President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host LGBT reception

Video: First Lady Michelle Obama goes back to the garden

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY

AT THE WHITE HOUSE GARDEN HARVEST PARTY

First Lady's Garden

Transcript

Video: First Lady Michelle Obama brings jazz to The White House

From The White House Blog:

Today, the First Lady is kicking off the White House’s music series with a Jazz Studio where some of the jazz greats of tomorrow will get to meet some of the jazz greats of today. Over 140 students from around the country, including strong representation from New Orleans, will participate in Jazz education workshops to learn from and interact with some of the country’s best Jazz musicians.

[snip]

To get it started, the First Lady will give a few remarks on arts education in America. For teachers and anybody else interested, one pioneering program along those lines is the Jazz in the Schools program from the National Endowment for the Arts and Jazz at Lincoln Center. The web-based curriculum gives teachers the tools to introduce students to the sounds and stories of jazz and to build important connections between the music and our nation’s history, a perfect example of the multi-dimensional value the First Lady will emphasize.

Following the First Lady’s remarks, Jazz greats Paquito D’Rivera, Zach Brown, Kush Abadey, and Elijah Easton will perform along with child protégés Tony Madruga with his ensemble.

This is just the first event in the music series, look for more coming this summer and fall.

Also among those performing were Wynton, Branford and Ellis Marsalis.

Date Night 'Obama Style'

Date night for the Obamas does not come without noise from the right wingers of course. I think that President Obama and the First Lady have worked harder in the four months they have occupied The White House than President Bush did the entire month of August in 2001.

OK. I have to admit I can't possibly know that for sure, but I'm trying to make a point here and I am going to trust that you are getting it.

This relatively young couple with small children deserves a night out, even if it is on the eve of General Motors declaring bankruptcy. The fact that GM is likely to go into bankruptcy isn't anything that hasn't been anticipated for quite some time.

The available time for the President and First Lady to actually get out of the big white house and do something together as a couple isn't in great abundance. I think they deserve it.

And that's all I have to say about that.

From This Week With Barack Obama

ABC
NY Times

Video: First Lady Michelle Obama urges students to give back to their communities

Saturday, May 16, 2009: First lady Michelle Obama made her debut as a commencement speaker at the University of California, Merced, and she urged graduates to give back to their communities.

A PSA from Elmo and First Lady Michelle Obama

Part of the Day in the Life of President Barack Obama

Today, the President had Captain Richard Phillips, the U.S. ship captain held hostage by Somali pirates, and his wife over to The White House.

The President did his schtick at the Annual White House Correspondents Dinner this evening. I watched it along with Wanda Sykes inbetween watching the Darlington NASCAR race. Rookie Joey Logano who took Tony Stewart's number 20 car is going crazy, nuts. The young pup is in first place right now and making for a very exciting race this evening.

And yeah. There are Democrats (Liberalish and Progressivey) who likes 'em a 'lil NASCAR on the 'teevee machine'. This is America for God's sake.

There's a whole lot a room for all sorts of fine people in this great country.

FLOTUS interview with DOD: Military Families

The Pentagon Channel's exclusive one-on-one interview. PO1 Liz Murray sits down to discuss military family issues with First Lady Michelle Obama. source: DODvClips

Part One

Part Two

The Social Innovation Fund: FLOTUS talks about this at Time 100 Most Influential People Awards

From The White House Blog:

WED, MAY 6, 7:55 PM EST

What Is the Social Innovation Fund?

Last night the First Lady discussed the Social Innovation Fund at the Time 100 Most Influential People Awards; we asked Michele Jolin, Senior Advisor for Social Innovation for the Domestic Policy Council, to tell us about it:

Yesterday, the President announced that he would ask Congress in the FY2010 budget to provide $50 million in seed capital for his Social Innovation Fund, fulfilling a campaign pledge. The Fund will identify the most promising, results-oriented non-profit programs and expand their reach throughout the country.

This is a dramatically different way for the government to do business – and it reflects the President’s new governing approach -- finding and scaling the best social innovations; partnering with those who are leading change in their communities; and creating a policy environment for all these innovations to thrive.

President Obama has said that this is an "all-hands-on-deck" moment and that government cannot solve our nation’s problems alone. He has said that it is critical to partner with citizens, nonprofits, social entrepreneurs, foundations and corporations to make progress on our nation’s great challenges. The President has also talked about finding new solutions to old problems, and this is where the social innovation can play a unique role.

As the First Lady said in her remarks on Tuesday to the TIME 100 Most Influential people:

The idea is simple: to find the most effective programs out there and then provide the capital needed to replicate their success in communities around the country that are facing similar challenges. By focusing on high-impact, result-oriented non-profits, we will ensure that government dollars are spent in a way that is effective, accountable and worthy of the public trust. read more here

FLOTUS hits the big time: She's hanging with the biggest stars in entertainment now

Sunny day, sweeping the clouds away. The AP is reporting that First Lady Michelle Obama has found her way to Sesame Street and she's pretty happy about it. Who wouldn't be right?

"I'm thrilled to be here, but I was just at 'Sesame Street' — I'm sorry," she said. "And I never thought I'd be on 'Sesame Street' with Elmo and Big Bird and I was thrilled. I'm still thrilled. I'm on a high."

"I think it's probably the best thing I've done so far in the White House. But we were there talking about nutrition and healthy eating, and it's just been a thrill," Mrs. Obama said.

Michelle Obama is in good company. Stevie Wonder, Hootie and The Blow Fish, Ben Stiller, Paul Simon and many more have made appearances on Sesame Street.

What an incredible way for the First Lady of the United States to get her message on healthy foods and good nutrition to families and especially kids.

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: 'Cinco de Mayo' at The White House

From The Political Carnival...

President Barack Obama joked it was 'Cinco de Cuatro,' botching a play on the Spanish word for 'four' when he meant to say 'Cuatro de Mayo' or the Fourth of May. It happened during an event at the White House on the eve of the Mexican holiday.

Margarita time!

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!

First Lady Michelle Obama pays tribute to Sojourner Truth

First Lady Michelle Obama hosts 'Take Your Child To Work Day' at The White House

The First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, always puts me in a good mood. Lucky Mr. President.

From: This Week With Barack Obama

Happy Obama Pictures

From The Political Carnival Spring Fundraiser

Where the Wild Things Are: Story Time With President Obama & Family at the White House Easter Egg Roll

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.

[Download in high resolution]

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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.