford economics. source: CNN - read more here

President Obama reads to second grade students

OK, I'm very easily charmed by this guy. I also got a little bit of a creepy feeling remembering the 'seven minutes of silence'.

Some might be critical of President Obama's remarks to the kids, citing that perhaps he did not speak at a second grade level, in large part because he was not only communicating with young children, but also with the American people at the same time.

I am of the opinion that we need a President who doesn't dumb us down --adults or children. Use the big words because we can always look them up if we need to. Sometimes I need to.

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AFTER READING TO THE SECOND GRADE CLASS
Capital City Public Charter School
Washington, D.C.
February 3, 2009

THE PRESIDENT: Well, listen, you guys, you've been terrific. Thank you so much for your hospitality --

MRS. OBAMA: -- your good questions.

THE PRESIDENT: -- your excellent questions.

MRS. OBAMA: -- your outstanding listening skills.

THE PRESIDENT: You're excellent listeners. And the reason we came to visit, A, we wanted to get out of the White House; B, we wanted to see you guys; but C, the other thing we wanted to tell everybody is that this kind of innovative school, the outstanding work that's being done here by the entire staff, and the parents who are so active and involved, is an example of how all our schools should be.

And what I've asked Arne Duncan to do is to make sure that he works as hard as he can over the next several years to make sure that we're reforming our schools, that we're rewarding innovation the way that it's taking place here, that we're encouraging parents to be involved, that we're raising standards for all children so that everybody can learn -- especially things like math and science that are going to be so important for the jobs of the future.

And so we're very proud of what's been accomplished at this school and we want to make sure that we're duplicating that success all across the country. So nothing is going to be more important than this. And the recovery and reinvestment act that we've put forward will provide billions of dollars to build schools and help with school construction. It will provide money to train teachers, especially in subjects like math and science that are so critical. And it will also give Secretary Duncan the resources he needs to reward excellent, innovative schools. And so we think it's really important for the country that we get that bill passed.

But thank you so much, everybody. Appreciate you.

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you, guys. This was fun. (Applause.)

There's more about the trip, as well as a video message from Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, at WhiteHouse.gov.

Is having a President who clearly loves to read good for America?

Nice piece on NPR. Barack Obama not only reads, but he writes books, and has a clear command in the totally awesome speech for which he was bettlittled by John McCain during the 2008 election cycle.

A 2006 Skokie Public Library poster features the president-elect reading Team Of Rivals: the Political Genius Of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Skokie Public Library

"It's great news for Democrats," he said. "It's great news for African-Americans. But I think it is also great news for everyone here tonight because our new president is, in the broadest sense of the word, a reader."

...Harold Augenbraum, the executive director of the National Book Foundation, says the book world sees something different in Obama because he's the author of two best-sellers: "You actually have both a writer and a reader in the White House who is articulate and eloquent in his own right."

What's more, Obama is an orator, and Harper's vice president and publisher Jonathan Burnham says it's the president-elect's way with words that so excites the publishing world.

"He's deeply interested in the effects of words on listeners and on readers, so that makes his reading more important," says Burnham. "And it's clear that he reads not just for entertainment, but to stimulate whatever gifts he has that make him the incredible speaker that he is."

Obama likes nonfiction, and he likes novels by great American writers like Toni Morrison and E.L. Doctorow. Source: NPR - read/listen to more here

Pell Grants: Hillary Clinton responds to the recent passing of Senator Claiborne Pell

January 1, 2009

Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on the Death of Claiborne Pell

"I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of the giants of the Senate, Claiborne Pell, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family, his friends, and with the people of Rhode Island. Claiborne Pell was a voice for Rhode Island and a champion for the bedrock principle that every American deserves the chance to pursue his or her talents and achieve his or her potential. The grants that bear Senator Pell's name have enabled tens of millions of students to pursue a college education, opening the doors of opportunity as never before. Throughout his long and distinguished career, Senator Pell led with integrity, humor, and determination, writing landmark legislation that shaped policy in the arts, transportation, foreign relations, and of course education. He was an inspiration to me and to so many across this country. His passing is a time to reflect on his indelible legacy and to rededicate ourselves to the principles for which he fought: a more peaceful world, a fairer nation, and opportunity for all." source: clinton.senate.gov

Obama Campaign: 'Education' ad

Education

Jill Biden: Wife of Joe Biden, serious educator, working Mom and down-to-earth.

THE HUFFINGTON POST

Wait 'til America gets to know Jill Biden

By Steven Clemons

August 22, 2008

I had the opportunity a few years ago to enjoy a rolling set of events with Senator Joe Biden, Wes Clark and other national notables.

My partner was with me and normally hates these kinds of things. But he bonded with Jill Biden. They are both educators -- Jill in Delaware and my partner in Maryland.

It was such a pleasure getting to know folks without the pressure of deadlines and press frenzies and the need to maintain a certain "posture." Joe Biden was awesome. . .and his wife Jill was even more impressive, for reasons I'll share more down the road.

But we all had some pics together -- and the next time I saw Joe Biden, he walked up to me at the Capitol Hilton and stuffed some photos of us together in my pocket. "These are from Jill to Andrew," he said. Biden and I agree a lot on policy issues, but we also disagree here and there.

But on the personal front -- he had me hooked.

WAIT, strike that. She had me hooked.

I can't wait until America gets to know Jill Biden. As down to earth and serious about education as they come. She's a working mom like many others around the country.

Joe Biden is going to be Obama's vice presidential running mate.

-- Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note

for source - click here

Campaign Ad: Obama Campaign releases TV ad during olympics

Post from Laurin Manning's Blog:

Obama Campaign Releases New TV Ad to Air During Olympics

By Laurin Manning - Aug 14th, 2008 at 12:01 pm EDT

Obama Campaign Releases New TV Ad to Air During the Olympics 30-Second Spot Highlights Senator Obama's Plan to Stand Up for the Middle Class

CHICAGO - Today, the Obama campaign unveiled a new ad to run during the Olympics. The ad, "Three Bedroom Ranch," discusses Obama's plan to put the middle class first by growing the economy, ending tax cuts for companies that ship jobs overseas, creating new jobs here at home, investing in education and cutting taxes for working families. Barack Obama will ensure the economic security of middle-class families in the short-term, and restore balance and fairness to our economy; to make sure that Americans aren't just getting by, but getting ahead.

"Three Bedroom Ranch" will air on national cable and broadcast in all 50 states beginning Monday.

Watch the ad below:

Peon Question of the Day: Do you think you are better off today, than you were 4 or even 8 years ago?

Barack Obama in St. Petersburg, Florida on Friday, August 1, 2008