92 thoughts on ““A budget that sacrifices our children’s education is a budget that sacrifices our country’s future, and i will not let it happen””
Both President Obama and Secretary Duncan grew up with strong mothers, engaged in learning about and helping others. Boy, it shows!
And you never saw two happier guys than when they are with school children. Love it.
Am I first? Yipeee
These students love this president..FUTURE VOTERS!!!
They sure do Nonie. I feel the same about him. It is particularly great to know that young people identify with him so strongly. New young voters are what we need.
I think that this is part and parcel of President Obama’s effort to take the budget argument directly to the people. Thanks for the reportage.
While President Obama is trying to improve the lives of all Americans by saving the economy and investing in the future (education, infrastructure, research & development, clean energy, high speed rail), the Republican Party is trying to sabotage the recovery, disenfranchise voters, ignore the impact of climate change, dismantle unions, provide tax cuts for the wealthy and cater to the greedy special interests like the Koch brothers, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Wall Street.
The feckless traditional media continues to report on the political discourse as if the Republicans are a credible opposition party when we all know they are just plain nuts. There is an endless supply of unhinged and deranged GOP members of congress.
Wow, you just summed up the entire political landscape in one comment! Perfect.
While I understand that Obama is trying to push his education policies and defend against budget cuts to education programs, it almost seems like his tour is completely outside of what the rest of the political world is focused on – the budget, union demonstrations and foreign policy issues. I am curious as to why his team decided on this push and what the political calculation was on making this priority #1 now.
Perfect commentary on the differences between each party’s ideology.Stark, isn’t it? How can others not see this?
Look at all those smiling,excited, genuine faces:)Wow.
The first picture, He is wearing that suit 😉 sorry Mr. President.
Desertflower, your question reminded me of the John Carpenter film “They Live”. It was made during the Reagan years and is a perfect sci-fi parable for the situation we are in today, with many citizen blind to what is really going on. Highly recommend it.
I’ll take a stab at trying to understand their thinking. The comment by desertflower below probably sums up what their strategy is all about:
“Look at all those smiling,excited, genuine faces:)Wow.”
Except I’d add the word “young” to the mix. They are trying to frame the budget fight around the future and are attempting to put a human face to it.
should add that by “budget fight” I mean the whole budget not just the budget for education.
This has bugged me for awhile now as well. There was an NYT article about a week ago where Plouffe and Daley thought having him commenting and engaged fully in everything over-exposed him and lowered him as a partisan. They don’t wanthim bogged down in the day-to-day battles of the moment – but rather less is more and save him for specific instances where they feel his opinion would then carry more weight.
Ramn and Axelrod were about winning the issue of the day, Plouffe and Daley are concerned about long term strategy. The article mentioned specifically how the Administration passed on zinging the GOP on their budget on back-to-back weekends (Boehner’s so-be-it was one of those instances).
I think this might just make him look disengaged at best and out of touch at worst.
Education is part of the budget. It is a good position for him to be promoting. I am glad he is not talking about those things cause then the stupid MSM would try to bring his momentum down.
I don’t know, St. Roscoe…I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. My gut tells me this is leading up to something that we just don’t see. It’s like when the WH kept saying that DADT was going to pass and folks kept insisting it wouldn’t…then bam, it passed.
You know how you just feel it in the air when it’s going to rain or snow? That’s how I feel about this…something is on the cusp of changing.
Ditto! Loved this, and President Obama’s education included knowledge of many religions: from Audacity of Hope: “In her mind (his mother), a working knowledge of the world’s great religions was a necessary part of any well-rounded education.” All part of what makes him the great leader he is.
I certainly hope so. I think it’s a case of the Administration okay with $50B in extra cuts and more than anything just don’t want a shutdown. Give Boehner his number but the Administration controls where the cuts are.
Fox seems to be pushing for a shutdown, teabaggers want a shutdown, 2012 Presidential candidates all seem to want a shutdown – but by in large negotiations are being done behind the scenes to keep grandstanding out of it.
I just hope Plouffe and the messaging team has an epic offensive rollout if Boehner decides for a shutdown. They can show how they gave and gave and how Boehner never moved because Fox and Co. want a shutdown.
OMG, Matt Damon just won’t shut up, now he’s saying Obama has rolled over to Wall Street completely!
Why does the media continue to treat him as a voice of liberal Hollywood when you have both Stevie Wonder and George Clooney whom support Obama and have nothing but praise for him?
Don’t quite understand your question. In your first sentence you say that you understand why Pres. Obama is touting education policies and defending against cuts to the education budget. Then you go on to say that the Pres. is NOT dealing with the BUDGET issue, union demonstrations and foreign policy. By your own admission he is dealing with the budget issue as pertains to education (Winning the Future). As for foreign policy, the situation is still playing itself out in Libya and we don’t know what is going on behind the scenes. As for the union situation, it really is a state’s isssue with its newly elected GOP governor. From what I have read, the unions feel that Pres. Obama supports them.
St. I don’t think he engages in whatever the cable chatter decides is the most important subject of the day. He’s the President and not a talking head.
I imagine that when the election really kicks off, the Administration will list what they have given Americans and the GOP will have a list of all the things they tried to take away from Americans. I don’t expect him to answer ever insult that’s thrown his way, if he did that, he would never get anything done but making statements for cable to run in a loop.
If it’s negative about President Obama then it leads the news and blogs.
Askew, if you look at the headline of this post, you will notice that the word “budget” is front and center. The budget issues are very much relevant to the education of our children, and the GOP is threatening to make cuts on the backs of these children, threatening the future of this country.
Trust me if Clooney or Stevie Wonder were to start bashing Pres. Obama, they too would be promoted heavily by the MSM. The MSM gives the microphone to celebs and pundits that bash the President. The MSM wants to promote the illusion that Obama is not popular in general and with is “base” in particular. Does anyone know how Damon’s movie did re: boxoffice?
Let him keep running his mouth. Eventually people will catch on to the fact that he’s simply looking for publicity – perhaps out of desperation to advertise his new movie. But what he is saying is factually incorrect, and the notion the President has “rolled over” for Wall Street is one only held by the vocal minority of the UNprofessional left.
Damon may be rolling in the $$$ but thankfully he only has one vote.
You must not be paying attention to the looming disaster to education budgets in STATE CAPITOLS. This being Eduction Month is just serendipitous, as the axe-wielding new GOP governors are revving up their engines to cut deeply into education budgets. The President showing up at schools that were once thought beyond salvaging is an EFFORT to redirect the debate in the states to the necessity not to cut off the future of our children.
It is not out of place at all. Besides what do you want him to be doing in Washington? He has threatened to veto bills that do damage to education spending. He just said so today in front of those kids.
We will see what he will do when a bill that passes both houses lands on his desk. Meanwhile he is debating Repugs from the CLASSROOMS. Same fight, different terrain.
I thought you were clued in to Pres. Obama’s modus Operandi by now.
So has he declared which worthy Republican he is going to donate all his $$$ to? Or is he simply full of shyte, and using the President to publicize his movie?
Massachusetts isn’t in GOP control at the State level. These types of speeches only get local press coverage. Florida made sense under your explanation – going to Michigan or Pennsylvania schools would make sense.
Hopefruit, I vote for option 2. It’s so obvious what Damon and the MSM are doing, it is pathetic.
I agree with Tien Le. I am going to copy and try to memorize your comment LadyHawke as you summarized with is happening in the US in one comment. Thank you!
Would join EricFive in voting for option 2 and yes he is full of shyte.
zizi, thanks for this comment. My state, which is controlled by Republican Governor and State Legislators, seems hell-bent on cutting education.
You’re so right, everyone should be looking at what their state, county, and local governments are doing with their budgets.
That makes sense. It does make sense to keep the youth motivated.
Usually I have no problems understanding what the Obama team is doing. Right now, I have to admit I am a bit confused. They are sort of in limbo land right now, with no GOP candidates declared yet and Congress spinning its wheels. So, I guess this is a good time for an education push.
Yeah, I am a bit worried about him looking out of touch as well. However, this is similar to what he did during 2007 in the run up to the Iowa caucuses.
This lack of a GOP field is mystifying to me as well askew, and indeed it does feel like we’re in a weird holding period all around. Isn’t the GOP’s first primary debate already scheduled for May?
I see that the event is sort of related to the budget. I just think this entire education push is a bit weird as it appears very disconnected from what is going on in the world right now. I don’t think most people are going to see these pictures and connect it to the budget fight.
SR You are engaging in historical revisionism with your placing Rahm (who wanted to table HCR) and Axelrod on pedestals re: messaging. This administration never engaged in news cycle battles (remember your complaint that the administration always losing the messaging battle?). His appearances at schools is definitely taking the budget issue to the people. The quote BWD lead with is a clear indication of this “A budget that sacrifices our children’s education is a budget that sacrifices our country’s future and I will not let it happen.” You must realize that 99.9% of the American public does not pay the amount of attention you do to Washington politics.
The first debate is May 5th and I honestly don’t think they’ll have any candidates for the debate. What’s also weird is that the MSM is acting like this isn’t a big deal. At what point does it start hurting the GOP candidates by waiting too long to start their campaigns?
Me too! I printed it out and am taking it with me to a messaging training tonight to share with others.
When are the Iowa caucuses?
But, there are voters in Massachusetts, and I’m guessing their Senator, Scott Brown, is hip with cutting funding for education.
Are you one of the people who think Pres. Obama should picket in Wisconsin? My earlier comment attempted to answer your isssues concerning the budget, unions and foreign policy. THe GOP wants to slash federal education spending. Obama appearing a schools and saying things like “A budget that sacrifices our children’s education is a budget that sacrifices our country’s future and I will not let it happen” is in direct response to this federal budget issue. If you cannot see that, then you are the one who is in danger of appearing “out of touch”.
It appears that Gov Walker is negotiating behind the scenes while pretending otherwise publicly. He may be succumbing to the pressure. This is based on reports from tonight’s Lawrence O’Donnell show.
So now that Ed Schultz will no longer be able to blame Obama for the Wisonsin situation, he’s preparing his tonight segment on how Obama can bring down the rising gas prices…brace yourself for another Obama bashing yelling session…
Ben Affleck who has now joined ranks with a reluctant Cindy McCain on some “project”, is on the same bash President obama, and I’m smarter than the President tour!!!
These 2 are some serious self-promoting losers!!!
No, he and Affleck are now kissing up to the Cindy Mccain (!!!) and the republicans!!! Seriously!!!
2nd. $20 million.
Ed’s is a first rate putz!!!
Great point Starshine.
Scheduled for February 6 2012
Do you have a link?
I’m just wondering if anyone has asked the children of this nation what *they* think about cutting funds to education?
I just answered my own question about when are the Iowa caucuses:
2012 Presidential Primary Calendar (from DemConWatch)
Monday, January 16, 2012: Iowa caucuses*
Tuesday, January 24: New Hampshire*
Saturday, January 28: Nevada caucuses*, South Carolina*
Tuesday, January 31: Florida
Tuesday, February 7 (Super Tuesday): Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah
Saturday, February 11: Louisiana
Tuesday, February 14: Maryland, Virginia
Tuesday, February 21: Wisconsin
Tuesday, February 28: Arizona**, Michigan***
Tuesday, March 6: Minnesota caucuses, Massachusetts***, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont
Tuesday, March 13: Mississippi
Tuesday, March 20: Colorado caucuses****
Tuesday, April 24: Pennsylvania
Tuesday, May 8: Indiana, North Carolina and West Virginia
Tuesday, May 15: Nebraska, Oregon
Tuesday, May 22: Arkansas (-104), Idaho, Kentucky
Tuesday, June 5: Montana, New Mexico***** and South Dakota
Thanks Jessica. Glad his movie is not doing well.
Eleroy – You are certainly seeing something in the Afleck/McCain alliance that I haven’t. It must be ignorance on my part. After seeing the interview, it is my understanding that they are working together to try to do something about the people in the Congo who are starving to death. I didn’t realize that this could be interpreted as “kissing up to the Republicans.”
Dear SR,
Take a deep breath. The White House theme is broader than just Massachusetts. Notice he is highlighting schools that HAVE turned around after having been previously condemned by everybody else. So it doesn’t matter whether Mass is friendly Democratic territory or not, the message about education is a sweeping national one.
Of course you wouldn’t think the White House would schedule visits to only hostile Repug states, now would you? This is not just politics for this President. He thinks our only saving grace to get beyond out current toxic national discourse is to get our kids to safe harbor for the future, regardless of how much the current adults self-destruct.
There has to be a capable population able to take up the mantle after Armageddon happens, don’t you think. Education is vital policy and demands the Pres. full attention, no matter what antics congressional Republicans are up to.
Plus his presence in a town or city nicely interrupts the local news cycle. It’s yet another run around the national MSM news blackout on this president. Just look at how they reported the two-week CR budget agreement.
They reported as a win for Repugs and a loss for PBO even though the measure contained the very things PBO had outlined in his proposal. local news is therefore a better medium to get straight news out,, bypassing the preening MSM peacocks.
“Duncan was raised in Hyde Park, a Chicago neighborhood encompassing the University of Chicago. His father Starkey Duncan was a psychology professor at the university and his mother Susan Morton runs the Sue Duncan Children’s Center, an after-school program primarily serving African-American youth in the nearby Kenwood neighborhood. While growing up, Duncan spent much of his free time at his mother’s center tutoring or playing with students there. Some of his childhood friends were John W. Rogers, Jr., CEO of Ariel Capital Management (now Ariel Investments) and founder of the Ariel Community Academy, Illinois State Senator Kwame Raoul, actor Michael Clarke Duncan, singer R. Kelly and award-winning martial artist Michelle Gordon.”
Charmed – I second your perspective, all the way.
Wow! Rachel Maddow is on fire tonight!
She certainly is!
*This is not just politics for this President.*
You nailed it! We are watching President Obama carry out his agenda, day after day after day.
His travels and purpose once again remind me of the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling, which begins:
“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you … “
She is so awesome tonight. She is blowing the lid off the GOP budget ruse and putting her colleagues to shame. This is what has been driving me crazy lately. I feel like I am living in some alternate universe. The Republicans say black is white, up is down and the lazy media stenographers just nod their heads and never challenge anything they say. It’s infuriating.
Rachel is making fact checking and truth telling cool again. She is just amazing.
Hate to say it, but although Lawrence O’Donnell still sees himself as an insider with the scoop, I no longer trust what he puts out there. We could, however, have somebody set up another prank Koch Brother call to Gov. Walker (since the brothers bought and paid for him), to see what Walker is currently plotting and scheming!
I agree with you where O’Donnell is concerned. But now I’m hearing from Rachel Maddow something along similar lines, so I’ll wait and see what’s going on.
Don’t expect to hear much on this from Ed Schultz. I may be wrong but I anticipate that his show will probably mostly be about Obama and what he ISN’T doing to bring down gas prices…
But people Are seeing a president who cares about things that matter in their daily lives–their children and their future. The arcane budget deals in Washington have little meaning in people’s day-to-day lives, but their local schools and how their kids are doing in them matter a lot. What people are seeing is a president who will fight to protect their children against those whose mania for budget cuts will jeopardize them. In the long view, the battle over a continuing resolutions will be forgotten by next month, but the image of a president who cares about children will linger. Seems like good strategy to me–one that wins the support of new young voters as well as their parents.
This is from ABC News (as per Obama diary), so there must be some validity to O’Donnell’s claim.
I like Dr. Maddow, but I still don’t quite get her recent Michael Steele fetish.
I don’t get the Michael Steele or the Alan Simpson fetish. The Cat Food commission nonsense is so annoying. I could have done without both of those segments. The opening segment on Wisconsin was fierce. To say tonight’s show has been uneven would be an understatement. Rachel is brilliant, but she does have a childish streak.
Her Michale Moore fetish this guy irratates me.
Yup, and not to mention the Ron Paul and “Uncle” Pat fetish!
But hey, even with all these fetishes, I’ll take our Rachel Maddow over Schultz or Rotigan, or Cenk.
um that’s the date for the GOP caucuses
Hey Judith, If you saw the Afleck/McCain GMA interview this morning with George Stephanopoulos you’d understand where Elroy is coming from. I certainly do.
If someone (like Ben or Cindy) claims to have a certain gravitas, then they should not have to resort to dragging President Obama’s name in their business to get attention.
McCain and Affleck are exposing their dirty politically-motivated slips. This is no “bipartisian” effort. It reminds me of McCain’s involvement in the DADT issue, which well, we all knew how that ended.
And you’re being kind!
Awesome analysis, Zizi….you are spot on.
What did Affleck say about PBO?
Funny enough, I do not see the President as being disengaged at all; on the contrary I see him as heavily engaged in the business of governing. IMO he has been putting feet to the SOTU address, and a part of me connected his (and his administrations’s) meetings with small business to the February business news. While I see the opposition as abusing taxpayer’s money with their bills that they know won’t go anywhere (ex. repeal healthcare), and their shortened work weeks with no reduction in salary, I see the President as working towards the results he wants one step at a time. To me, the GOPers may not know where they are going, (no front runners)but the President already has his plan so he does not have to wait on them. I guess I’m rambling on to say, basically, the President does not need to feed off the republicans’ actions in order to be productive.
Thanks:) I’ll check it out.All seems so crazy to me.
Agreed.Forward thinkers that we are:)Seems like a no brainer to me.
Well said – I also think that focusing on schools, when the country is imploding around education makes perfect sense. Teachers are being punished by Republicans because of their union affiliations. Florida’s governor just cut $2 billion in education and handed it over to the rich in the form of tax cuts. Investments in the future are being cut. New industries are going to need an educated workforce. It’s all connected.
So, while the Republicans dismantle the country’s foundation, the President is making a very real, practical, tangible case about what the Republican agenda means to individual people, their children and the future of this country. People don’t have to guess what he means – he’s drawing the picture with real, live people.
The other point is that the “issues of the day” fade after a few hours. Remember only a couple of months ago, there was a national emergency and calls for the President and Congress to push through gun control legislation? Lawrence O’Donnell had an actual conniption over it. Not a peep anymore. The deep water drilling permit issued to BP last week – barely elicited a squeak. Gitmo change in policy in response to Congressional obstruction – nary a word. Tax cut deal from December – now forgotten. Muslim Brotherhood and their supposed threat to America – who are the Muslim Brotherhood again?
If the President focuses on the media message of the day, he’ll have to put aside the very real matter of the future of America’s children. He’s doing the real work, and those who don’t pay attention every day will see the benefits for their children, rather than the political wranglings that mean something only to the beltway media.
Indeed!
And, here’s the video which I’m sure BWD will have available in her next post:
Ladyhawke, that’s it in one paragraph. Well said, and thank you. I’m beyond being able to believe these these people and their corporate press enablers continue to get away with what they’re doing. How is it possible so many people are missing the truth? And how is it that there seem to be so many on the left who are clueless? I’m baffled.
No one wants to job of trying to defeat Obama – after all this time fanning the flames of racism and Islamophobia he’s still incredibly popular. The position of sacrificial lamb remains open because they secretly believe they can find someone somewhere with charisma, intelligence, competence, and vision. Then they remember they’re Republicans, and they’re stumped. 😉
Good morning everyone 😀
From my twitter timeline:
RT @petesouza: NEW behind the scenes photos from February: http://bit.ly/h5bCQx #TeamFollowBack
Good Morning Rock!
Wow what a gorgeous First Couple we have:
If he answered ever insult then he’d be SARA, ugg it hurts to type that name.
Absolutely!
hopefruit2 – Sorry I missed it….I’ll keep
an eye out to glean further insight. A
little healthy skepticism is a good thing.
The only adult in the room 
Both President Obama and Secretary Duncan grew up with strong mothers, engaged in learning about and helping others. Boy, it shows!
And you never saw two happier guys than when they are with school children. Love it.
Am I first? Yipeee
These students love this president..FUTURE VOTERS!!!
They sure do Nonie. I feel the same about him. It is particularly great to know that young people identify with him so strongly. New young voters are what we need.
I think that this is part and parcel of President Obama’s effort to take the budget argument directly to the people. Thanks for the reportage.
While President Obama is trying to improve the lives of all Americans by saving the economy and investing in the future (education, infrastructure, research & development, clean energy, high speed rail), the Republican Party is trying to sabotage the recovery, disenfranchise voters, ignore the impact of climate change, dismantle unions, provide tax cuts for the wealthy and cater to the greedy special interests like the Koch brothers, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Wall Street.
The feckless traditional media continues to report on the political discourse as if the Republicans are a credible opposition party when we all know they are just plain nuts. There is an endless supply of unhinged and deranged GOP members of congress.
Wow, you just summed up the entire political landscape in one comment! Perfect.
While I understand that Obama is trying to push his education policies and defend against budget cuts to education programs, it almost seems like his tour is completely outside of what the rest of the political world is focused on – the budget, union demonstrations and foreign policy issues. I am curious as to why his team decided on this push and what the political calculation was on making this priority #1 now.
Perfect commentary on the differences between each party’s ideology.Stark, isn’t it? How can others not see this?
Look at all those smiling,excited, genuine faces:)Wow.
The first picture, He is wearing that suit 😉 sorry Mr. President.
Desertflower, your question reminded me of the John Carpenter film “They Live”. It was made during the Reagan years and is a perfect sci-fi parable for the situation we are in today, with many citizen blind to what is really going on. Highly recommend it.
I’ll take a stab at trying to understand their thinking. The comment by desertflower below probably sums up what their strategy is all about:
“Look at all those smiling,excited, genuine faces:)Wow.”
Except I’d add the word “young” to the mix. They are trying to frame the budget fight around the future and are attempting to put a human face to it.
should add that by “budget fight” I mean the whole budget not just the budget for education.
This has bugged me for awhile now as well. There was an NYT article about a week ago where Plouffe and Daley thought having him commenting and engaged fully in everything over-exposed him and lowered him as a partisan. They don’t wanthim bogged down in the day-to-day battles of the moment – but rather less is more and save him for specific instances where they feel his opinion would then carry more weight.
Ramn and Axelrod were about winning the issue of the day, Plouffe and Daley are concerned about long term strategy. The article mentioned specifically how the Administration passed on zinging the GOP on their budget on back-to-back weekends (Boehner’s so-be-it was one of those instances).
I think this might just make him look disengaged at best and out of touch at worst.
Education is part of the budget. It is a good position for him to be promoting. I am glad he is not talking about those things cause then the stupid MSM would try to bring his momentum down.
I don’t know, St. Roscoe…I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. My gut tells me this is leading up to something that we just don’t see. It’s like when the WH kept saying that DADT was going to pass and folks kept insisting it wouldn’t…then bam, it passed.
You know how you just feel it in the air when it’s going to rain or snow? That’s how I feel about this…something is on the cusp of changing.
Ditto! Loved this, and President Obama’s education included knowledge of many religions: from Audacity of Hope: “In her mind (his mother), a working knowledge of the world’s great religions was a necessary part of any well-rounded education.” All part of what makes him the great leader he is.
I certainly hope so. I think it’s a case of the Administration okay with $50B in extra cuts and more than anything just don’t want a shutdown. Give Boehner his number but the Administration controls where the cuts are.
Fox seems to be pushing for a shutdown, teabaggers want a shutdown, 2012 Presidential candidates all seem to want a shutdown – but by in large negotiations are being done behind the scenes to keep grandstanding out of it.
I just hope Plouffe and the messaging team has an epic offensive rollout if Boehner decides for a shutdown. They can show how they gave and gave and how Boehner never moved because Fox and Co. want a shutdown.
OMG, Matt Damon just won’t shut up, now he’s saying Obama has rolled over to Wall Street completely!
Why does the media continue to treat him as a voice of liberal Hollywood when you have both Stevie Wonder and George Clooney whom support Obama and have nothing but praise for him?
Don’t quite understand your question. In your first sentence you say that you understand why Pres. Obama is touting education policies and defending against cuts to the education budget. Then you go on to say that the Pres. is NOT dealing with the BUDGET issue, union demonstrations and foreign policy. By your own admission he is dealing with the budget issue as pertains to education (Winning the Future). As for foreign policy, the situation is still playing itself out in Libya and we don’t know what is going on behind the scenes. As for the union situation, it really is a state’s isssue with its newly elected GOP governor. From what I have read, the unions feel that Pres. Obama supports them.
St. I don’t think he engages in whatever the cable chatter decides is the most important subject of the day. He’s the President and not a talking head.
I imagine that when the election really kicks off, the Administration will list what they have given Americans and the GOP will have a list of all the things they tried to take away from Americans. I don’t expect him to answer ever insult that’s thrown his way, if he did that, he would never get anything done but making statements for cable to run in a loop.
If it’s negative about President Obama then it leads the news and blogs.
Askew, if you look at the headline of this post, you will notice that the word “budget” is front and center. The budget issues are very much relevant to the education of our children, and the GOP is threatening to make cuts on the backs of these children, threatening the future of this country.
Trust me if Clooney or Stevie Wonder were to start bashing Pres. Obama, they too would be promoted heavily by the MSM. The MSM gives the microphone to celebs and pundits that bash the President. The MSM wants to promote the illusion that Obama is not popular in general and with is “base” in particular. Does anyone know how Damon’s movie did re: boxoffice?
Let him keep running his mouth. Eventually people will catch on to the fact that he’s simply looking for publicity – perhaps out of desperation to advertise his new movie. But what he is saying is factually incorrect, and the notion the President has “rolled over” for Wall Street is one only held by the vocal minority of the UNprofessional left.
Damon may be rolling in the $$$ but thankfully he only has one vote.
You must not be paying attention to the looming disaster to education budgets in STATE CAPITOLS. This being Eduction Month is just serendipitous, as the axe-wielding new GOP governors are revving up their engines to cut deeply into education budgets. The President showing up at schools that were once thought beyond salvaging is an EFFORT to redirect the debate in the states to the necessity not to cut off the future of our children.
It is not out of place at all. Besides what do you want him to be doing in Washington? He has threatened to veto bills that do damage to education spending. He just said so today in front of those kids.
We will see what he will do when a bill that passes both houses lands on his desk. Meanwhile he is debating Repugs from the CLASSROOMS. Same fight, different terrain.
I thought you were clued in to Pres. Obama’s modus Operandi by now.
So has he declared which worthy Republican he is going to donate all his $$$ to? Or is he simply full of shyte, and using the President to publicize his movie?
Massachusetts isn’t in GOP control at the State level. These types of speeches only get local press coverage. Florida made sense under your explanation – going to Michigan or Pennsylvania schools would make sense.
Hopefruit, I vote for option 2. It’s so obvious what Damon and the MSM are doing, it is pathetic.
I agree with Tien Le. I am going to copy and try to memorize your comment LadyHawke as you summarized with is happening in the US in one comment. Thank you!
Would join EricFive in voting for option 2 and yes he is full of shyte.
zizi, thanks for this comment. My state, which is controlled by Republican Governor and State Legislators, seems hell-bent on cutting education.
You’re so right, everyone should be looking at what their state, county, and local governments are doing with their budgets.
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/27118968/detail.html
That makes sense. It does make sense to keep the youth motivated.
Usually I have no problems understanding what the Obama team is doing. Right now, I have to admit I am a bit confused. They are sort of in limbo land right now, with no GOP candidates declared yet and Congress spinning its wheels. So, I guess this is a good time for an education push.
Yeah, I am a bit worried about him looking out of touch as well. However, this is similar to what he did during 2007 in the run up to the Iowa caucuses.
This lack of a GOP field is mystifying to me as well askew, and indeed it does feel like we’re in a weird holding period all around. Isn’t the GOP’s first primary debate already scheduled for May?
I see that the event is sort of related to the budget. I just think this entire education push is a bit weird as it appears very disconnected from what is going on in the world right now. I don’t think most people are going to see these pictures and connect it to the budget fight.
SR You are engaging in historical revisionism with your placing Rahm (who wanted to table HCR) and Axelrod on pedestals re: messaging. This administration never engaged in news cycle battles (remember your complaint that the administration always losing the messaging battle?). His appearances at schools is definitely taking the budget issue to the people. The quote BWD lead with is a clear indication of this “A budget that sacrifices our children’s education is a budget that sacrifices our country’s future and I will not let it happen.” You must realize that 99.9% of the American public does not pay the amount of attention you do to Washington politics.
The first debate is May 5th and I honestly don’t think they’ll have any candidates for the debate. What’s also weird is that the MSM is acting like this isn’t a big deal. At what point does it start hurting the GOP candidates by waiting too long to start their campaigns?
Me too! I printed it out and am taking it with me to a messaging training tonight to share with others.
When are the Iowa caucuses?
But, there are voters in Massachusetts, and I’m guessing their Senator, Scott Brown, is hip with cutting funding for education.
Ohio just booted another rep. so they could get an anti-union voter in http://tinyurl.com/4b76hep
Are you one of the people who think Pres. Obama should picket in Wisconsin? My earlier comment attempted to answer your isssues concerning the budget, unions and foreign policy. THe GOP wants to slash federal education spending. Obama appearing a schools and saying things like “A budget that sacrifices our children’s education is a budget that sacrifices our country’s future and I will not let it happen” is in direct response to this federal budget issue. If you cannot see that, then you are the one who is in danger of appearing “out of touch”.
It appears that Gov Walker is negotiating behind the scenes while pretending otherwise publicly. He may be succumbing to the pressure. This is based on reports from tonight’s Lawrence O’Donnell show.
So now that Ed Schultz will no longer be able to blame Obama for the Wisonsin situation, he’s preparing his tonight segment on how Obama can bring down the rising gas prices…brace yourself for another Obama bashing yelling session…
Ben Affleck who has now joined ranks with a reluctant Cindy McCain on some “project”, is on the same bash President obama, and I’m smarter than the President tour!!!
These 2 are some serious self-promoting losers!!!
No, he and Affleck are now kissing up to the Cindy Mccain (!!!) and the republicans!!! Seriously!!!
2nd. $20 million.
Ed’s is a first rate putz!!!
Great point Starshine.
Scheduled for February 6 2012
Do you have a link?
I’m just wondering if anyone has asked the children of this nation what *they* think about cutting funds to education?
I just answered my own question about when are the Iowa caucuses:
2012 Presidential Primary Calendar (from DemConWatch)
Monday, January 16, 2012: Iowa caucuses*
Tuesday, January 24: New Hampshire*
Saturday, January 28: Nevada caucuses*, South Carolina*
Tuesday, January 31: Florida
Tuesday, February 7 (Super Tuesday): Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah
Saturday, February 11: Louisiana
Tuesday, February 14: Maryland, Virginia
Tuesday, February 21: Wisconsin
Tuesday, February 28: Arizona**, Michigan***
Tuesday, March 6: Minnesota caucuses, Massachusetts***, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont
Tuesday, March 13: Mississippi
Tuesday, March 20: Colorado caucuses****
Tuesday, April 24: Pennsylvania
Tuesday, May 8: Indiana, North Carolina and West Virginia
Tuesday, May 15: Nebraska, Oregon
Tuesday, May 22: Arkansas (-104), Idaho, Kentucky
Tuesday, June 5: Montana, New Mexico***** and South Dakota
Thanks Jessica. Glad his movie is not doing well.
Eleroy – You are certainly seeing something in the Afleck/McCain alliance that I haven’t. It must be ignorance on my part. After seeing the interview, it is my understanding that they are working together to try to do something about the people in the Congo who are starving to death. I didn’t realize that this could be interpreted as “kissing up to the Republicans.”
Dear SR,
Take a deep breath. The White House theme is broader than just Massachusetts. Notice he is highlighting schools that HAVE turned around after having been previously condemned by everybody else. So it doesn’t matter whether Mass is friendly Democratic territory or not, the message about education is a sweeping national one.
Of course you wouldn’t think the White House would schedule visits to only hostile Repug states, now would you? This is not just politics for this President. He thinks our only saving grace to get beyond out current toxic national discourse is to get our kids to safe harbor for the future, regardless of how much the current adults self-destruct.
There has to be a capable population able to take up the mantle after Armageddon happens, don’t you think. Education is vital policy and demands the Pres. full attention, no matter what antics congressional Republicans are up to.
Plus his presence in a town or city nicely interrupts the local news cycle. It’s yet another run around the national MSM news blackout on this president. Just look at how they reported the two-week CR budget agreement.
They reported as a win for Repugs and a loss for PBO even though the measure contained the very things PBO had outlined in his proposal. local news is therefore a better medium to get straight news out,, bypassing the preening MSM peacocks.
Ditto to that, right back atcha! 🙂
Report: Pensions not bankrupting states http://usat.me/146816
From Secretary Duncan’s bio:
“Duncan was raised in Hyde Park, a Chicago neighborhood encompassing the University of Chicago. His father Starkey Duncan was a psychology professor at the university and his mother Susan Morton runs the Sue Duncan Children’s Center, an after-school program primarily serving African-American youth in the nearby Kenwood neighborhood. While growing up, Duncan spent much of his free time at his mother’s center tutoring or playing with students there. Some of his childhood friends were John W. Rogers, Jr., CEO of Ariel Capital Management (now Ariel Investments) and founder of the Ariel Community Academy, Illinois State Senator Kwame Raoul, actor Michael Clarke Duncan, singer R. Kelly and award-winning martial artist Michelle Gordon.”
Charmed – I second your perspective, all the way.
Wow! Rachel Maddow is on fire tonight!
She certainly is!
*This is not just politics for this President.*
You nailed it! We are watching President Obama carry out his agenda, day after day after day.
His travels and purpose once again remind me of the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling, which begins:
“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you … “
She is so awesome tonight. She is blowing the lid off the GOP budget ruse and putting her colleagues to shame. This is what has been driving me crazy lately. I feel like I am living in some alternate universe. The Republicans say black is white, up is down and the lazy media stenographers just nod their heads and never challenge anything they say. It’s infuriating.
Rachel is making fact checking and truth telling cool again. She is just amazing.
Hate to say it, but although Lawrence O’Donnell still sees himself as an insider with the scoop, I no longer trust what he puts out there. We could, however, have somebody set up another prank Koch Brother call to Gov. Walker (since the brothers bought and paid for him), to see what Walker is currently plotting and scheming!
I agree with you where O’Donnell is concerned. But now I’m hearing from Rachel Maddow something along similar lines, so I’ll wait and see what’s going on.
Don’t expect to hear much on this from Ed Schultz. I may be wrong but I anticipate that his show will probably mostly be about Obama and what he ISN’T doing to bring down gas prices…
But people Are seeing a president who cares about things that matter in their daily lives–their children and their future. The arcane budget deals in Washington have little meaning in people’s day-to-day lives, but their local schools and how their kids are doing in them matter a lot. What people are seeing is a president who will fight to protect their children against those whose mania for budget cuts will jeopardize them. In the long view, the battle over a continuing resolutions will be forgotten by next month, but the image of a president who cares about children will linger. Seems like good strategy to me–one that wins the support of new young voters as well as their parents.
This is from ABC News (as per Obama diary), so there must be some validity to O’Donnell’s claim.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=13087926
I like Dr. Maddow, but I still don’t quite get her recent Michael Steele fetish.
I don’t get the Michael Steele or the Alan Simpson fetish. The Cat Food commission nonsense is so annoying. I could have done without both of those segments. The opening segment on Wisconsin was fierce. To say tonight’s show has been uneven would be an understatement. Rachel is brilliant, but she does have a childish streak.
Her Michale Moore fetish this guy irratates me.
Yup, and not to mention the Ron Paul and “Uncle” Pat fetish!
But hey, even with all these fetishes, I’ll take our Rachel Maddow over Schultz or Rotigan, or Cenk.
um that’s the date for the GOP caucuses
Hey Judith, If you saw the Afleck/McCain GMA interview this morning with George Stephanopoulos you’d understand where Elroy is coming from. I certainly do.
If someone (like Ben or Cindy) claims to have a certain gravitas, then they should not have to resort to dragging President Obama’s name in their business to get attention.
McCain and Affleck are exposing their dirty politically-motivated slips. This is no “bipartisian” effort. It reminds me of McCain’s involvement in the DADT issue, which well, we all knew how that ended.
And you’re being kind!
Awesome analysis, Zizi….you are spot on.
What did Affleck say about PBO?
Funny enough, I do not see the President as being disengaged at all; on the contrary I see him as heavily engaged in the business of governing. IMO he has been putting feet to the SOTU address, and a part of me connected his (and his administrations’s) meetings with small business to the February business news. While I see the opposition as abusing taxpayer’s money with their bills that they know won’t go anywhere (ex. repeal healthcare), and their shortened work weeks with no reduction in salary, I see the President as working towards the results he wants one step at a time. To me, the GOPers may not know where they are going, (no front runners)but the President already has his plan so he does not have to wait on them. I guess I’m rambling on to say, basically, the President does not need to feed off the republicans’ actions in order to be productive.
Thanks:) I’ll check it out.All seems so crazy to me.
Agreed.Forward thinkers that we are:)Seems like a no brainer to me.
Well said – I also think that focusing on schools, when the country is imploding around education makes perfect sense. Teachers are being punished by Republicans because of their union affiliations. Florida’s governor just cut $2 billion in education and handed it over to the rich in the form of tax cuts. Investments in the future are being cut. New industries are going to need an educated workforce. It’s all connected.
So, while the Republicans dismantle the country’s foundation, the President is making a very real, practical, tangible case about what the Republican agenda means to individual people, their children and the future of this country. People don’t have to guess what he means – he’s drawing the picture with real, live people.
The other point is that the “issues of the day” fade after a few hours. Remember only a couple of months ago, there was a national emergency and calls for the President and Congress to push through gun control legislation? Lawrence O’Donnell had an actual conniption over it. Not a peep anymore. The deep water drilling permit issued to BP last week – barely elicited a squeak. Gitmo change in policy in response to Congressional obstruction – nary a word. Tax cut deal from December – now forgotten. Muslim Brotherhood and their supposed threat to America – who are the Muslim Brotherhood again?
If the President focuses on the media message of the day, he’ll have to put aside the very real matter of the future of America’s children. He’s doing the real work, and those who don’t pay attention every day will see the benefits for their children, rather than the political wranglings that mean something only to the beltway media.
Indeed!
And, here’s the video which I’m sure BWD will have available in her next post:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/03/09/president-obama-education-techboston
Ladyhawke, that’s it in one paragraph. Well said, and thank you. I’m beyond being able to believe these these people and their corporate press enablers continue to get away with what they’re doing. How is it possible so many people are missing the truth? And how is it that there seem to be so many on the left who are clueless? I’m baffled.
No one wants to job of trying to defeat Obama – after all this time fanning the flames of racism and Islamophobia he’s still incredibly popular. The position of sacrificial lamb remains open because they secretly believe they can find someone somewhere with charisma, intelligence, competence, and vision. Then they remember they’re Republicans, and they’re stumped. 😉
Good morning everyone 😀
From my twitter timeline:
RT @petesouza: NEW behind the scenes photos from February: http://bit.ly/h5bCQx #TeamFollowBack
Good Morning Rock!
Wow what a gorgeous First Couple we have:
If he answered ever insult then he’d be SARA, ugg it hurts to type that name.
Absolutely!
hopefruit2 – Sorry I missed it….I’ll keep
an eye out to glean further insight. A
little healthy skepticism is a good thing.