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Weekend Open Thread
Hello Saturday.  President Barack Obama meets with National Security Council chief of staff Denis McDonough. Photo by Pete Souza. Friday Open Thread
Happy Friday.  President Barack Obama greets guests in the Grand Foyer of the White House during a holiday reception. Photo by Pete Souza. Morning Open Thread Good morning.  President Barack Obama greets his new White House Cyber Security Chief Howard A. Schmidt. Photo by Lawrence Jackson. Morning Open Thread
Good morning.  President Barack Obama speaks during a multilateral meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Prime Manmohan Singh, and South African President Jacob Zuma during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. Photo by Pete Souza. Morning Open Thread
Good morning.  Vice President Joe Biden serves lunch to patients and staff in the dining facility at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Christmas Day, December 25, 2009. The Vice President and Dr. Biden served Christmas lunch and met with families and wounded soldiers during their visit to Walter Reed. Photo by David Lienemann. Weekly Presidential Address
In this week's address the President discusses the recent attempted act of terrorism on a Christmas day flight to Detroit as well as his broader strategy to fight Al Qaeda. Monday Morning Open Thread
Good morning.  President Barack Obama participates in a bipartisan Congressional leadership meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House. Photo by Pete Souza. Saturday Open Thread
Hello Saturday.  President Barack Obama whistles as he and Vice President Joe Biden wait in the holding room of the South Court Auditorium prior to the opening session of the White House Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Dec. 3, 2009. The Vice President's personal aide, Fran Person, is at right. Photo by Pete Souza. New years Open Thread
Happy New Year  President Barack Obama greets patrons during a lunch with small business owners and Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski at Hamilton Family Restaurant in Allentown, Pa. Photo by Pete Souza. Morning Open Thread
Good morning.  President Barack Obama meets with former Vice President Al Gore in the Oval Office. Photo by Pete Souza. Tim Kaine on the Democratic Change Commission's Recommendations to Improve the Presidential Nominating Process
The Democratic Change Commission this afternoon voted unanimously to approve its recommendations to the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee designed to improve the Presidential nominating process. The Commission was created as a result of a resolution passed unanimously by the delegates in attendance at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. The recommendations include pushing back the window of time during which primaries and caucuses may be held; converting unpledged delegates (DNC members, Democratic Members of the House and Senate, Democratic Governors and Distinguished Former Party Leaders) to a new category of pledged delegate called the National Pledged Party Leader and Elected Official (NPLEO) delegates, which will be allocated to Presidential candidates based on the state wide primary or caucus results; and establishing a “best practices” program for caucus states to improve and strengthen their caucuses. Under the Commission's recommendations - the pre-primary window could not begin until February 1st or thereafter, and the primary window could not begin until the second Tuesday in March or thereafter. The recommendations come after nearly a year of discussion about how best to improve the system to make it as accessible and open as possible. DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement after the vote: “I want to congratulate Congressman Clyburn and Senator McCaskill and entire the Democratic Change Commission for issuing their recommendations today and for taking up this important work,” said Kaine. The Democratic Change Commission was tasked by a resolution passed during the 2008 Democratic Convention with recommending changes to the Democratic Party’s rules for the 2012 Presidential nominating and delegate selection process. By appointing the Change Commission this spring, Gov. Kaine has followed through on President Obama’s promise made during the election to reexamine and improve the Democratic primary process. Gov. Kaine, President Obama, and the Democratic Party believe that improving the primary system is an important priority, and that the process should be as inclusive and accessible as possible. The Democratic Change Commission was tasked by the delegates to the 2008 Democratic Convention with doing three things: 1. Changing the window of time during which primaries and caucuses may be held 2. Reducing the number of super delegates 3. Improving the caucus system. The Commission is made up of 34 members and two co-chairs (for 36 members total) and represents a diverse mix of DNC members, elected officials, representatives of State Parties, academics, organized labor officials, grassroots activists, and other Party leaders. House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn and Senator Claire McCaskill have served as the co-chairs. Morning Open Thread
Good morning.  President Barack Obama greets workers during a shift change at the Nestlé Purina PetCare facility in Allentown, Pa. Photo by Pete Souza. Morning Open Thread
Good morning.  President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, walk from the West Wing to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Photo by Pete Souza. Monday Morning Open Thread
Good morning.  President Barack Obama fist-bumps custodian Lawrence Lipscomb in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building following the opening session of the White House Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth. Photo by Pete Souza. Saturday Open Thread
Hello Saturday.  A Christmas tree frames President Barack Obama as he talks on the phone in the Oval Office. Photo by Pete Souza Friday Open Thread
Good morning.  The White House and the National Christmas Tree are illuminated at dusk in Washington, D.C. Photo by Chuck Kennedy. |
This morning, the Senate voted 60-39 to pass the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, after overcoming a series of procedural hurdles and delay tactics by Republicans that were designed to stop the bill from ever reaching the Senate floor for a vote on final passage. DNC Chairman Tim Kaine called the historic vote "a victory for the American people."
In this week's address, President Obama recounts the lessons and history of past attempts to pass a Patients Bill of Rights. While opponents to reform are working hard to prevent the passage of health reform, the President asks members of the Senate to not block an up or down vote.
Earlier today Representative Jon Garamendi was sworn in as the newest member of Congress. Garamendi was elected this past Tuesday and will represent the tenth Congressional district in California. The position became vacant when Rep. Jane Harman was confirmed by the Senate as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.
Today President Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law, legislation that will extend new federal protections to people who are victims of violent crime because of their gender, sexual orientation or identity, or disability.
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