Barack Hussein Obama II: 44th President of The United States

[Jordan27]

On ‎10‎/‎13‎/‎2016 at 0:52 AM, Bean421 said:

I feel like we need to import the slideshow from Black-is to the thread. The Obamas have been an amazing first family. Little Bean came home from 3rd grade concerned about the election because, "Everyone has been so mean but President Obama has been nice to people." That's a great example there. 4 more years! 

Schools are liberal.  Indoctrinating the kids.  Did they mention he went a preacher who was a massive racist?

On ‎10‎/‎13‎/‎2016 at 2:27 PM, atomationage said:

I'd like for Barack and Michelle to have one last dance at The White House, to the tune of At Last.  It would be a  nice bookend.

Yep, at last, the national nightmare is over.

[InsertWordHere]

I just got back from seeing Obama speak in Cleveland. He is truly one of the greatest orators of our time. I'm glad I finally got to see him speak while he is still president. 

YMMV, but I didn't see any smarmy-ness. 

Isn't Obama's approval rating something like 55%? That means even some people who didn't vote for him now view him favorably. 

As for the debt, IA it sucks how much has been added to it, but it's not solely Obama's fault. Both houses of Congress (no matter if they were controlled by Dems or Reps at the time) are also at fault. 

[Jordan27]

3 minutes ago, InsertWordHere said:

Isn't Obama's approval rating something like 55%? That means even some people who didn't vote for him now view him favorably. 

Nope, those are polls, not votes.

[InsertWordHere]

19 minutes ago, Jordan27 said:

Nope, those are polls, not votes.

My apologies, I was unable to quote as your post popped up while I was typing mine and I didn't wish to make multiple comments in a row in the same thread. I was responding to this statement:

Quote

I don't think so.  American is tired of Obama. 

Which implied an opinion on the current feeling of Americans' toward Obama. Since there has not been a vote to determine America's feelings on Obama in almost four years, I thought this Thursday's poll would suffice. 

Edited October 14, 2016 by InsertWordHere

[atomationage]

18 minutes ago, InsertWordHere said:

Isn't Obama's approval rating something like 55%? That means even some people who didn't vote for him now view him favorably. 

He earned every percentage point, and much more.   What the opposition idiots don't understand is that when you constantly attack someone, it just creates more sympathy for them among all the people who aren't deplorable.  Most people don't like to see good people attacked by hate-mongering everything-phobic racists.

Edited October 14, 2016 by atomationage
.

[ChromaKelly]

2 hours ago, Jordan27 said:

 

Well, let me help you out on that. 

On Ferguson and all these racial situations he always spoke up and immediately thought the worst of the white cops.  Of course, we know in Ferguson the cop was in the right and this happened in other situations.  He never apologized nor tried to temper the riots and disinformation that went on.  And why?  Because liberals need to keep that issue of racism alive to make sure they get the black vote in this election.  Dividing the races for political gain.   And by the way, Hillary did it too.

And the policies of Obama don't attract blacks.  Blacks are mostly liberal in this country.  It's like saying how come Obama can't attract the votes of the people of Idaho.  Well, because it's a very conservative state.

Please stop it with that. Being colorblind and acting like everything is a-ok is not going to move use forward towards any sort of racial harmony. We need to acknowledge the issues. Conservatives and Trumpies are doing their part to keep racism alive. See: nearly every meme about the president and first lady. Which, BTW, I don't know why you all keep calling her a gorilla and Moochelle. She is nothing but class and elegance.

[atomationage]

1 minute ago, ChromaKelly said:

I don't know why you all keep calling her a gorilla and Moochelle

You're kidding? 

[ChromaKelly]

1 minute ago, atomationage said:

You're kidding? 

I mean, I know why... but you know, I'm a liberal keeping racism alive. (eyeroll)

[callmebetty]

In the words of a great woman "When they go low, we go high" and that's just what I'm going to do. Along with: "Be the change you want to see in the world" I live by that.

[atomationage]

14 minutes ago, ChromaKelly said:

17 minutes ago, atomationage said:

I mean, I know why... but you know, I'm a liberal keeping racism alive. (eyeroll)

No, I meant that you were kidding that was written in a thread here.  When anyone expresses hate, I ignore them.  I still have several people on Ignore from a tv show that they ruined for me by repeating how much they hated one actor every time anyone said anything good about him.  This experience should be entertaining for all of us, not give us anxieties, like Drumpf and his sniveling when he has to be in a room when he's not in control of the situation. 

Edited October 14, 2016 by atomationage

[NewDigs]

47 minutes ago, Jordan27 said:

I don't think so.  American is tired of Obama.  He did win, but barely beat Romney,  1% of total vote in key states.

He has been a failure and hasn't accomplished anything, but made matters worse.  21 trillion.  I notice no one wants to comment on that.  How much more debt do you want?

Cheney taught me that deficits don't matter. Remember?

Meanwhile, Obama is enjoying a 53% approval.

[xaxat]

On 10/12/2016 at 10:45 PM, Macbeth said:

But for me - he pretty much he stayed the course.  I am always a cup half empty - so my major issues:

                  1.  None of the major wall street players were prosecuted for the 2008  financial collapse.  The republicans would never have agreed to financial reform (or to a functioning government), but the Department of Justice was in his wheel house.

                  2.  NSA surveillance of everyone.  I was not keen to realize the US Government considered me a terrorist just because I breathed air and used the internet.  You would think that as a former Constitution professor - Obama would be acquainted with the 4th Amendment.

                  3.    Terror Tuesdays - the day when Obama met with his national security team to decide who next to target for death.  I am sure people around the world are completely cool with this and would never think of striking back at the US in retaliation.                                     

                  4.  Drone strikes?? - Where in the Constitution is this covered exactly?  When did  we declare war on Yemen? 

                  5.  War on Libya - Obama did to Libya what George Bush did to Iraq - destabilized the country and left it open to Isis.  How many tens of thousands have died as a result?  Granted Obama does see this as his biggest mistake.  Well I guess that makes everything better.

I agree with most of these. Especially the surveillance state. His administration helped to normalize spying on its own citizens to a degree where local police forces are now tracking people simply for using their First Amendment rights of association and speech.  Not going to be able to put that genie back in the bottle.

I would also switch out Libya for Syria. His administration's early missteps gave Assad enough time to stabilize his position, partner with Russia and commit years more war crimes against his people.

That being said, I think he was a very good President. I'm going to miss him.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Jordan27 said:

He has contempt for those who disagree with him and never had any intention of ever working with Republicans.

OMG. NO. 

 

1 hour ago, Jordan27 said:

On 10/12/2016 at 11:01 PM, Giant Misfit said:

I know I've been busy binge watching a bunch of streaming shows, so maybe I missed this? When did we get socialized health care in the U.S.?

It's called Obamacare which is on the way.  A disaster so far, typical liberal policies.

The Affordable Care Act is already here. It's not socialized medicine. I don't even know what else to say other than this is the last post of yours I'll be able to see.

[starri]

The Affordable Care Act was also written by that well-known liberal think-tank Heritage Foundation, and was also implemented on the state level by socialist governor Mitt Romney.

[Queena]

6 hours ago, atomationage said:

You're right.  Thank you.  It was so long ago.   The odd thing was that allegations came out in the newspaper about both Obama's opponent in the primary and the general election.  Sealed court documents were published in Jeri's case, and Brenda Sexton, Blair Hull's wife, and a writer, came out with her details.  It looked to me and others that Axelrod was behind all that,

Axelrod, wiki:

I'm going to have to go back into the archives of a political forum to find out what was going on back then.  I tried to do it with google searches, but didn't get very far.

Here is the link to the consulting firm that both Dukakis and Obama used, you'll like this page;

http://strategygroup.com/skrollr/index.php

@Queena, the book that I was referring to is by David Mendell, Obama: From Promise to Power, (2007)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obama:_From_Promise_to_Power

wiki

and a great picture of Barack Obama as a kid with his grandfather on the beach:

 

He looks just like his granddad! Thanks for the info! It's nice to talk to someone from "home" and someone who remembers the "old days". 

[AimingforYoko]

3 hours ago, NewDigs said:

Meanwhile, Obama is enjoying a 53% approval.

56 in the Fox poll.

[atomationage]

@Queena, here is the wiki on Blair Hull: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blair_Hull

He was rich and willing to spend a lot of money to become a Senator.  Axelrod left after a while and went with Obama instead.  I have to wonder if Brenda Sexton told him what Blair was like in private, or if he figured it out for himself, or just concluded that Hull was not charismatic enough to convince anyone to vote for him, even though he looked very good on paper.

Quote

He looks just like his granddad!

That pic is from a Huffpo biographical article.  It was published in the Chicago Tribune at the time of the 2008 election.

Edited October 15, 2016 by atomationage
wsa what

[BuckeyeLou]

8 hours ago, NewDigs said:

I think the Obamas could do just as much good if after they leave the WH they stay out of politics but remain community/cause oriented.

It would put them in something other than constant defensive positions.

Good point, they could follow the example of Jimmy&Roslyn Carter who have done work all around the world, and work with Habitat for Humanity.

[Pixel]

It's amazing how much Obama looks like his grandpa now.  He didn't when that photo was taken, but as an adult he's a doppelgänger of the guy. 

As a healthcare professional and a diabetic, I am a fan of the ACA. The program as a whole is not perfect, but it's a great step on the road to where we need to be with getting healthcare to everyone. When Trump said Canada hates their healthcare, he couldn't have been more wrong. I have family there-by and large they are tremendously happy with their healthcare. It's one of the things I am most happy Obama managed to achieve. 

I have thought for many years now that Obama is possibly the most intelligent, articulate, compassionate, and charismatic POTUS we have ever had. I would be shocked if any personal scandals ever surfaced about him, even though I am very cynical about politicians in general. He and his family have conducted themselves with class and grace every step of the way.  I wish we could give him a third term. 

Edited October 15, 2016 by Pixel
misspelling

[Mountainair]

There are always rumors going around that the Obama's are buying a house here in my area of Asheville, NC since they visit here so often. 

I never voted for Obama. I always vote libertarian. This year I think I'm going to skip voting all together but I have to say, on a personal level, politics aside, I really like the Obama's. 

[Padma]

I was really surprised this week to learn that Obama KNOWS that Alex Jones and his crowd believe that he is, literally, a demon "with sulphur and everything". He truly is the anti-Trump (sorry, AJ folks, not the AntiChrist), with unbelievable self control and patience and belief--still!--in the people of this country. Amazing man.

And thank you so much for that photo! I've never seen Stan Dunham and pictured him as an old man (okay, I guess he is...but he's probably my peer group and, looking pretty good! lol) Plus, remarkable to see how Obama and his grandfather look alike now. I wonder if he realizes it?  I always felt a bit like the Dunhams did so much for him but were a little eclipsed in his bio by the "presence" of his absent father.  I know he appreciated them, and his mother, but I think they were all remarkable people that maybe didn't look quite as they really were through childhood eyes. Just a thought, I know he loved them, but I wonder if he might feel more "a part of them" now, seeing the physical resemblance.

[j5cochran]

47 minutes ago, Padma said:

And thank you so much for that photo! I've never seen Stan Dunham and pictured him as an old man (okay, I guess he is...but he's probably my peer group and, looking pretty good! lol) Plus, remarkable to see how Obama and his grandfather look alike now. I wonder if he realizes it?  I always felt a bit like the Dunhams did so much for him but were a little eclipsed in his bio by the "presence" of his absent father.  I know he appreciated them, and his mother, but I think they were all remarkable people that maybe didn't look quite as they really were through childhood eyes. Just a thought, I know he loved them, but I wonder if he might feel more "a part of them" now, seeing the physical resemblance.

I doubt that you are in the peer group of Stan Dunham.  He was born in 1918 and died in 1992!  (If you are in your nineties, congratulations!)

[Padma]

8 minutes ago, j5cochran said:

I doubt that you are in the peer group of Stan Dunham.  He was born in 1918 and died in 1992!  (If you are in your nineties, congratulations!)

lol. I meant similar age group for me now--and SD at the time the photo was taken. When I read Obama's autobiography  I pictured the "elderly couple" who was raising him as looking older than this. I think in that photo Stan Dunham is a few years younger than Obama is now.   Of course, by the time Obama was in his teens, the Dunhams would have been in their 60s so that could have been a bit tough for a teenager, as he described in his memoir.

[Padma]

This article makes a good point about Trump's ridiculous musing yesterday, as he wondered to his idiot-crowd why Obama hasn't ever been accused of sexual assault (kind of suggesting, maybe it's time for someone to accuse him, and also suggesting the media is covering up for him). What a loser.  It apparently hasn't occurred to this fool that our president may be exactly what he appears to be--a devoted husband and father who not only doesn't cheat, he doesn't assault women either.

http://www.vox.com/2016/10/14/13289202/donald-trump-obama-sexual-assault?yptr=yahoo

Hard to imagine for Donald, apparently, but it appears to be true.

[ebk57]

I can't wait to get the NYT delivered this weekend.  What a great woman she is

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/17/t-magazine/michelle-obama-chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-gloria-steinem-letter.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

[Spartan Girl]

On October 16, 2016 at 2:07 PM, Padma said:

This article makes a good point about Trump's ridiculous musing yesterday, as he wondered to his idiot-crowd why Obama hasn't ever been accused of sexual assault (kind of suggesting, maybe it's time for someone to accuse him, and also suggesting the media is covering up for him). What a loser.  It apparently hasn't occurred to this fool that our president may be exactly what he appears to be--a devoted husband and father who not only doesn't cheat, he doesn't assault women either.

http://www.vox.com/2016/10/14/13289202/donald-trump-obama-sexual-assault?yptr=yahoo

Hard to imagine for Donald, apparently, but it appears to be true.

Whether you agree or disagree with Obama's policies, you can't deny that Obama is a nice, funny, family man that handles criticism with class. Something Trump knows nothing about.

[peacheslatour]

President Obama just told Trump to stop being a whiny little bitch. Donald will be crying about this on Twitter in 3..2..1..

[MulletorHater]

1 minute ago, peacheslatour said:

President Obama just told Trump to stop being a whiny little bitch. Donald will be crying about this on Twitter in 3..2..1..

I know, right?  And, Drumpf's surrogates will be all over television this evening and the rest of the week pontificating about how this is so undignified...

I'm so glad that the gloves have finally come off for President Obama.

[Bookish Jen]

1 hour ago, MulletorHater said:

I know, right?  And, Drumpf's surrogates will be all over television this evening and the rest of the week pontificating about how this is so undignified...

I'm so glad that the gloves have finally come off for President Obama.

Yep, he has zero fucks to give and he's all, "Kiss my black ass" only in a much more classy and refined way.

[ruby24]

I LOVE it! Especially because I think Trump hates Obama more than anyone else, because he's such a racist and part of this whole thing was spurned due to Obama's humiliation of him at the White House Correspondent's Dinner.

Edited October 18, 2016 by ruby24

[truthaboutluv]

Quote

I mean, I know why... but you know, I'm a liberal keeping racism alive. (eyeroll)

I'm not going to quote the phrase and give more power to that kind of talk and I applaud the MODS for deleting it. But I do appreciate you mentioning it for people like me who didn't see it so I know who to put on my ignore list and never read a single thing they say about ANYTHING because that kind of name-calling of Michelle Obama tells me everything I need to know about a poster. 

And this is the kind of stuff that sadly amuses me about some on the right. Obama is the one who caused racial divide in this country, All Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter is really black people creating a war against the police and racism is really black people whinging all while they make racial and ignorant comments about the President and his wife. But yes, racism and racial divide in this country only started with Obama. No, what's happened is a problem that already existed got a mirror shone on it because everyone and their pet has a damn smartphone.

Quote

Yep, he has zero fucks to give and he's all, "Kiss my black ass" only in a much more classy and refined way.

Yup it's senioritis. He's on his way out so no reason to put up with people's bullshit anymore.

[Silver Raven]

Republican Congressman Darrell Issa from Southern California has been the chairman of the committee investigating practically everything Obama ever tried to accomplish, and coming up empty on every single attempt.  He is currently in the reelection fight of his life, so his latest campaign flyers talk about how well he and Obama work together.

[33kaitykaity]

Barack Obama is a very lucky man.  Just wow.  

[Guest]

4 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

President Obama just told Trump to stop being a whiny little bitch. Donald will be crying about this on Twitter in 3..2..1..

It's probably the reason Trump invited Obama's half-brother to be his guest at the debate tomorrow night.

The man's skin is so thin I'm surprised he's not completely transparent.

[AimingforYoko]

I know it's a magazine cover and it's glossy as hell, but she hasn't aged at all. (And yes, Mr. Harvard Law Review, Mr. State Senator, Mr. U.S. Senator and Mr. POTUS married up.)

[starri]

4 minutes ago, Giant Misfit said:

It's probably the reason Trump invited Obama's half-brother to be his guest at the debate tomorrow night.

Trump does understand he's not running against Obama, right?

[atomationage]

17 minutes ago, Giant Misfit said:

The man's skin is so thin I'm surprised he's not completely transparent.

I think he is very transparent, and has been for a long time.

[ChromaKelly]

1 hour ago, Giant Misfit said:

It's probably the reason Trump invited Obama's half-brother to be his guest at the debate tomorrow night.

The man's skin is so thin I'm surprised he's not completely transparent.

Oh for the love... are you kidding me?

[ebk57]

1 hour ago, starri said:

Trump does understand he's not running against Obama, right?

I think it's safe to say he doesn't understand much of anything.

[ChromaKelly]

Throwing shade!
http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/18/politics/obama-trumps-rigged-election-claim-whining-before-the-games-even-over/

[Bastet]

I love "no fucks left to give" Obama even more than I've liked "presidential even in the face of obstructionists and fear-mongers" Obama.

[callmebetty]

3 hours ago, 33kaitykaity said:

Barack Obama is a very lucky man.  Just wow.  

Hot Damn! I use Michelle Obama as my personal motivation.  When I work out its so I can have arms like her. And since she is tall like me and has a similar shape, whatever she wears I try to replicate cause I know it would work on me. In fact I have a dress in my closet that I call my Michelle Obama dress. And that's just the superficial stuff I admire about her.

[starri]

Michelle at the Obamas' final state dinner.

[tenativelyyours]

What I really love is the clever way the President brings up the whining.  Because the Orange Beast will not be able to resist and he will respond and the fact that the beast so gleefully loved called others a whiny little bitch before crowds and cameras now comes home to roost like a particularly vicious buzzard named Hypocrisy mistaking that horrific scraggly head of "hair" for its nest.

Plus I think it is wise and generous of the President since waving a red flag at the Beast is much more likely to not only draw out even more utter stupidity on the Beast's part but also strengthen the resolve of a majority of the electorate that still considers the President their favorite person involved in this election even if peripherally.  That's right Beast snort bellow and blare publicly. Loudly.  Ridiculously.  Against the one person who probably would win the election if it was legal to write him in for a third term.  Go full Boar on President Obama for all to see with just weeks to go.   Please?

[sassykattt]

First, the even slight possibility that the Classy Obamas could be followed by the trashy trumps makes me want to vomit.

Second, WOW Michelle!  You really brought it!

[Bookish Jen]

8 hours ago, sassykattt said:

First, the even slight possibility that the Classy Obamas could be followed by the trashy trumps makes me want to vomit.

Second, WOW Michelle!  You really brought it!

And can you see Melania (who looks like she's the spawn of an alien and a porn star) puttering in Michelle's garden?

And I can only imagine how tacky and gaudy the White House would be decorated; it would probably look like Liberace's vomitorium.

[Padma]

Wow Michelle! And what a dress--love it!

I worried about our president facing unemployment soon (worry more about us, but that's another story). Luckily Stephen Colbert is helping him find something new.

[ruby24]

Maybe we should open a thread for Michelle? Not sure where I should mention this, but she gave another FANTASTIC speech on the trail in Arizona today!

You know, I believed for a long time that it was true what people said- that she had no interest in going into politics herself after they leave the White House, BUT...after watching her on the campaign trail lately, it's very clear to me that she is enjoying this. I mean, she was having a blast in this speech today, and it may be possible that she's just now realizing how good she is at this.

I know that she has a huge advantage in getting to do it while not being attacked from the other side, because that always makes it a different story. But she has a natural talent for campaigning and she's a phenomenal public speaker. After the both the girls are in college, what if Dick Durbin retires from the IL senate seat in 2020? I'm just saying, to me it's clear she's evolving on the trail and really coming into her own, and more so, I think she's loving it.

I would not be surprised if she makes a turnaround on this in the future. People will be courting her within the party, everyone is seeing right now how effective she is and how much she moves people. That can be hard to resist, especially if it's true (as I suspect it might be), that she's realizing her own talent for this, apart from Barack.

[Bean421]

Just got home from listening to FLOTUS speak in Phoenix. My Little Bean has been really into this election and I thought this would be a great opportunity.  He's only 8 but he absolutely loves the Obama's and she did not disappoint. She's so engaging and has a way of making her message relatable.

[atomationage]

12 minutes ago, ruby24 said:

Maybe we should open a thread for Michelle? Not sure where I should mention this, but she gave another FANTASTIC speech on the trail in Arizona today!

You can  start a thread.  I would like one, but haven't come up with a catchy title.  Her WIKI page

is very interesting.  I don't think she's going to run for anything until after Sasha finishes school.