Obama In History, But Not Michelle!

Just when you worried that the wells of self-parody would one day go dry, Team Obama delivers. Now it is Obama In History, with little adendums to each Presidential biography (ex Ford) going back to Coolidge. You don't really want to be reading about, for example, Harry Truman when you could be reading about a truly important figure?

In a 1946 letter to the National Urban League, President Truman wrote that the government has "an obligation to see that the civil rights of every citizen are fully and equally protected.” He ended racial segregation in civil service and the armed forces in 1948. Today the Obama Administration continues to strive toward upholding the civil rights of its citizens, repealing  Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, allowing people of all sexual orientations to serve openly in our armed forces.

And you might like Ike, but honestly...

President Dwight Eisenhower established the President's Council on Youth Fitness on July 16, 1956 (now known as The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports) after learning from a study that American youth were less fit than European youth. Today the Council is still going strong—with Olympians and professional athletes on board—working in conjunction with the First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiativeto help promote healthier lifestyles.

I was sort of expecting something pithier. Maybe:

As Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces Generl Eisenhower led Allied troops into battle against Nazi Germany. Later, Barack Obama led a team of concerned neighbors that removed a lot of the asbestos from Altgeld Gardens.

That is sort of off-topic. How about...

President Dwight Eisenhower established the President's Council on Youth Fitness on July 16, 1956 (now known as The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports) after learning from a study that American youth were less fit than European youth. Today, Barack Obama looks wicked buff in a bathing suit and has finally quit smoking, probably.

I may not really have found the spirit. Let's help with the Gerald Ford entry, or any other great achievements that help put Obama in a soft, flattering light (I have dibs on Mariano's 600th save...).

And what about the ladies? What sort of a war on women is the White House waging that none of the First Lady bios have been updated to reflect Michelle's many contributions to our health, happiness and hilarity? What kind of role modeling is this? How do Sasha and Malia sob themselves to sleep at ight knowing their mom is overlooked and underappreciated?

UNEXPECTED: I love the punchy, pithy Richard Nixon entry:

Richard Nixon vetoed the War Powers Act. Barack Oabma ignored it.

Oh, I wish. Well, I would love it if it were the entry...

Comments

[daddy]

"Obama In History, But Not Michelle!"

Oh I don't know about that. She's the first woman in history to get paid $350,000 from a Chicago Hospital for doing absolutely nothing.

[Captain Hate]

El JEFe is a complete laughingstock and it's all self inflicted. And it's only the middle of May. It would take Nicole Wallace, Steve Schmidt, McRINO and various Top Men to screw this up.

[Danube of Thought]

How's this for a hoot?

"A new poll of Arkansas Democrats shows Barack Obama receiving support from only 45 percent of Democratic primary voters in Arkansas’s Fourth Congressional District, while 38 percent support his underfunded and relatively unknown primary challenger, Tennessee lawyer John Wolfe, Jr. Seventeen percent are undecided in the district poll. In an interview with THE WEEKLY STANDARD, Wolfe said the poll results were 'unbelievable' and said a defeat for Obama in the Arkansas primary would be 'politically cataclysmic.'"

[Paulo]

Those bio updates are already paying off...

"Obama will win in November, Americans predict

By Olivier Knox
May 15, 2012

Fifty-six percent of of Americans say President Barack Obama will win re-election, the Gallup polling organization said Tuesday, drily calling that prediction "perhaps a slightly more optimistic assessment than is currently warranted."

Thirty-six percent say presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney will be the one taking the oath of office in January."

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/obama-win-november-americans-predict/story?id=16353068#.T7K8UcXRqmQ

[centralcal]

Just more fodder for Clarice's Pieces (which is on track to be comedy central before summer arrives).

Here are some stats that might also amuse you, take from several Mark Knoller tweets, reporting Obama's and Biden's financial disclosures. Naturally, the saddest of the lot is Biden:

VP Biden's Financial Report shows his 2007 book, "Promises To Keep," produced less than $201 in royalties, which report labels "None."

Report shows VP Biden's largest financial asset is a rental property valued at between $100,000 & $250,000.

Report shows VP Biden pays 4.625% interest on the mortgage on his home which has a balance of between $500,000 & $1-million.

[daddy]

All I ask is that fer' Gawd sakes nobody remind Michelle Obama of Lady Godiva's contribution to history.

[Clarice]

You do know she's angling for a tv show whether or not BO gets a second term...and still the WH aides did nothing to hep her along.

I blame ValJar..But if she gets thrown under the bus, who's left of the brain trust?

[Jane]

Rush was saying today that Michelle hates Oprah, and all fat people. Apparently Obama used to consult Oprah on policy decisions and Michelle and ValJar put an end to it because fat lady is bad.

[jimmyk]

The Barnard commencement speech: Approximately 65 "I"s or "me"s, including this avalanche:

You know, when I first arrived on this campus, it was with little money, fewer options. But it was here that I tried to find my place in this world. I knew I wanted to make a difference, but it was vague how in fact I’d go about it. (Laughter.) But I wanted to do my part to do my part to shape a better world.

So even as I worked after graduation in a few unfulfilling jobs here in New York — I will not list them all — (laughter) — even as I went from motley apartment to motley apartment, I reached out. I started to write letters to community organizations all across the country.

Then of course, his usual refrain:

People ask me sometimes, who inspires you, Mr. President? Those quiet heroes all across this country — some of your parents and grandparents who are sitting here — no fanfare, no articles written about them, they just persevere. They just do their jobs. They meet their responsibilities. They don’t quit. I’m only here because of them. They may not have set out to change the world, but in small, important ways, they did. They certainly changed mine.

[Clarice]

Jane, Klein also quotes Caroline Kennedy calling Obama a liar who used and then dumped her, noting that she learned that MO made fun of the way the Kennedy women dressed and how poorly the family homes were maintained and furnished.

Put that and the fatophobia together in public and I expect a lot more votes will vanish.

[Captain Hate]

how poorly the family homes were maintained and furnished.

I thought only the VRWC did that.

[centralcal]

I think the Rush remarks about Oprah and Michelle originated with Klein also - he gave quite the interview on Hannity (radio) yesterday. He also promised to give Hannity 3 hours worth of tape recordings (I think mostly having to do with his interviews with Rev. Wright).

[Jane]

Put that and the fatophobia together in public and I expect a lot more votes will vanish.

That Moochelle is one nasty bitch.

I think so too CC.

[mojo]

Did you know?: President Ford was selected for the Vice Presidency after Spiro T. Agnew, President Nixon's running mate, was convicted of bribery and corruption during his time as Mayor of Baltimore. He got the job on the basis of promising to deliver a Presidential Pardon to the embattled Nixon after that louse was driven from office by the sure and certain knowledge that he would be impeached. President Obama hired Eric Holder, President Clinton's favorite "Bag Man", to run the US Department of Justice and block any annoying attempts at enforcement of the laws broken by the Obama administration administration and it's thuggish supporters..

[hrtshpdbox]

Obama will win in November, Americans predict

With the same percentages, almost, as how they're betting it at Intrade - 58 to 37. The power of incumbency, and with Mitt's talents at campaigning nationally still unproven. Those numbers can change, though, and quickly.

[hrtshpdbox]

Did you know?

Nope, I didn't know; I thought Spiro Agnew was the vice-president of the United States when he resigned (not a running mate).

[Gus]

Mojo, Agnew was Governor of Maryland, Nancy Pelosi's rancid father was Mayor of Baltimore.

[Rick Ballard]

hrtshpdbox,

How long before John Q. Public notices that the 10 year just hit an all time low while the euro appears to be in what used to be known as 'free fall'? Retail is reflecting all the baseline rail and truckloads that started disappearing in mid-February and the ECRI call looks better every day.

The June 30 401K statements should be a real thrill.

[mojo]

So fix it. Sheesh. Layers and layers of fact-checkers, y'know.

;)

Ol' Spiro was Tricky Dickey's Veep, all right, but so was Jer, for about 10 minutes. I referred to him as "running mate" to distinguish from VP Ford.

And Mayor, Governor, WTH. It's all Maryland, which was a haven for smugglers, pirates and ne'er-do-wells of all sorts long before the US existed.

[Jim,MtnView,Ca,USA]

The actual Nixon entry.
Hey.
I don't see "impeachment" anywhere?

Did you know?
In 1973, Richard Nixon created The President’s Export Council, which was expanded and reconstituted under President Jimmy Carter in 1979. Today the PEC continues to work towards reaching President Obama’s goal of doubling the nation’s exports by 2014’s end.

[matt]

I find it funny that Eisenhower found European kids healthier than Americans, especially considering that Europe was still recovering from the postwar era. Less fat, meat and milk, I guess.

But when considering sporting activities, especially if one disassociates the sports mills of Eastern Europe, the United States garnered a huge proportion of Olympic and international gold.

When one then begins to parse the marginal sports of the Olympics; weightlifting, Modern Pentathlon, handball, etc.the margin increases again.

When one then considers that the major sporting activity in much of Europe at the time was smoking unfiltered cigarettes, the numbers tilt further.

I just remember getting cool little patch for my Presidential Fitness achievement or whatever it was and promptly putting it in a drawer.

Now I just want to Zoomba with Michelle.

[bgates]

Michelle hates Oprah, and all fat people

That's the pot calling....

Never mind.

[Gus]

Mojo. Capn Hate and I are both from Maryland. Watch your mouth or we'll make you WALK THE PLANK.

[Chubby]

((Michelle hates Oprah, and all fat people))

I wonders sometimes why we see so few pictures of Michelle's mother. I think they keep her hidden because they are ashamed of her rotundity.

[bgates]

Did you know?

James Madison drew on over 2000 years of Western history in his role of architect of the US Constitution, the framework for the most durable, most successful republic in the history of the world. He explained and defended his creation in a series of essays which themselves have been recognized since their initial publication as an invaluable contribution to political science.

Today, Barack Obama has appeared on ESPN almost half a dozen times.

[mojo]

Or Plank the walk. Whatever.

[bgates]

(seen on Twitter):

In 1803, Thomas Jefferson spent $233 million on the Louisiana Purchase, which is how much Barack Obama spent while you were reading this sentence.

[Gus]

Bgates, ironically, Obama bought Mary Landrieu and Louisiana for about $300 million in 2009. In Louisian Purchase part DEUX.
Speaking of Louisiana, I don't believe any of the Gator hunters in Swamp men ever bitch about BP and the carnage.

[hrtshpdbox]

How long before John Q. Public notices that the 10 year just hit an all time low ...
Now it's not just China buying our bonds like crazy, it's everybody. With a miserable vessel like treasuries as the "flight to quality" instrument, you know we're in trouble. Yes, I think ECRI was probably just a little early - the economy can't get past lousy employment and housing realities, and in the rear view mirror the anemic recovery will probably look like any other dead cat bounce. The market sits right now on the support level it keeps challenging, and I'd be surprised if it doesn't break down from here; watch the left try to blame JP Morgan.

[Gus]

LOGIC IS YOUR FRIEND,

Broken nose...2 errrrrr BLACK eyes, lacerations.

Why was Skittles screaming for help again????

[Extraneus]

James Madison drew on over 2000 years of Western history in his role of architect of the US Constitution

...President Obama has noted the many flaws in Madison's so-called "Constitution."

[Gus]

Madison?? History started in August of 1961.

[narciso]

Speaking of 'unprecedented' I can't help pondering, how they burned that GID agent so thorougly, at least had he bought a ticket,
or been nabbed at the airport, they could have maintained the fiction, that's how Donnie Brasco would have done it.

[hrtshpdbox]

Ulysses S. Grant's wife was Julia Dent Grant. President Obama used a "composite" cartoon character named Julia to explain to Americans why the government is their friend.

[Joshua]

More war on gays juxtaposes the war on women.

It's the phear.

"Virginia’s General Assembly rejected a gay man for a Richmond judgeship early Tuesday, after conservatives argued that his support for gay marriage and challenge to the military’s now-defunct “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy made him unfit for the bench."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/virginia-politics/post/house-of-delegates-rejects-gay-judge/2012/05/15/gIQAPN5YQU_blog.html

[NK]

RickB/hrtshpdbox-

the economy has been lousy ever since the Congress passed Obamacare, and the labor market has stunk-- risk capital will not invest in job creation with 'Bam in office -- period. The economy gets even worse during the next 6 months. Risk capital will hedge until it is clear Obama loses. T-Bonds? Investors will buy UST-Bonds at NEGATIVE REAL interest rates, why? because unlike many other sovereign debt instruments, the US won't default... probably.

[narciso]

Further in that vein;

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/15/Obama-Stereotyped-Simplified-and-Used-us-Barnard-Woman-Objects-to-President-Commence

[Clarice]

Taranto BOTW: "in any case Obama has managed a neat trick: He has managed to look like a cynical opportunist while taking an unpopular position."

[NK]

Taranto is right. So why did the Once do it? Money talks, the gay/hollywood money said jump-- 'Bam said "How high".

[Gus]

Money for nothing and gay chicks for free.

[Neo]

The White House fiscal year 2013 plan calls for maintaining the current 3.4 percent interest rate for federally guaranteed student loans, but only through July 1, 2013, at which point it would automatically increase to 6.8 percent. Neither the president’s plan nor the Democrats’ legislation would extend the low rate beyond another year.

[narciso]

Btw, that ridiculous Gallup poll, is Americans, the new term for adults, or just sentient beings.

[Extraneus]

Pedant alert.

Taranto quotes from the NYT piece on the poll:

About 4 in 10, or 38 percent, of Americans support same-sex marriage, while 24 percent favor civil unions short of formal marriage. Thirty-three percent oppose any form of legal recognition. When civil unions are eliminated as an option, opposition to same-sex marriage rises to 51 percent, compared with 42 percent support.

Is there a rule that requires that numbers be spelled out in English if they begin a sentence?

[Ranger]

Is there a rule that requires that numbers be spelled out in English if they begin a sentence?

IIRC, there is.

[Extraneus]

So why did the Once do it?

I posted a link to AoS in an earlier thread that linked a Daily Caller piece:

Daily Caller: "Favorable same-sex marriage coverage frustrates Obama’s media plan"

Obama's plan was to pivot away quickly from this. Hit it, say the words the high-money gay donors want to hear (or at least words they'll accept, and then drop it.

Trouble is, the media loveloveloves gay marriage. So they won't let it move off the front page.

Now I know that some have speculated that this whole gay marriage thing was intended as a distraction from the real issues, but is it possible that it wasn't? That they'd planned to simply roll the gays for money, thinking it would only be a small blip in the news cycle that relatively few voters would notice?

Seems unlikely considering the appearance on The View, but there's no sense over-estimating the brain-trust.

[NK]

CNN reports on buggery practicioner Bill White asking for his $2500 back from Romney because of gay marriage (Bill W is married to a dude in NY). No mention by CNN that White paid a $1M fine to avoid prosecution in the the 'pay for play' pension fund scandal in NY. That criminal misconduct caused him to resign as president of Intrepid Sea, Air, Space museum.

[Extraneus]

AoS has been great today, btw. Here are the latest posts:

Obama, 2009: I'd Give Myself a "Solid B Plus" For My Handling of the EconomyObama, Today: I Can't Give Myself a Letter Grade; It's Still Incomplete

Jerry Brown: California Can Choose Between Either Spending Cuts Or Higher Taxes (and Urges the Public to Please Select "Temporary" Higher Taxes)

USAToday/Gallup Poll: Obama's Vaunted Edge In Likability Just Vanished

DAILY KOS / PPP / SEIU POLL: Walker's Lead UNCHANGED Since Last Month, 50%-45%

Article in Fordham Law Review Described Elizabeth Warren as Harvard's "First Woman of Color"

[daddy]

The Obama Administration makes more history:

Lou Dobb's just reported that during 8 years in College, the Bush Team gave 14 Commencement Addresses.

So far (3 years) the Obama Administration has given 29 commencement Addresses.

That's a 7 to 1 advantage Obama reports Lou, and I missed the part of how much the Obama Team was paid for these addresses.

[centralcal]

Extraneus, I read somewhere today (I think Jim Geraghty on Twitter) that buried in the PPP poll was Obama 1 pt only ahead of Romney.

[narciso]

One of the reasons I keep following this story is because, they keep missing the forest for the trees, and the silly notions expounded by Reidel, Soufan, and co, need to be challenged, when they insist that Iraq was the motivating factor, in Al Asiri's motivation.

From one account;

To believe any of these things is to also believe that history is bunk. Al-Asiri's last name indicates that he comes from the Asir province, the heartland of fanaticism in Saudi Arabia. Asir means "difficult" in Arabic. Six of the 9/11 hijackers came from Asir and Bin Laden praised its tribes as "forming the lion's share". Asir had been a source of violence and Islamic fanaticism long before American foreign policy mattered to anyone one outside the hemisphere. The Asiri Wahhabis had fought the Ottoman Empire in Asir going back to the early 1800's and then they fought the House of Saud. With global access, Asiris are able to extend their wars deep into our territory. To launch attacks well beyond their desert home.

[hit and run]

Some will claim that the edits to the biographies on whitehouse.gov were just some staffers, Obama didn't know, stop trying to stop the buck with him.

Oh really?

I'm pretty sure that's Clinton's bio he's editing there.

[narciso]

Speaking of truth vs. narratives;

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304070304577395783718349916.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[Comanche Voter]

Like Hoover, Obama did not get us out of a financial crisis.

[Comanche Voter]

LBJ was a blowhard; Obama is worse.

[pagar]

"paid $350,000 from a Chicago Hospital for doing absolutely nothing."

Now the Obama Admin has let a contract for 5.9 millions to have one of Obama's friends continue to do the nothing project.

http://weaselzippers.us/2012/05/14/hhs-awards-5-9-million-grant-to-program-run-by-one-of-obamas-closest-friends/

[narciso]

It's a shame he doesn't understand this isn't so;

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BUSH?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-05-15-15-20-47

[Tom Maguire]

I just remember getting cool little patch for my Presidential Fitness achievement or whatever it was and promptly putting it in a drawer.

Color me green. I pwned on five events but was unable to throw a softball at the Presidential standard. In fact (I am blocking a bit here) I recollect that my younger sister *did* get a Presidential fitness award and beat me in the softball toss. Had I been able to throw like a girl I would have been aces.

Gosh, that seems like only last millennium...

[narciso]

It's a good thing, that helming Random House, hasn't put a crimp in Meacham's sense of humor.

http://ideas.time.com/2012/05/15/why-obama-hasnt-lost-the-south/

Tom are you going to do a thread on the LUNed subject,

[Paul Sand]

Seriously: Michelle and Dr. Jill (Biden) show up in the Herbert Hoover bio.

[narciso]

I know a little condescention but still:

ttp://recovering-liberal.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/hell-freezes-over-lib-journalist-i-was.html

[pagar]

Unusual to say the least, Narciso!

http://recovering-liberal.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/hell-freezes-over-lib-journalist-i-was.html

[Lee]

I have noticed that since Obama took over, those 'statements for NA/AA/Womens History month' and holiday declarations have all gotten decidedly partisan over the past few years. This is just more of the same.

[new era casquette]

Als Anfänger mich, ist es oft schwer, seriöse Tutorials, die nicht lehren, schlechte Praktiken zu finden....

[mbt prix]

Wie Hoover, hat Obama nicht um uns aus der Finanzkrise.

[Ray Ban Aviator]

His wow, I saw you share article, the feeling is very good.
Continue to work hard * * * *