Barack Obama and Joe Biden - Campaing 2012

Trial of Iraqi shoe thrower delayed - CNN

2008-12-30T12:46:00.000-08:00

The trial of an Iraqi journalist charged with throwing his shoes at U.S. President George Bush has been postponed, Iraq's Council of Ministers and one of the journalist's lawyers said Tuesday.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki tried to block one of the shoes thrown at President Bush earlier this month during Bush's visit to Baghdad.

Muntadhir Al-Zaidi was due to go on trial Wednesday, but the Criminal Court postponed it pending an appeal filed by his lawyers with the Federal Court of Appeal, a spokesman for the Supreme Judicial Council, Abdul Sattar Bayrakdar, said.

Dhiya al-Saadi, who leads Al-Zaidi's 25-member legal team, confirmed the postponement.

Al-Zaidi threw both of his shoes at Bush two weeks ago during a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Baghdad. Neither shoe hit the president, and others in the room quickly knocked Al-Zaidi to the ground before security officials arrested him.

Many Iraqis hail Al-Zaidi, who faces a prison term if convicted, as a hero. More than 1,000 lawyers have volunteered to defend him, al-Saadi said.

The lawyers' appeal asked the Federal Court to change Al-Zaidi's case from assaulting Bush to insulting him. If Al-Zaidi is convicted of the former, he faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, al-Saadi said.

The lawyers are trying to persuade the appeals court that Al-Zaidi did not want to harm Bush by throwing the shoes, but simply wanted to insult him. By tradition, throwing a shoe is the most insulting act in the Arab world.

Al-Saadi said he met with his client several days ago but was having difficulty meeting with him again. He did not give the reason he was not allowed to see Al-Zaidi but said many lawyers have trouble meeting with detainees in Iraqi or U.S. custody.

It will take at least two weeks for the court to set a new date for Al-Zaidi's trial, legal expert Tariz Harab said.

Franken leads but fighting lingers in Minnesota recount - CNN

2008-12-30T12:44:00.000-08:00

Democrat Al Franken maintained his slim lead of 50 votes Tuesday as Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and the state canvassing board allocated the remainder of what was approximately 6,000 ballots that had — at one point or another — been challenged by both campaigns.

"If there are any nits to be picked, they've been picked," said board member and Minnesota State Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson as the board adjourned.

In a statement, Franken himself said, "As it appears that we're on track to win, I want Minnesotans to know that I'm ready to get to work for them in Washington on day one."

Coleman campaign attorney Tony Trimble called Franken's double digit lead "artificial" and maintained there is still a long way to go in the counting process, specifically because a large number of improperly rejected absentee ballots have yet to be tallied.

But the process is far from over. The battle over which absentee ballots should be included in the mix has the makings of a brutal fight.

As outlined by the State Supreme Court, both campaigns and local election officials must agree on the ballots that were improperly rejected before the canvassing board can open and count them. Ballots that are rejected improperly are typically done so due to a clerical error or something similar.

Local elections officials have come up with a list of about 1,350 ballots that they say were accidentally rejected. Franken campaign representatives have said all of those should be counted.

Coleman reps say only about half of those should be considered but they've also identified about 600 more ballots that they say were not tagged by local officials but that were also rejected in error. Coleman's Tony Trimble admitted many of these 600 are from Coleman heavy areas but maintained that was just "coincidence."

Based on the court's ruling, the campaigns must agree before anything can be counted or, according to their decision, sanctions would be leavened. Exactly what those sanctions may be remains to be seen. The deadline to hand those envelopes over to the board is this Friday, but there is some doubt over whether that will happen or not.

Franken holds a narrow edge over Norm Coleman as counting continues.

Ritchie said he hopes a result can be certified in a "timely" fashion. If his estimation holds accurate over the course of the week, a result could be certified as early as Monday evening, however, the board has also reserved time on Tuesday, January 6 to review the rejected ballots, as well. Incidentally, January 6 is the day the new Congress is set to be sworn in.

Another issue the Coleman campaign is focusing on is whether or not approximately 150 ballots were accidentally double counted. Trimble has maintained for weeks now that wrongly-handled duplicate ballots exist. The canvassing board decided it was not an issue that they as a body should consider. The State Supreme Court heard the Coleman arguments and did not grant them relief. The option is still on the table for further legal action.

Inauguration organizers describe day-long endurance test - CNN Political Ticker

2008-12-30T12:42:00.000-08:00

There are still a host of question marks around next month’s inauguration festivities, but one thing is undeniable: the day may be geared less to your average middle schooler, and more to a field-tested U.S. Marine.

In the latest blunt advisory released Monday, the presidential inaugural committee said ticket-holders for President-elect Barack Obama’s swearing-in ceremony will need to arrive no fewer than three hours before the outdoor ceremony’s scheduled 11:30 a.m. start time.

But getting there in the first place poses a logistical challenge that’s not for the faint of heart or limb. Despite a new plan to turn big sections of the city into parking lots for charter buses and a peak rush hour schedule plan for the city’s Metro system, most cars and buses are unlikely to be allowed to enter the city, let alone the designated two-mile security zone around the swearing-in site.

Metro officials warn that riders will be underground with “thousands” of fellow visitors – meaning that even those lucky enough to make it onto the platform will face lengthy wait times before they see the inside of a packed train car.

Attendees forced to abandon their cars for mass transit might want to start a Stairmaster schedule now: transportation officials have warned that capacity crowds may force them to turn off the system’s escalators – making the trip back above ground an ambitious workout.

If all the dire predictions are tempting visitors to swear off transportation altogether in favor of an old-fashioned hike – well, that’s sort of the point. Officials are advising everyone within two miles of the Capitol – and those from further points who are up for the trek — to walk to the site.

Of course, not everyone is in any condition for a miles-long slog through East Coast January weather. But organizers warned Monday that “traffic conditions and restrictions” may make reaching drop-off points for disabled guests “extremely difficult.”

“There will be designated areas for people with disabilities in each of the ticketed seating areas on the Capitol grounds, however these areas are limited in size and available on a first-come first-served basis,” read the advisory. “Persons in wheelchairs or utilizing walkers should be aware that they will need to move across bumpy surfaces, grassy areas, and possible icy areas (depending on the weather).”

Preparations are non-stop for the January 20 event.

Those worried about how their child may handle the hike might want to leave them behind: strollers are unwelcome altogether. And everyone might want to cross their fingers for a dry day — umbrellas are verboten too.

If you’ve overestimated your own toughness, don’t count on being able to call for help: “Be aware that it may be difficult to talk” because of an overloaded communication system. “Please use text messaging to send critical messages.”

Worried about your ability to handle the day-long endurance test? So’s the inaugural committee. “Please think carefully about whether you can stand outside in cold weather in a large crowd for up to six hours” — and “whether you are ready for long delays getting home afterwards,” they said.

Officials have said they expect 1-2 million visitors to travel to the National Mall on Inauguration Day.

Voices for Change

2008-12-30T11:19:00.000-08:00

Adriana Paire
Hello Barack, realy are you the new Mr. President?.
I am Adriana, i´m argentina, but live with my family in Spain, in valladolid.
Congratulation, you, only you can help the crisis in the world.
YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Tanya Anderson
Looking forward to January 20th to finally wake up from this Nightmare of an Economy we have thanks to Bush.

Ricardo Cruz
HONORABLE BARACK OBAMA OPERATION S.T.O.M.P. IS HERE TO SERVE YOUR
ADMINISTRATION: cybercops2004@aol.com

Maria Alexander
Barack, I am behind you 100%. You are a shining star for this country. You have set the stage for our recovery as a nation. You have a monumental challenge in front of you. You can do it, we can do it!

Ellen Considine

While traveling in Amsterdam in November, the Dutch
were very excited about our new President-Elect! People
everywhere were very hopeful and enthusiastic!

Mariama Thullah
MR PRESIDENT ELECT PLEASE DON'T LET THE ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY STRESS YOU UP, BECAUSE GOD IS NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU A BURDEN THAT YOU CANNOT CARRY HE HAS A REASON FOR ELECTING YOU AND YOU SHALL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME IN FRONT OF THE WORLD. ALL YOURS WORRIES AND PROBLEMS SHALL COME TO PAST.WE WILL ALL MOURN THE LOST OF YOUR GRANDMOTHER BUT ... ALSO THINK ABOUT IT AND SMILE BECAUSE GOD DOESN'T PUT TWO GREAT PEOPLE IN THE WORLD AT THE SAMETIME ONE HAS TO PAVE THE WAY FOR ANOTHER.CHRISTMAS WISHES FOR A JOYFUL HOLIDAY CELEBRATION!

New England Equine Rescues
Dear Mr President Elect ... what a joy watching your path unfold... My mother would have been so proud of you!... (: I have great hope, and look forward to the future.

All of our horses have crossed their hooves in hopes that you will stop letting the bad men send them to Canada and Mexico to be be butchered! Please help to save the greatest ... symbol of freedom that our country has ever known...ask your daughters what they think about slaughtering horses... they won't like it! Girls LOVE horses... (well, until they discover BOYS!:)

Anyhow... good luck, you ROCK, and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE find the time to shut down the scum that kill our beautiful and beloved horses.

Thank you.

Beth of NEER (:
www.newenglandequinerescues.com

Willem Beukes
BARACK OBAMA IS THE CHOSEN MAN TO LEAD THE NEW WORLD ORDER EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY

Driton Lajçi
I hope and belive that President Obama and VP Joe won't leave Kosovo and Southeastern Europe. They have huge number of fans in Kosovo. Its the square named Bill Clinton, it's going to be name of one road George Bush and I'm sure president Obama will continue to support the newborn country Kosovo.

Voices for Change

2008-12-30T11:15:00.000-08:00

Joel Love
Mr. President-Elect, Please visit the above site and read another poem composed by Joel in your honnor. Click on the Inspirational poetry link and read "Lula's inspiration" And thanks forthe special response to the poem "hope" in Jackson. Joe

Allyssa Stevens
As the first State in the nation to put your name on the Board in this election - feel free to come visit us! My sons 2nd grade class at Christ the King catholic school fought for their right to vote in the schools election and won with their 2nd GRADE SUFFRAGE campaign! They would love to have YOU come visit them! Anytime, you are welcome!
My son would love to tell you about his grandpa Bill who was a hostage in Tehran and the love & understanding that needs to be spread around the world, not hte hatred.
Come on up to the beautiful state of Vermont - just voted healthiest in the nation!
Allyssa - Proud supporter!

M Irfan Ab

I am the person who has long since become president obama hope USA. What can I get an invitation inauguration Obama?

Nanda Nurita Sari
Dear Barry n Joe
how are you sir? I know its near for you to handle the big,and verry big country.congratulation...p

lease Om Barry n Joe to stop the war in Palestina.i really d0nt like istrael militery action.its n0t go0d...thanks for reading my msg

Barb Hett - Health Care
I am now having to look for insurance because my cobra runs out as of mar 31, 2009. The problem I am having is that I have had breast cancer 8 years ago and if I change to another company there is a waiting period of at least 6 months and I have a pre-existing health problem. If I stay with the same company BCBS I still have to fill out an application and reply for the same coverage I have had for the last 30 years. This does not make any sense to me or my husband. ND has a monopoly insurance company that no body likes but has to deal with. Please help the people of the US with the same problem as I have. I am a business owner from a small town in northern ND. Thank you, Barb Hett.

Dom Kila
Mahalo President-Elect Obama for waiting out the electrical blackout like most of Oahu did on Friday night. It showed solidarity with the people of Hawaii.

Sarah Palin is a Grandmother, Already. At 44 Years of age!

2008-12-29T19:25:00.000-08:00

News is reported by http://chattahbox.com/entertainment/2008/12/29/bristol-palin-gives-birth-to-a-son/.
Enjoy, if you are a teen age mother, please click here go to our home page, don't read anything below. Thanks!

Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston -- daughter of Sarah Palin's 18-year-old daughter Bristol and Levi Johnston -- was born yesterday, and, as far as anybody knows, has no immediate plans to run for higher office in the near future...

Bristol Palin, the 18-year-old daughter of former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, gave birth on Sunday to a healthy 7 lb., 4 oz., baby boy in Palmer, Alaska. Nice, at least now that McCain can run again with a different VP for 2012 presidential election because he does not have to defend qualifications of a grandmother. May be Joe the Plumber(plummer with incorrect spellings) would be a nice candidate. He he has to do is to he is not applalled by McCain's campaing in 2008

"We think it's wonderful," said Colleen Jones, the sister of Bristol's grandmother Sally Heath, who confirmed the news. "The baby is fine and Bristol is doing well. Everyone is excited." Oh yeh. Everybody is excited about the fact that Palin helped McCain lost the 2008 presidential campaign. Bristol Palin is also helped very well by turning away many independent voters by hitting them with her ball (or bomb).

Can you believe that? Baby Tripp has been out of his mother's womb for a full day now and has not yet consented to a single press conference or major interview! What do the Palins/Johnstons have to hide?

Oh, and let me know when it's time to start wondering whether or not Bristol is the actual mother of baby Tripp. Does anyone know for certain that Tripp is not actually the child of six-year-old Piper?Hope that Piper won't get pregnanat, untill at least 10 years old.

-Blog by Tomas Adams

Voices for Change

2008-12-28T11:45:00.000-08:00

Budi Hartono Salim
I hope u can recovery economic,stop war,make a peace,

New England Equine Rescues
PLEASE ask Barack and Joe to do SOMETHING about the transport of US Horses to Canada and Mexico... PLEASE!!... 100,000 horses meet a brutal and disgusting and painful death at the Canadian slaughter plants...and WORSE: the Mexico slaughter plants, where they are stabbed to death with knives! Nevermind all the agony they must go through just to get there! ):

PLEASE HELP!!!!!

Martin Lubinda Simasiku
Hello Mr President!
First and foremost ,I would like to congratulate you on your immeasurable success!The hope that we had long awaited for,has finally come!
I want to wish you a merry xmas and a happy and of course prosperous new year.
Im a student at the University of zambia and i want you to know you are one of my mentors!!And of course,a friend!
Stay Blessed Mr President!!!

Voices for Change - Lotus Golden

2008-12-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

aloha Barack,

I would love to be included as a future friend of you and your family. My dream job is to become Michelle's personal trainer. I have been a certified fitness instructor/personal trainer/ and consultant since 1992 and love helping people get fit. I do especially well with women. I moved to the big island in 1998, to compete in the Hawaii Ironman National Championships, and have lived in kona, hi ever since. I have competed in 5 Hawaii Ironmans and over a dozen assorted marathons, but my first love is in helping people get fit -

I want you to know that you are the first person that I ever voted for with my whole heart and soul. I cried and cried and cried when I saw you and your family walk out onto the stage .... now I am reading your book on your family and personal history, and love the way you write.... peace be with your every step,

aloha always,
Lotus Golden

Voices for Change - Lorie Grimes-Beall

2008-12-28T11:42:00.000-08:00

Hi, I have been in child support California almost 20 years and for last several years, even tho' she may be 'republican' Margot Bean has had an exemplary heading Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) Administration featuring "culture of civility"; she is approachable and has good policies toward diverse cultures, low income persons, etc. I strongly recommend keeping her in the OCSE position and/or promoting her (Note: contrarily, my local child support office in Alameda County, CA formerly had great leaders now retired or deceased, but is currently under siege by poor management, withholding information, abuse of power, not growing leaders, and lack of succession planning.) However, I think Margot Bean would be the type of federal leader I might approach if this isn't soon resolved. I discussed our problem briefly with her at a NCSEA Conference San Francisco, August 2008, and she seemed appalled that one of our senior managers had 'frozen out' target employees. Margot is an intelligent compassionate person. Sincerely, Lorie Grimes-Beall

Power cut darkens Obama's vacation island - http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/12/27/obama-outage.html

2008-12-27T13:23:00.000-08:00

The Hawaiian island of Oahu, where U.S.-president-elect Barack Obama is on holiday, was plunged into darkness because of a power outage Friday night.

A civil defence official said it's possible a lightning strike on a transformer during a thunderstorm was responsible for cutting electricity to 900,000 people around 7 p.m. local time.

By early Saturday, crews had managed to restore electrical service across many parts of Oahu after the island-wide power failure.

Residents had been urged to stay home after the lights went out and to conserve water.

The Hawaiian Electric Company said by 7 a.m. local time Saturday, power had been restored to about half of its customers affected by the outage.

Obama, his wife Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha, are staying in a $9-million US single-storey oceanfront home in Kailua, north of Honolulu, the Hawaiian capital, where the president-elect grew up.

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann said the rented compound has three generators and that Obama sent a message during the outage indicating he was fine and didn't need anything.

To Learn more, go to http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/12/27/obama-outage.html. Don't worry, Barack is Okay.

Send him your wishes at http://barackobama-2012.blogspot.com/2008/12/person-of-year.html

Voices for Change

2008-12-27T13:10:00.000-08:00

Elie Hosansky

France loves you "Monsieur Obama" happy frenchy new year, and don't forget to call Mr Sarkozy for the new year!

Lucio Bruno
marry christmas and happy new year Mr. President

Angela Wilkinson
"Congratulations and good luck in your new house!"

Michael B Ulanday
"Merry christmas Mr.president my wife and I wish that we could join you in Hawaii"

Barbara Vaclavik
"Canada loves you, Barack n' Joe! God speed."

Voices for Change - Cris Bisch

2008-12-27T13:09:00.000-08:00

Dear President-Elect Barack Obama. Even if Time Magazine hadn't picked you to be their Person of The Year, you are my pick! Congratulations to you and your family for this honor and the honor to serve the American People as the next President of the United States! We can hardly wait until Inauguration Day, January 20th to make this official. We pray for you and your family, and will continue to keep you in our prayers are you go forward to lead us forward with a new administration and vision. May you have God's divine wisdom, guidance and protection in the days and years ahead.

Poll: 75% glad Bush is done - CNN News

2008-12-27T13:06:00.000-08:00

A new national poll suggests that three out of four Americans feel President Bush's departure from office is coming not a moment too soon.

Seventy-five percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Friday said they're glad Bush is going; 23 percent indicated they'll miss him.

"Earlier this year, Bush scored some of the lowest presidential approval ratings we've seen in half a century, so it's understandable that the public is eager for a new president to step in," said Keating Holland, CNN polling director.

CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider added, "As President Bush prepares to leave office, the American public has a parting thought: Good riddance. At least that's the way three-quarters feel."

The portion who say they won't miss Bush is 24 percentage points higher than the 51 percent who said they wouldn't miss President Bill Clinton when he left office in January 2001. Forty-five percent of those questioned at that time said they would miss Clinton.

The poll indicates that Bush compares poorly with his presidential predecessors, with 28 percent saying that he's the worst ever. Forty percent rate Bush's presidency as poor, and 31 percent say he's been a good president.

Only a third of those polled said they want Bush to remain active in public life after he leaves the White House. That 33 percent figure is 22 points lower than those in 2001 who wanted Bill Clinton to retain a public role.

Twenty-eight percent of those polled say President Bush is the worst president in U.S. history.

"It's been like a failed marriage," Schneider said.

"Things started out well. When President Bush first took office in 2001, more than 60 percent saw him as strong and decisive. That impression was confirmed after the September 11th attacks. The public still saw Bush as strong and decisive when he took office a second time in 2005.

"But no more. The public has completely lost confidence in this president," Schneider said.

Bush has dropped on a number of measures, but possibly the biggest is that only 20 percent say he inspires confidence, Holland said.

"That's an important figure when the country is facing its biggest economic crisis in a generation," he added.

When running for the White House in the 2000 presidential campaign, Bush promised to be a uniter and not a divider. But 82 percent of poll respondents felt that Bush did not unite the country, compared with 17 percent who said he did.

"The vast majority of Americans believe he betrayed his promise to unite the country," Schneider said. "He took a country that was divided under President Clinton and he divided it worse."

Only 27 percent of those questioned in the poll approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president; 72 percent disapprove.

"President Bush's job approval rating has been at or below freezing since the beginning of the year," Schneider said. "The current 27 percent approval rating is one of the lowest ratings for any president, ever."

The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll was conducted December 19-21, with 1,013 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

RNC Chair criticizes rival over controversial Obama song

2008-12-27T13:05:00.001-08:00

The chairman of the Republican National Committee has become the first major GOP figure to criticize a CD distributed by one of his challengers that included lyrics from a song called "Barack the Magic Negro."

"The 2008 election was a wake-up call for Republicans to reach out and bring more people into our party," Chairman Mike Duncan said in a statement reported by Politico Saturday afternoon. "I am shocked and appalled that anyone would think this is appropriate as it clearly does not move us in the right direction."

Chip Saltsman - who sent RNC members a parody CD for Christmas that included the controversial tune — defended his decision Friday, telling CNN the song was clearly intended as a joke.

"I think most people recognize political satire when they see it," Chip Saltsman told CNN. "I think RNC members understand that."

Saltsman is a former chair of the Tennessee Republican Party, was a top advisor to former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and managed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign.

He is one of several candidates running to replace Duncan in the closely-contested race to lead the Republican Party.

RNC Chairman Mike Duncan criticized the parody CD Chip Saltsman sent to RNC members.

The song, set to the tune of "Puff the Magic Dragon," was first played on Rush Limbaugh's radio show in 2007. Its title was drawn from a Los Angeles Times column that suggested Obama appealed to those who feel guilty about the nation's history of mistreatment of African-Americans. Saltsman said the song, penned by long-time friend Paul Shanklin, should be easily recognized as satire directed at the Times.

The parody CD sent to RNC members this Christmas, first reported by The Hill Friday, is titled "We Hate the USA", and includes songs referencing former presidential John Edwards and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, among other targets.

Also Saturday, Peter Yarrow — who co-wrote "Puff the Magic Dragon" – released a statement through representatives calling Saltsman's decision to distribute the parody tune "not only offensive, it is shocking and saddening in the extreme."

"It is almost unimaginable to me," Yarrow wrote in the statement sent to CNN, that Saltsman "would seriously be considered for the top post of the Republican National Committee. Puff, himself, if asked, would certainly agree."

Yarrow, a member of the 1960s folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, was a contributor to Obama's presidential campaign.

Obama gives the press the slip - CNN

2008-12-27T13:05:00.000-08:00

President-elect Barack Obama slipped away Friday from the traveling press pool that follows him wherever he goes, taking his two young daughters and other family members and friends to Sea Life Park Hawaii.

The Obamas are vacationing in Hawaii.

CNN was the only news organization to witness the park outing. The president-elect was joined by about nine others, including daughters Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10, half-sister Maya Sotero-Ng, her husband and daughter and friend Eric Whitaker.

The group caught a dolphin show before visiting a touch pool and the sea lion exhibit, where it was feeding time.

After the park visit, the Obama group was joined by the press pool — which arrived at the park about an hour after the Obamas but was not allowed in — as they stopped for a sandwich and shaved ice. The reporters refused an offer from Obama to buy them some shaved ice.

The press was allowed to take photographs for more than 20 minutes — much longer than the typical photo opportunity at such an event — before Obama asked the crews and the large crowd that had gathered to "let me eat in peace."

The traveling press pool that accompanies high-ranking officials like the president-elect or the president is made up of about 15 representatives from all types of media — newspaper, magazine, radio, television. Those representatives report back on their subject's movements for the rest of the media.

Their purpose is to provide a public record of the official's activities, a vital service in a functioning democracy.

On Friday, the pool went with Obama to the gym earlier in the day and then returned to their hotels after the transition team said there would be no further events.

"With no further scheduled events for the day, a lid was called until further notice," said Ben Labolt, a transition team spokesman. "The president-elect (later) decided to take the girls to a water park, and we assembled the pool as quickly as possible."

Barack Obama enjoys some shaved ice while vacationing in Hawaii with his family.

When the travel pool was notified that the Obamas were heading to the park, they notified other news agencies — including CNN. The pool had to return to the Obamas' vacation home to be taken to the park by the transition team; CNN's crew, not a part of the pool on Friday, was closer to the park.

When visitors of the park recognized the president-elect, they began snapping more photos and videos of Obama's group than of the marine animals. A number of Secret Service agents kept people at a safe distance, asking onlookers to keep walking after they stood looking at the group a while.

The Obamas are trying to establish a level of privacy for Sasha and Malia, as previous presidents have done with their own children. But it's been more than 30 years since a presidential child has been under the age of 10, and the fine line between keeping the public eye on the president-elect while keeping the children's privacy intact is not always clear.

Amy Carter, daughter of President Jimmy Carter, was 9 years old when her father took office. The children of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush were grown when they took office, and Chelsea Clinton was 12 when President Bill Clinton took office. President George W. Bush's twins Jenna and Barbara were 20 when their father became president.

Four days ago, paparazzi staked out the Obamas' vacation rental home on the public Kailua Beach and snapped photographs of the family. The photos, particularly one of a shirtless Obama in swim trunks, caused a media firestorm.

The transition team dismissed the photo of the president-elect, but they were not pleased with the photos of the children.

CNN photojournalist Khalil Abdallah contributed to this report.

Voices for Change - Andrea Calabrese

2008-12-27T08:43:00.000-08:00

Hi Barack-Biden:

Leading Discussions
-------------------
1. Making "procurement optional for all artists, writers, entertainers, film/TV/media directors' crew, actors and actresses. What's so terrible about one union member talking to another union member--without being threatened by international agents? People are being killed, threatened, suffering and tortured because the agent wants the artist/entertainer to do what they say, OR ELSE! Must see: "MTV Uncensored 1999". A group of artists got together and gave themselves. Credit--Brian Warner and Jenny McCarthy, Michael Jackson, Chris Rock, etc. Is that really cool, or what? Did they do it themselves or was this arranged by agents? MUST SEE: Talks about history of entertainment!

2. I also believe all non-vegetarian/non-soy animal food-wrapped products at Fast Food restaurants should be required by law to say: "Warning--Hazardous to your health!" (So innocent children can protect themselves. Leviticus 7:26 and Psalms 50-52)

3. I had a dream that a dog was not able to fly or run, but had been engineered rendered immobile and quacking like a duck, not barking and flapping its legs like a duck that can't fly flaps its wing.

4. I also saw in a dream that a gun (pistol) was flying through the air and shooting innocent women and children-BY ITSELF! Then who do we prosecute--if there is no one pulling the trigger?!

I'm sure I'll think of more "potentially harmful" warnings for everyone. I'll try to tell you guys about it so the Obama-Biden administration can check it out.

I saw Barrack on the beach in a Korean newspaper a few days ago. It was driving me nuts because I couldn't read Korean!

Lots of love to you all--check this out, for Michelle: www. Theroot. Com and do a search for, "Open letter to Michelle Obama".

Happy Holidays!

Andrea Calabrese
http:// www. Joematters. Com

Voices for Change

2008-12-27T08:42:00.000-08:00

Alaiana Hoffman
hey hope your hawaiiian vacation is going great!!!oh yeah merry Christmas happy new year and all the other good stuff inbetween!!!:);)

Michael B Ulanday

Merry christmas Mr.president my wife and I wish that we could join you in Hawaii

Marla Kallen Fatone
I am going to pray that before your 8 year term is up, they pass a new law for the President to be able to serve another 8 years.... I am so excited for you , your family and of course America. I feel so lucky for my kids and I to be a part of this.
Merry Christmas

xxxooo

Marla

Stephanie Lipscomb
I bet the weather is beautiful there. Can you find a way to sprinkle some of that over Cleveland, OH? lol

Voices for Change

2008-12-26T07:51:00.000-08:00

Suzanne Chadek

A very Merry Christmas to the Obama's. I want you to know you have given me hope for the first time in years. I am so excited to see you inaugurated and watch the family move in to the white house. Always remember who you are and the little folks (like me) who really need you both in the white house -Michelle and Barack--Happy holidays to you both and your darling girls. Suzanne

Marvell Oshigaru Watskin
Mr merry cristhmas ya

Obama's White House

2008-12-25T16:05:00.000-08:00

It's almost completed. Take a look at Barack's diverse cabinet

Sources: CNN

Obama picks Bible for inauguration, but what verse? - CNN

2008-12-25T16:00:00.000-08:00

While President-elect Barack Obama will certainly be making history when he takes the oath of office on January 20, he'll also be repeating it -- by placing his hand on the same Bible that Abraham Lincoln used during the inauguration of 1861.

The Constitution does not require presidents to be sworn in on a Bible, though almost every chief executive since George Washington has chosen to do so. Presidents have differed greatly, however, on the question of which passage the Bible should be opened to during the swearing-in ceremony.

It brings up the question of what -- if any -- biblical passage Obama will emphasize.

If what is past is prologue, as Shakespeare famously wrote (a quote now engraved in front of the National Archives), he might opt for the popular presidential theme of repentance.

According to Gleaves Whitney, a presidential historian at Michigan's Grand Valley State University, II Chronicles 7:14 was used for three swearing-in ceremonies: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

In this season of economic distress, however, the president-elect may prefer to follow the lead of Franklin Roosevelt. When FDR first took the oath of office in 1933, the country was reeling under the crushing weight of the Great Depression.

The 1861 Lincoln Inaugural Bible against the backdrop of the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress

"Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment," Roosevelt said in his inaugural address.

Urging his fellow Americans to lend a helping hand, Roosevelt had the Bible opened to I Corinthians 13: "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."

Obama campaigned as someone who would strive to bridge the nation's bitter partisan divide. "We have never been a collection of red states and blue states," Obama said in his Election Night victory speech. "We are, and always will be, the United States of America."

If Obama wants to stress that theme again on January 20, he may prefer to follow Bill Clinton's lead from the 1997 inaugural and open the Bible to Isaiah 58:12: "Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations, and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach."

Questions of war and peace are always in the back of any president's mind. Obama campaigned in part on a promise to end America's war in Iraq.

The title page of the Lincoln Bible, which was opened to a random page at Lincoln's inauguration.

Shortly after winning the White House on a similar pledge to end another divisive conflict -- this one in Vietnam -- Richard Nixon took the oath with a family Bible opened to Isaiah 2:4: "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

With the polls showing an overwhelming majority of Americans convinced the country is on the wrong track, Obama might hint at a back-to-basics message by doing what Woodrow Wilson did in 1913. During his first inaugural, Wilson opened the Bible to Psalm 119, which concludes "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments."

Speaking of a return to basics, what about America's first president? What did George Washington do?

Almost 220 years ago, in 1789, Washington opened the King James version of a Masonic Bible to Genesis 49:13 -- "Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for a haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon."

Was America's first president trying to send a deep, profound message?

Not exactly. It turns out that, for the nation's first inaugural, the Bible was hastily opened to a completely random page. The same thing was done 72 years later when Lincoln was sworn in.

For more, go to http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/24/inauguration.scripture/index.html

Voices for Change - Cathy Hatch

2008-12-25T15:58:00.000-08:00

Dear President Elect Obama ( with respect you have earned),
First of all Merry Christmas to you and all of your family, whether they celebrate this holiday or not.
I just finished reading the MSN article about your fitness habits. I was not surprised. Many of us have recognized from early on in your campaign that you are not only a well educated gentleman but also one who has nurtured wisdom.
Just a suggestion for your consideration, if you haven't already done so. Consider finding a really good Martial Arts instructor ( I highly recommend Okinawan Gojuryu) and become involved in the training. It really isn't difficult to do and if you have a good instructor ( I highly recommend mine whom I have trained with for 17 years), you can work out intensely without equipment (although there are some basic items that are very beneficial) even in an elevator if you have a mind to. There are 7 attributes to training in the dojo I train in. I don't know if every Gojuryu school adheres to them but we do. Here they are:
self-awareness (without awareness nothing can change)
self-discipline (it would seem you already have a head start on that one)
self-development (embracing and embodying personal growth)
self-respect ( a belief in your own human value)
self-control (the ability to differentiate before taking action)
self-confidence (accepting your strengths and weaknesses without judgement-kind of like your wife does LOL)
Lastly, self-defense (all of the previous attributes should keep you safe in most situations, but in the event that you should have to physically defend yourself, the karate helps you to develop the tools to do what needs to be done, only if and when it needs to be done.
There is a saying in karate-do that goes "karate ni sente nash" which, if I have spelled it correctly means that karate has no first attack. If I haven't it is hard to say what the translation might be. Translating Japanese language can be a delicate matter.
Karate would be wonderful for Michelle and the girls too.
Anyway, I don't know if you will ever get to read this, but if someone does I hope they will share it with you.
You have a tough job ahead of you, but I am one of those who believes it is your time.
Namaste,
Cathy

Voices for Change

2008-12-25T15:55:00.000-08:00

Despina Pikounis
Wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year.

Patrice BerrySweet Fields
Hey mr obama how are u and your family

Despina Pikounis
Wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year.

Voices for Change - Maria Rosa Muñoz

2008-12-25T15:53:00.000-08:00

He vivido con mucha emocion la victoria demócrata, como persona progresista y militante del Partido Socialista Obrero Español, creo que es una gran noticia, especialmente para las personas mas desfavorecidas que dependen, de una forma u otra de que quienes dirijan el mundo sean inteligentes y buenas personas. Además estoy encantada de haber compartido la alegría de todos los hombres y mujeres de raza negra por el hecho histórico de ver como se vencen los prejuicios raciales y la razón y la justicia se imponen, por fin. Muchas gracias por haber logrado tanto y haberme hecho un poco partícipe de ello, hace tanto que no me alegraba por un acontecimiento que une a todos los que deseamos vivir en paz, justicia e igualdad, que siempre recordaré la felicidad de esa noche magica que pasé en vela esperando un imposible que se convirtió en realidad!!! Un beso de una ex partidaria de Hillary que creyó que los americanos no estaban aún preparados para superar el reto, vuelvo a admirar a United State (post Bush) y le deseo lo mejor.Mª Rosa Muñoz -Barcelona-Spain

Voices for Change

2008-12-25T14:42:00.000-08:00

Ryan Blackwell

"I WILL DEFINATELY DEFINATELY VOTE that way, dont mess up in first term..If everything goes smooth and change comes, 2012 is already a guarntee!!!

IM RYAN BLACKWELL AND I APROVE THIS MESSAGE!!!!"

Caty Titus

"Wishing you a very special Christmas with your beautiful wife and girls! I've just cleaned up after a festive meal with my husband, three children, mother, and father who is visiting from Sweden. We've enjoyed your holiday address, giving us all hope for a better world, peace, and prosperity for all."

Despina Pikounis

"Wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year."

Voices for Change - Caterina Titus

2008-12-25T14:39:00.000-08:00

I just want you to know how thrilled I am that you are the President. You represent everything I would hope for in a leader. I caucused for you in Iowa, and knew from the moment I saw you that I wanted you as my President. I truly feel that you are brilliant.

I have lived in Iowa since I was 5 years old, but come from a multi-cultural family. I now live in the countryside outside of Fairfield, Iowa where we enjoy the peacefulness and simple beauty of the Iowa landscape. However, within the last few years, CAFO’s have been built by our home where we live with our three children ages, 9, 11, and 13. We are very concerned about this increasing development in Iowa, not only for the health of the animals living in these confinement facilities, but for the environment, and for the sake of human life. The toxicity of these areas is leading to poor health conditions. Our middle son has developed asthma during this time, and I am sure it is not a coincidence…several research studies link asthma with CAFO’s.

My mother was born and raised in Iowa, and we can see the potential Iowa has in leading the nation in terms of human and animal health. You saw for yourself how Iowa was the tipping point for you. Therefore, I am urging you to not have Mr. Vilsack as the head of the department of Agriculture. Please, I urge you to choose someone who is looking to the future of agriculture, and has a vision for animal and human health. Tom Vilsack is NOT that person, as his track record shows that he supports CAFO\'s and bio-engineering.

I know that you are someone who looks ahead, who cares about a better world for your girls, and all of our children. Nothing affects the social system like the collective health of our nation. We are all connected.

Please reconsider your choice, and remember that the big picture is one where we always remember our connectedness with the environment and with each other. Health also bears tremendous consequences for the economy in the short and long term. Thank you for your consideration.

Warm Regards,

Caterina Titus
President
Ruby Star Productions, LLC
641-919-3976
www.rubystarproductions.com

Schneider: Obama's 'honeymoon' follows Bush's 'failed marriage' - CNN

2008-12-25T08:28:00.000-08:00

How's the honeymoon going?

Very well. In fact, better than the country's previous honeymoons.

When it comes to honeymoons with new Presidents, Americans have, shall we say, been around the block a few times. But this new guy is really sweeping people off their feet.

Eighty-two percent of Americans are happy with the way President-elect Obama is handling his transition. Even 61 percent of Republicans like him — and they're the in-laws in this marriage. He's not supposed to be good enough for them.

“You know, I am remarkably pleased with Obama,” conservative leader Pat Robertson told CNN this week. “I had grave misgivings about him – but so help me, he’s come in forcefully, intelligently.”

Previous honeymoons –- like fellow Democrat Bill Clinton’s — have been good. But not this good.

The public is particularly impressed by Obama's cabinet appointments: 80 percent approve of Obama's so-called “team of rivals.” Obama's scoring more than 20 points better on his cabinet picks than President Bush did in 2001.

A “team of rivals'” is well and good, but will Obama be a strong leader? He insists he will -– telling Americans the “vision for change comes…first and foremost” from himself. But do people think Obama will be tough enough? Apparently, they do.

Obama’s poll numbers have given him something to smile about lately.

Nearly half the public expresses “a lot of confidence” that Obama will provide real leadership. That's more confidence than people felt in President-elect Bush or Clinton. Obama even scores higher on leadership than President-elect Reagan did when he took office. That's saying something.

It's a bad time, and the country just went through a failed marriage with the current President. Obama represents hope. Isn't that what honeymoons are supposed to be about?

Obama Christmas to include turkey and ham dinner - CNN Political Ticker

2008-12-25T08:27:00.000-08:00

President-elect Barack Obama's traditional Hawaiian Christmas includes opening presents with his family this morning, and dining on turkey and ham tonight.

The Obamas had spent past Christmases with the president-elect's grandmother Madelyn Dunham, a Hawaiian native, who died earlier this year. Obama attended a memorial service for Dunham earlier this week.

Poll: Illinois governor named naughtiest politician of 2008 - CNN

2008-12-25T08:22:00.000-08:00

This is the Christmas gift for the Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevic. Given by CNN. He really earned it. He had to work hard to sell Barack's Senate seat.

A new national poll suggests Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich could be on the top of Santa's naughty list.

Fifty-six percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Wednesday said Blagojevich, who has been arrested on corruption charges, was the naughtiest politician in 2008.

Blagojevich, accused of attempting to sell President-elect Barack Obama's former Senate seat, has said he has done nothing wrong and plans to fight the allegations.

The poll also found 23 percent believed former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer should get the nod, followed by 19 percent for former presidential candidate John Edwards.

Spitzer resigned in March after it was revealed he was Client No. 9 in a high-end prostitution ring. In November, prosecutors announced they would not be bringing criminal charges against Spitzer.

Edwards, who had been considered a major contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, admitted in August to having an extramarital affair with former campaign staffer Rielle Hunter. The former North Carolina senator also denied he was the father of Hunter's then-newborn baby.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich tops new CNN poll of which politician has been the naughtiest 2008.

CNN polling director Keating Holland said while Blagojevich being tops in the survey may be due to the fact his arrest occurred more recently than the transgressions of the others, but he said there may be another reason. iReport.com: Do you trust your political leaders?

"Americans typically take a much dimmer view of corruption than of sex scandals, since the former is a violation of the public trust and the latter is usually considered more of a private matter," he said.

Spread the Word about Barack Obama's 2012 Campaign for President.

2008-12-25T08:21:00.000-08:00

Thank you for coming to Barack Obama's official blog of 2012 Presidential Election Campaign.

We need you, our loyal supporters, to help us expand this blog all over the internet, so that millions of people will be able to come and here learn more about Barack's re-election campaign and the United States Election of 2012.

There are many ways you can help us to spread the word.

1. Make a link to our website. Copy and paste this HTML code on to your website, blog, and Face Book page.

2. Put a Obama'12 widget on to your blog, website and Face Book page

3. Tell your friends about our blog and the Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.

4. Get connected via FaceBook and Twitter

Voices for Change

2008-12-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

Charlie You
Merry Christmas! Mr. President Obama Sir

Evan Taylor
merry christmas mr president and vice president

Tyjuan Luvs Her Moore
Good luck barack i can not belive im talking to president elect obama please write back

Robert Boseley
Barack - hope you are enjoying the vacation. AND that will be the last time I shall call you Barack. Good Luck Mr.President

Nicolus Kinyuru
Such an inspiration....Thnx....Wis

h u both all de best coz "yes we can"

Naomi Goldman-Nagel
obama '08!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tyler Rex
Obama '12!!!!

Kemal Mustafa
Happy holiday ! The year 2009 is yours man, hope you both elect twice in 2014 !

Weekly Radio Address of President - elect: A season of giving, a sense of common purpose

2008-12-24T14:43:00.000-08:00

In this week’s weekly address, President-elect Barack Obama calls on Americans to honor our service men and women and to think of those Americans being hurt by our sluggish economy.

“This season of giving should also be a time to renew a sense of common purpose and shared citizenship,” he says. “Now more than ever, we must rededicate ourselves to the notion that we share a common destiny as Americans – that I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper. Now, we must all do our part to serve one another; to seek new ideas and new innovation; and to start a new chapter for our great country.”

Watch the full address or read the text below.

Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama
Holiday Radio Address
December 27, 2008

Good morning. This week, Americans are gathering with family and friends across the country to celebrate the blessings of Christmas and the holiday season.

As we celebrate this joyous time of year, our thoughts turn to the brave men and women who serve our country far from home. Their extraordinary and selfless sacrifice is an inspiration to us all, and part of the unbroken line of heroism that has made our freedom and prosperity possible for over two centuries.

Many troops are serving their second, third, or fourth tour of duty. And we are reminded that they are more than dedicated Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guard – they are devoted fathers and mothers; husbands and wives; sons and daughters; and sisters and brothers.

This holiday season, their families celebrate with a joy that is muted knowing that a loved one is absent, and sometimes in danger. In towns and cities across America, there is an empty seat at the dinner table; in distant bases and on ships at sea, our servicemen and women can only wonder at the look on their child’s face as they open a gift back home.

Our troops and military families have won the respect and gratitude of their broader American family. Michelle and I have them in our prayers this Christmas, and we must all continue to offer them our full support in the weeks and months to come. .

These are also tough times for many Americans struggling in our sluggish economy. As we count the higher blessings of faith and family, we know that millions of Americans don’t have a job. Many more are struggling to pay the bills or stay in their homes. From students to seniors, the future seems uncertain.

That is why this season of giving should also be a time to renew a sense of common purpose and shared citizenship. Now, more than ever, we must rededicate ourselves to the notion that we share a common destiny as Americans – that I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper. Now, we must all do our part to serve one another; to seek new ideas and new innovation; and to start a new chapter for our great country.

That is the spirit that will guide my Administration in the New Year. If the American people come together and put their shoulder to the wheel of history, then I know that we can put our people back to work and point our country in a new direction. That is how we will see ourselves through this time of crisis, and reach the promise of a brighter day.

After all, that is what Americans have always done.

232 years ago, when America was newly born as a nation, George Washington and his Army faced impossible odds as they struggled to free themselves from the grip of an empire.

It was Christmas Day—December 25th, 1776 – that they fought through ice and cold to make an improbable crossing of the Delaware River. They caught the enemy off guard, won victories in Trenton and Princeton, and gave new momentum to a beleaguered Army and new hope to the cause of Independence.

Many ages have passed since that first American Christmas. We have crossed many rivers as a people. But the lessons that have carried us through are the same lessons that we celebrate every Christmas season—the same lessons that guide us to this very day: that hope endures, and that a new birth of peace is always possible.

Obama radio address remembers troops, unemployed - CNN Political Ticker

2008-12-24T14:42:00.000-08:00

President-elect Barack Obama's holiday radio address pays tribute to troops serving overseas, and to those struggling amid the nation's economic woes.

"In towns and cities across America, there is an empty seat at the dinner table," says Obama. "In distant bases and on ships at sea, our servicemen and women can only wonder at the look on their child's face as they open a gift back home."

(Full text after the jump)

Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama
Holiday Radio Address
December 24, 2008

Good morning. This week, Americans are gathering with family and friends across the country to celebrate the blessings of Christmas and the holiday season.

Many troops are serving their second, third, or even fourth tour of duty. And we are reminded that they are more than dedicated Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guard - they are devoted fathers and mothers; husbands and wives; sons and daughters; sisters and brothers.

These are also tough times for many Americans struggling in our sluggish economy. As we count the higher blessings of faith and family, we know that millions of Americans don't have a job. Many more are struggling to pay the bills or stay in their homes. From students to seniors, the future seems uncertain.

That is why this season of giving should also be a time to renew a sense of common purpose and shared citizenship. Now, more than ever, we must rededicate ourselves to the notion that we share a common destiny as Americans - that I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper. Now, we must all do our part to serve one another; to seek new ideas and new innovation; and to start a new chapter for our great country.

After all, that's what Americans have always done.

232 years ago, when America was newly born as a nation, George Washington and his Army faced impossible odds as they struggled to free themselves from the grip of an empire.

It was Christmas Day - December 25th, 1776 - that they fought through ice and cold to make an improbable crossing of the Delaware River. They caught the enemy off guard, won victories in Trenton and Princeton, and gave new momentum to the beleaguered Army and new hope to the cause of Independence.

Obama’s holiday radio address was released Wednesday.

Many ages have passed since that first American Christmas. We have crossed many rivers as a people. But the lessons that have carried us through are the same lessons that we celebrate every Christmas season - the same lessons that guide us to this very day: that hope endures, and that a new birth of peace is always possible.

Thank you, and have a wonderful New Year.

Coleman camp loses key Minnesota Supreme Court decision

2008-12-24T14:41:00.001-08:00

The season just got a bit less jolly for Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman: in a Christmas Eve decision, the Minnesota Supreme Court unanimously rejected a lawsuit calling for recount changes that would have erased Democratic challenger Al Franken’s narrow lead.

The Coleman campaign’s suit had asked the court to intervene because of what it says are double-counted absentee ballots that have been unfairly awarded to Al Franken. The incumbent’s lawyers asked the court to restore the original Election Night totals in roughly two dozen precincts, where recount gains had given Franken an overall edge.

The justices rejected that argument, agreeing with the Franken team that those allegations should be dealt with in legal proceedings after the recount was complete, and a winner certified by the state’s canvassing board.

The Franken team said again Wednesday they expect him to come out on top when the Senate race recount ends.

Franken currently leads Coleman by 47 votes. In a ruling earlier Wednesday, the court extended the deadline for the completion of the Senate race recount to the first week in January.

Pat Robertson criticizes Bush, praises Obama - CNN

2008-12-24T14:41:00.000-08:00

Pat Robertson is "remarkably pleased" with President-elect Barack Obama, the conservative leader told CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux – and believes President Bush’s administration has not dealt with the nation’s economic crisis in a “professional manner.”

“Well, it's hard to assess blame, but I, over the years — I hate to be critical, I mean I am a Republican, and this is the president of the party that I'm a member of — but I think we've had some serious goofs along the way,” he said on the Situation Room Tuesday.

“The Katrina matter was terrible. The rebuilding of Iraq has been terrible. The [handling] of the economy right now has been terrible. It hasn't been handled in what I would consider a professional manner.”

Robertson said history may be kinder to Bush than current opinion. “But I believe I would look at about a C-minus right now if I were grading him,” he said.

The evangelical leader has been a supporter of Bush's presidential campaigns.

Robertson gave Bush low marks Tuesday.

Robertson said Tuesday he was optimistic about the incoming Obama administration. “I am remarkably pleased with Obama,” he told Malveaux. “I had grave misgivings about him. But so help me, he's come in forcefully, intelligently. He's picked a middle of the road cabinet. And so far, if he continues down this course, he has the makings of a great president. So, I'm very pleased so far.”

Voices for Change

2008-12-24T14:35:00.000-08:00

Angela Wilkinson

It pleases me that you are to be the President. You have a grace about you that is calming to lots of people. I wish you, your beautiful wife and children a very merry Christmas with love for the New Year. Do us proud.xx

Elizabeth Yow

I was so thrilled with your history making victory! But I am very concerned over your decision to have Rick Warren participate in any way!! He is prejudice and homophobic. I just hope you do not share his views regarding gay rights.

Maryanne Arnow

Glad to be here, glad you ARE here...
Happy holidays to you and all those you love.

Very best of all the good luck in your new office...May your time there be utterly rewarding to you, and for all of us...

Safe Travels,

Best always,
Sincerely,

Maryanne A. Arnow

Nicole Stoda Lenz

Dear Mr. Obama....
First of all I just want to say how glad I am to soon call you my president!
second:
MY dad works through a contract in alabama on interceptor missiles (I don't now the real name but they blow up nucular missels before they can reach us) and my mom is worried he'll lose his job. Can you help me put her mind at ease?

Voices for Change

2008-12-24T14:32:00.000-08:00

Heidi Svanborg

I wish you and your familiy a happy Christmas..
And hope that you will help the pour people in your country in the futüre..
From Heidi
www.heidisvanborg.dk

muriel

I would like just know the change that you promise to the american people how its will affect Africa Continent where I live and you must note that we very proud of you

Donovan Cox

I love You, Thank you for being you. You are a winner. I am fighting for you to win 2012.

Jocelyne Djummo

Merry christmas and happy new year to you and all your family.

Online Supporter From FaceBook

my 6 year old niece would like to walk down to Mr. Obama's place in Kailua and sing outside for him!!! She has a beautiful voice and sings "God Bless America" like a champ LOL

Voices for Change - Ms. Heidi Elisabeth Hansen

2008-12-24T14:31:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr. President Barack Obama (well, very soon :-))

I know from the bottom of my heart that you are the change in this world many people around the world wants as a president for America. From day One I knew you were the One to win. You have what it takes to be a good president both in character and in politics. I wish you and your family all the best and may God always protect you and your family. I pray for that.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Copenhagen, Denmark.

Ms. Heidi Elisabeth Hansen
Ambassador of Peace
WICO\'s President Denmark
www.wicohome.org - see under Europe
www.wicointernational.org

Did McCain Botch the Sarah Palin Pick? - http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2008/12/23/did-mccain-botch-the-sarah-palin-pick.html

2008-12-23T18:39:00.000-08:00

The Sarah Palin backlash—or comeback—is underway. Misused by the McCain campaign, then dissed by anonymous McCainiacs as a haughty diva, those who think the senator and his staff are to blame are starting to speak out. And we're not talking about those who traveled with the Alaska governor who quickly took a shining to her and chafed when the McCain team botched her coming out on the campaign trail. Now I'm hearing from key Republicans on Capitol Hill and GOP pollsters who believe that the McCain campaign should have put her out to talk about energy and political independence—her two best issues—instead of making her the conservative attack dog.

Said one pollster: "The McCain campaign took this person and completely botched her assets." What's more, the pollster said that in Palin, the McCain campaign had an expert on one of the key issues that was on the minds of Americans: energy prices. "They should have used her knowledge and focus on her expertise." And the pollster said on background that the campaign should have played up her reputation as a political maverick.

Sarah Palin on the campaign trail during the 2008 election. She helped McCain by showing her self as the most experience candidate ever. Palin also helped McCain by turning away as many voters as possible! Keep it going Palin. You can also help your self in 2012, if you did what you did in 2008.

Hay By the way, you are a Maverick. So you should run in 2010, not in 2012, as Stepeh Colbert said on his show - The Colbert Report.

Instead, the campaign "took her and turned her into an attack dog and she wasn't good at it." And it hurt her national image, with one internal GOP poll putting her positive to negative image at 48 percent to 48 percent.

Can she come back? One who thinks yes is McCain's own pollster, Bill McInturff, who says, "She will be a major surrogate, a major player."

Voices for Change

2008-12-23T18:27:00.000-08:00

Driton Lajçi
"May God portect all of you and guide you threw these trouble times that lieahead Good luck"
Driton Lajçi

Daniel OBrien
"Hello, Mr.President and VP
Continue to show understanding and support for Kosovo citizens. Kosovo citizens are your fans like your Americans, they/we/I have deept simpathy for USA and your justice policy toward Kosovo citizens. Your friends are my friends as well (Doug Coe etc.)
Blessings, Blessings, Blessings
Driton Lajci, Kosovo"

Michelle Obama - Happy holidays

2008-12-23T18:25:00.000-08:00

Michelle Obama has sent out this email to all the supporters.

This holiday season, the grassroots movement you helped build can make a big difference for those in need.

I hope you will join me in supporting your favorite charity or contributing to causes that are especially meaningful to me and my family.

While many of us will spend the holidays counting our blessings and sharing dinner with loved ones, millions of people around the country won't be so fortunate. Donating to your local food bank will help provide a holiday meal to people in your community who can't afford one.

Talking with the families of deployed troops was one of the most rewarding experiences I had during the campaign. Giving to Operation USO Care Package is a great way to send members of our military stationed around the world a reminder that someone back home is thinking of them.

This is a time to celebrate our blessings, the new year, and a new era for our country. But it's also a time to come together on behalf of those who need our help.

Do what you can to help today by locating your local food bank and giving your support:

http://my.barackobama.com/foodbanks

Or send a care package to an American in uniform:

http://my.barackobama.com/carepackage

Thank you for all that you do and have a very happy holiday season,

Michelle

Voices for Change - Amelia Thelismon

2008-12-23T18:23:00.000-08:00

Hopefully I'm speaking to the real Barack Obama because everybody wants to be you,with great regard.You deserve all the admiration in the whole wide world after God.Keep up the good work and may God bless you and your family

Voices for Change

2008-12-23T18:10:00.000-08:00

Phyllis Ingram
Contratulations on being selected persone of the year. Could not agree more. Thank you for fighting so hard to win the Presidency! I've been backing your since 2004!!!!!!

Raphael Adeyemi
hey obama i am in muscat oman from a black nation nigeria at school i am just 12 year everone call me a hole but i belive u can change it black is still a colour

Driton Lajci
It's my pleasure to write you a message.
I was student at La Roche College Pittsburgh, PA. I belive you won't leave Kosovo and Albanians, in general they are your fans like your Americans, sometimes mor than that.
Regards
Driton Lajci, Kosovo
+377 44 145 411

Driton Lajci
I belive that you will continue to understand Ksosovo and support. Kosovars are your fans like most of Americans.
I share with you one thing for now, (Doug Coe) he is mine and your friend.

Blessings, blessings, blessings,
Driton Lajci,
+377 44 145 411

No Improper Contact With Governor - New York Times

2008-12-23T17:59:00.000-08:00

An internal report issued on Tuesday by lawyers for President-elect Barack Obama found that his top advisers had numerous contacts with the office of Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich and attempted to guide his choice to fill a vacant Illinois Senate seat, but none of the talks suggested an attempt to play along with the governor’s alleged attempts to sell the seat.

Rahm Emanuel, the new White House chief of staff, had two conversations with Mr. Blagojevich and four calls with John Harris, the governor’s chief of staff, about the Senate seat. He provided a list of six names of Illinois Democrats whom Mr. Obama favored to fill his Senate seat.

“At no time in the discussion of the Senate seat or of possible replacements did the president-elect hear of a suggestion that the governor expected a personal benefit in return for making this appointment to the Senate,” said the report, which was written by Gregory Craig, the new White House counsel.

In a question-answer session just after the report’s release, Mr. Craig described the contacts between Mr. Emanuel and the governor’s chief of staff as “totally appropriate and acceptable” as well as “predictable.” In his conversations with the governor in the days immediately after the election, the report said, Mr. Emanuel was pushing Valerie Jarrett for the Senate seat. Mr. Emanuel said he made the recommendation before he knew that Mr. Obama “had ruled out communicating a preference for any one candidate.”

Ms. Jarrett, a close friend of the Obama family and a senior adviser to the campaign, removed her name from consideration for the Senate seat so she could work in the White House as a senior adviser to Mr. Obama.

Ms. Jarrett had a conversation with a union official, who told her that Mr. Blagojevich had expressed interest in becoming health and human services secretary in the Obama cabinet, Mr. Craig said. At the time of the conversation, on Nov. 7, Ms. Jarrett was still being mentioned as a candidate for Mr. Obama’s Senate seat.

However, Mr. Craig said, the union official was not acting as an emissary for the governor, and Ms. Jarrett told the union official it was “ridiculous” for the governor to even think of getting such a post, given the investigations swirling around him long before the latest controversy erupted.

President-elect Barack Obama greeted well-wishers after working out at a Marine base in Honolulu on Tuesday

The report, which was made public on Tuesday afternoon in the form of a five-page memorandum to the president-elect from Mr. Craig, showed more involvement from Mr. Emanuel in filling the Senate seat than had previously been known.

But Mr. Craig said there was no evidence of wrongdoing or suggestions that Mr. Emanuel was asked to provide favors to the governor in exchange for the Senate seat.

The report said that Mr. Emanuel “discussed the merits of potential candidates and the strategic benefit that each candidate would bring to the Senate seat.”

Mr. Emanuel gave the names of four Democrats from Illinois whom Mr. Obama “considered to be highly qualified,” including Dan Hynes, Tammy Duckworth, Representative Jan Schakowsky and Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. In later telephone calls, Mr. Emanuel also mentioned the names of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Ms. Cheryle Jackson.

“Mr. Harris did not make any effort to extract a personal benefit for the Governor in any of these conversations,” Mr. Craig wrote in the report. “There was no discussion of a cabinet position, of 501c(4), of a private sector position or of any other personal benefit to the governor in exchange for the Senate appointment.”

Mr. Obama, who is on vacation with his family here in Hawaii, is not planning to answer questions or speak publicly about the report.

The report, and the timing of its release, was a product of cooperation from the office of Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the United States attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, who is leading the federal investigation into Mr. Blagojevich. But according to people familiar with the report, lawyers who compiled the Obama review did not have access to wiretapped telephone conversations between Obama aides and the governor’s office.

Last week, Mr. Fitzgerald asked the Obama transition team to delay the release of its report so prosecutors could interview witnesses in the Blagojevich investigation. The office had yet to complete its interviews late last week, people familiar with the case said, and asked the Obama team not to release its report on Monday.

At a news conference three days after the election, Mr. Obama said he was staying out of the matter. “There are going to be a lot of good choices out there,” he said, “but it is the governor’s decision to make, not mine.”

Mr. Craig has worked with the United States attorney’s office, which has repeatedly suggested that Mr. Obama’s staff is not suspected of any wrongdoing.

The Obama report may not be the final word on the case. The review was compiled from memory by Mr. Obama’s aides, rather than from recordings of any phone calls.

The taped conversations, which were picked up through the court-approved wiretapping of Mr. Blagojevich and his chief of staff, Mr. Harris, will not become public until the case moves through the courts or goes to trial.

Asked whether he thought the prosecutor should release the tapes, Mr. Craig declined to answer, declaring that the matter was the prosecutor’s business. As for whether any new guidelines might be necessary for Obama staff members regarding whom they talk to, Mr. Craig dismissed the idea, saying no new rules were needed because the few conversations that occurred with the governor’s people were “completely innocent, completely appropriate.”

Tucker Bounds... We're gonna miss you buddy - 236.com

2008-12-23T17:53:00.000-08:00

Oh yeah baby! Remember Tucker Bounds (now bounces), media spokesman for the McCain-Palin campaign, could not even answer Campbell's Brown's questions on the qualification of Sarah Palin. Now, after that case, Bounds was bounced off to the ditch By the McCain campaign.

Here is the news reported by 236.com

As the year comes to a close, 23/6 takes a moment to say goodbye to all the bit players and historical footnotes who helped make 2008's news extra special. We'll probably never see them again, so before they go we'd like to say... "We're gonna miss you buddy."

When former McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds got grilled by CNN's Campbell Brown about Sarah Palin's foreign policy experience, most people saw the interview as a triumph of honest reporting over spin. But watching that clip, and every other interview Bounds gave during the campaign, you had to hand it to the guy. There might be no more unshakable spewer of pure, substance-less spin in the history of political sleaze. Campbell Brown might have set a new example for anchors standing their ground against talking heads, but Tucker Bounds gave the impression that no matter how many ways Brown might have tried to make him give her a direct answer to a question, it would simply never happen.

Physically, Bounds might be the human being who most deserves the name "pinhead." His long, lean frame almost begs you to shove him inside a locker. Listening to Bounds, it's easy to let his empty blather wash over you in a sea of meaningless syllables as you imagine the years of schoolyard assaults and gym class humiliations he must have had to suffer before launching his career as a professional a-hole. It almost made us pity the guy. Then we'd pay attention to what he was saying, and we'd want nothing more than for a bully to run into the studio and "pants" him on national television.

My name is Tucker Bounds and you want to give me a wedgie.

Tucker might pop up on TV again come 2010 or 2012, and we sure hope he does. His talents for ass-hattery are too great for him not to be on TV. But just in case he does sink into the background of politics, we wanna take this moment to say you were a real d-bag this year, Tucker. And it's the d-bags who make our job easier. We're gonna miss you buddy!

Coleman's Last Hope Rests In Dubious Legal Maneuvers

2008-12-23T17:48:00.000-08:00

After a day of legal wrangling, Al Franken's Senate campaign is confident the comedian will end the "reconciliation" process of the recount up roughly 50 votes over Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman.

Marc Elias, the Democratic challenger's lead recount attorney, predicted that the final margin would be 47 votes. This tally, however, is hardly set in stone. On Tuesday, lawyers for Sen. Norm Coleman argued before the State Supreme Court that 138 or so ballots had been accidentally counted twice during the recount process. As such, they argued, the state should go back to 25 specific counties and use the Election Day tallies. Such a maneuver engendered sharp questions from Supreme Court officials and Franken's own legal team.

Why, for example, should the state focus only on 25 precincts, where it just so happens a reversion to Election night totals would favor Coleman? (If the 138 ballots were counted Coleman would gain an estimated 126 votes -- catapulting him into the lead).

"All 4,001 precincts would have to be re-canvassed," said Franken lawyer William Pentelovitch. "They've cherry-picked what they want to look at."

And what specific evidence did the Coleman campaign have to claim that 130 or so ballots had been double counted?

On Election Day, some voters had to use a second ballot after their first could not be properly scanned through machines. But the duplicates did not appear to be counted alongside the originals, as the Coleman team has argued, because the total number of votes from Election Day line up with the total number of votes after the recount.

Elias, speaking briefly to reporters, said the issue of what to do about the alleged duplicates should be resolved on December 30th. Though if the court rules that the state had to re-look at whether or not duplicates where counted, the Franken team could respond by challenging votes of its own.

Once that topic is settled, there will be only one more obstacle to resolution of the race. The two campaigns and state officials have not, as of yet, determined the best course of action for 1,600 or so improperly rejected absentee ballots. This pool seems likely to favor Franken, should it be counted, and could make any argument over duplicates moot. Resolution on that front, however, could extend weeks into January.

Obama Blagojevich Report: Team Claims Exoneration - Huffington Post

2008-12-23T17:46:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama's chief counsel declared on Tuesday afternoon that only one member of the President-elect's staff -- incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel -- had any communications with embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his staff since Obama's election.

Emanuel's interactions, moreover, were not in any way improper, Obama's aides stressed, and the transition team was fully compliant both with the law and the U.S. Attorney's investigation into Blagojevich's alleged pay-for-play scheme.

"No one in the Obama circle was aware of what was going on in the governor's office until he was arrested," said Greg Craig, Obama's counsel. "They found out what the Governor was doing the same time the American public found out about it."

While Craig and spokesman Robert Gibbs debriefed reporters, the Obama transition team put out a five-page report detailing the extent of contacts between the Illinois governor, the President-elect, and their respective staffs.

Read the full text of the Obama report.

As was reported over the weekend, incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had been in touch with Blagojevich and his chief of staff, primarily about the replacement process for Emanuel's own congressional seat but also about various Obama replacements.

At some point in mid-November, the Obama internal review states, the president-elect discussed potential "qualified candidates" for the Senate seat with Emanuel and senior adviser David Axelrod. "Those candidates included Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Jesse Jackson, Jr., Dan Hynes and Tammy Duckworth. The President-Elect understood that Rahm Emanuel would relay these names to the Governor's office as additions to the pool of qualified candidates who might already be under consideration. Mr. Emanuel subsequently confirmed to the President that he had in fact relayed these names. At no time in the discussion of the Senate seat or of possible replacements did the President-Elect hear of a suggestion that the Governor expected a personal benefit in return for making this appointment to the Senate."

Axelrod and senior adviser Valerie Jarrett both "did not have any contacts with the Governor or his office but are included in the report," Craig's findings say. But there is enough back-channel conversation involving Jarrett -- mostly second-hand discussion about Blagojevich's scheme -- to possibly create public relations issues for her down the road.

According to the report, Jarret had one contact with Blagojevich, during a National Governor's Association Conference in Philadelphia in early December -- "over three weeks after she had decided not to pursue the Senate seat." Jarrett did speak to Tom Balanoff, the head of the Illinois chapter of the Service Employees International Union, who relayed to her that he had spoken with Blagojevich about her being named Obama's replacement. Balanoff also related that Blagojevich was, perhaps, interested in heading the Department of Health and Human Services in the new administration.

"Mr. Balanoff did not suggest," the internal report states, "that the Governor, in talking about HHS, was linking a position for himself in the Obama cabinet to the selection of the President-elect's successor in the Senate, and Ms. Jarrett did not understand the conversation to suggest that the Governor wanted the cabinet seat as a quid pro quo..."

As for the HHS topic, "[Jarrett] viewed that as a ridiculous proposition and waved it off," Craig said to reporters. "She found it to be a random comment on the face of it, ridiculous, and dismissed it as such."

The section on Axelrod helps explain a statement he made on the scandal that created some confusion. "After the election, the President-elect discussed -- with Mr. Axelrod and Mr. Emanuel -- a number of individuals who were highly qualified to take his place in the Senate. Mr. Axelrod was under the impression that the President-elect would convey this information to the Governor or to someone from the Governor's office, which explains why Mr. Axelrod gave an inaccurate answer on this subject to questions from the press."

One other newsworthy bit: Craig said that the decision to delay the issuance of the report was made strictly by Patrick Fitzgerald's office. They were worried about the damage it could cause to their investigation.

"This report was provided to the U.S. attorney's office today," said Craig. "It was ready for delivery actually on December 15, when I met with the U.S. Attorney and he asked me on that occasion to hold off out of concerns that by releasing this report we might have some impact on his investigation."

Obama to take oath of office using Lincoln Bible - CNN

2008-12-23T17:44:00.000-08:00

The Obama transition team announced Tuesday morning that the president-elect would be sworn in with the Lincoln Bible, used by 16th president when taking the oath of office in 1861 (Full statement released Tuesday follows):

"Washington, D.C. - On January 20th, President-elect Barack Obama will take the oath of office using the same Bible upon which President Lincoln was sworn in at his first inauguration. The Bible is currently part of the collections of the Library of Congress. Though there is no constitutional requirement for the use of a Bible during the swearing-in, Presidents have traditionally used Bibles for the ceremony, choosing a volume with personal or historical significance. President-elect Obama will be the first President sworn in using the Lincoln Bible since its initial use in 1861.

'President-elect Obama is deeply honored that the Library of Congress has made the Lincoln Bible available for use during his swearing-in,' said Presidential Inaugural Committee Executive Director Emmett Beliveau. 'The President-elect is committed to holding an Inauguration that celebrates America's unity, and the use of this historic Bible will provide a powerful connection to our common past and common heritage.' "

"The Lincoln Bible will be available for a press viewing between 11:00 AM and Noon today in the Members' Room on the first floor of the Library of Congress' Thomas Jefferson Building at 10 First St. S.E. in Washington, D.C. Video and still cameras are permitted. Media should allow 10-15 minutes to clear security at the First Street entrance to the Jefferson Building. Clark Evans, who heads the Reference Services Section of the Rare Book and Special Collections Division of the Library of Congress, will also be available at that time to answer questions about the Lincoln Bible and the Library. High-resolution photographs of the Bible are also available upon request. RSVP is not required. Please contact the PIC Communications Office with questions.

The Bible was originally purchased by William Thomas Carroll, Clerk of the Supreme Court, for use during Lincoln's swearing-in ceremony on March 4, 1861. The Lincoln family Bible, which is also in the Library of Congress's collection, was unavailable for the ceremony because it was packed away with the First Family's belongings, still en route from Springfield, IL, to their new home at the White House.

The Bible itself is bound in burgundy velvet with a gold-washed white metal rim around the three outside edges of both covers. All its edges are heavily gilded. In the center of the top cover is a shield of gold wash over white metal with the words 'Holy Bible' chased into it. The book is 15 cm long, 10 cm wide, and 4.5 cm deep when closed. The 1,280-page Bible was published in 1853 by the Oxford University Press.

Annotated in the back of the volume, along with the Seal of the Supreme Court, is the following: 'I, William Thomas Carroll, clerk of the said court do hereby certify that the preceding copy of the Holy Bible is that upon which the Honble. R. B. Taney, Chief Justice of the said Court, administered to His Excellency, Abraham Lincoln, the oath of office as President of the United States …'

Obama will be the first president since Lincoln's first term to be sworn in using the Lincoln Bible.

The Lincoln Inaugural Bible will be on display at the Library of Congress February 12th to May 9th, 2009, as part of an exhibition titled "With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition." The exhibit will then travel to five other American cities. The Library is planning several other events and programming in commemoration of the bicentennial of the birth of the nation's 16th president, who was born on February 12th, 1809.

On March 4, 2009, the 147th anniversary of Lincoln's first inauguration, the Library of Congress will also be convening an all-day symposium with several renowned Lincoln scholars."

Voices for Change - Amelia Thelismon

2008-12-23T16:35:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr.President

Hopefully I'm speaking to the real Barack Obama because everybody wants to be you,with great regard.You deserve all the admiration in the whole wide world after God.Keep up the good work and may God bless you and your family

Obama: Put the journalists' beer on my tab

2008-12-23T09:28:00.000-08:00

Many Republicans already believe President-elect Barack Obama has gotten a free ride from the national media, so they may not be happy to learn the incoming Commander-in-Chief offered to buy a round of drinks for reporters covering his working vacation on the sands of Hawaii's beaches and the greens of its lush golf courses.

Halfway through a round of golf on Sunday afternoon, Obama rolled up to the snack bar in his golf cart to find a small pool of reporters waiting to get more pictures of him enjoying a leisurely day. No doubt realizing these might not be the best images at a time of recession, Obama suggested the reporters seek some other recreation to pass the time — rather than snapping so many pics.

"Obama then told us we should be in the clubhouse at the bar having some beers," according to a pool report by Jamie Farnsworth of CBS News. "Someone asked if he would pick up the tab and he agreed before driving off to the next hole. Pool is still holding without beer.

In a separate pool report for print journalists, Jeff Zeleny of The New York Times added helpfully: "He chatted for a moment, telling the pool to have a beer and put it on his tab. No one took him up on the offer."

Aha! So the key here is reporters covering the President-elect are having more fun here in Hawaii than we had in Crawford, Texas — and 85 degrees in the middle of the afternoon here is way better than the cold winds blowing through Chicago too. But none of the journalists were corrupted by free beer — we pay our own tabs.

Obama offered to pick up the tab for a group of journalists — an offer few would make.

And just for the record: your faithful correspondent, while enjoying the wonders of Waikiki beach, never drinks — at least not on the job.

Voices for Change - Andrea Calabrese

2008-12-22T14:51:00.000-08:00

I really have to get this VIP message to them:

OMG! Thank you so much for adding me. I have to tell you something that's SUPER important. After 9/11, I got so scared...I had just moved to LA and didn't know anybody (except by studying movies when Oliver Stone sent me a letter telling to come to Santa Monica in 1999--when I got here, he had abandoned his office already) and when 9/11 happened, I started reading the Bible every single day because our country was attacked by terrorists for the 2nd time at World Trade Center.

To the point...I learned from the Bible, something not many other people know, get this:

Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and all other soldiers who've ever been in the US military and wounded to the point of Trumbo's "Johnny Got His Gun" are currently being ABUSED IN US HOSPITALS and around the world!

Leviticus 7:26 and Psalms 50-52 say wounded, blinded and/or deaf people and innocent children in hospitals have the right to know that if they are informed about choosing to be vegan tube fed only, their stories and truths will be allowed to be heard through the purity of the real GOD. I learned this from personal experience and obedience to the King of Heaven. It's called, magnification and it's allowed if a person is extremely obedient to the Bible. I might be one of the only girls on this planet who has this ability.

I've been trying for almost a year to get another girl to sing a song or do a monologue through the magnification advanced acting technique. I have not heard one other girl slate. This is a major injustice, man. It's not acceptable that these merciless b*tches are allowed to get paid and I'm not just because I respect the Bible.

It's not acceptable and Leonardo DiCaprio (born three days before me--leader of the nazi party and the evil Roman "Spartacus" Empire--who's been specifically designed to be a good leader and a spiritual guide for Andrea; For the soul reason that I should not have had to drive a taxi for one day since 1995, especially after my parents and grandparents paid almost 100,000 dollars since 1977 for multiple performing arts schools) keeps stealing my money and giving my dialogue to stupid b*tches less qualified and less important. Leonardo DiCaprio's been hurting my family for almost 12 years. What he doesn't understand is that when he hurts me, he hurts himself and everyone else--including all artists' rights. 11/11/74 is Hitler the 4th, I swear to God. If he doesn't start respecting God through 11/14/74, there's going to be another Holocaust and it's going to start on January 1st, 2010. To get to the point, Leonardo DiCaprio only has one year and two weeks left to allow Andrea Calabrese one sentence, at least one credit in any of the screenplays, scripts or Superbowl commercials that will continue to steal from her, mercilessly. Agents are lying, brainwashing and entrapping artists so painfully that it scaring everyone really badly.

It would be really perfect if there was a way to make slavery (procurement) laws optional, instantly.

REVELATONS 22:16
Andrea Calabrese
http:// www. Joematters. Com

Poll: Most approve of the auto bailout — but no additional funds

2008-12-22T14:44:00.001-08:00

A new national poll suggests that a majority of Americans approve of recent loans to the big U.S. automakers, but fewer than three in ten would support any additional assistance if the domestic auto industry asked for such help.

Sixty-three percent of those questioned in a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey support the roughly $13 billion loan package the White House is extending to American automakers to prevent them from going into bankruptcy, with 37 percent opposing the move.

In exchange for the loans, the deal calls for the auto companies to come up with plans by the end of March that show how they would change their business models to become viable in the future.

But if the auto companies should ask for more taxpayer assistance, the poll indicates that public opinion changes dramatically. Only 28 percent would approve of providing the automakers more money, with 70 percent saying let them go bankrupt.

"One reason for that: only 15 percent say that the country would face a crisis if the automakers went bankrupt, and half say that would not cause any problems for them personally at all . But most say that the country would face major problems if the auto companies were in bankruptcy," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.

Holland says the opposition to any additional assistance may be a reluctance to spend more money that they think the government may never see again. Only 28 percent, he adds, say the auto companies involved in the current program will be able to pay all or most of the $13 billion back; one in five say they will not be able to pay any of it back to the government.

Auto sales have plummeted in recent months.

"This perceived lack of ability to pay taxpayers back may be one reason why the poll indicates auto executives are not very popular with Americans. Eighty-two percent of those questioned have a negative view of auto executives," says Holland.

Union leaders don't fare so well either: Sixty-one percent of those polled have a negative view of labor leadership.

If the big automakers fall into bankruptcy, Americans may be less willing to buy from them. Two-thirds of those polled say they would be less likely to buy a car from an auto company in bankruptcy.

The CNN/Opinion Research poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, with 1,013 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Obama team to release Blagojevich report by Tuesday

2008-12-22T14:44:00.000-08:00

That's right. On the report, American will find the truth about the Illinois Governor's scandle, and that Barack Obama played no role in that part. Our administration would be most the transparent, and accountable administration ever in the America History. This scenario will prove whether it the case or not.

The Obama transition team is planning to release a report by tomorrow detailing contact between his staff and embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, transition aides tell CNN.

The president-elect himself is not expected to comment publicly on the results of the internal investigation, which reportedly detail one conversation between President-elect Obama’s chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and Blagojevich, and several others between Emanuel and the governor’s top aide.

The Illinois governor was arrested earlier this month on charges of attempting to sell Obama’s Senate seat.

Blagojevich complained during one conversation recorded by the FBI that Obama and his aides were unwilling to compensate him for naming a candidate of their choosing to the seat.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald in Chicago has said that Obama was not a target of the investigation. Sources have also told CNN that Emanuel has not been implicated in the case.

Poll: One in five think Cheney is worst VP in U.S. history - CNN

2008-12-22T14:43:00.000-08:00

A new national poll suggests that one of out of five Americans think that Dick Cheney is the worst vice president in American history.

Twenty-three percent of those questioned in a CNN-Opinion Research Corporation survey released Tuesday say that Cheney is the country's worst vice president, when compared to his predecessors. Another 41 percent feel that Cheney is a poor vice president, with 34 percent rating him a good number two.

Only 1 percent of those polled say that Cheney is the best vice president in U.S. history.

"On the Sunday talk shows, Cheney took on the job of making the affirmative case for the Bush legacy," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "But the messenger may be getting in the way of the message."

Cheney steps down as vice president on January 20. He will be succeeded by Vice President-elect Joe Biden.

He will leave office as one of the most powerful vice presidents in history. He played a crucial role in many of the Bush administration's crucial policies and was a major proponent of using and expanding executive powers.

Cheney doesn’t get high marks in a new CNN/ORC poll.

"Cheney still has a lot of fans in the Republican party. Most Republicans nationwide said Cheney had been a good veep," Holland adds. "But six in ten independents and eight in tem Democrats gave Cheney a rating of 'poor' or 'worst ever.'"

In interviews this past weekend, the vice president said he was not troubled by polls that suggested he was unpopular and he was critical of those who spend too much time reading surveys.

The CNN/Opinion Research poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, with 1,013 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Palin's biggest campaign regret: Not enough media interviews

2008-12-22T14:42:00.000-08:00

Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s biggest mistake of the presidential campaign: not enough time with the media, the Alaska governor said in an interview published Monday.

“The biggest mistake made was that I could have called more shots on this: the opportunities that were not seized to speak to more Americans via media,” she told Human Events.

“I was not allowed to do very many interviews, and the interviews that I did were not necessarily those I would have chosen. But I was so thankful to have the opportunity to run with John McCain that I was not going to argue with the strategy decisions that some of his people were making regarding the media contacts.

“But if I would have been in charge, I would have wanted to speak to more reporters because that’s how you get your message out to the electorate.

Spending on Palin's clothes, makeup and hair made headlines during the campaign.

Palin also said she was uncomfortable leaving the campaign’s management to people she did not know well. “I was in a campaign in which I did not know the people individually running the campaign. So I had to put my life, my career, my family, and my reputation in their hands. That’s kind of a scary thing to do when you don’t know the people you are working with,” said the Alaska governor.

Palin has been the target of tough criticism, much of it anonymous, from senior McCain aides since the end of the campaign.

Voices for Change - Deborah Jaynes

2008-12-22T14:40:00.000-08:00

I'm a supporter from Long Beach,Ca. While looking for a way to contact Joe Biden to explain my support of his German Shepard choice, I found the Obama-Biden on face book.
I have emailed change.gov regarding the miniture poodle as a possible Obama choice. I would like to be accepted as a friend because I consider your coming administration will be my best friend of all.
Thank-you,Debbie Jaynes
debjayn@yahoo.com

Barack Is Back on the beachfront

2008-12-22T08:49:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama is spending the holidays back in Hawaii — but the nation's financial woes mean a working vacation for the president-elect.

Michelle Obama's urban chic heads to D.C. - CNN

2008-12-22T08:48:00.000-08:00

Michelle Obama turned the campaign trail into a runway this year, sporting eye-catching colors and feminine cuts that sent fashion bloggers buzzing.

As she coupled chic designer splurges with off-the-rack goodies from J. Crew, H&M, White House/Black Market and Target, fashion spectators say her ability to make a strong statement on a budget sends an important message during tough economic times.

Watch: Michelle Obama may be the first First Lady fashion icon since Jacqueline Kennedy.

"Michelle Obama can't be too over the top; she has to be recession chic all the way," style expert Mary Alice Stephenson said. In a soured economy, the choices she made throughout the campaign show that "she gets it," Stephenson said.

Future first lady Michelle Obama with one of her favorite designers, Maria Pinto.

And it's inspiring American women to emulate her style.

Full story

Our Transition Team Got Over 300 000 Resumes

2008-12-22T08:17:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who sends their resumes to us. You know that there are no 300 000 jobs to be offered in the White House. However, we won't just throw every other resume into garbage can. Instead, we will keep them to use in the 2012 election. So don't be sad if you are not chosen because you will definitely get a change in 2012 presidential election campaign to help re-elect Barack.

Listen: What do bigtime headhunters think?

Listen: How the Obama job hunt is sparking new business.

Thanks!

Here is the news reported by CNN

Just weeks after opening shop, the Obama transition team has been flooded by what looks like an unprecedented wave of hundreds of thousands of resumes from people who want positions in the new president's administration.

That is roughly equivalent to the entire population of Iceland.

It dwarfs the 44,000 applicants reported by a Bush transition spokeswoman to the San Francisco Chronicle just days before George W. Bush was inaugurated in January 2001. The Clinton transition team in 1993 put its number of applicants near Inauguration Day at approximately 100,000. And the Obama boom has another month to build.

Meanwhile, it's creating a sort of business boom for job-search companies in and out of Washington.

In Macon, Georgia, CareerPro Global, a national and international resume-writing company, has seen a surge.

Hundreds of thousands of applicants want to work for President-elect Barack Obama.

"We have a tremendous amount of interest," said Scott Kirk, who manages the company. "High-level people in private industry want to go all of a sudden into federal government and be part of this administration."

Kirk describes a group drawn from a wide range of locations and industries, from security and defense to nonprofit. He said many of them are willing to trade high-paying salaries and years of building job security in a single industry.

"A lot have had to dust off their resumes," he said. "I'm talking people that have been in their professions 10, 20 years. So [Obama] has definitely stimulated something."

In Washington, heavyweight job recruiter Nels Olson of Korn/Ferry International is feeling the wave as well.

"I think this is one of the most active transitions in the modern presidency in terms of the sheer volume," he said.

The bad news for Obama hopefuls is that there are fewer than 8,000 presidentially appointed jobs for the 300,000 (and growing) applicants.

For transition directors, that means a more selective and extensive search of candidates.

Applications arrive, Obama-style, through the transition's Web site: http://change.gov/page/s/application

Anyone interested can fill out a two-part online application and then the information shoots into a massive database.

Shapiro explains that staffers can comb through the army of candidates by variables such as qualifications, experience and expertise.

Even the Obama team finds the response eye-popping.

"It's definitely a challenge," said Shapiro. "I don't think any transition has seen anything like this."

Voices for Change - Carissimo Presidente

2008-12-21T16:13:00.000-08:00

sono un piccolo italiano che è felice di poter comunicare con Te. Vorrei che questo rapporto continuasse e che potessi collaborare con Te per aiutare a salvare l\'umanità.
Sono un credente cristiano e amo la famiglia.
Che Dio ti conceda la saggezza di Salomone e la pazienza di Tobia.
Sono un avvocato e spero di poter contribuire e lavorare al Tuo fianco per la pace nel mondo e per la fratellanza degli uomini.
Un affettuoso abbraccio e un caloroso augurio di uon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo.
Giovanni

Voices for Change - Shaifuddin Prince

2008-12-21T08:29:00.000-08:00

4 superexcellent day :
1) thursday = 25 dec 2008. happy x-mas.
2) thursday= 1 jan 2009. happy new year.
3) thursday= 8jan 2009. great president bill clinton mother death day. and
4) 22 jan 2009. transition to power usa. new president you.
CONGRATULATION! shaifuddin prince. dhaka.

Voices for Change - Marcy Tanter

2008-12-21T08:10:00.000-08:00

I have no hope that you will actually read this, but I just want to say how proud I am to have voted for you and to have supported you during the election. Keep strong and don\'t be afraid to push some Progressive ideals on to our government and the nation. You\'ve done the hard part already...! I wish you a joyful holiday season; I know we will all have a happy 2009 with you in office.

Obama Expands Stimulus Goals - From Washington Post

2008-12-21T01:08:00.001-08:00

President-elect Barack Obama has expanded his goals for a massive federal stimulus package to keep pace with the increasingly grim economic outlook, aiming to create or preserve at least 3 million jobs over the next two years.

The more aggressive target, up from 2.5 million jobs set a month ago, comes after a four-hour meeting last week in which Obama's top economic advisers told him the economy is now expected to lose as many as 3.5 million jobs over the next year. Obama was told that could drive unemployment, currently at 6.7 percent, above 9 percent, a figure not seen since the recession of the early 1980s.

With liberal and conservative economists calling on the government to spend $800 billion to $1.3 trillion to stanch the bleeding, the greater danger to the nation, Obama was told, lies in doing too little rather than too much.

Given that gloomy forecast, Obama last week presented congressional Democrats with a proposal to dedicate $675 billion to $775 billion over the next two years to middle-class tax cuts, aid to strapped state governments and investments in domestic priorities such as infrastructure, health-care technology and education -- a package designed to jolt the economy while deterring further layoffs and putting people back to work.

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Congressional aides said they have talked with Obama's team about tacking on initiatives that could drive the overall price tag as high as $850 billion, a figure more in line with economists' recommendations. But with resistance expected from Senate Republicans and some fiscally conservative Democrats, an Obama adviser said the team has settled for now on $775 billion as the highest figure likely to win congressional approval and be ready for Obama's signature soon after he takes office Jan. 20.

Lawrence H. Summers, the former Clinton administration Treasury secretary who has been tapped to serve as Obama's top economic adviser in the White House, said in an interview that the numbers are likely to shift as the package takes shape before Congress commences Jan. 6.

"I don't think you can regard this simply as a numbers game. It's really going to depend upon the quality of the spending programs that we're able to identify," Summers said. "If we're able to identify spending programs and effective tax measures that really can do the job, I think there would be a lot of receptiveness."

As the recession has deepened, Obama's proposal for economic stimulus has soared from $175 billion during the campaign to nearly $800 billion today, a sum that some say would fund the most expensive measure ever approved by Congress.

The rapid expansion of the package has generated fears that it could easily evolve into a grab bag of provisions that appeal to traditional Democratic constituencies such as unions, environmental activists and local officials but fail to deliver the necessary medicine for the economy.

Because they are intended to pump cash quickly into the economy, stimulus measures are released from the usual budgetary constraints that require the cost of new programs to be covered by cutting spending elsewhere or by raising taxes -- a one-time pass that could invite lawmakers to load the bill up with favored items.

Summers and other Obama advisers said they are keenly aware of the problem and are working to convince lawmakers of the wisdom of limiting the package to projects that would create a large number of jobs quickly or make a down payment on Obama's broader economic goals, such as improving the health-care system or reducing emissions that contribute to global warming.

"While this may be Christmastime, it doesn't mean there's going to be a large number of unrelated ornaments under the Christmas tree," Summers said. "There's a commitment by all of us to discipline and to doing the right things in terms of accountability."

Read more, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/12/21/ST2008122100258.html

Obama Expands Stimulus Goals - From Washington Post

2008-12-21T01:08:00.000-08:00

Lead a Discussion on the Most Important Issues

2008-12-20T21:26:00.000-08:00

Share your thoughts on the most important issues that matter to you.

This will help shape up our new administration and the years to come. It also gives a clear indication of the course we are on.

Economy

On the Economy, Barack Obama protect jobs that are sipping over sears. He will also create more that 3 million job in America, and those can't be out sourced. Passing in the second stimulus package will be able to stable the economy and protect the US jobs. Giving immediate help for auto companies and small business owners under certain circumstances would be the leading aspect that would eventually make America prosperous.

Taxes

As president, Obama will end George Bush's irresponsible tax cuts. Responsible tax cuts for working class families will be one of his top priorities. Cutting taxes for 95% of working American's might be the first thing he will propose as soon as he steps in.

Energy and Environment

Finding American energy solutions will be a difficult task. However it is not only an environmental issue, but also it is an national security issue. Obama/Biden team has set a clear and comprehensive goal to eliminate the usage of foreign oil by 2018. By investing more than 10 million dollars in science and technology, it will allow to create more than 2 million jobs that pay well, and cannot be shipped over seas.

Foreign Policy

Redefining the American stances on the world stage will be one of the biggest challenges for the President Obama because eight year of failed policies shattered American image over seas. Making strong relationships with our allies and reaching out the both friends and enemies will America safer.

Iraq

Even before Obama was elected to be the United States Senator, he firmly condemn Bush's decision to invade Iraq. Finally, his judgment has been correct and, not only Americans, but also almost all foreign leaders agree with Obama. Now is the time to bring our troops home and stop spending over 10 billions dollars in Iraq.

Afghanistan

"This was began in Afghanistan, and it should end in Afghanistan." If the correct administration were to focus on Afghan/Pakistan border, then we would see a much more stable Middle East. As president, Obama will finish the fight against Al-Qaeda and hunt down the terrorists who are actually responsible for 9/11.

Obama ups jobs goal to 3 million on bad economic news - CNN

2008-12-20T20:17:00.000-08:00

President-elect Barack Obama has decided to increase his goal for creating new jobs after receiving economic forecasts that suggest the economy is in worse shape than had been predicted, two Democratic officials told CNN.

The officials said Obama is increasing his goal from 2.5 million to 3 million jobs over the next two years after receiving projections early this week that suggest the recession will be deeper than expected.

The projections showed that unless significant action is taken, the nation is likely to lose up to 4 million jobs over the next year and that the unemployment rate will probably rise above 9 percent, a transition aide told CNN.

After hearing the projections, Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden "argued that we were being too timid and that we needed to develop a plan that would save or create at least 3 million jobs," the aide said.

One of the officials said Obama challenged his economic team to "think bolder" as some economists warn there is danger in the government doing too little to curb the recession.

They said the stimulus plan in the works in the Obama camp would have "oversight and transparency measures" to ensure spending on the plan would be focused on stimulating the economy and not devolve into just handing out congressional pork projects.

Officials say President-elect Barack Obama's stimulus plan will include "oversight and transparency measures."

They said it also would include measures that will "lay a foundation for a stronger economy in the future" -- such as health care, education and energy spending.

Other measures included weatherizing 1 million homes, saving the federal government $1 billion in energy costs, modernizing schools and doubling renewable energy production, among other initiatives, the transition aide said.

Obama also stressed to the team that it can't rely on "traditional Washington programs and politics" when drawing up the economic recovery package, the aide said. That means no earmarks, a use-it-or-lose-it policy for local funding, full transparency and "investing in what works," the aide added.

On Friday, Obama had repeated his original goal while announcing appointments to his Cabinet and economic team.

"Together with the appointees that I have announced, these leaders will help craft a 21st-century economic plan with the goal of creating 2.5 million jobs and strengthening our economy," he said.

The Obama team isn't putting a price tag on its economic stimulus plan, which Democratic leaders want to have ready for the president-elect to sign either on or very soon after Inauguration Day. The transition aide told CNN that Obama aides met with Capitol Hill staff this week to discuss plans costing between $675 billion and $775 billion.

Obamas leave for Hawaiian holiday

2008-12-20T20:16:00.000-08:00

President-elect Barack Obama and his family headed to Hawaii by charter flight Saturday for a two-week Christmas vacation.

The Obamas will spend the holidays with Chicago friends who will join them in the president-elect’s birth state — where the daytime high temperature is running between 40 and 50 degrees above the Windy City's.

The Obamas (above: daughters Malia and Sasha) are headed back to Hawaii.

Franken team expects a win of 35-50 votes

2008-12-20T20:12:00.000-08:00

This news is reported by CNN. Learn more about the significance of Franken victory over Coleman, go to http://barackobama-2012.blogspot.com/2008/12/franken-passes-coleman-in-recount-for.html

Democrat Al Franken's team said Saturday that after all challenged ballots have finally been sorted, they expect to come out on top with a 35 to 50 vote lead.

Franken currently holds a slim lead over Republican incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman in the continuing Minnesota recount — the sole U.S. Senate contest still unresolved.

Marc Elias, the Franken team's lead recount attorney, said in a press conference that the approximately 4,000 withdrawn challenges from both campaigns yet to be added to the current numbers by the state canvassing board have already been included in the campaign's internal count.

"Al Franken will have a lead of between 35 and 50 votes. And, at some point not too long after that, Al Franken will stand before you as the Senator-elect from Minnesota," Elias said.

Representatives with Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's office have said they are sorting out those withdrawn ballots this weekend and will likely have those results on Monday or Tuesday.

But the recount doesn't end there. Still to be dealt with are a thousand or more improperly rejected absentee ballots, which the Minnesota Supreme Court said this week could not be counted unless all parties involved agreed the ballot was rejected in error.

Update: The Coleman team dismissed the Franken camp's prediction. "This is just more bluster and hot air from a campaign that has been trailing for two years," said Coleman spokesman Mark Drake. "While we can understand their need to latch onto their temporary lead, the reality is there's a long way to go in this process.

"We have no doubt that once this recount is fully completed, Senator Coleman will be in the lead and will be reelected to the Senate."

Biden: The economy is 'in much worse shape than we thought' - From CNN

2008-12-20T20:10:00.000-08:00

Vice president-elect Joe Biden told an interviewer the nation’s economy “is in much worse shape than we thought it was in,” and the immediate goal is to pass another stimulus package to prevent it from "absolutely tanking."

"There is going to be real significant investment," Biden said in an ABC interview scheduled to air Sunday. "Whether it's $600 billion or more, or $700 billion, the clear notion is, it's a number no one thought about a year ago.

"…The single most important thing we have to do as a new administration, to have — to be able to have impact on all of the other things we want to do, from foreign policy to domestic policy, is we've got to begin to stem this bleeding here and begin to stop the loss of jobs in the creation of jobs," said Biden, who also said he had spoken with members of Congress from both parties about a new stimulus.

Vice President Elect Joe Biden states his opinion on the Economy.

Biden -– who drew criticism from some recently for adopting a German shepherd puppy from a breeder instead of a shelter — also said in the interview he and his wife would be getting a “pound dog” as well, possibly a golden retriever.

“The search for knowledge, truth and a greater understanding of the world around us” - Barack Obama's Weekly Radio Address

2008-12-20T19:53:00.000-08:00

In the latest weekly address, President-elect Barack Obama took a bold stand for making decisions based on science and facts rather than ideology as he introduced leading members of his science and technology team.

“The truth is that promoting science isn’t just about providing resources—it’s about protecting free and open inquiry,” President-elect Obama said. “It’s about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology. It’s about listening to what our scientists have to say, even when it’s inconvenient—especially when it’s inconvenient. Because the highest purpose of science is the search for knowledge, truth and a greater understanding of the world around us. That will be my goal as President of the United States—and I could not have a better team to guide me in this work.”

President-elect Obama announced his appointment of Dr. John Holdren as Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Co-Chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). He also announced Dr. Harold Varmus and Dr. Eric Lander as the other co-chairs of PCAST, which the President-elect said he hopes will be “a vigorous external advisory council that will shape my thinking on the scientific aspects of my policy priorities.” Addtionally, he named Dr. Jane Lubchenco as his choice to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“I am confident that if we recommit ourselves to discovery,” President-elect Obama said,” if we support science education to create the next generation of scientists and engineers right here in America; if we have the vision to believe and invest in things unseen, then we can lead the world into a new future of peace and prosperity.”

Watch the weekly address and read the text below.

Remarks of the President-Elect Barack Obama
Science Team Rollout Radio Address
Friday, December 17, 2008
Chicago, Illinois

Over the past few weeks, Vice President-Elect Biden and I have announced some of the leaders who will advise us as we seek to meet America’s twenty-first century challenges, from strengthening our security, to rebuilding our economy, to preserving our planet for our children and grandchildren. Today, I am pleased to announce members of my science and technology team whose work will be critical to these efforts.

Whether it’s the science to slow global warming; the technology to protect our troops and confront bioterror and weapons of mass destruction; the research to find life-saving cures; or the innovations to remake our industries and create twenty-first century jobs—today, more than ever before, science holds the key to our survival as a planet and our security and prosperity as a nation. It is time we once again put science at the top of our agenda and worked to restore America’s place as the world leader in science and technology.

Right now, in labs, classrooms and companies across America, our leading minds are hard at work chasing the next big idea, on the cusp of breakthroughs that could revolutionize our lives. But history tells us that they cannot do it alone. From landing on the moon, to sequencing the human genome, to inventing the Internet, America has been the first to cross that new frontier because we had leaders who paved the way: leaders like President Kennedy, who inspired us to push the boundaries of the known world and achieve the impossible; leaders who not only invested in our scientists, but who respected the integrity of the scientific process.

Because the truth is that promoting science isn’t just about providing resources—it’s about protecting free and open inquiry. It’s about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology. It’s about listening to what our scientists have to say, even when it’s inconvenient—especially when it’s inconvenient. Because the highest purpose of science is the search for knowledge, truth and a greater understanding of the world around us. That will be my goal as President of the United States—and I could not have a better team to guide me in this work.

Dr. John Holdren has agreed to serve as Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. John is a professor and Director of the Program on Science, Technology, and Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, as well as President and Director of the Woods Hole Research Center. A physicist renowned for his work on climate and energy, he’s received numerous honors and awards for his contributions and has been one of the most passionate and persistent voices of our time about the growing threat of climate change. I look forward to his wise counsel in the years ahead.

John will also serve as a Co-Chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology—or PCAST—as will Dr. Harold Varmus and Dr. Eric Lander. Together, they will work to remake PCAST into a vigorous external advisory council that will shape my thinking on the scientific aspects of my policy priorities.

Dr. Varmus is no stranger to this work. He is not just a path-breaking scientist, having won a Nobel Prize for his research on the causes of cancer—he also served as Director of the National Institutes of Health during the Clinton Administration. I am grateful he has answered the call to serve once again.

Dr. Eric Lander is the Founding Director of the Broad Institute at MIT and Harvard and was one of the driving forces behind mapping the human genome—one of the greatest scientific achievements in history. I know he will be a powerful voice in my Administration as we seek to find the causes and cures of our most devastating diseases.

Finally, Dr. Jane Lubchenco has accepted my nomination as the Administrator of NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is devoted to conserving our marine and coastal resources and monitoring our weather. An internationally known environmental scientist and ecologist and former President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Jane has advised the President and Congress on scientific matters, and I am confident she will provide passionate and dedicated leadership at NOAA.

Working with these leaders, we will seek to draw on the power of science to both meet our challenges across the globe and revitalize our economy here at home. And I’ll be speaking more after the New Year about how my Administration will engage leaders in the technology community and harness technology and innovation to create jobs, enhance America’s competitiveness and advance our national priorities.

I am confident that if we recommit ourselves to discovery; if we support science education to create the next generation of scientists and engineers right here in America; if we have the vision to believe and invest in things unseen, then we can lead the world into a new future of peace and prosperity.

Thank you.

Voices for Change - Jerilyn Powell

2008-12-20T19:31:00.000-08:00

I just can't express how happy I am with you two as President and Vice-President Elect. This message is specifically for Barack Obama and his family.

I was an adult before I heard of the Church of Christ and I want to share this information with you. I worship at a Church that seeks to be obedient to the Gospel. Our minister is not elevated on a pedestal, he is a servant of God, he leads by example and he strives to be like Christ.

As a child my family worshipped in the Methodist church, when we moved to Queens, NY there was a nearby Community Church that we attended for Sunday school. As I grew up, I went to church infrequently but always had a Christian base and very loosely lived by Christian principles. When my life went awry, I always returned to Church, but as things got better, church would take a back seat again. I got married and was pregnant with my first child, and that brought a desire in me to truly learn what God was all about. This pregnancy and birth was a gift from God, I wanted my child to have nothing but the best. But how could I provide the best, if I don't truly understand what this "God" thing is all about. My Christianity was there, but it was based on a very weak knowledge of the scriptures. I wanted to know what God was all about, not because my mother told me or my grandmother told me, or the minister told me, but because I read it and I understood it myself. I want my children to live in eternity with God and it is my responsibility to teach them how to get there.

While my sister was in Law School in Buffalo, she was introduced to the Church of Christ's college ministry. When she returned home to Queens, she worship at a local Church that was just starting out. I would visit and I always felt like the Sunday School lessons and sermon's were very informative, but by this time, I was living in Westchester County in NYS, so the commute was a bit long to go every Sunday. I continued to search for a local church, but nothing seemed right. One congregation was into the screaming halelujah but teachning nothing, where members leave saying "what a good sermon that was," but I learned nothing. Others were focused on teaching, but it focused more on a political agenda than Christ. Finally, I gave up. the Springfield Gardens Church of Christ in Queens, NY was far, but it provided what I needed.

They taught me how to read and understand the Bible on my own. They taught me that I need to know Christ up-close and personal. Not based on what the Minister says, but based on what the Bible says. The day I came to worship was the day I stayed and 13 years later, I am still here. God has answered one of my prayers. My firstborn son, who is a second year student at MIT has accepted Christ and was baptized last year. He attends the Roxbury Church of Christ in the Boston Area every Sunday. My other child, a daughter, is a senior in High School, I am praying that she will decide to turn her life over to Christ also.

I have no doubt in my mind that God is with you and that his desire for you and your family is to know him better. I share this Church of Christ URL link with you. http://church-of-christ.org/. Please view the website and read some of the background information. Then go to the directory to find the churches near you; there are a few in the Washington, DC area. I live in New York, so I am not personally familiar with the ones in DC, so please visit more than one, before you decide.

I imagine that you don't personally read all the messages that people send and probably have someone else screening the emails, to bring the important ones to your attention. To the person reading this, I pray that you understand that there is nothing more important than God. And that you bring this email to Barack Obama's attention.

To the President-Elect, I pray that God speaks to you through this email. That somewhere in your heart God will lead you to find His Church. If you do contact the Church of Christ, I would love to hear about it.

To any other person, who may have an opportunity to read this. The message is really for everyone. God desires to have a one-on-one relationship with you. And the best way to start that journey is through his Church. Feel free to save the website, read it and visit a church near you.

May God bless you all and this country.
Jerilyn A. (Powell) Lewis

churches of Christ

Source: church-of-christ.org

Voices for Change - Lisa Whitehead

2008-12-20T08:58:00.000-08:00

Thank you for inspiring millions to believe that change is possible. May the Lord bless you, your family and your presidency. Help us regain the strength and pride in the USA

Voices for Change - Stephanie Mcclure

2008-12-20T07:54:00.000-08:00

President elect Obama:

I have an 8 year old son, for some reason was really into the election this year. He thinks highly of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. and Mr Obama, you.

Things are kind of tough this year and all he can talk about is Barack Obama and how he is going to make the world a better place! There is nothing more that I would rather do for him in the world right now and that would be an autograph from Mr. Obama and Mr Biden for Christmas. Just was wondering if this is possible?

I have been able to vote since i was 18, and it took my 8 yr old son to make me open my eyes and see what you had to offer. I am proud to say that I voted for the first time since able to. I voted for Obama-Biden, and I AM PROUD OF IT AND PROUD TO CALL YOU OUR PRESIDENT.

Thank You
Stephanie A. McClure

Voices for Change - Susan Brewer

2008-12-19T21:01:00.000-08:00

"I love you! I support you!You soooo rock !"

Franken Passes Coleman In Recount for the Fisrt Time

2008-12-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

Unofficial sources from Minnesota reports that Al Franken will win the election. Number of news papers, some of Coleman favors, also reports that Franken will win by around 80 or so votes. This would be a great mile stone for Barack and the incoming Administration.

If auto bailout were to be taken in to consideration, only one republican voted for it. Others voted against. And, of course, all democrats agreed to the bail out as well. However, as we all know, senate did not passe it because it did not get 60 votes to put it over the top.

If the same scenario were to taken place in the new senate, in 2009, the bailout would be passed with exactly 60 votes because, with the support of Franken and the one republican who voted for it, there will be 60 votes.

In other words, 59 democratic votes + the only republican with common sense = over the top.

Therefore, we all need your support to Franken over the top now before we put the 60 votes over the top

Here is a report on Minnesota Senate Race from the Huffington Post:

The intense scrutiny of "voter intent" resumed this morning by a five-member board charged with directing Minnesota's recount in the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Norm Coleman and Democratic rival Al Franken, and the first rush of ballot rulings has unofficially put the challenger in the lead.

On Thursday, the State Canvassing Board reviewed Coleman's challenges of hundreds of Election Day ballots, and the day's work saw the unofficial margin between the candidates dwindle to within a handful of votes.

As the board, headed by Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, took up and rejected more Coleman challenges today, Franken pulled ahead in the opening minutes.

It's almost there baby. Oh yeh!

Franken's move to the lead was no real surprise, given that the vast majority of ballot challenges typically fail. On the previous two days, when the board examined challenges from Franken, most were rejected and Coleman gained.

On Thursday, the AP gave Norm Coleman a mere two-vote lead. Projections suggest Franken will win, but the race will most likely not be decided until next year. CNN reports that Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) is "quietly prepping for the possibility of a temporary Senate appointment, given the increasing likelihood the nation's lone unresolved Senate contest might not officially come to a close before Congress convenes again next month."

White House consulted with Obama team on auto rescue plans

2008-12-19T13:02:00.000-08:00

The White House consulted with President-elect Barack Obama on the $13.4 billion loan package for automakers that President Bush announced Friday, both sides said.

The Bush administration briefed Obama's transition team over the last several days about options under consideration, according to a transition aide not authorized to speak publicly, though the administration did not ask for Obama or his staff's approval or opinion on the package or any of its specifics.

White House spokesman Joel Kaplan confirmed that there had been "consultations ongoing" between the two sides but he declined to go into specifics.

Bush said Friday the federal government would provide loans almost immediately to General Motors Corp. and Chrysler to prevent "an unacceptably painful blow" should the Detroit giants fail.

Bush said in normal economic circumstances he would not intervene to save the automakers but "in the midst of a financial crisis and a recession, allowing the U.S. auto industry to collapse is not a responsible course of action."

Federal intervention is necessary, he said, to give auto buyers faith in their purchases of domestic vehicles.

"If you hear that a car company is suddenly going into bankruptcy, you worry that parts and servicing will not be available, and you question the value of your warranty," Bush said.

"With consumers hesitant to buy new cars from struggling automakers, it would be more difficult for auto companies to recover."

Bush had expressed skepticism to Obama in their November 10 Oval Office meeting about a bailout of the car companies on the heels of bailouts of other industries, the Obama aide said.

Obama had urged Bush in the meeting to grant a short-term loan to the auto industry on the condition that significant changes were made toward long-term viability, the aide said.

The loans are designed to stabilize the two automakers through March, at which time they must show they are financially viable.

"If the firms have not attained viability by March 31, 2009, the loan will be called and all funds returned to the Treasury," a White House statement said.

In a statement after Bush's announcement, Obama said that allowing a collapse in the auto industry would have had "devastating consequences" for the economy.

President Bush said Friday that automakers must show they can be profitable businesses by March 31.

"The auto companies must not squander this chance to reform bad management practices and begin the long-term restructuring that is absolutely required to save this critical industry and the millions of American jobs that depend on it," Obama's statement said.

A senior Bush administration official briefing reporters said he expected that GM and Chrysler officials will be signing the loan papers to access the cash later Friday.

Ford Motor Co. is in a better financial position than GM and Chrysler and is not included in the loan plan. iReport.com: How does the auto bailout affect you?

An additional $4 billion may be available in February, the Bush administration said.

GM has warned it will fall below the minimum amount of cash it needs to continue to operate without $4 billion in federal loans before the end of the month. Privately held Chrysler said it will need $4 billion or it also will run out of cash early next year.

Financing will be drawn from the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, the fund set aside in October to bail out Wall Street firms and banks, according to the White House.

The president said Friday the plan will give the automakers a chance to show they can be viable outside a "disorderly bankruptcy," which he said would drive the U.S. into a deeper recession with effects "far beyond the auto industry."

The government will put other conditions on the loans, Bush said, including making pay competitive with foreign automakers with large U.S. operations such as Toyota and Honda. Employees of foreign automakers generally make less than those in U.S.-owned plants.

The plan also puts limits on executive compensation and perks such as corporate jets and requires the automakers to adhere to fuel efficiency and emission standards and to open books to government scrutiny.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said the conditions were included to "protect the taxpayers to the maximum extent possible."

Chrysler Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli thanked the administration for the loan.

"A letter of intent was signed which outlines the specific requirements that must be achieved," Nardelli said in a statement. "These requirements will require consideration from all constituents, requiring commitment first in principal, leading to implementation this coming year. Chrysler is committed to meeting these requirements."

Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally issued a statement Friday saying the loans for its competitors were welcome.

"The U.S. auto industry is highly interdependent, and a failure of one of our competitors would have a ripple effect that could jeopardize millions of jobs and further damage the already weakened U.S. economy," Mulally said.

Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, co-chairman of the Senate Auto Caucus, thanked Bush for acting.

"I am grateful the president stepped in to help thwart a disaster that would have sent our state over the cliff," Voinovich said. "There are millions of hard-working Americans today who can breathe easier this holiday season."

Opponents of federal help for the automakers were not swayed Friday.

"It is deeply disappointing that the administration has chosen to use taxpayer dollars to delay the inevitable need to fundamentally restructure these companies," Rep. Tom Price, R-Georgia, said in a statement. "By bailing out automakers without real reform or long-term solutions, we are only protracting uncertainty and putting billions of tax dollars at grave risk."

Rep. John Dingell, D-Michigan, said he was pleased Bush approved the loans but not happy with one of the conditions.

"It is irresponsible during a time of economic crisis for the White House to insist that workers take further wage cuts on top of the historic concessions they have already made," Dingell said.

U.S. auto sales plunged to 26-year lows last month as tight credit, rising job losses and weak consumer confidence have led to a virtual collapse in the auto market.

All the major automakers, including Asian firms such as Toyota, are cutting back production. But the situation is particularly severe at GM and Chrysler.

In the last week, those two automakers announced shutdowns of assembly lines for at least a month, several weeks longer than the typical shutdowns during the December holiday season.

Obama fills out economic team - From CNN

2008-12-19T12:59:00.000-08:00

President-elect Barack Obama nominated Rep. Hilda Solis for secretary of labor on Friday, a move praised by labor unions. She is a four-term Democratic congresswoman from Los Angeles, California.

He also nominated Republican Rep. Ray LaHood of Illinois as transportation secretary, venture capitalist Karen Mills to head the Small Business Administration and former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk to serve as U.S. trade representative.

Obama said he is "confident the department of labor will stand up for working families" under Solis' watch.

"[She is] blazing new trails every step of the way," he said.

"I am humbled and honored," Solis said. "As secretary of labor I will work to strengthen our unions."

Friday's press conference comes just hours before Obama heads to Hawaii for a vacation with his family.

Labor unions and political observers praised Obama's selection to head the Labor Department.

On Friday, Harold Meyerson, editor at large of the American Prospect, wrote an op-ed piece in the Los Angeles Times praising Solis' experience with labor issues in her Los Angeles district.

"[She's] a product and champion of the labor movement, a staunch environmentalist, an ardent feminist and one of the gutsiest elected officials in American politics. Solis personifies the best of the new Los Angeles," he wrote.

Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, said in a press release Thursday: "The daughter of two immigrant workers and union members ... she will be a secretary of labor working men and women can finally count on to stand up and fight for them.

Obama has enjoyed the support of organized labor since the campaign season, when the AFL-CIO, the nation's largest labor organization, endorsed him for president, calling him "a champion for working families."

Illinois Rep. Ray LaHood, a Republican, is nominated to be the nation's next transportation secretary.

As a senator, Obama co-sponsored the Employee Free-Choice Act, which was designed to make it easier to create unions in the workplace. Supporters of the plan, including the AFL-CIO, said it would increase the number of union members in the United States and lead to better wages and benefits for workers.

If confirmed, Solis would be the third Hispanic to serve in Obama's Cabinet, along with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who is Obama's choice for secretary of commerce, and Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar, who Obama tapped to be secretary of the interior.

Obama had been criticized by some Latino groups who said Hispanics were not being picked for key Cabinet positions after Richardson was passed over for secretary of state. Instead, Obama picked his former rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton, to be his top diplomat.

Solis served eight years in the California legislature and also worked in former President Jimmy Carter's administration. Solis unseated former Rep. Matthew Martinez in a bitter Democratic primary in 2000.

Also Friday, Obama fulfilled a promise by naming LaHood as his choice to head the Transportation Department. Obama has also decided to keep President Bush's secretary of defense, Robert Gates.

Obama said LaHood has "fought to improve mass transit and our highways."

"I said I was committed to finding the best person for the job regardless of party," he said.

LaHood, a seven-term congressman from Peoria, Illinois, is respected on Capitol Hill, and his appointment as transportation secretary was hailed by both sides of the aisle.

Fellow Illinois Republican Rep. Tim Johnson welcomed the selection of LaHood, who he calls one of his closest friends in Congress.

Rep. Hilda Solis is viewed as a strong advocate for working men and women by organized labor.

"I think Ray has the ability to work both sides of the aisle well," Johnson said. "He's an extraordinarily talented legislator."

A Democratic House colleague from Illinois, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, also praised the selection.

"He's a bipartisan guy," she said. "He's well-liked and respected."

But Politico.com's Jim VandeHei told CNN that LaHood is "interesting because it's sort of saying this is my bow at bipartisanship."

"But the truth is in Congress, he was the Republican that irritated Republicans most because he was always belly aching about the performance of Republican leadership and Republican orthodoxy. So that won't soothe a lot of his Republican critics," VandeHei added.

LaHood, 63, represents the Illinois district that includes the counties represented by Abraham Lincoln when he was a representative from 1847 to 1849. He is a member of the influential House Appropriations Committee.

There was mixed reaction on news that Dallas' former mayor Ron Kirk would be selected as U.S. trade representative.

Kirk, 54, served Dallas from 1995 to 2001.

Thea Lee, policy director for the AFL-CIO, told the Dallas Morning News that Kirk is "not our first choice."

Mickey Kantor, the country's trade representative during the Clinton administration, also told the Dallas newspaper that Kirk is "an incredibly impressive guy. ... You've got to understand both substance and politics to be successful, and he certainly understands trade, being from Texas."

News that Mills is slated to be Obama's next Small Business Administration head was met Friday with praise.

Mills is currently president of MMP Group in Brunswick, Maine. She was a founding partner of private equity investment firm Solera Capital in New York. Her appointment will be subject to confirmation by the Senate.

House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez, D-N.Y., was quick to praise the nomination.

"President-elect Obama's decision to name an SBA administrator so early in the transition is a good sign for small businesses," she said. "This appointment shows that his economic team recognizes the key role that small firms play in job creation and the need to take quick steps to revitalize the agency's role in spurring growth."

Join the Discussion: Service Response

2008-12-19T12:16:00.000-08:00

Go to Change.gov for more information.

Paul Schmitz, a member of the Transition’s Innovation and Civil Society Team, kicked off the Change.gov discussion on service by asking to find out more about the social causes and volunteer efforts making a difference in your communities.

After tracking and digesting many of the more than 4,000 responses, Paul and the team kept the discussion going by posing another question:

He asked, “How can government be a better supporter of the work that you’re doing?”

The answer to Paul’s question lies in the commitment of all parties—citizens and elected leaders alike—to maintain a dialogue that recognizes the value of service to others.

From the Transition side, that means harnessing the enthusiasm about the incoming administration and working together with the individuals and groups already making a difference where they live.

Watch Paul’s full response here:

Comments came from organizers, counselors, educators, law enforcement officers, sustainable farmers, and folks that have just recently become involved with our political process—all of whom are providing an invaluable gift to their communities.

Collectively, their efforts are powering the opportunities and contributions that will establish service as a cornerstone of the Obama-Biden administration.

Millions of voices are engaged in this process, talking about what it will take to help get our country back on track and make the changes so many Americans desperately need. We’re excited that so many of you have chosen to have that discussion on Change.gov. We’re listening, and we hope the conversation continues.

Leave your thoughts on Paul’s follow-up question, or your comments about other service-related issues, below.

Read the rest of this story ...

Make Your Voice Heard

2008-12-19T11:43:00.000-08:00

Do you want to lead an online discussion on the most important issues that matter to you. Then, here is a prefect opportunity.

Use the form below to share your thoughts.

We will evaluate every single message that our supports share with us and with all the other fellow citizens. Also, you can get involved our 2012 Presidential Campaign via FaceBook and Twitter.

Here are some of the message

By Sandy Caldwell

"Dear Mr President, I think you are doing a wonderful job in handling all the distractions that seem to be coming at you. Keep up the good work. Sandy Caldwell"

By Julianna Henderson

We are so lucky to have you as the next President.
My Best Wishes,
Julianna Henderson

By Cozette

"We continue 2 pray for you and your beautiful family. We realize that all of working together and through prayer that this great nation can continue to prosper and provide refuge to the all that seek it. We prayer for your wisdom and courage."

Read more

Some of your thoughts will be published on our blog under the title "Voices for Change"

Share your thoughts on the most important issues that matter to you.

Read where Barack Obama and Joe Biden stand on issues. Then submit your comments. Number of other users may response to your initial ideas. Then we'll take a look at all your comments, questions and concerns.

Click here to learn more

Thanks for taking your time to send your thoughts to us.

By Team Obama'12

You helped build the most powerful and effective grassroots movement in America. Now, you're helping to define how this movement will support Presi

2008-12-19T11:19:00.000-08:00

You helped build the most powerful and effective grassroots movement in America.

Now, you're helping to define how this movement will support President-elect Obama's agenda and continue to bring the change we need.

The more voices that are part of this process, the better the results will be.

And so far, the response has been remarkable -- 550,000 people completed the online supporter survey. And this past weekend, supporters organized more than 4,000 Change is Coming house meetings in 2,000 cities across all 50 states.

Take an inside look at a house meeting in Virginia. Watch the video, see photos from meetings all across the country, and share your feedback.

Supporters like you are deciding how this movement will go forward. And your dedication is incredible.

House meetings were held in 2,000 cities. In Florida there were 302 events across the state. In Pennsylvania there were 165, and Ohio had 160.

From these meetings, survey responses, and thousands of conversations on My.BarackObama and email, your ideas about the future of this organization are taking shape.

Here are a few things you shared in the survey:

House meetings were the primary way supporters got involved in the campaign
People are excited to volunteer around a number of top issues, including education, the environment, health care, poverty, and the economy
86 percent of respondents feel it's important to help Barack's administration pass legislation through grassroots support
68 percent feel it's important to help elect state and local candidates who share the same vision for our country
And a staggering 10 percent of respondents indicated that they would be interested in running for elected office

This feedback is essential to our next steps, because this movement is fueled by your ideas and your passion.

Watch the house meetings video and get involved by taking the survey or hosting a meeting of your own:

http://my.barackobama.com/meetingvideo

Between now and Barack's inauguration, we'll continue to collect your ideas and feedback.

After the inauguration, we should be able to announce a clear plan for the future of this movement -- a plan determined by you.

Thanks for being a part of this journey to bring about change in the years to come,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

Change is Coming: Message from Obama for America

2008-12-19T11:16:00.002-08:00

As part of the Change is Coming house meetings that took place last weekend, guests had a chance to watch a special video message from the Obama campaign and national online organizer Nikki Sutton:

If you hosted a meeting this past weekend, there is still time to share your feedback and report back on the issues that are important to your group and your community.

Change is Coming: Scenes from Across America

2008-12-19T11:16:00.001-08:00

Last weekend thousands of house meetings took place all across the country, as Obama supporters and their neighbors met to discuss the issues that concerned them most, and how best to make an impact in their own communities. The meetings spanned all fifty states, and were a visible sign of the enthusiasm and commitment that remains.

Michael in Ventura, California explained:

We had our first post-election meeting yesterday, and 94 people showed up! We were all amazed! Seventy-seven had sent RSVP's saying they would be there, and we thought that that would be a stretch. All I can say is WOW! We won the election, but the work has just begun.

See more photos from last weekend's Change is Coming house meetings...

Inauguration News from David PlouffeInauguration News from David Plouffe

2008-12-19T11:16:00.000-08:00

David Plouffe sent out an update on inauguration plans -- including ticketed events, parades, service projects, and ways to get involved in your local community:

In the past, presidential inauguration events have too often focused on wealthy donors and Washington lobbyists.

This year, every American will have a chance to be part of the inauguration.

President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden want you to join them in celebrating the unity we need to renew America's promise.

Sign up now to receive more information about inaugural events -- including service projects, parades, whistle-stop rallies, ticketed events, and ways to get involved in your local community.

Our country is facing great challenges, but we also have an unprecedented opportunity to bring change.

Renewing America's promise begins with the idea that we rise or fall as one nation and one people. Barack and Joe hope that people all across this country will come together around the inauguration and share their passion for the change we need.

Be the first to receive information about tickets, service opportunities, and local events.

Thank you for being part of this important moment,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

President-Elect Obama's Statement on President Bush's Auto Rescue Plan

2008-12-19T11:15:00.000-08:00

In response to this morning's announcement that President Bush will make $13.4 billion in federal loans available for General Motors and Chrysler LLC, President-elect Obama released the following statement:

Today's actions are a necessary step to help avoid a collapse in our auto industry that would have devastating consequences for our economy and our workers. With the short-term assistance provided by this package, the auto companies must bring all their stakeholders together -- including labor, dealers, creditors and suppliers -- to make the hard choices necessary to achieve long-term viability. The auto companies must not squander this chance to reform bad management practices and begin the long-term restructuring that is absolutely required to save this critical industry and the millions of American jobs that depend on it.

Voices for Change - Cozette

2008-12-19T11:12:00.000-08:00

"We continue 2 pray for you and your beautiful family. We realize that all of working together and through prayer that this great nation can continue to prosper and provide refuge to the all that seek it. We prayer for your wisdom and courage."

Voices for Change - Jennifer

2008-12-19T11:11:00.000-08:00

"Go get 'em, B.O.!"

Voices for Change - Titus

2008-12-19T11:09:00.001-08:00

Words cannot express how much joy I feel about your presidency. You have given the nation a feeling that "father is at home," a sense that we are taken care of with your intelligence and calm manner.

If I may, I would like to share with you an article I just had published in "The Iowa Source" about my reaction to the election.

"Yes We Can" by Caterina Titus

I was born in 1968, and what a year it was. Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy were killed, the Vietnam War was in full swing, and God was declared dead on the cover of TIME. That was a lot of weight to carry on our little baby shoulders. While we were too young to know the details of the history that had just transpired, we knew that the world we had inherited was so low, there was nowhere to go but up.

When, on election night, Barack Obama said, “This has been a long time coming,” he spoke to us not only as someone at the cusp of the baby boomer and gen-X generations, but as a leader, as a uniter, and as a witness to the long span of history leading up to this unique day.

We felt the power of these words. History flashed before our eyes. We could hold our heads high that we have moved forward, that we are making progress, and that we as a people could see the glass as half full instead of half empty. It was awe-inspiring to observe the swell of hope that carried our nation and the world, and to see that it was possible. It was if the world was waiting for a catalyst, and the arc of time could not sustain the momentum. For that moment in time, our country was not removed from the rest of the world. We were being carried on the backs of the international community, like a sports hero after scoring the winning goal. Kenya and all of Africa were beaming with pride, bells rang in Indonesi, flags waved in France, Germany, and Siberia. The Internet was viral, and we all caught the bug.

I knew the moment I saw Barack Obama that I wanted him as my president. There are times when you just know something, and this was one of them. I have always been inspired by leaders whose intelligence and wisdom resonate with the need of the time. I see Barack Obama as the fulfillment of the dreams set forth by Martin Luther King Jr., who was in turn inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and his principles of non-violence. These are all men of honor, and of strength that stems from a might far greater than any weapon. It is a strength that stems from integrity, from knowing that their purpose on this earth is for the greater good.

My generation may have carried the weight of the previous generations who witnessed the hardest of times, but it was the youth of this country that saw for the first time a leader who spoke to them. The youth felt listened to and respected, and in turn they rose to the occasion. They caucused, and rallied, and reclaimed their country.

I have never understood the issues of race fully, as the color of one’s skin is such a random thing. I have always felt that people who judged others based on something so arbitrary were not people I could relate to in any way. I am guilty of judging people who judge. The youth saw the randomness of color and race, and as Will.i.am sang so beautifully, “we are one people, that we are one nation,” and in reality we are one world.

This is a new day. I wake up every morning satisfied in knowing that we all were witness to a very large step for our nation, and an even larger step for mankind.

Voices for Change - Sandy

2008-12-19T11:09:00.000-08:00

"Dear Mr President, I think you are doing a wonderful job in handling all the distractions that seem to be coming at you. Keep up the good work. Sandy Caldwell"

Julianna Henderson

2008-12-19T11:08:00.000-08:00

We are so lucky to have you as the next President.
My Best Wishes,
Julianna Henderson

Tracy Liptak

2008-12-19T11:06:00.000-08:00

Congratulations! I'm hoping you'll be the Person of the Century. Continue to go for the highest and I will support you. All best wishes for the next eight years.

Voices for Change - Tracy Liptak

2008-12-19T11:05:00.000-08:00

Please reconsider your choice for USDA secretary. As an Iowan who voted for you in the first caucus, surrounded by first-time voters who I encouraged to vote for you, I am appalled by the choice of Vilsack, who has supported CAFOs and GMOs. We want a change. Please remember.

Thank you.

Tracy Liptak, LISW

Voices for Change - Yayang

2008-12-19T11:04:00.000-08:00

"MR.PRESIDENT, i hope you make MORE JOBS and increase free education, free health insurance also raise the minum wage for the people here in united states.. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU!"

Voices For Change - Serena John

2008-12-19T10:37:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr President,
i would just like to start with Congratulations an to introduce my self im deborah l john from Kehewin alberta.
anywho the reason why i am writting you is to let you know this, from the first time i heard a black man was running for president. I knew my purpose for going to the states, yes i had for the first time , went to the united states and now i know why. I had attended the annual pow wow in alburquerque new mexio anyways i suppose the real reason was that my spirit if not me had to be there, because history was in the making for the first time since those words from martin luther king said, " I have a Dream ". I suppose i was ment to be a native aboriginal i truly beleive in my native spirit you know i was born in 1960 like Mr King i suppose i had to be there to see his dream come true but not only for his dream but also for my reasons which brings me to share that when i was at the age of 6 yrs old my heart told me that i would never have children. Funny thing my heart also said i would marry a man who chewed snuff ( LOL ) .... i DID and i also adopted 2 beautiful baby girls we are now mosom and kokoms meaning grandfather and grandmother in our native tongue Any who i would just like to mention how proud i was about all the black people from philly P.a and around surrounded areas singing stand up sign up , be heard. Like your people it made my heart melt with pride i am an aboriginal native from canada and proud of it. i was glued to the tube from start to finish on your campaign trail so Brother dont leave your native sisters and brothers behind i wish i could have been there i put the volume on the t.v. so high i could barely hear my self think Mr President you winning was like one of our own winning. peace to my black brothers and sisters your president is my president , YOUR THE BOMB! I wish i could meet you and your family. in closing watch out for flying bullets (lol) no pun intended Any ways may the great spirit guide you and your family and them who work along side of you i hope i havent spoke out of line , if so IM SORRY!!!

p.s.s from day one i wrote many text messages in your behalf on the campaign trail even though i am not from the states i told my family he'll win ( TRUST ME I KNOW IM HER DAUGHTER N DATS ALL I HEARD AND YOUR DA MAN ) AND NOW HEAR YOU ARE! you know you should get native people on your ballets in four years or sooner, an beleive your winning will be in the bag LOL.
a little free info worldwide keep in touch, i have lots of ideas but maybe another time LOL Later, written by serena john for her mother deborah.l.john

Ambitious agenda awaits new cabinet: Globe and Mail

2008-12-18T15:19:00.000-08:00

The cabinet is almost complete - a diverse collection of big brains and bigger egos that Barack Obama must now harness in pursuit of the most ambitious agenda defined by an incoming president in modern times.

Yesterday, Mr. Obama announced Tom Vilsack as his pick for agriculture secretary. Mr. Vilsack was governor of Iowa before quitting to run for the Democratic presidential nomination, which didn't go well at all. He dropped out early in 2007 and threw his support behind Hillary Clinton. Mr. Obama bears few grudges.

Ken Salazar, Democratic senator from Colorado, is Mr. Obama's nominee as secretary of the interior, which manages federal land and the federal government's relations with native Americans.

Mr. Salazar's first big decision, once he is confirmed by the Senate, will be to craft a policy on offshore oil exploration. Congress allowed a moratorium on drilling to expire in September, but many environmentalists and many Democrats want it reimposed.

Mr. Salazar is the second Hispanic appointed to the cabinet, joining incoming commerce secretary Bill Richardson, another former rival for the nomination.

Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity, said Mr. Obama's environment team "will be weakened by the addition of Ken Salazar, who has fought against federal action on global warming, against higher fuel efficiency standards, and for increased oil drilling and oil subsidies."

Other environmental groups, however, were more positive. The Sierra Club's executive director, Carl Pope, said in a statement yesterday that "as a Westerner and a rancher, [Mr. Salazar] understands the value of our public lands, parks, and wildlife and has been a vocal critic of the Bush administration's reckless efforts to sell off our public lands to Big Oil and other special interests."

Mr. Obama's is a diverse cabinet, though not as diverse as some would like. With three of 20 positions still to be filled, there will be four women, so far, sitting around the table, with Hillary Clinton - Mr. Obama's former archrival - the most senior as secretary of state. George W. Bush started out with four women in cabinet, and Bill Clinton had five.

Eric Holder, the nominee for attorney-general, is black, as is Susan Rice, who will be United Nations ambassador, a cabinet-rank position, and Lisa Jackson, Mr. Obama's nominee to head up the Environmental Protection Agency. There are two Asian Americans - energy secretary Steven Chu and veterans secretary Eric Shinseki - while chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is Jewish.

All in all, it is a cabinet no more diverse than Mr. Bush's or Mr. Clinton's first cabinet, in both of which 47 per cent were women and/or a visible minority. It is, however, thus far a cabinet devoid of representation from the Old South, though press secretary Robert Gibbs hails from Alabama.

More significant is the praise the cabinet picks have earned from mainstream interests and observers. Whether it is Timothy Geithner at Treasury, Ms. Clinton at State, Mr. Holder at Justice or Robert Gates, currently Mr. Bush's Defence Secretary and soon to be Mr. Obama's, the general consensus is that Mr. Obama has chosen a powerfully competent group of secretaries and advisers to implement his agenda.

And what, exactly, is that agenda? In an interview with Time magazine, which has named the president-elect Man of the Year, Mr. Obama spelled out exactly what voters should expect of his administration by the time of the 2010 midterm elections.

Seldom, if ever, has an incoming president set the bar so high, which is why his response deserves to be quoted at length.

On domestic policy: "Have we helped this economy recover from what is the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression? Have we instituted financial regulations and rules of the road that assure this kind of crisis doesn't occur again? Have we created jobs that pay well and allow families to support themselves? Have we made significant progress on reducing the cost of health care and expanding coverage? Have we begun what will probably be a decade-long project to shift America to a new energy economy? Have we begun what may be an even longer project of revitalizing our public-school systems so we can compete in the 21st century?"

On foreign policy: "Have we closed down Guantánamo in a responsible way, put a clear end to torture and restored a balance between the demands of our security and our Constitution? Have we rebuilt alliances around the world effectively? Have I drawn down U.S. troops out of Iraq, and have we strengthened our approach in Afghanistan - not just militarily but also diplomatically and in terms of development? And have we been able to reinvigorate international institutions to deal with transnational threats, like climate change, that we can't solve on our own?"

And beyond that: "I want the American people to be able to say, 'Government's not perfect; there are some things Obama does that get on my nerves. But you know what? I feel like the government's working for me. I feel like it's accountable. I feel like it's transparent. I feel that I am well informed about what government actions are being taken. I feel that this is a president and an administration that admits when it makes mistakes and adapts itself to new information, that believes in making decisions based on facts and on science as opposed to what is politically expedient.' Those are some of the intangibles that I hope people two years from now can claim."

Obama taps Schapiro for SEC

2008-12-18T15:17:00.000-08:00

President-elect Barack Obama, citing the need for tighter oversight of the nation's financial markets, on Thursday named veteran regulator Mary Schapiro as his choice to head the Securities and Exchange Commission.

And Obama has selected California Rep. Hilda Solis to serve as secretary of labor, a Washington-based labor official for a major union told CNN.

Solis is currently serving her fourth term in the House, representing a district that includes part of East Los Angeles. She serves on the Energy and Commerce, Natural Resources, and Energy Independence and Global Warming committees.

Obama, speaking at a news conference, also announced the nomination of Gary Gensler to serve on the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Dan Tarullo to fill one of the vacancies on the Federal Reserve Board.

"Financial regulatory reform will be one of the top legislative priorities of my administration," Obama said. "And if the financial crisis has taught us anything, it's that this failure of oversight and accountability doesn't just harm the individuals involved, it has the potential to devastate our entire economy. That's a failure we cannot afford."

Schapiro, who will be the first woman to chair the SEC if confirmed by the Senate, is currently chief executive of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the largest non-government regulator for securities firms that do business with the U.S. public.

Mary Schapiro speaks Thursday after President-elect Obama nominated her to head up the SEC.

She would replace Christopher Cox as chair of the SEC, the nation's main watchdog over publicly traded companies.

Schapiro is a former SEC commissioner who briefly served as the agency's acting chair in 1993. She also was chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in 1994, during the Clinton administration.

Obama's announcement comes amid criticism of the current SEC chairman for the agency's apparent failure to act on information that could have prevented one of the largest investment fraud cases in Wall Street history.

Cox said Wednesday that "credible information" had been brought to the SEC's attention over a period of nearly 10 years about the activities of Bernard Madoff, who has been charged by federal prosecutors with leading a $50 billion Ponzi scheme. No formal investigation was done.

Obama pointed to the Madoff scandal in saying tighter regulation is needed.

"Charities that invested in Madoff could end up losing savings on which millions depend -- a massive fraud that was made possible in part because the regulators who were assigned to oversee Wall Street dropped the ball," the president-elect said.

Earlier this year, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson put forward a plan that would have combined the nation's various financial regulatory offices, including the SEC. However, it remains to be seen if such steps will be implemented in the next administration.

Gensler served in the Treasury Department under President Clinton from 1997 to 2001. Tarullo, one of Obama's top economic policy advisers, is a professor at Georgetown Law School.

"These individuals will help put in place new, common-sense rules of the road that will protect investors, consumers, and our entire economy from fraud and manipulation by an irresponsible few," Obama said.

"These rules will reward the industriousness and entrepreneurial spirit that's always been the engine of our prosperity, and crack down on the culture of greed and scheming that has led us to this day of reckoning. ... Instead of appointing people with disdain for regulation, I will ensure that our regulatory agencies are led by individuals who are ready and willing to enforce the law."

A senior Democratic official said Obama will announce Illinois Republican Rep. Ray LaHood on Friday as his choice for transportation secretary.

Two sources told CNN earlier that LaHood would be Obama's nominee for the transportation post.

Fellow Illinois Republican Rep. Tim Johnson welcomed the selection of LaHood, whom he calls one of his closest friends in Congress.

"I think Ray has the ability to work both sides of the aisle well," Johnson said. "He's an extraordinarily talented legislator and (is) from Illinois so, from a provincial standpoint, this would meet our needs well."

A Democratic House colleague from Illinois, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, also praised LaHood's selection.

"He's a bipartisan guy," she told CNN. "He's well-liked and respected."

On Wednesday, Obama tapped former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as the next agriculture secretary and Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar as the next interior secretary.

Vilsack was a high-profile supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton during the presidential primaries after he briefly sought the Democratic presidential nomination.

Salazar, Colorado's former state attorney general, is a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and has developed a reputation as a strong advocate of reducing the country's dependence on foreign oil.

Rep. Ray LaHood of Illinois would be the second Republican in Obama's Cabinet.

Also on Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino announced that Obama will meet for a second time with President Bush. The meeting also will include the three living former presidents. Bush will host a lunch with Obama and former Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton on January 7, Perino said.

Source: Obama picks former Dallas mayor for Trade Rep

2008-12-18T15:16:00.000-08:00

President-elect Barack Obama has chosen former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk as U.S. Trade Representative, according to one Democratic official.

December 18, 2008 Kennedy meets with Sharpton in Harlem Posted: 05:49 PM ET From CNN Associate Producer Lori Chapman Caroline Kennedy had lunch Thu

2008-12-18T15:15:00.000-08:00

The military has prepared an initial plan for withdrawal from Iraq that meets the demands of the recent agreement with Iraq, but appears to contradict the wishes of President-elect Barack Obama.

Generals David Petraeus and Ray Odierno, the top commanders in Iraq, briefed Defense Secretary Robert Gates on plans for the withdrawal of the 146,000 troops in Iraq, when Gates visited the country last weekend.

In turn, Gates and Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, informed Obama this week about "the way ahead in Iraq," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Thursday.

That briefing was a "point of conversation" during the 5-1/2 hour national security team meeting Monday in Chicago, a senior military official said.

An Obama transition official confirmed that Mullen discussed the "current plans developed under President Bush."

Among those attending the meeting were Secretary of State nominee Hillary Clinton, Vice President-elect Joseph Biden and Gen. James Jones, Obama's choice for national security adviser.

The meeting covered a "whole range of topics," including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Middle East, the transition official said.

The current withdrawal plan proposes removing all U.S. combat troops from Iraqi urban areas in 2009, and all American troops from Iraq by 2011, in keeping with the recent Status of Forces Agreement, or SOFA, signed by President Bush, according to the senior military official.

The agreement with Iraq details withdrawals for 2009, 2010 and 2011, the official said. It proposes removing troops at a slower pace than Obama promised during the campaign, when he called for all combat troops to be out within 16 months — by the summer of 2010.

The senior military official said the current plan reflects the fact that Bush, who told the military to develop a plan consistent with SOFA, still is in charge. Obama might seek to speed up the troop withdrawal once he becomes president, the official explained.

The Obama transition official agreed, noting that there there "is only one commander-in-chief at a time" and that Gates and Mullen still work for Bush.

"Until the military gets different orders from the president, that is what they are working for," the transition official said.

The transition official noted that there is not much difference between the two plans and, in fact, the SOFA planning is more aggressive because it assumes all troops will be out by the end of 2011.

Obama has called only for combat troops to be out by mid-2010, with a residual force remaining behind to help train Iraqi troops, protect U.S. interests and conduct anti-terrorism missions.

While "there will need to be a discussion about SOFA" and some "tactical adjustments" when Obama takes office, "the reality is that they are on the same glide path," the transition official explained.

Gates told reporters at a press conference in early December that he was "agreeable" with Obama's time frame of 16 months for all combat troops.

"He (Obama) also talked about a responsible drawdown and that he was willing to listen to the commanders," Gates said early this month.

Morrell, the Pentagon spokesman, said current planning could change over time, depending on conditions in Iraq, and they could choose to "tear up that agreement and negotiate a new one for a longer period of time."

In an interview Wednesday on PBS' "Charlie Rose" show, Gates said it was possible troops could remain after 2011, but that it is up to the Iraqis.

Gen. David Petraeus hosted then-Sen. Barack Obama on an aerial tour of Baghdad when Obama visited Iraq in July of this year.

"They are a sovereign country and if they tell us after the end of 2011, 'We want you all out,' I think we have no choice but to do that," Gates said.

"When I think of the support that they are likely to need for their air force, for the navy, for counterterrorism, for the continued training, for intelligence, for logistics and so on, my guess is that you're looking at perhaps several tens of thousands of American troops," Gates said, "but clearly in a very different role that we have played in the last five years."

Barack Obama is the Person of the Year 2008

2008-12-17T16:23:00.000-08:00

Team Obama has just sent out this email to all the supporter around the world

Time magazine has chosen Barack Obama to be the person of the year. It's almost unbelievable look back think that we did such a thing.

We want to thank you first because this all happened because of you.

Times says
"It is here that we find Barack Obama one soul-freezingly cold December day, mentally unpacking the crate of crushing problems — some old, some new, all ugly — that he is about to inherit as the 44th President of the United States. Most of his hours inside the presidential-transition office are spent in this bland and bare-bones room. You would think the President-elect — a guy who draws 100,000 people to a speech in St. Louis, Mo., who raises three-quarters of a billion dollars, who is facing the toughest first year since Franklin Roosevelt's — might merit a leather chair. Maybe a credenza? A hutch?"

Read more about the article on Times

Don't forget to send a message to Barack. We'll make sure that he receives all your messages.

Thank you,

Team Obama
www.barackobama-2012.blogspot.com

Please forward this email to your friends. If you have any questions, send them to info.answersforyou@gmail.com

Obama Store

2008-12-17T15:35:00.000-08:00

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Person of the Year

2008-12-17T13:06:00.000-08:00

Time's Person of the Year 2008 - Barack Obama

2008-12-17T13:01:00.000-08:00

You probably sat in a fancier conference room the last time you refinanced or heard a pitch about life insurance. There's a table, some off-brand mesh office chairs, a bookcase that looks as if it had been put together with an Allen wrench and instructions in Swedish.

To reach this room, you pass through a cubicle farm lightly populated by quiet young people. Either they have just arrived or they are just leaving, because their desks are almost bare. The place has a vaguely familiar feel to it, this air of transient shabbiness and nondescriptitude. You can't quite put your finger on it ...

"It's like the set of The Office," someone offers.

Bingo.

It is here that we find Barack Obama one soul-freezingly cold December day, mentally unpacking the crate of crushing problems — some old, some new, all ugly — that he is about to inherit as the 44th President of the United States. Most of his hours inside the presidential-transition office are spent in this bland and bare-bones room. You would think the President-elect — a guy who draws 100,000 people to a speech in St. Louis, Mo., who raises three-quarters of a billion dollars, who is facing the toughest first year since Franklin Roosevelt's — might merit a leather chair. Maybe a credenza? A hutch?

But he doesn't seem to notice. Obama is cheerfully showing his visitors around, gripping the souvenir basketball he received from Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens, explaining a snapshot taken the day he played pickup with the University of North Carolina hoops team. ("They are so big and so fast and so strong, you know.") Then, since those two items basically exhaust the room's décor, Obama sits down on one of the mesh chairs and launches into a spoken tour of his world of woes. It's a mind-boggling journey, although he shows no signs of being boggled — unless you count the increasingly prevalent salt in his salt-and-pepper hair. By now we are all accustomed to that Obi-Wan Kenobi calm, though we may never entirely understand it. In a soothing monotone, he highlights the scariest hairpin turns on his itinerary, the ones that combine difficulty with danger plus a jolt of existential risk. (See pictures of the Civil Rights movement from Emmett Till to Barack Obama.)

Time's person of the year is Barack Obama.

"It is not clear that the economy's bottomed out," he begins, understatedly. (The morning newspaper trumpets the worst unemployment spike in more than 30 years.) "And so even if we take a whole host of the right steps in terms of the economy, two years from now it may not have fully recovered." That worries him. Also Afghanistan: "We're going to have to make a series of not just military but also diplomatic moves that fully enlist Pakistan as an ally in that region, that lessen tensions between India and Pakistan, and then get everybody focused on rooting out militancy in a terrain, a territory, that is very tough — and in an enormous country that is one of the poorest and least developed in the world. So that, I think, is going to be a very tough situation.

"And then the third thing that keeps me up at night is the issue of nuclear proliferation," Obama continues, sailing on through the horribles. "And then the final thing, just to round out my Happy List, is climate change. All the indicators are that this is happening faster than even the most pessimistic scientists were anticipating a couple of years ago."

Score that as follows: one imploding economy, one deteriorating war in an impossible region and two versions of Armageddon — the bang of loose nukes and the whimper of environmental collapse. That's just for starters; we'll hear the unabridged version shortly.

But first, there is a bit of business to be dealt with, having to do with why you are reading this story in this magazine at this time of the year. It's unlikely that you were surprised to see Obama's face on the cover. He has come to dominate the public sphere so completely that it beggars belief to recall that half the people in America had never heard of him two years ago — that even his campaign manager, at the outset, wasn't sure Obama had what it would take to win the election. He hit the American scene like a thunderclap, upended our politics, shattered decades of conventional wisdom and overcame centuries of the social pecking order. Understandably, you may be thinking Obama is on the cover for these big and flashy reasons: for ushering the country across a momentous symbolic line, for infusing our democracy with a new intensity of participation, for showing the world and ourselves that our most cherished myth — the one about boundless opportunity — has plenty of juice left in it.

Read more, go to Time.com

Take a minute to send your wishes to Barack!