Executive Speechwriting: Corporate, Weddings, Retirement

Monday, January 9, 2012

Why Bill Daley Quits as White House Chief of Staff

Bill Daley has resigned as White House Chief of Staff. Budget Director Jack Lew will take over for Daley.

Why? Nothing seemed especially amiss. Republicans have not shown they can beat President Obama. Why break what isn't broken? Because something is broken and we just don't know yet. Keep watching.

Read more.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Matt Damon disses Obama? Hardly. He's Obama All the Way

Matt Damon disses Obama? Hardly. You know, and I know, he will not vote for Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, or any other Republican. He's been down this road before and no one really listened. Why? Because in order to sound like he would choose otherwise, we'd need to believe he'd choose otherwise.

He's an Obama man all the way. This is just giving the press something to talk about other than some Republican gaff.

In a few months, he'll say, "Well, yeah, I said that. But that was then. Look, he's turned around and become a man. I'll all in. Always really was."

In Elle Magazine he says:

"I've talked to a lot of people who worked for Obama at the grass-roots level. One of them said to me, 'Never again. I will never be fooled again by a politician,' " says Damon, who has been critical of the president in the past. "You know, a one-term president with some (nerve) who actually got stuff done would have been, in the long run of the country, much better."

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Hillary Clinton's mother dies

Hillary Clinton's mother dies

Our condolences. Dorothy Rodham was 92. The full statement from the Clinton family: Dorothy Howell Rodham was born in Chicago on June 4, 1919 and died shortly after midnight on November 1, 2011 in Washington, D.C., surrounded by her family. Her story was a quintessentially American one, largely because she wrote it herself. She overcame abandonment and hardship as a young girl to become the remarkable woman she was -- a warm, generous and strong woman; an intellectual; a woman who told a great joke and always got the joke; an extraordinary friend and, most of all, a loving wife, mother and grandmother. Dorothy is and always will be lovingly remembered by her daughter and son-in-law, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bill Clinton; her sons and daughters-in-law, Hugh Rodham and Maria Rodham and Tony Rodham and Megan Rodham; her grandchildren, Chelsea Clinton and her husband Marc Mezvinsky, Zachary Rodham, Fiona Rodham and Simon Rodham. She leaves behind many friends from all stages and places in her life, friends from California she met in high school, friends from Little Rock and Washington with whom she explored the world, the people who were first her doctors and then became her friends at George Washington Hospital, to the people she met through her children and grandchildren who became as much her friend as theirs. To honor Dorothy, her family will hold a private celebration of her life for family and friends. In lieu of flowers and in line with what Dorothy would have wanted, the family have asked that any one who would want to do so would make a donation in Dorothy's memory to George Washington Hospital (http://www.gwhospital.com/Donations) where she received excellent care and made terrific friends over many years; to the Heifer Project (http://www.heifer.org/), her Christmas gift of choice in 2010 and an organization dear to her heart; or to a local organization meaningful to the giver that helps neglected and mistreated children, a blight Dorothy was determined to remedy until her last day because she knew too well the pain too many children suffer. Her family is and will be forever grateful for the gift of Dorothy's life and for the memories they will treasure forever.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Donald Trump?

Who really thought Donald Trump was serious about running for president?

A lot of people, apparently. Liberals as well as conservatives.

One born every minute. In political circles, even faster.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

President Obama announces Osama Bin Laden Killed in Pakistan

President Obama announces Osama Bin Laden Killed in Pakistan



For more, visit http://www.pbs.org/newshour

Category: News & Politics

Tags: obama bin laden

President Barack Obama’s remarks in the White House East Room at 10:35 p.m.
Chicago time Sunday:

Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.

It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory -- hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.

And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.

On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.

We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda -- an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war against al Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies.

Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we’ve made great strides in that effort. We’ve disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.

Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.

And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network.

Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.

Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.

For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda.

Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must –- and we will -- remain vigilant at home and abroad.

As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not –- and never will be -– at war with Islam. I’ve made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.

Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we’ve done. But it’s important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.

Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.

The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who’s been gravely wounded.

So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been done.

Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.

We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.

Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.

And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.

The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.

Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

Osama bin Laden is dead

Osama bin Laden is dead

http://anthonytrendl.blogspot.com/2011/05/osama-bin-laden-has-been-killed.html

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

See Copy of President Barack Obama Birth Certificate

Barack Obama Birth Certificate
Without the birth certificate, President Barack Obama was blasted by the right. Without it, Obama could smile at how silly the detractors were.

With the birth certificate, President Barack Obama will probably still be blasted by the right. Why? One caller to WGN Radio in Chicago (AM 720) decried that Obama sent his personal assistant via plane to Hawaii to pick it up. "Send it by e-mail as a PDF." Then, the right would accuse him of forgery.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Obama, however, hardly is in the right. Though I never doubted his citizenship, his political toying with all of this. Why? To let those who believe he was not a citizen spin energy, ignore more important concerns and, now, look like fools.

I expect the left is pleased and jeering. Also, they too are manipulated by the Obama crew, as well as the right. They too spent, and are spending useless energy on all of this.

Meanwhile, our economy is tanked, unemployment is high, and we are still involved in several military actions. Has the left forgotten? Has the right forgotten?

It is done. The man is a proper citizen of the United States. Always has been. Always will be. This door to  doubt should never have been opened, and, in turn, it should have been closed long ago.

Who wins? Whoever publishes the first book on this. Who loses? 95% the so-called "birthers" and 5% Obama. Will this impact the 2012 election? Not in the slighest.
Click the birth certificate to see it larger.
Obama Releases 'Long-Form' Birth Certificate
By MICHAEL D. SHEAR
Published: April 27, 2011
WASHINGTON — The decision by President Obama to release his “long-form” birth certificate on Wednesday injected the president directly into the simmering “birther” controversy in the hope of finally ending it, as aides said, or perhaps even turning it to his advantage.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

President Obama's Statement on the Bipartisan Agreement on the Budget

Late Friday evening, President Obama addressed the Nation from the Blue Room at the White House on the bipartisan agreement on the budget. As the President put it, leaders from both parties "acted on behalf of our children’s future" by finding the common ground necessary to keep the government open for business.


A full transcript of the President's remarks are below.
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE BUDGET

11:04 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Behind me, through the window, you can see the Washington Monument, visited each year by hundreds of thousands from around the world. The people who travel here come to learn about our history and to be inspired by the example of our democracy -- a place where citizens of different backgrounds and beliefs can still come together as one nation.

Tomorrow, I’m pleased to announce that the Washington Monument, as well as the entire federal government, will be open for business. And that's because today Americans of different beliefs came together again.
In the final hours before our government would have been forced to shut down, leaders in both parties reached an agreement that will allow our small businesses to get the loans they need, our families to get the mortgages they applied for, and hundreds of thousands of Americans to show up at work and take home their paychecks on time, including our brave men and women in uniform.

This agreement between Democrats and Republicans, on behalf of all Americans, is on a budget that invests in our future while making the largest annual spending cut in our history. Like any worthwhile compromise, both sides had to make tough decisions and give ground on issues that were important to them. And I certainly did that.
Some of the cuts we agreed to will be painful. Programs people rely on will be cut back. Needed infrastructure projects will be delayed. And I would not have made these cuts in better circumstances.
But beginning to live within our means is the only way to protect those investments that will help America compete for new jobs -- investments in our kids’ education and student loans; in clean energy and life-saving medical research. We protected the investments we need to win the future.
At the same time, we also made sure that at the end of the day, this was a debate about spending cuts, not social issues like women’s health and the protection of our air and water. These are important issues that deserve discussion, just not during a debate about our budget.
I want to think Speaker Boehner and Senator Reid for their leadership and their dedication during this process. A few months ago, I was able to sign a tax cut for American families because both parties worked through their differences and found common ground. Now the same cooperation will make possible the biggest annual spending cut in history, and it’s my sincere hope that we can continue to come together as we face the many difficult challenges that lie ahead, from creating jobs and growing our economy to educating our children and reducing our deficit. That's what the American people expect us to do. That's why they sent us here.
A few days ago, I received a letter from a mother in Longmont, Colorado. Over the year, her son’s eighth grade class saved up money and worked on projects so that next week they could take a class trip to Washington, D.C. They even have an appointment to lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The mother wrote that for the last few days the kids in her son’s class had been worried and upset that they might have to cancel their trip because of a shutdown. She asked those of us in Washington to get past our petty grievances and make things right. And she said, “Remember, the future of this country is not for us. It’s for our children.”
Today we acted on behalf of our children’s future. And next week, when 50 eighth graders from Colorado arrive in our nation’s capital, I hope they get a chance to look up at the Washington Monument and feel the sense of pride and possibility that defines America -- a land of many that has always found a way to move forward as one.

Thank you.

source: whitehouse.gov

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Monday, April 4, 2011

President Obama Announces Re-Election (What About Palin)

Well, President Barack Obama wasn't go to announce his re-election but on April Fool's Day, but he did today.

Tough times ahead though. He is no longer a new face. No novelty. No history. All about his record, for better or for worse.

He made many promises, kept a few, but the economy is still tanking. The health care debacle continues, but will be cheered by those who think health care is an inalienable right, like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (such rights do not exist in many countries).

The Republicans could take this one, if they only had a candidate with both a clean record and without histrionics. Mitt Romney looks like a front runner. Ron Paul has possibilities. I don't see Sarah Palin seriously running, though I expect her to stump and fund raise.

ABC talk about this: 'Hope' and 'Change' Meet Reality: President Obama's Reelection Roadmap: