Lynn Sweet

President Obama official schedule and guidance, July 3, 4, 5, 2009.

2009-07-03T16:45:57Z

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 2, 2009

WEEKEND GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR

FRIDAY, JULY 3, SATURDAY, JULY 4 AND SUNDAY, JULY 5, 2009

On Friday morning, the President will travel to Camp David. He will return to the White House on Saturday.

The White House will celebrate the Fourth of July and honor military heroes and their families with a barbecue on the South Lawn. The evening will conclude with fireworks. 1,200 military families have been invited to attend and the Marine Band will also perform. White House staff and their families have also been invited to watch fireworks on the South Lawn. The President will deliver brief remarks, which are pooled press.

On Sunday night, the President and the First Lady will travel to Moscow, Russia. The departure from the South Lawn is open press.

Friday's In-Town Travel Pool

Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg

Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP

TV Corr & Crew: FOX

Print: Washington Times

Radio: NPR

Magazine Photo: New York Times

Saturday's In-Town Travel Pool

Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg

Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP

TV Corr & Crew: NBC

Print: Baltimore Sun

Radio: SRN

Magazine Photo: TIME

Sunday's In-Town Travel Pool

Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg

Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP

TV Corr & Crew: ABC

Print: Boston Globe

Radio: Talk Radio

Magazine Photo: New York Times

Sunday's Out-of-Town Travel Pool

Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg

Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP

TV Corr & Crew: ABC

Print: Politico

Radio: VOA

Magazine Print: TIME

Press Schedule for Friday, July 3, 2009

EDT

9:00AM Pool Call Time

10:20AM THE PRESIDENT departs Fort McNair en route Camp David

Fort McNair

Pooled Press (Gather time 9:40AM - North Doors of the Palm Room)

Press Schedule for Saturday, July 4, 2009

EDT

8:45AM Pool Call Time

10:30AM THE PRESIDENT arrives at Fort McNair

Fort McNair

Pooled Press (Gather time 8:55AM - North Doors of the Palm Room)

7:00PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks at a Fourth of July celebration with military families

South Lawn

Pooled Press (Pre-set 2:30PM - Final Gather 6:40PM - North Doors of the Palm Room)

Press Schedule for Sunday, July 5, 2009

EDT

10:30AM Pool Call Time

8:15PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart The White House en route Andrews Air Force Base

South Lawn

Open Press (Pre-set 7:45PM - Final Gather 8:00PM - North Doors of the Palm Room)

8:30PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Andrews Air Force Base en route Moscow, Russia

Out of Town Travel Pool (Call time 7:15PM - Virginia Gate, Andrews Air Force Base)

Schedule for the Week of July 6, 2009

The President and the First Lady will arrive in Moscow on Monday afternoon. They will remain in Moscow until Wednesday morning, when the President will depart for Rome and participate in G-8 activities until Friday. The President will depart Italy on Friday night for Ghana; he will remain in Ghana until Saturday night, when he will return to Washington, DC.

Obama's Associated Press interview with AP's Jennifer Loven

2009-07-03T01:36:10Z

WASHINGTON--Before flying to Moscow on Sunday, President Obama sat down Thursday with Jennifer Loven, the Associated Press White House bureau chief for a wide ranging interview; view the 24-minute exchange here.

Obama returns to Chicago on July 23 for DNC fund-raisers

2009-07-02T22:16:40Z

WASHINGTON--President Obama returns to Chicago on July 23--his third trip home since becoming president--to host two fund-raisers for the Democratic National Committee.

Cheryle Jackson launches Illinois Senate exploratory bid

2009-07-02T21:31:55Z

WASHINGTON--Cheryle Jackson, the president of the Chicago Urban League, is moving closer to a run for the U.S. Senate, opening an exploratory committee this week.

Jackson told me she will decide in the coming months if she will officially get in the Illinois Democratic Senate primary and that she is pulling together a fund-raising and campaign team. Jackson told me Thursday her decision will not hinge on whether or not Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan gets in the contest.

"It is not about who else is in the race," Jackson said. Her main issues will pivot around economic development, she said.

]]> One matter Jackson may have to grapple with is her previous job as spokesman for ousted Gov. Blagojevich, now facing federal criminal corruption charges. She worked for him between January, 2003 and August, 2006, when she resigned.

When she realized the Blagojevich administration "was not what I signed up for, I left," Jackson told me.

Embattled Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) will likely--even if it is not official--decide not to run because his latest fund-raising totals, to be released by mid-July, are expected to be anemic. Last quarter he raised just over $800.

Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is already running for the Senate; Merchandise Mart mogul Chris Kennedy, a son of the late New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy is also organizing a campaign.

Another Chicagoan, Fay Hartog-Levin, tapped for Obama ambassadorship

2009-07-02T19:30:14Z

WASHINGTON--Another Chicago area resident, Fay Hartog-Levin, a longtime Democratic activist and fund-raiser and an early career supporter of Barack Obama, was tapped Thursday to be ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Her husband, Daniel Levin, is the chairman of The Habitat Company and the founder of the East Bank Club. Valerie Jarrett, before joining the Obama White House as a senior advisor, was the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Habitat Company. Levin's cousins are Michigan Democrats, Sen. Carl Levin and his brother, Rep. Sandy Levin.

A Winnetka resident, Hartog-Levin is a senior consultant at the Res Publica Group, a Chicago-based public affairs and media relations firm.

Other Chicagoans nominated for ambassadorships: Big Obama fund-raisers Lou Sussman for England and David Jacobson for Canada

]]> THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

_______________________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 2, 2009

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals for key administration posts:

· Jonathan Addleton, Ambassador to Mongolia

· Gayleatha Beatrice Brown, Ambassador to Burkina Faso

· Earl M. Irving, Ambassador to the Kingdom of Swaziland

· Douglas Kmiec, Ambassador to the Republic of Malta

· Fay Hartog-Levin, Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands

President Obama said, "I am confident that these fine individuals will represent our nation abroad with distinction, and strengthen our diplomatic efforts to meet 21st century challenges. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead."

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals today:

Jonathan Addleton, Nominee for Ambassador to Mongolia

Jonathan Addleton, a career member of the US Senior Foreign Service since 1984, is Counselor for International Development at the US Mission to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium. Previously, he served as USAID Mission Director in Pakistan (2006-2007), Cambodia (2004-2006) and Mongolia (2001-2004). Prior to that, he served as USAID Program Officer in Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Africa and Yemen. Mr. Addleton also worked briefly at the World Bank, Macon Telegraph and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He has a PhD and MA from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and a BS from Northwestern University.

Gayleatha Beatrice Brown, Nominee for Ambassador to Burkina Faso

Gayleatha Brown, a career Minister-Counselor of the Senior Foreign Service, is Ambassador to the Republic of Benin. Her previous diplomatic assignments include: Counselor for Political Affairs, Embassy Pretoria; Consul General and Deputy Permanent Observer to the Council of Europe, U.S. Consulate General, Strasbourg, France; and Chief of the Economic/Commercial sections at Embassy Harare, Zimbabwe and Embassy Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Ms. Brown also has served as Economic Officer in Paris, France; Finance and Development Officer in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire; and Desk Officer for Senegal, Guinea, Mauritania, and Canada. As Desk Officer for the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Ms. Brown represented the State Department at OECD Export Credit Arrangement negotiations. Before joining the Foreign Service, she worked as a Special Assistant to the USAID Administrator for Africa and as a Legislative Assistant at the U.S. House of Representatives. Ms. Brown holds MA and BA degrees from Howard University.

Earl M. Irving, Nominee for Ambassador to the Kingdom of Swaziland

Earl Irving has served as a Career Development Officer to senior-level Foreign Service Officers and Construction Engineers since August 2008. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Mr. Irving joined the U.S. Department of State in January 1983. Prior to his current assignment, he served as Consul General in Melbourne, Australia (2005-2008); as Political Counselor to U.S. Mission to the Organization of American States (2003-2005); and as Labor Counselor to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City (2001-2003). Mr. Irving also served as Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe (1998-2001); and Principal Officer of the U.S. Consulate in Recife, Brazil (1995-1998). His other foreign assignments were in South Africa, the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he began his career. His domestic assignments include two tours in the Bureau of African Affairs. Mr. Irving holds a B.A. from Middlebury College and an M.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.

Douglas Kmiec, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Malta

Douglas W. Kmiec is the Caruso Family Chair and Professor of Constitutional Law at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. He served as Dean & St. Thomas More Professor at The Law School of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. from 2001-2003. Earlier he served for almost two decades as a Professor of Law and Director of the Center on Law and Government at the University of Notre Dame Law School, where he founded the Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy. Nominated by President Reagan and confirmed by the Senate, he served as the Assistant Attorney General and head of the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) for the U.S. Department of Justice (1988-89). During 1985-1987, he was the Deputy Assistant Attorney General in OLC. A graduate of Northwestern University and the law school of the University of Southern California, Professor Kmiec has authored several books on the American Constitution and a legal treatise on the law of property. The recipient of the Distinguished Service Award by both the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (1983) and the U.S. Department of Justice (1986), Professor Kmiec also served as a 40th Anniversary Fulbright Fellow in Asia (1987) lecturing in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur.

Fay Hartog-Levin, Nominee for Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Fay Hartog-Levin is a Senior Consultant at the Res Publica Group, a Chicago-based public affairs and media relations firm. At Res Publica, she advises clients on all aspects of internal and external communications and relationship building, with an emphasis on the non-profit and cultural sector. She has assisted non-profits to develop strategic partnerships, to leverage their visibility, and to maximize their support among traditional and non-traditional audiences and funders. Prior to joining Res Publica, Hartog-Levin served as both an attorney and an executive at Chicago's Field Museum, where she was the Vice President for External Affairs. Earlier in her career, Ms. Hartog-Levin served as a legal advisor to the Illinois State Board of Education, advising the State Superintendent and Regional Superintendents of Education on the interpretation and application of the Illinois School Code. She has also worked as an attorney in private practice, primarily representing school boards, private and public colleges, and social service agencies. Ms. Hartog-Levin is a graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Russian language and literature. She received her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law.

President Obama official schedule and guidance, July 2, 2009. Jobs, Camp David

2009-07-02T11:02:57Z

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2009

DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2009

In the morning, the President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing in the Oval Office. This meeting is closed press.

In the afternoon, the President will meet in the Roosevelt Room with the leaders of companies - large and small - that are creating jobs even in this tough economic environment to discuss the importance of innovation and the long-term strength of our economy. This meeting is closed press. Following the meeting, the President will deliver remarks about innovation and jobs in the Rose Garden. This event is open press.

Later, the President will travel to Camp David. The departure from Fort McNair is pooled press.

Also tomorrow, Nancy-Ann DeParle, Director of the White House Office of Health Reform, will hold a roundtable discussion on primary care and health reform. The discussion is part of the administration's continuing series of White House Stakeholder Discussion Groups. The discussion will be held at 2:00PM EDT in Room 350 of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The meeting will be webcast live on www.HealthReform.gov.

In-Town Travel Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: CNN
Print: Washington Post
Radio: FOX
Magazine Photo: TIME

EDT

9:00AM Pool Call Time

9:15AM THE PRESIDENT receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press

1:45PM THE PRESIDENT meets with business leaders to discuss innovation and job creation
Roosevelt Room
Closed Press

2:20PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks about innovation and jobs
Rose Garden
Open Press (Pre-set 1:00PM - Final Gather 2:05PM - North Doors of the Palm Room)

4:30PM THE PRESIDENT departs Fort McNair en route Camp David
Fort McNair
Travel Pool Coverage (Pool Gather Time 3:50PM - North Doors of the Palm Room)

Briefing Schedule

1:30PM Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

##
---

Obama White House salary list. See who makes the most

2009-07-01T21:52:49Z

WASHINGTON--The Obama White House on Wednesday released a list of the salaries of 487 White House staffers. You can read the list here or check out the searchable database at www.whitehouse.gov.

The top Chicagoans in the Obama White House also earn the top White House salaries--capped at $172,200, according to a list released Wednesday.

The $172,200 earners from Chicago: David Axelrod, Senior Adviser;  Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff; Valerie Jarrett, Senior Adviser, Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement and Susan Sher, Chief of Staff to the First Lady.

Tina Tchen, the director of the office of public engagement makes $153,500; Desiree Rogers, the Social Secretary earns $113,000.

Nate Tamarin--with the Obama political operation when he was a senator--draws a $95,000 paycheck as the associate director of the White House political affairs office and Joe Reinstein, a deputy social secretary makes $65,000.

]]>

Others: Also on the $172,200 list:

Senior Adviser Melody Barnes; Director of the Domestic Policy Council John Brennan; Deputy National Security Adviser for Counterterrorism Elizabeth Brown; Staff Secretary Carol Browner; Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Greg Craig, White House Counsel 

Thomas Donilon Deputy National Security Adviser; Anita Dunn, Director of Communications; Jonathan Favreau, Director of Speechwriting; Patrick Gaspard, Director of Political Affairs; Robert Gibbs, Press Secretary 

James Jones, National Security Adviser; Christopher Lu, Cabinet Secretary;  Alyssa Mastromonaco, Director of Scheduling and Advance; James Messina, Deputy Chief of Staff. 

Peter Rouse, Senior Adviser; Philip Schiliro, Director of Legislative Affairs; Lawrence Summers, Director of the National Economic Council Mona Sutphen, Deputy Chief of Staff.

President Obama makes $400,000.

The White House sent Congress a list of 487 "White House Office" staffers, under a requirement in place since 1995. The Obama White House met the July 1 deadline by posting the name, title and salary of 487 staffers at the www.whitehouse.gov web site, but did not draw attention to it by announcing it via a press release.

"We make news on our blog all the time," said spokesman Josh Earnest.

The White House added names not mandated by Congress--of staffers in the Office of Policy Development, including the Domestic Policy Council and the National Economic Council--but did not, for example, include the Vice President's office or the Office of Management and Budget.

Earnest said "we're looking at ways we can disclose" the salary information of more White House staffers.

President Obama official schedule and guidance, July 1, 2009. Valerie Jarrett moderates Obama health care forum

2009-07-01T10:24:28Z

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

_______________________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 30, 2009

DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2009

In the morning, the President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing, the Economic Daily Briefing, and meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office. These meetings are closed press.

In the afternoon, the President will hold a national discussion on health care through an online town hall meeting at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale. In addition to the live audience, questions will come from online communities such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Senior advisor to President Obama Valerie Jarrett will moderate the town hall. This event is open to pre-credentialed media; the deadline to apply for credentials has passed.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation's data for 2006, single employees in Virginia pay the highest percentage of premiums (24%) through employer plans in the country. Virginia is tied with several other states for the third highest percentage (31%) paid for family coverage through employer plans. More detailed statistics about how Virginia families and businesses are struggling with the high cost of health care are available HERE.

Later, the President will sign S. 614, a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots, in the Oval Office. Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) was established during World War II. From 1942 to 1943, more than a thousand women joined, flying sixty million miles of non-combat military missions. Of the women who received their wings as Women Airforce Service Pilots, approximately 300 are living today. The bill signing is closed press, but a photo will be posted on the White House Flickr site.

In-Town Travel Pool

Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg

Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP

TV Corr & Crew: CBS

Print: Washington Examiner

Radio: CBS

Magazine Photo: New York Times

EDT

9:00AM Pool Call Time

9:30AM THE PRESIDENT receives the Presidential Daily Briefing

Oval Office

Closed Press

9:50AM THE PRESIDENT receives the Economic Daily Briefing

Oval Office

Closed Press

10:30AM THE PRESIDENT meets with senior advisors

Oval Office

Closed Press

1:15PM THE PRESIDENT holds national discussion on health care through online town hall

Northern Virginia Community College

Open to pre-credentialed media (In-Town Travel Pool Gather Time 12:25PM - North Doors of the Palm Room)

4:45PM THE PRESIDENT signs S.614, a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots

Oval Office

Closed Press

Briefing Schedule

12:15PM Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

Arne Duncan, David Axelrod, read to kids.

2009-06-30T21:45:34Z

Senior White House Adviser David Axelrod, left, accompanied by Education Secretary Arne Duncan, reads the book, "First Dog," to children, Tuesday, June 30, 2009, in front of the Education Department in Washington. Axelrod read as part of the Obama administration's summer reading. (AP photos)

Sarah Palin take down in Vanity Fair

2009-06-30T21:39:25Z

Sarah Palin and her wobbly performance as John McCain's vice presidential candidate is dissected by Todd Purdum in the new issue of Vanity Fair.

Purdom says it's hard to see her as a 2012 presidential candidate.

Norm Coleman conceeds to Al Franken. Senate Democrats have 60 votes

2009-06-30T20:01:20Z

It's now Sen.-elect Al Franken. After the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Tuesday, now former Sen. Norm Coleman said he will give up pursuing more legal challenges.

"It's over," Coleman just said at a press conference in Minnesota.

This means the Senate Democrats now have 60 votes, a supermajority.

Al Franken entitled to Senate seat, Minnesota Supreme Court rules

2009-06-30T18:37:40Z

below, release

REID STATEMENT ON SENATOR-ELECT AL FRANKEN

Washington, DC--Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made the following statement today:

"I congratulate Senator-elect Al Franken, the next Senator from the state of Minnesota.

"The people of Minnesota will now finally get the brilliant and hardworking new senator they elected in November and the full representation they deserve. After all the votes have been counted and recounted, the Minnesota Supreme Court has made the final determination that Minnesotans have chosen Al Franken to help their state and our country get back on track.

"The Senate looks forward to welcoming Senator-elect Franken as soon as possible. He will play a crucial role as we work to strengthen our economy, ensure all Americans can access and afford quality health care, make our country more energy independent, confirm the President's outstanding nominee to the Supreme Court, and tackle the many other challenges we face.

"I once again encourage Governor Pawlenty to respect the votes of his constituents and the decisions of his state's highest court. He should put politics aside, follow his state's laws and finally sign the certificate that will bring this episode to an end."

###

Michelle Obama visits health care center

2009-06-30T18:26:06Z

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the First Lady
_________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 29, 2009

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY TO
UNITY HEALTH CARE CENTER

Unity Health Care Center
Washington, D.C.

2:49 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Thank you. Thanks so much, Vincent. (Applause.) Well, I am delighted to be here. Thank you, Vincent, for that very Irish introduction. (Laughter.) Good, hearty. And we'll talk about our next trip.

MR. KEANE: Absolutely.

MRS. OBAMA: Haven't planned it yet, but we'll work on it. You got that down. I got my staff. You got it down. (Laughter.)

I also want to commend the center's manager, Margarita Lobo, who I got to meet earlier, and thank her and everyone, all the staff and patients and physicians who I got to meet and who are working here at Unity Health Care and the Upper Cardozo Center, for such an incredible warm welcome and such an informative session right before I came in. I am incredibly impressed by the people who have committed their lives to caring for the least of these.

And I'd also like to thank Administrator Mary Wakefield who I just got to meet -- administrator who was able to join me here today. Mary, thank you so much for your work.

As you all know, we're at a critical juncture in the debate about health care in this nation. The current system is economically unsustainable, and I don't have to tell any of you that. And despite having the most expensive health care system in the world, we're not necessarily healthier for it.

As the President and Congress begin to tackle health care reform, the flag is being raised on the costly effects of preventable diseases that burden our health care system. And community health centers like Upper Cardozo, Unity Health Care are a vital component for this discussion.

From the young to the old, from rural to -- communities to the inner cities, both the insured and uninsured, 17 million Americans rely on community health centers every year to help them stay healthy.

Access to primary care, preventative care, wellness and nutrition counseling help prevent chronic illnesses like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and high-blood pressure that consume 85 percent of the health care spending in our country.

But it's more than just an economic issue. It's about the quality of life for all of our citizens, particularly our kids. I have quoted these statistics on numerous occasions over the last few weeks as we've harvested the garden, and I've done other things, but I think it is so important that I keep repeating them, because these statistics are shocking and I want people to really remember what's at stake.

Nearly a third of the children in this country today are overweight or obese and a third will suffer from diabetes at some point in their lifetime.

When we look at the Hispanic and African American communities, those numbers climb even higher so that nearly half of the children in those communities will suffer this same fate. Half of those kids.

And for the first time in the history -- and this is the statistic that always gets to me as we have such a sophisticated health care system -- but this generation, medical experts have warned that they may be on track to have a shorter life span -- a shorter life span -- than their parents as a result of the obesity epidemic. And these statistics are unacceptable for any of us, for any child in any community.

So we need to educate kids about the need for healthy eating. These are conversations that we can have, as I've learned. The programs here at Upper Cardozo are doing that work each and every day, so we know how to have the conversations. We know what works. And it has done a good thing in promoting healthy living for many families who get services here.

The fact is these are all manageable and preventable conditions. We don't have to suffer from this. We can fix this. And community health centers are on the front lines of fighting these epidemics.

But to be effective in this fight, you're going to need more help, you're going to need more resources. And as Vincent alluded to, that's really one of the main reasons why I'm here today.

I am pleased to announce today the release of $850 million in Recovery Act grants to upgrade and expand community health centers across the country. (Applause.) This money will help community health centers reach more people in need and make all of our communities healthier places to live and to work. This is a new investment on top of the hundreds of millions of dollars that have already enabled health centers to expand and improve their services this year. So this is more.

For centers around the country, these Recovery Act grants will mean new diagnostic equipment, renovation of facilities that need repair, expanding computer centers to help manage electronic medical records, adding on new staff, expanding programs that work. And over the next two years, Recovery Act dollars for community health centers will expand desperately-needed services to more than 2.8 million people.

Right here at Upper Cardozo, as Vincent -- as we see in the diagrams, 20 new exam rooms will be built with the $2.5 million grant that's going to go to Unity Health Care to reach 24 percent more patients. (Applause.) And the thing you all know, that's going to have a major impact on the people who use these facilities who live in this community.

And the upgrades and expanded efforts at community health centers across the country will dramatically improve the immediate and long-term health of our people and our nation's health care system.

The power of well-resourced community health centers to change lives can be seen right here in Upper Cardozo. These statistics were good to see: Fourteen percent of the patients here at Unity have hypertension, but thanks to the care they receive, more than half of them have it under control. Those are really good numbers. Six percent of the patients who walk through the door at this facility -- in Unity's facilities have diabetes, and many of them are children. But because of the pediatric obesity services and the nutrition education programs available here, 71 percent of diabetic patients keep their condition in check. Again, preventable, manageable -- you all are doing it.

All these folks who, with your help, are able to better manage their chronic conditions do a number of things. They stay out of the hospital, they stay out of the emergency room, which is the most costly way to receive care in this country, and they stay on the job and in school instead. A win-win situation. Health centers are community catalysts that improve lives, and that's why this investment is so critical.

And there's another part of this equation beyond health. When Unity builds those 20 new exam rooms, they'll be creating jobs and putting people to work in construction and renovation. When a health center in rural Illinois purchases a new computer center, it's going to keep a programmer in the Silicon Valley on the job. So as we provide quality health care to more people, there will be this multiplier effect that will also provide more jobs to more workers.

Just think about the impact of all these Recovery Act grants all over the entire country. Every single health center that applied for a grant will receive at the very least $200,000.

And every dollar of every grant is going to make a difference in the life of someone in need.

An inner-city child with chronic asthma will play after school, right, because of these services. And they'll be able to concentrate on their homework as opposed to spending an afternoon or an evening sitting in the ER getting treatments that they don't have to get.

A single mom with proper care to manage her diabetes will get back to work full-time instead of staying out and using up sick days that she may not even have.

A grandmother in rural America will get regular checkups so she can be active in her neighborhood organizations. Maybe be my -- like my mom and help take the kids to school. (Laughter.)

And for those workers in the building trades this money will mean new jobs.

With these grants we will strengthen our communities, we'll strengthen our economy, and we'll strengthen our nation.

And I want to just thank everyone here at Unity and Upper Cardozo for your commitment, for your passion, because I met many passionate people -- (laughter) -- and for your continued focus on providing health care, quality health care, to every citizen regardless of their ability to pay.

We are hopeful that these funds will mean something in your lives directly, that you'll keep doing the programs that work so well: the literacy programs, the nutrition programs, the yoga classes, the classes with teens. I met some kids whose lives have been turned around because of the programs here. And by building capacity here by 24 percent, we just hope you keep doing more and more.

So thank you so much for sharing with me. Good luck in the future, and I'll talk about getting back for the ribbon-cutting. (Laughter and applause.)

END 2:59 P.M. EDT
---

Obama gives shout out to Penny Pritzker. Transcript

2009-06-30T15:55:46Z

President Obama headlined a dinner Monday night for his best donors and bundlers at an event where top Democratic National Committee contributors also attended. Obama gave a shout out to his campaign national finance chair, Penny Pritzker.

]]> THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 30, 2009

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT NATIONAL FINANCE COMMITTEE FUNDRAISER

Mandarin Hotel
Washington, D.C.

7:08 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. All right, everybody have a seat. Settle down. (Applause.)

What a joy it is to see so many good friends, people who -- it's no exaggeration -- without whom we would not be here. And there are just a lot of folks in this audience who took an early bet on somebody who I think the professionals didn't give much of a shot at winning the presidency, and I'm grateful to all of you. (Applause.)

All of you I'm happy to see. There are four people I want to acknowledge just because they're carrying a little extra burden right now.

First of all, somebody who was great for our campaign is now doing great work for the DNC. Please give Jane Stetson a big round of applause. Thank you, Jane. (Applause.)

Our fearless leader during the campaign, who never wavered, never waffled, and cracked the whip with grace and good cheer, Penny Pritzker. (Applause.)

Somebody who was there for us day in, day out, Andy Tobias. (Applause.)

And somebody who -- I think some of you know this -- this was the first elected official outside of Illinois to endorse my campaign. Now, think about this. This is in February of 2007. He is the governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Applause.) He stands beside me in Richmond, the seat of the old confederacy, and says, I'm endorsing Barack Obama -- (laughter) -- for President of the United States. (Applause.) He's been there ever since. He's my friend, a great governor, a great DNC leader, Tim Kaine. (Applause.) He hadn't been in office that long. He didn't know any better. (Laughter.) And Anne, I think, was whispering in his ear. But Tim has just been an extraordinary friend, and he is now just doing an extraordinary job on behalf of the DNC.

As I said before, without you, we would not be here, because all of you were here in the beginning when it was hard. When people in this town didn't give us much of a chance, you stuck in there. And you didn't just fundraise -- you put your hearts and souls into this campaign. I look at every single table, and there are people here who took their families, took their grandparents, took their cousins and nephews, and went into Iowa and went to New Hampshire and campaigned and knocked on doors and insisted to skeptics that now was the time for change in America, and lo and behold we're bringing about some change in America. (Applause.)

We knew from the start that change wouldn't be easy. But we also understood we were living in extraordinary times and that we've been asked to confront challenges of a size and a scope that hadn't been seen in recent history -- a set of challenges that few generations of Americans have ever been asked to confront: two wars, a debilitating recession, a global financial crisis, a crisis that faces the planet when it comes to climate change.

And we understood that meeting these challenges was going to require some tough choices. It required us to do what was right, even if it wasn't necessarily always popular -- at least not at first. It required taking on the status quo in Washington that unfortunately tends to favor inertia over action, and tinkering over real reform. And we knew that it would require looking beyond the next news cycle and the next election to the next generation; to do what we had to do to ensure that our children and grandchildren inherit an America that is as ascendant, as bold, as imaginative as the America that we inherited from our parents.

Now, that's not just a responsibility. Meeting these challenges is a privilege and an opportunity, for in our hands lies the chance to shape the world for good and for ill.

So let's just take a look at what we've done so far over the last six months, because in the blur of activity, I think we may be taking some things for granted.

Not one month into this administration, we responded to this financial crisis with the most sweeping economic recovery plan in our nation's history, a plan that has already provided tax relief to 95 percent of working families, as we had promised, a plan that's saving jobs and creating new ones in construction and clean energy and small business across the country.

We passed a budget resolution that helps to cut our deficit in half while laying the foundations for all the building blocks required for a post-bubble economy: reforming our health care system, initiating a clean energy agenda, revamping our education system so that our kids can compete in the 21st century.

We lifted a ban on federal funding of stem cell research. We expanded the Children's Health Insurance Program to cover 11 million children in need. We passed a national service bill to create hundreds of thousands of opportunities for people to serve their communities. We passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- the first bill I signed -- (applause) -- so that equal pay for equal work is a reality all across this country.

That was just the beginning. We passed a series of reforms that won't just change policy in Washington, but changes how Washington work. We brought together auto executives and labor unions and environmental groups, Democrats and Republicans together to set national fuel-efficiency standards for our cars and trucks for the very first time in history. We will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil as a consequence of this agreement. We passed bipartisan legislation to help homeowners and to crack down on predatory lenders who are seeking to take advantage of them.

We passed laws to protect consumers from unfair rate hikes and abusive fees leveled by many credit card companies; a law that will eliminate waste in our defense budget and save taxpayers billions of dollars; and after decades of opposition, we passed legislation that will prevent tobacco companies from marketing to our children.

It's not bad for six months. (Applause.) So we should feel proud for what we've accomplished. But we can't be satisfied. We should feel confident in the future -- but not complacent. We can't be content with the present. Not when there are workers that are still worried about losing their jobs or their homes or their health care. Not when there are so many children out there who aren't getting the skills that they need to compete in the 21st century. Not when justice is still elusive for too many in our society.

This is when it gets hard. This is when the criticism gets louder, when the pundits grow impatient, when cynicism seeks to reassert itself. This is when we hear the same voices advocating the same policies that got us into this mess in the first place. This is where we hear that change just isn't possible.

So this is exactly the moment when we need to fight the hardest. This is going to be the time when we need to band together and when we decide we're going to do what's right for the country and deliver the change that we promised when I was elected last November.

Now is the time to build the schools that meet high standards and close the achievement gap and prepare our kids for the challenges of the 21st century. This is where we start rewarding teachers for performance and create new pathways for advancement. And this is when we start reaching that goal that I've set for 2020 that we once again are going to have the highest college graduation rates of any advanced country in the world, because we know that's what it's going to take to compete in a 21st-century economy. (Applause.)

Now is the time when we're going to pass comprehensive energy legislation -- (applause) -- that caps carbon emissions and creates energy efficiency and millions of new jobs. On Friday, the House of Representatives took a historic vote and ignored the naysayers and said we are going to reach for the future and not look backwards, not cling to the past.

I don't know about you, but I have never looked at a American history book that praised America for not taking a chance; that said, you know, the thing that really stands out about America is we just stood pat back in the agricultural era. When things were getting industrial, we decided no, we're not going to change. When the industrial era started moving into the information era -- no, no, no, no, we can't handle the Internet, we're not going to do that.

That's not who America is. You keep on hearing these folks making these arguments about how we've got to be fearful of the future. I'm not interested in being afraid of the future. I'm interested in seizing the future for our children and our grandchildren, and that's what this bill is about. (Applause.)

Now is the time for us to finally do something about health care. We have been talking about it enough, we have had commissions, we have had white papers -- (applause) -- we have had blue ribbons. We have talked about it and talked about it, and now it's time to act.

And for those who would oppose our efforts, just turn to them and say, is there any way for you to defend the status quo? And you'll hear a bunch of muttering and yammering, and they'll say, well, well, we agree with reform, too. Okay, if you agree with reform, then step up because we know that right now families are being crushed by the cost of health care. Right now businesses are being crushed by the cost of health care. Right now our government is going bankrupt at the state and federal level because of health care. Right now 46 million people are without insurance.

Right now there's a woman in Wisconsin that I had a chance to meet who's got breast cancer and two small children. She's 36 years old. She had a job, her husband has a job. She's got health insurance, and she still has $50,000 in debt. And instead of worrying about how to get well, all she can think about is whether she's going to be leaving a legacy of debt to her family if she doesn't survive this cancer.

That's not the kind of country that any of us are willing to accept. We know we can do better. And so I am saying to Congress and I'm saying to the American people, don't be afraid. Let us step forward. We know what needs to happen. We know that if we start applying common-sense rules to raise quality and reduce costs, that we can have a health care system that is uniquely American but finally provides coverage for all and is sustainable for the long term. You're going to help us make this happen. It's going to happen this year. (Applause.) We are going to have health care this year. (Applause.) We're going to have health care this year. (Applause.) We're going to have health care this year. (Applause.)

We are going to have health care this year, we are going to reform the financial industry this year, and we are going to get energy done this year. And we are going to -- (applause) -- and then we got a whole 'nother year after that. (Laughter.)

But you've heard the argument. People say, oh, this is overload, we can't do this much. And I keep on trying to explain to people I don't do this just for fun. (Laughter.) If the health care system was working, we wouldn't remake it. If we weren't dependent on foreign oil and watching the Arctic Circle melt, then we wouldn't go to the trouble of passing a energy bill. The naysayers seem to think somehow that we can just keep on doing what we're doing. And the American people understand we can't.

But the American people are also justifiably concerned about how change is going to come about. And that's completely understandable because we are going through the toughest economic times in our living memory. And most of the people here enjoy great, good fortune.

There are a whole lot of folks out there who are just barely hanging on. And so when they hear the fearmongerers suggesting that this is going to cost them more money or this is going to cost them jobs, or their health care is going to be taken away from them, and this is all a plot to grow the government, of course they take pause because, you know, they haven't been given a real fair shake for quite some time, and Washington hasn't been working for them, and most of the legislation that's coming out of this town has been a bait-and-switch on them. They've been promised one thing and they've gotten something else. So I understand why there's going to be some skepticism out there.

And by the way, this stuff is not going to be easy. There are going to be bumps in the road and there are going to be times where people get impatient. There are going to be times where folks lose heart. There are going to be times where we feel like maybe we bit off too much, and we can't get to our goal.

And when we have those times, I just want you to know that that all sounds pretty familiar, doesn't it? Because when Tim announced that he was supporting my campaign, the odds of us getting that done were a lot higher than the odds of getting health care done -- (laughter and applause) -- or the odds of getting energy done, or the odds of reforming our financial institutions.

I want everybody here to understand that at this moment we have the opportunity to seize the future. And as painful as that is sometimes and as difficult as that is sometimes, it is inherent in the American spirit that we go forward, we don't look backwards. That's what this party is about, that's what this administration is about. You've proven that's what you're about. So help me. We're going to get there for the American people. Thank you, everybody. God bless you. (Applause.)

END 7:26 P.M. EDT

Michael Jackson death dominates the news

2009-06-30T15:12:03Z

below, release PEJ.....

PEJ NEWS COVERAGE INDEX
In Just Two Days, Jackson's Passing Nearly Passes Iran in the News of the Week

With unrest in Iran and a new political scandal, the media had its pick of stories to report on the week of June 22-28. But by week's end, the death of Michael Jackson quickly dominated the media agenda, according to a report by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism.

Early last week, ongoing attention to protests over the Iranian election continued to dominate the news narrative, and by week's end Iran filled 19% of the newshole, making it still the No. 1 topic of the week. But much of that came early. Indeed, in the first two days of the week, nearly a third of all coverage (31%) was devoted to events in the country. But as the protest movement moved underground, and the story became harder to cover, coverage subsided. By Wednesday attention shifted to the third biggest story of the week--the controversy around South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, who admitted to an extra-marital affair after having gone missing for several days (11%).

But it was the late Thursday afternoon reports that Michael Jackson had died that captured the essence of the media narrative last week. The passing of the "King of Pop" was the No. 2 story last week, accounting for 18% of the newshole. From the time of the announcement of his death through the end of day Friday, more than 28 hours (60% of news coverage studied) was dedicated to Jackson's passing. Cable news led the coverage, devoting 93% of airtime to the icon on Thursday and Friday. The story captured 55% of online coverage and 37% of front-page newspaper coverage. All other stories vied for attention amidst the biggest celebrity story in a decade.

These findings are part of PEJ's running content analysis of media coverage, called the News Coverage Index, which studies 55 outlets from five media sectors.

Other findings include:
Michael Jackson generated the most headlines last week, appearing as lead newsmaker in 15% of stories. Following Jackson was President Obama (11%); Mark Sanford (8%); Farah Fawcett (1%); Neda Agha-Soltan (1%) and Ed McMahon (1%).
Jackson as lead newsmaker the week of June 22-28 marks only the second time this year that someone other than Obama generated the most headlines in a single week. Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor was the only other person to do so.
Other big stories last week included health care reform, largely centered on Congress negotiating Obama's plan (7%); the ongoing economic crisis, especially troubled banks and effects on state governments (7%) and the tragic red line metro crash in Washington D.C. (5%). The deaths of Farah Fawcett (1%) and Ed McMahon (1%) rounded out the list of top stories last week.
Click here for a direct link to a PDF of the report. The study is for immediate release at our website, www.journalism.org.