President Obama's remarks on Independence Day

A blogger's favorite Obama world pictures (and captions)

I thought this was pretty sweet. A DU blogger posted favorite pictures and added personalized captions. This is not my own, but I most assuredly found it delightful, endearing and amusing.

Thank you fellow blogger for putting a smile on my face!

Go long! Or just sit there...

I'm gonna kick your ass, Joe.

Will ya' get off the fucking phone already?

Will you get your ass over here and help us with this damn tree?

...

You promised me there would be chicken and coleslaw, Mr. President.

...

Pride.

From George to Barack!

No, you're the funny guy...

You think I'd leave out St. Patrick's Day?

Let's reverse it!

Finding the Joy

From This Week With Barack Obama

The First Dog: Meet Bo Obama

From The White House Blog

SUN, APRIL 12, 10:50 AM EST

Meet Bo, the First Dog

In case anybody is wondering, Bo is a boy.

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(The Obamas welcome Bo, a six-month old Portuguese water dog and a gift from
Senator and Mrs. Kennedy to Sasha and Malia, recently at the White House.
White House photos by Pete Souza.)

Meet Bo Obama?

From Politico:

The little guy is a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog given to the Obama girls as a gift by that Portuguese water dog-lovin' senator himself, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts. The girls named it Bo -- and let it be noted that you learned that here first. Malia and Sasha chose the name, because their cousins have a cat named Bo and because first lady Michelle Obama's father was nicknamed Diddley, a source said. (Get it? Bo . . . Diddley?)

Bo's a handsome little guy. Well suited for formal occasions at the White House, he's got tuxedo-black fur, with a white chest, white paws and a rakish white goatee.

Obama Family heads to Maryland to watch Sasha play basketball

Ahhhh sweet normalcy.

KENSINGTON, Md. – He's got a financial summit Monday and a big speech to Congress on Tuesday, so what better way for President Barack Obama to take a break than by watching daughter Sasha play basketball?

The president and first lady Michelle Obama took a motorcade from the White House to a school in Kensington, Md., to watch their 7-year-old daughter play.

It was about a 20-mile drive from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to the school. Reporters saw parents and kids bouncing basketballs outside the school's driveway. source: Yahoo News/AP

ABC News 7 Chicago: First family heads home to Chicago for first time since innauguration

for complete story check ABC News 7 Chicago

Heartfelt Advice for Sasha and Malia Obama from Jenna and Barbara Bush

Very sweet. Wise, touching and sweet.

Some bullet points for Sasha and Malia from Jenna and Barbara.

-- Surround yourself with loyal friends. They'll protect and calm you and join in on some of the fun, and appreciate the history.

-- If you're traveling with your parents over Halloween, don't let it stop you from doing what you would normally do. Dress up in some imaginative, elaborate costume (if you are like us a pack of Juicy Fruit and a Vampiress) and trick-or-treat down the plane aisle.

-- If you ever need a hug, go find Ramsey. If you want to talk football, look for Buddy. And, if you just need a smile, look for "Smiley."

-- And, a note on White House puppies--our sweet puppy Spot was nursed on the lawn of the White House. And then of course, there's Barney, who most recently bit a reporter. Cherish your animals because sometimes you'll need the quiet comfort that only animals can provide.

-- Slide down the banister of the solarium, go to T-ball games, have swimming parties, and play Sardines on the White House lawn. Have fun and enjoy your childhood in such a magical place to live and play.

-- When your dad throws out the first pitch for the Yankees, go to the game.

The closing of the open letter to the young children of President Barack Obama and First Lady, Michelle Obama from the seasoned veterans, Jenna and Barbara Bush, definitely engaged my tender heart.

And finally, although it's an honor and full of so many extraordinary opportunities, it isn't always easy being a member of the club you are about to join. Our dad, like yours, is a man of great integrity and love; a man who always put us first. We still see him now as we did when we were seven: as our loving daddy. Our Dad, who read to us nightly, taught us how to score tedious baseball games. He is our father, not the sketch in a paper or part of a skit on TV. Many people will think they know him, but they have no idea how he felt the day you were born, the pride he felt on your first day of school, or how much you both love being his daughters. So here is our most important piece of advice: remember who your dad really is.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Well done Jenna and Barbara. Well done.

'Faux First Family' Participates in Full-Blown Dress Rehearsal for Inaugural Rehearsal

Up to one million expended to attend the inaugural and the parade. Stand ins for President Bush and other dignitaries are also in attendance for this practice session.

The stand-ins are identified by placards hanging from around their respective necks.

African American individuals are playing the parts of the Obama family for the rehearsal.

Weekend Edition Sunday, January 11, 2009 · Bands of the five Armed Services - the Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard and Army - take part in a final, full-dress rehearsal along the parade route used for Barack Obama's January 20th Inauguration. Guest host David Greene speaks with NPR's Allison Keyes as she reports from the scene. source: NPR

Narrowing It Down: 'First Dog' News

The future first family on the night

that Barack Obama gave his acceptance speech

at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado.

We have two choices. Pictured left is a photo of a Labradoodle, and at right is a Portuguese water dog.

On Election Night, Obama said: “Sasha and Malia, I love you both more than you can imagine. You have earned the puppy that is coming with us."

The president-elect told Stephanopoulos: “They seem to have narrowed it down to a Labradoodle or a Portuguese water hound.”

“A medium-sized,” the anchor observed.

Hi Daddy!

Hi Gerardo Family!

Obama Family Out and About in D.C.: The Lincoln Memorial and The Washington Monument get a late night visit from the future 'First Family'

Do you know that feeling of overwhelming restlessness? Oh those poor Secret Service guys.

The Obama Family is most definitely going to keep the Secret Service on their toes.

See also the visit to Ben's Chili Bowl.

WASHINGTON - President-elect Barack Obama made an unannounced visit Saturday night with his family to see the Lincoln Memorial, paying tribute to a former president he frequently invokes as an inspiration.

It was a day in which Obama played the role of tourist, seeing the most famous monuments in the nation's capital while experiencing the flavor of the city.

After riding in a motorcade from their temporary home at the Hay-Adams Hotel, Obama, his wife, Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha entered the grounds around the memorial shortly after 7 p.m. Bundled in coats in the near-40 degree weather, they walked up the dozens of steps in a close pack and into the memorial.

Once inside, Obama and his family had the opportunity to gaze at the nearly 20-foot statue of the 16th president and see the carved inscriptions of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and his Gettysburg Address on the walls.

After touring the memorial for about 20 minutes, including the lower part of the memorial that houses some exhibits, the Obamas walked out, facing the reflecting pool and Washington Monument. They waved to some onlookers standing around the memorial's lower steps. source: MSNBC

There is more than meets the eyes to these late night touristy visits around Washington D.C. by the Obama family just days before the inauguration, and the move of the first family of color into The White House. There is a sense of history. Obama's recent visit to Ben's Chili Bowl may have had something to do with chili and restlessness, but more likely it had to do with that overwhelming sense of history.

Watch this and you will see what I mean.

Photographs: Sasha and Malia's heading out for their first day of school at Sidwell Friends Academy in Washington, D.C.

from inside the hotel getting ready are credited to the Obama Transition Office

PHOTOS:

• • • • • • • •

From The Huffington Post

From MyBO: President-Elect Obama Arrives in Washington, D.C.

by Christopher Hass - Monday January 5 2009 06:57:15 PM

President-elect Barack Obama left Chicago and arrived in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, sixteen days before he will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. "I choked up a little bit," he admitted to reporters, as he left behind the city that he first arrived at in 1985 as a young community organizer.

The Obamas came to the capital early so their daughters could start classes today. This morning, President-elect Obama and Michelle helped their two daughters, Malia and Sasha, get ready for their first day of school:

President-elect Obama then headed to Capitol Hill, where he met individually with both Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to discuss the economic stimulus package that's expected to be one of the first priorities of the new Congress. In a brief statement to the press before his meeting with Speaker Pelosi, President-elect Obama explained:

The reason we are here today is because the people can't wait. We have an extraordinary economic challenge ahead of us. We are expecting a sobering job report at the end of the week. The speaker and her staff have been extraordinarily helpful in working with our team so we can shape an economic investment and recovery plan that will start to put people back to work.

Later in the day, President-elect Obama held a meeting with his top economic advisors at the Presidential transition team office in Washington D.C., including Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy Geithner.

On Change.gov, Dan McSwain reported:

“Not only do we need to act boldly, swiftly and with sufficient magnitude to make a difference, but we also have to do things in a new way,” President-elect Obama said.

In his meeting, President-elect Obama underscored the importance of his proposed American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan to create jobs and spur the type of lasting economic change that our country needs.

President-elect Obama also noted that he is “confident” that legislation dealing with his economic plan will maintain “unprecedented transparency.”

“Not only will Congress tell exactly what’s in the bill, but we’re exploring steps, for example, like putting on a website very detailed information about what kind of projects are taking place,” President-elect Obama said.

The 111th Congress will be sworn in tomorrow.

Video: Off to school - Obama children attend first day of school at Sidwell Friends in Washington, D.C.

Michelle Obama's mother will make the move to D.C. to help out with Malia and Sasha's transition

January 5, 2009 · The Obama girls, Malia and Sasha, will start class Monday at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. Their maternal grandmother, Marian Robinson, is moving from Chicago to help them make the adjustment. Commentator Patricia Elam talks about the traditional importance of grandmothers in black families. source NPR Morning Edition

Listen Now

A 'choked up' President-elect Obama leaves Hyde Park for Washington D.C.

There is a human side to politics, believe it or not.

"I've got to tell you, I choked up a little bit leaving my house today," Obama told reporters aboard a government 757 plane typically used by vice presidents and first ladies. It was his first trip on a government aircraft since winning election Nov. 4.

Obama said pictures of his daughter, 10-year-old Malia, and her friends triggered the emotion as he left his Hyde Park home in Chicago.

"Malia's friend had dropped off an album of the two of them. They've been friends since preschool. I just looked through the pages, the house was empty. It was a little tough," Obama said.

Asked if he was looking forward to arriving in Washington, Obama smiled and said yes, "although living in a hotel for two weeks? We did that for two years."

The president-elect is staying at the Hay-Adams Hotel across from the White House. His wife and two young daughters made the same trip from Chicago on Saturday. source: MSNBC

Today the President-elect resumes a busy schedule, meeting with Congressional leaders in Washington, and trying to come up with an economic stimulus plan that will be open to Democrats and Republicans.

Replacement for Richardson

Just yesterday, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson stepped down from being the nominee for Secretary of Commerce due to a grand jury investigation, which creates another pressing matter for Team Obama to attend to.

Future 'Mom-in-Chief' moves Sasha & Malia moved to D.C. and settled for first day of school Monday at Sidwell Friends

SETTLING IN

Michelle Obama is keeping her word of making the transition of her daughters to Washington, D.C. her first priority.

WASHINGTON -- Michelle Obama and her two daughters arrived Saturday in Washington, ahead of President-elect Barack Obama who was expected to make the trip the next day.

The Obamas arrived at their temporary home at the Hay-Adams Hotel, near the White House, on Saturday evening. Aides confirmed their arrival only after the Obamas checked into the hotel and declined to release any details. They had no public schedule.

The Obamas moved early so their daughters -- 7-year-old Sasha and 10-year-old Malia -- could start classes on Monday at the private Sidwell Friends School, an aide said. Other children of well-known politicians to attend the school include Al Gore III and Chelsea Clinton.

The Obamas are staying at the storied Hay-Adams because Blair House, the government's official guest residence, was booked solidly through Jan. 15, the Bush administration said. Blair House is located across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House and has previously housed presidents-elect before taking. source: ABC 7 News Chicago

Home Sweet Soon To Be Home: Pool Report - President-elect and Fam are heading to the Capitol

Obama Family Heads to D.C.

From the pool report: "At 2:27 pm CT, a motorcade believed to be taking Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama to the airport for their move to Washington drove past the pool van... Mr. Obama was NOT with them, or your pool van would have followed. He leaves Sunday afternoon and is expected to get to Andrews AFB at roughly 6:30 p.m. ET." source: Political Wire

President-elect Obama ditches 'Press Pool' for a 'Real Pool' - takes kids to water park

I think the press is going to find themselves ditched from this 'First Family' from time to time. I can't say I blame them.

I also think the fact that the Barack and Michelle Obama want a sense of family and connection and normalcy for their kids while they are in The White House is not unreasonable. They will not get it unless they simply take it.

Dec. 26, 2008 Waimanalo, Hawaii Pool Report No. 5

President-elect Barack Obama arrived at Sea Life Park, a marine amusement park in Waimanalo, about 12:10 p.m. He is apparently inside the park with daughters Malia and Sasha. He left their Kailua vacation home without the
protective press pool.

Your pool arrived at the park about 1:10 p.m. and are holding outside the park to await instructions on whether we will have access to the Obamas.

Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt issued the following statement to your pool:

"With no further scheduled events for the day, a lid was called until further notice. The President-elect decided to take the girls to a water park and we assembled the pool as quickly as possible."

The park is nestled along the shoreline in the sparsely populated and scenic Waimanalo area, with soaring volcanic mountains nearby. source: The Huffington Post

Obama family honors Madelyn Payne Dunham with private memorial service in Hawaii

The Obama family planned to meet after the election to remember and honor their grandmother's memory in a memorial service. That important family time is being taken now as the Obamas spend the holiday season in Hawaii, the birth state of President-elect Barack Obama.

HONOLULU December 23, 2008 (AP)

President-elect Barack Obama gathered with family and friends on Tuesday for a private memorial service for the beloved grandmother who helped raise him.

Madelyn Payne Dunham, known to her friends as "Toot", died Nov. 2, two days before Obama won election to become the nation's first African-American president. She was 86. source: ABC