Official White House Photo by Pete Souza — President Barack Obama chats with the Dalai Lama at the White House. The meeting took place in the Map Room instead of the Oval Office, an apparent concession to China, who objected to the president’s meeting with the exiled and highly revered leader.  02/18/10

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs described the meeting this way:

“The President met this morning at the White House with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama.  The President stated his strong support for the preservation of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural and linguistic identity and the protection of human rights for Tibetans in the People’s Republic of China. The President commended the Dalai Lama’s “Middle Way” approach, his commitment to nonviolence and his pursuit of dialogue with the Chinese government.  The President stressed that he has consistently encouraged both sides to engage in direct dialogue to resolve differences and was pleased to hear about the recent resumption of talks.  The President and the Dalai Lama agreed on the importance of a positive and cooperative relationship between the United States and China.” from the Whitehouse.gov website.

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza — President Obama joins Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at a town hall meeting in Henderson, Nevada on Friday.  02/19/10

President Obama talked with Nevada voters about health care, jobs, and helping struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes. The president announced a new $1.5 billion fund for housing finance agencies in the states hardest hit by the housing crisis among them Nevada, and hopefully, California as well.

President Obama:

“So this fund is going to help out-of-work homeowners avoid preventable foreclosures, and it will help homeowners who owe more than their homes are worth find a way to pay their mortgages that works for both the borrowers and the lenders alike, and will help folks who’ve taken out a second mortgage modify their loans.

  So, yes, we need to strengthen our housing market.  And we need to focus on job creation and getting our economy moving again.  But one last thing I want to be clear about — we can do all those things, dealing with sort of the emergency crisis, and still fall behind in the 21st century, in this global economy, unless we recommit ourselves to solving some of the long-term problems that have been with us for years. 

We’ve got to recognize, just like earlier generations, that our future is what we make of it, and unless we give everything we’ve got to securing America’s success in the 21st century, our children aren’t going to have the same opportunities.”  Click here for the full transcript of the town hall meeting.

Official White House Photos by Pete Souza — Music legend Bob Dylan performs, “The Times They Are-A-Changin” during a White House concert to celebrate the music of the Civil Rights Movement.  After his performance, Dylan shakes hands with President Obama. 02/09/10

 Pete Souza/Official White House Photo — First dog and fun loving canine, “Bo” frolics on the south grounds of the White House during a blizzard today.

The East Coast is getting walloped by the second major snowstorm in a week. The storm is expected to drop upwards of 14 inches on the nation’s capital today. The snowy weather has shutdown government agencies, grounded airlines, closed schools, and even halted the delivery of the U.S. mail in some places.

For White House first dog Bo, the blizzard meant playtime in a winter wonderland. President Obama  nicknamed the earlier snowstorm, “Snowmageddon.” Today’s blizzard is probably ”Snowmageddon II” and it has helped break the seasonal snowfall record for DC of 54.4 inches set in 1899! 

After an early morning chill and some sprinkles, the sun is shining in the Southland. Yees! At 5 p.m. this afternoon, it was 61 in Burbank. The forecast is for clear skies and even warmer temperatures for SoCal over the next several days. 

The evacuations for the local burn communities in the foothills are canceled and hundreds of residents are heading back home.  Also, the tough job of cleaning up after those heavy rainstorms can now kick into high gear.

Official White House photo by Pete Souza — A beautiful shot of the White House this morning after a night of snow from The White House Blog.

East Coast vs the West Coast. They’re shoveling snow in Washington, DC, while we’re basking in the bright sunshine here in the Southland.

This morning, they woke up to a snow day at the White House after a snowy night in the nation’s capital. The snowfall created a lovely snapshot of the White House and surrounding grounds, but made traveling on local roads and streets treacherous. The high reached only into the 40s in DC today.  

The snow began to melt during the day, but forecasters are predicting another snow storm for the city by Friday —bringing with it perhaps as much as a foot of the white stuff!  burrr!

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — A scenic view from a Burbank neighborhood on a warm, sunny afternoon last month.

 Here in Media City another terrific winter day. Sunny and very warm; with a high that reached 70 degrees!! I love weather like this whether the calendar says February or April or November. Another reason to hang out in Burbank.  

Tomorrow the weather is expected to shift back into a more wintry groove with cloudy skies in the evening and a good chance of rain on Friday and showers likely through Saturday. Oh well, keep those umbrellas handy.

Photo from http://www.whitehouse.gov

Quite a week for the 2009 NBA Champions, the Los Angeles Lakers. Last Monday, they were honored at the White House by President Obama and some local congressional Lakers fans among them, Jane Harmon, Laura Richardson, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Brad Sherman, and Adam Schiff.

President Obama belatedly congratulated the Lakers on their 15th NBA title — their fourth in the past ten years.  Here are some of the president’s remarks. 

“I want to congratulate everybody who helped make this team what it is -– from the assistants to the front office staff, to the trainers and the ticket-takers, all the fans back in L.A. who bleed purple and gold.  You all should be very proud. ”

“Of course, I’ve got to recognize Kobe Bryant -– one of the most competitive players I’ve ever seen — (applause) — for being named Finals MVP last year, obviously already MVPs under his belt, the youngest player ever to reach 25,000 points in his career.  And he’s playing with a broken finger.  Now, if I was — if I had a broken finger I would have trouble getting out of bed. (Laughter.)  And he’s still leading the team day in and day out.”

“This is a team that never lost its focus last season -– from the first tip-off to the final buzzer.  I know that the Lakers have a tradition of ending each team gathering -– whether it’s a practice, or a game, or a team meeting -– by with the chant, “1,2,3, Rings.”  As Lamar Odom said, “We kind of always saw that light.”  Everyone was willing to do what it took to get a little stronger, to play a little harder, and to bring home that title.”

“But I think it’s important to note that this team also knows that being a champ is about more than trophies and rings.  It’s about being a winner off the court as well as on it –- and giving back to those who are less fortunate.  The Lakers and the NBA have always been about serving others –- at home and around the world.  And that tradition continued last week, when the NBA and the Players Association, led by Derek Fisher, pledged to donate $1 million to support relief efforts in Haiti.  (Applause.) Jordan Farmar and Pau Gasol are also donating their money to the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund.  Pau pledged $1,000 for every point he scored against the Knicks — and I’m glad he dropped 20 –- (laughter) — helping the Lakers to beat New York and changing the lives of Haitians thousands of miles away.”

“And earlier today, the team joined with our United We Serve initiative to hold a fitness clinic for kids from Stanton Elementary School right here in Washington, D.C. -– teaching them about a few moves, but also how to live healthy and active lives.”

“So I just want to again thank the entire Lakers organization for your service, for the great joy that you have given the city of Los Angeles, but also the incredible competition your organization has graced the basketball court with for decades now.  If this season is anything like the last one — I know that you guys have your sights on the NBA finals — so we might see you here before long.  But we are very grateful for your presence here today.”

The full text of the president’s comments is on the whitehouse.gov website.  The day before meeting the president, Sunday, January 24, the Lakers lost a close one to the Toronto Raptors 105-to-106. That White House visit may have helped the Lakers get their basketball groove back.

On Tuesday, January 26, the Lakers played the Washington Wizards and beat them 115-to-103. The Lakers continued their winning ways by taking out the Indiana Pacers 118 -to-96 on Wednesday, January 27. Then yesterday, they whipped the Philadelphia 76ers 99-to-91.

Tomorrow, the Lakers take to the court in Boston to square off against the Celtics.

Photo: Pete Souza/White House –  Ex-Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush attend a news conference with President Barack Obama. 01/16/10

 Former President Bill Clinton is leaving for quake-ravaged Haiti tomorrow to deliver much needed aid supplies and to meet with local leaders. Clinton is the U.N. special envoy to Haiti. Meanwhile, Haitian officials still fear more than 100,000 people have been killed by last Tuesday’s huge 7.0 earthquake, according to CNN.

Yesterday, Former Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush joined President Barack Obama in the Rose Garden of the White House to announce the formation of a new relief effort, the Clinton Bush Fund.  The two former presidents will lead this fundraising operation. 

President Barack Obama:

“… what these gentlemen are going to be able to do is when the news media starts seeing its attention drift to other things but there’s still enormous needs on the ground, these two gentlemen of extraordinary stature I think are going to be able to help ensure that these efforts are sustained. And that’s why it’s so important and that’s why I’m so grateful that they agreed to do it.”

Ex-President George W. Bush:

“I commend the President for his swift and timely response to the disaster. I am so pleased to answer the call to work alongside President Clinton to mobilize the compassion of the American people…. The most effective way for Americans to help the people of Haiti is to contribute money.”

Ex-President Bill Clinton:

“Right now all we need to do is get food and medicine and water and a secure place for them to be. But when we start the rebuilding effort, we want to do what I did with the President’s father(George H.W. Bush) in the tsunami area. We want to be a place where people can know their money will be well spent; where we will ensure the ongoing integrity of the process.”

President Barack Obama:

“In the days ahead they’ll be asking everyone what they can do — individuals, corporations, NGOs, and institutions. And I urge everyone who wants to help to visit www.clintonbushhaitifund.org.”

White House photo by Samantha Appleton 01/14/10: President Obama calling for new bank fees.

Some ”fat cats” on Wall Street got a rude whack upside the head from President Obama today. A tough talking Obama put the big banks on notice that he wants them to repay “every dime” of our money they got in that huge financial bailout. The president wants to slap the big banks with a fee designed to recoup perhaps as much as $117 billions over 12 years.  

“And my determination to achieve this goal is only heightened when I see reports of massive profits and obscene bonuses at some of the very firms who owe their continued existence to the American people — folks who have not been made whole, and who continue to face real hardship in this recession. 

We want our money back, and we’re going to get it.  And that’s why I’m proposing a Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee to be imposed on major financial firms until the American people are fully compensated for the extraordinary assistance they provided to Wall Street.  If these companies are in good enough shape to afford massive bonuses, they are surely in good enough shape to afford paying back every penny to taxpayers.”

The fee would only be levied against banks with more than $50 million in assets.  More on the President’s Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee for banks on The White House blog and Reuters.

Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton

On November 27, 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Sasha and Malia, welcome the arrival of the official White House Christmas tree. It’s an 18 1/2 foot Douglas-Fir and will be set up in the Blue Room of the White House.

Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

On November 30, 2009, volunteers work on decorating the official White House Christmas tree.

Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

On December 6, 2009, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle smile for the cameras in front of the  beautifully decorated official White House Christmas tree. 

Official White House photo by Pete Souza — December 20, 2009

 Like millions of Americans, President Obama rolled up his sleeve for a flu shot yesterday. The Prez did not have to stand in line at a clinic or make an appointment at a doctor’s office. Obama received the H1N1 vaccine from a White House nurse. Obama got a vaccination for the seasonal flu a few weeks ago. Actually, the entire first family, except for the dog Bo, has been immunized against both flu viruses.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, we’re heading into the worst of the flu season. It can start as early as October and usually peaks in January or late winter.

White House file Photo/Chuck Kennedy — 11/06/09

The investigation continues today into that deadly mass shooting on the U.S. Army base, Fort Hood, last Thursday. Military officials say 13 people were killed and more than two dozen others injured. The rampage ended when the alleged gunman, Army Major Nidal M. Hasan, was severely wounded. While the suspected shooter and many of the victims recover in the hospital, investigators are trying to piece together information on why the shooting occurred. 

Today President Barack Obama focused his weekly radio and Internet address on the Fort Hood tragedy. Here is the text from the White House website.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Saturday, November 7, 2009

I’d like to speak with you for a few minutes today about the tragedy that took place at Ft. Hood. This past Thursday, on a clear Texas afternoon, an Army psychiatrist walked into the Soldier Readiness Processing Center, and began shooting his fellow soldiers.

It is an act of violence that would have been heartbreaking had it occurred anyplace in America. It is a crime that would have horrified us had its victims been Americans of any background. But it’s all the more heartbreaking and all the more despicable because of the place where it occurred and the patriots who were its victims.

The SRP is where our men and women in uniform go before getting deployed. It’s where they get their teeth checked and their medical records updated and make sure everything is in order before getting shipped out. It was in this place, on a base where our soldiers ought to feel most safe, where those brave Americans who are preparing to risk their lives in defense of our nation, lost their lives in a crime against our nation.

Soldiers stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world called and emailed loved ones at Ft. Hood, all expressing the same stunned reaction: I’m supposed to be the one in harm’s way, not you.

Thursday’s shooting was one of the most devastating ever committed on an American military base. And yet, even as we saw the worst of human nature on full display, we also saw the best of America. We saw soldiers and civilians alike rushing to aid fallen comrades; tearing off bullet-riddled clothes to treat the injured; using blouses as tourniquets; taking down the shooter even as they bore wounds themselves.

We saw soldiers bringing to bear on our own soil the skills they had been trained to use abroad; skills that been honed through years of determined effort for one purpose and one purpose only: to protect and defend the United States of America.

We saw the valor, selflessness, and unity of purpose that make our servicemen and women the finest fighting force on Earth; that make the United States military the best the world has ever known; and that make all of us proud to be Americans.

On Friday, I met with FBI Director Mueller, Defense Secretary Gates, and representatives of the relevant agencies to discuss their ongoing investigation into what led to this terrible crime. And I’ll continue to be in close contact with them as new information comes in.

We cannot fully know what leads a man to do such a thing. But what we do know is that our thoughts are with every single one of the men and women who were injured at Ft. Hood. Our thoughts are with all the families who’ve lost a loved one in this national tragedy. And our thoughts are with all the Americans who wear – or who’ve worn – the proud uniform of the United States of America; our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and coast guardsmen, and the military families who love and support them.

In tribute to those who fell at Ft. Hood, I’ve ordered flags flying over the White House, and other federal buildings to be lowered to half-staff from now until Veterans Day next Wednesday. Veterans Day is our chance to honor those Americans who’ve served on battlefields from Lexington to Antietam, Normandy to Manila, Inchon to Khe Sanh, Ramadi to Kandahar.

They are Americans of every race, faith, and station. They are Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers. They are descendants of immigrants and immigrants themselves. They reflect the diversity that makes this America. But what they share is a patriotism like no other. What they share is a commitment to country that has been tested and proved worthy. What they share is the same unflinching courage, unblinking compassion, and uncommon camaraderie that the soldiers and civilians of Ft. Hood showed America and showed the world.

These are the men and women we honor today. These are the men and women we’ll honor on Veterans Day. And these are the men and women we shall honor every day, in times of war and times of peace, so long as our nation endures.

Photo: Chuck Kennedy/White House

A special ceremony at the White House last night honored 16 super achievers with the nation’s highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom. In the photo above, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson congratulates fellow medal recipient, Actor Sidney Poitier. The other medal winners included Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Scientist Stephen Hawking, Tennis Star Billie Jean King, Entertainer Chita Rivera, and Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

In his remarks, President Obama praised the medal winners for their incredible achievements: “The recipients of the Medal of Freedom did not set out to win this or any other award. They did not set out in pursuit of glory or fame or riches. Rather, they set out, guided by passion, committed to hard work, aided by persistence, often with few advantages but the gifts, grace, and good name God gave them.”

More of the president’s remarks and a full list of the 2009 Medal of Freedom award winners on the White House blog.

The debate over the pros and cons of health insurance reform is seriously heating up. In an effort to get its message out about what it considers the “stability and security” of health insurance reform, the White House launched a new online resource today WhiteHouse.gov/RealityCheck 

The Obama administration is encouraging the public to visit  ”Reality Check” to find out what is really in health insurance reform and what is not in there. Meanwhile, more town hall meetings on the controversial issue are set for tomorrow. President Obama will be center stage at one of those meetings in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Back here, local Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) is hosting another of those health insurance reform town halls at the Alhambra Civic Center Library, 101 South First Street in Alhambra. The event kicks off at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11th.

Photo: Pete Souza/White House

The photo above is from The White House blog and it shows President Barack Obama leading the way to the rose garden for the so-called beer summit last Thursday. Behind the president, Cambridge, Massachusetts Police Sergeant James Crowley helps Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. navigate the White House steps. A polite gesture that says a lot about how far the relationship between the two men has come in two weeks.

On July 16, Sgt. Crowley answered a call of a suspected burglary at a Cambridge residence. Professor Gates, a highly regarded African American scholar, was trying to deal with a jammed lock at his front door when he was confronted by Crowley. Gates reportedly identified himself as the homeowner, however, the exchange ended with the professor being arrested for disorderly conduct, a charge that was later dropped. The arrest sparked a national debate on racial profiling by police and whether Gates had been arrested merely because he is black.

President Obama said the police “acted stupidly” when asked about the incident. That set off another round of heated debate. Later, the president acknowledged he should have chosen his words more carefully. In order to turn the situation into what Obama calls a “teachable moment” the beer summit was arranged. Vice-President Joe Biden joined the summit and was the only one to hoist a nonalcoholic beer.

There were no apologies but in a news conference shortly after the summit ended, Sgt. Crowley said the  “… two gentlemen had agreed to disagree on a particular issue.” They reportedly made plans to do lunch soon.  Sgt. Crowley may not admit it, but I think he has learned something from this situation. I believe in the future, Crowley will make sure that he is on firm legal ground before he arrests another elderly black man. And that’s a good lesson to be learned for a cop.

Photo: Pete Souza/The White House —President Obama and First Lady Michelle greet White House guests

Today the White House blog posted photos of the bang-up Fourth of July celebration at the White House. President Barack Obama and wife Michelle shared their festivities with military personnel and their families. In the above photo, the Obamas greet some of the enthusiastic party guests.

Photo: Pete Souza/The White House —First couple watch the fireworks show over the National Mall.

The White House Fourth blow-out was in honor of those who have defended our country. The event wrapped up with entertainment from Jimmy Fallon as well as Michelle Branch and the Foo Fighters. Oh, and of course, a fireworks show lit up the sky as part of the finale.

Photo: Pete Souza/the White House

Last Friday, President Obama met with a very special  group of visitors at the White House. The guests and their canine companions were from the Helen Keller National Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The center offers intensive rehabilitation training for deaf-blind youngsters and adults. The five students, two staffers, and three volunteers from the center were on tour in Washington, DC.

Last week was Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness week. The Helen Keller National Center was established in the late 1960s by Congress. Helen Keller, a deaf and blind author, political activist, and lecturer died at the age of 87 in 1968. As a child, Keller’s world of isolation was opened up with language by her teacher, Anne Sullivan. That breakthrough is at the heart of the famous play and movie called, “The Miracle Worker.”

Photo: Pete Souza/White House

President Obama takes a break from his busy schedule to toss a football and share a moment with family pet Bo on the south lawn of the White House last Tuesday, May 12, 2009. That Bo is really enjoying his dog’s life at the White House.

Photo: Samantha Appleton/White House

First Lady Michelle Obama had another chat with a queen a few days ago. Mrs. Obama held a get together with Jordan’s Queen Rania in the White House Yellow Oval Room on Thursday, April 23, 2009.  Also this week, Jordan’s King Abdullah met with President Obama.  

Earlier this month, the first lady and the president had a meet and greet with Great Britian’s Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace in London.  

Photo: Chuck Kennedy/White House

President Barack Obama and the first family enjoyed a White House tradition with thousands of families from 45 states yesterday. The Easter Egg Roll is a rite of spring event at the White House that dates back to 1878. The theme of this year’s event was “Let’s Go Play.”

Tickets were required and had a time limit of two hours. I guess you have those kinds of restrictions when you expected as many as 30,000 families to show up. It was a busy day for the White House chefs as well. They prepared healthy meals for the kids and their families and 13,000 hard-boiled eggs for the egg roll and egg hunt.

Also, there were games, storybook readings, and entertainment which included Ziggy Marley and pop star Fergie who sang her hits, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Glamorous.” Photos from the event show the president having as much fun as the kids.

Each child got to take home a souvenir gift — a painted wooden egg signed by both President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Now the National Park Foundation is offering the souvenir eggs for sale. They go for $7 each or $25 for a boxed set of four. The National Park Foundation is a charitable organization that supports America’s national parks. More information about the souvenir eggs at https://www.nationalparks.org/about/store/products/

Photos: Pete Souza/White House

President Barack Obama has fulfilled a campaign promise to his daughters Malia and Sasha; they finally got the dog they had been hoping and wishing for and quickly named him Bo. The six-month-old Portuguese water dog is a gift from Senator Edward M. Kennedy who has several Porties. For a while there, Bo was the best kept secret in Washington, D.C. An official debut was set for Tuesday, but word of the new first pet leaked out, according to The Washington Post.  

I gotta gush a bit here. Bo is one cute little dude. The Post describes him as having “… tuxedo-black fur, with a white chest, white paws and a rakish white goatee.”

Events surrounding Bo have been very clandestine over the past few weeks. Recently, the pooch had a secret get acquainted meet with the first family. Apparently the little guy charmed the heck out of the Obamas and quickly won the position of White House pet. These photos are from The White House Blog.

White House photo/Chuck Kennedy

This is Women’s History month. While some look back at the progress made by women, others look ahead at what still needs to be done. Yesterday, President Obama did both at a ceremony for the signing of an executive order creating a White House Council on Women and Girls.

President Obama said the purpose of the council “… is to ensure that American women and girls are treated fairly in all matters of public policy,” Before the president signed the executive order, he paid tribute to the achievements and struggles of women in his family, his wife, his mother, grandmother and their counterparts across the nation.

The president said it is time for a coordinated federal response to the challenges facing females of all ages: ” So now it’s up to us … to ensure that our daughters and granddaughters have no limits on their dreams, no obstacles to their achievements — and that they have opportunities their mothers and grandmothers and great grandmothers never dreamed of. ”

 Obama signed the executive order surrounded by some of the high ranking women in his administration and the government, among them House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  Prominent women like California Senator Barbara Boxer and WNBA superstar Lisa Leslie were in the audience as well. 

White House photo/Pete Souza

President Barack Obama signed an executive order today lifting the Bush Administration’s ban on using federal funds for controversial embryonic stem cell research. President Obama conceded ”the promise of stem cell research remains unknown,” but sees great opportunities in that promise: “…  scientists believe these tiny cells may have the potential to help us understand, and possibly cure, some of our most devastating diseases and conditions. To regenerate a severed spinal cord and lift someone from a wheelchair. To spur insulin production and spare a child from a lifetime of needles. To treat Parkinson’s, cancer, heart disease and others that affect millions of Americans and the people who love them.”

Also, the president acknowledged the heated debate over this type of research and criticized the Bush administration’s position: ”…..rather than furthering discovery, our government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moral value … As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and work to ease human suffering. I believe we have been given the capacity and will to pursue this research – and the humanity and conscience to do so responsibly.”

In his remarks, the president paid tribute to two crusaders of stem cell research, Christopher and Dana Reeve. The paralyzed actor/activist died before research could help him walk again. President Obama noted: ”Christopher did not get that chance. But if we pursue this research, maybe one day – maybe not in our lifetime, or even in our children’s lifetime – but maybe one day, others like him might.”

Meanwhile, former First Lady Nancy Reagan released a statement  praising President Obama for overturning the ban. Mrs. Reagan has been  a supporter of stem cell research for many years. Former President Ronald Reagan died June 5, 2004, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease — an illness scientists hope  embryonic stem cell research will help cure one day.