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Obama Administration Rushed to Preserve Intelligence of Russian Election Hacking New York Times WASHINGTON In the Obama administration's last days, some White House officials scrambled to spread information about Russian efforts to undermine the presidential election and about possible contacts between associates of President-elect Donald ... Obama Officials 'Fought to Preserve Evidence' of Russian Election MeddlingNewsweek Obama officials worked to leave investigators a trail on Russia: reportThe Hill Obama Officials Left Intelligence Trail on Russia, Report SaysU.S. News & World Report Voice of America -Daily Caller -Esquire.com all 302 news articles »

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Obama Administration Rushed to Preserve Intelligence of Russian Election Hacking - New York Times

Former US president Barack Obama has begun settling into his civilian life, but many arent ready to let him go. The pangs of longing arent exclusive to Americans. In fact, avid Obama fans are calling for him to run for president againin France.

A French petition pleading for Obama to run for the French presidency, because he has the best CV in the world for the job, has amassed over 40,000 signatures, which is not restricted to French citizens. The campaign, named Obama 2017, has blanketed Paris with red-white-and-blue posters showing Obamas portrait and the French translation of his famous motto, Oui on peut (Yes, we can). The campaigners, who have so far remained anonymous, hope to amass one million signatures by March 15 (its unclear why they are aiming for one million).

Spearheading the operation is a group of disenfranchised voters in Paris unhappy with the current slate which includes far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. While Obama cant actually run to be Frances next presidentcandidates must be Frenchthe organizers picked him for the campaign because at a time when France is about to vote massively for the extreme right, we can still give a lesson of democracy to the planet by electing a French President, a foreigner, the petition notes.

For Obama to get on the ballot he needs not just citizenship, but signatures from 500 mayors by March 17 (there are more than 35,000 mayors across France). In 2012, Le Pen of the Front National faced an uphill battle to get the enough signatures by the deadline.

Le Pen appears to be a much stronger candidate this year; she continues to have a strong lead in the polls, ahead of independent centrist Emmanuel Macron and the center-right candidate Franois Fillon, who are second and third, respectively. The candidates have been described as lackluster against Le Pen; Macrons attempts to build support from the middle ground has drawn ire from the right and left, while a financial scandal has sunk Fillon in the polls. The French socialists have failed to inspire much support, with their candidate Benoit Hamon in fourth place in every major poll.

Le Pen, whose popular anti-immigration rhetoric aligns with Trumps rise in the US, is expected to make it to the final round of voting, but tactical voting may prevent her from winning. The presidential election consists of two rounds; if a candidate fails to win more than 50% of the vote, then the two leading candidates face off in a second round.

In 2002, Le Pens father lost the presidential election in the second round to his opponent Jacques Chiracwith a remarkable margin of 82% to 18%after the left reluctantly sided with Chirac under the slogan vote for a crook, not for a fascist. A point the Obama 2017 initiative picks up on, saying it should be possible for France to vote for a president and not against a candidate.

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There's a petition to elect Barack Obama president of France - Quartz

The unlikely pair have often been photographed together during formal events. When Obama embraced Bush at the opening ceremony for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture last September, the photo of their warm interaction went viral.

"She kind of likes my sense of humor. Anybody who likes my sense of humor, I immediately like," Bush said.

The pair are often seated next to each other during events, including the interfaith memorial service for the victims of the Dallas police shooting in July, last year's funeral for former first lady Nancy Reagan and the 2015 commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the historic civil rights march in Selma, Alabama.

"I can't remember where else I've sat next to her, but I probably have a few wisecracks and she seemed to like it OK," Bush said. "I needle her a little bit and around her, I'm fairly lighthearted. (The Obamas) are around serious people all the time and we just took to each other."

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George W. Bush explains his fondness for Michelle Obama - CNN

Former President Barack Obama is getting ready to jump back into the political pool, former US Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday.

Holder said he has been talking with Obama about different ways to help the new National Democratic Redistricting Committee, according to Politico. Obama asked Holder to be chairman of the group last year.

Hes ready to roll, Holder told reporters at a briefing.

Obama and other top Democrats are focusing efforts on state-level races and ending the reconfiguring of voting districts through the political process known as gerrymandering a combined effort to end Trump-ism and help their party regain control of Congress and legislatures across the country.

Politico reported that the group seeks to direct resources into winning certain state elections, push ballot initiatives for nonpartisan district-drawing commissions and wage legal wars over existing maps.

By accomplishing their goals, the group hopes it would put Democrats at a better advantage in state legislatures and the House of Representatives.

Obama indicated last fall before leaving the White House that his short-term, post-presidency focus will be on General Assembly races and redistricting after the 2020 Census. Voting districts are redrawn after a federal Census to reflect the changes in population and other demographic. Much of the redistricting across the country is done by the political party that controls the state legislature.

Marc Elias, a top election lawyer advising the group, said they expect states to file new lawsuits to change the districting maps and are guiding states on where they could see legal victories.

Holder said the fight will be more difficult with Jeff Sessions running the Justice Department. He added that the decision to throw out a challenge to voter laws in Texas was disheartening.

This is really a battle for our democracy, Holder said. The notion that people are denied their ability to cast a meaningful vote is inconsistent with who we say we are, inconsistent with what we say our democracy is about.

Fox News Joseph Weber contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Fox News.

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Holder: Obama preparing to get back into political spotlight - New York Post

Jim Watson / AFP / Getty Images

ID: 10623751

In one of the first public appearances of his post-presidency, Barack Obama will accept the Centennial John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award this spring for a career of grace under pressure and exceptional dignity and courage, receiving the honor on the special occasion of the 100th anniversary of Kennedys birth.

The 44th president was selected by a 14-member bipartisan committee at the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation comprised of figures in politics, media, and business, including Republicans Sen. Jeff Flake, former congressman Bob Inglis, and Viacoms Shari Redstone. The committee is chaired by Bloomberg View columnist Al Hunt.

According to Hunt, the award will go to Obama not for one particular legislative or political act, but for an entire life that was really a testament to courage, he said.

Established in 1989 by the Kennedy family, the annual award is meant to honor the 35th presidents birth and specifically offer a tribute to Kennedys Pulitzer Prizewinning book, Profiles in Courage, a 1957 account of eight US senators throughout history who put principle above politics. Each year, the Kennedy Library Foundation picks a lawmaker who demonstrates the same willingness to, as a foundation official put it, take a stand for good in spite of political consequences.

Obama will be the third former president to receive the award. In 2001, Gerald R. Ford was honored for his 1974 decision, widely vilified at the time, to pardon Richard Nixon. In 2014, George H.W. Bush received the award for raising taxes, breaking with his own major campaign promise in order to address a deficit crisis.

Unlike past honorees, Obama will not receive the award for any one decision. To mark the centennial of Kennedys birth, the committee wanted to do something different this year if we could, Hunt said. We thought, OK, this is different.

After a lengthy discussion, said Hunt, the committee was in total agreement.

Obama will deliver a speech at the special centennial event, a ceremony on May 7 at Bostons John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Former ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy and her son, Jack Schlossberg, will present the award.

The former president has kept a low profile since leaving office in January, very rarely weighing in on political developments. He is expected, however, to become a key player in a new redistricting effort led by his friend and former attorney general, Eric Holder. The National Democratic Redistricting Committee, or NDRC, will work to reverse the Democratic Partys historic state and local electoral deficits and help regain an advantage over Republicans when it comes to district-drawing.

Obama, Holder told reporters this week, is ready to roll.

After attending Donald Trumps inauguration, the newly retired president took an extended vacation in Palm Springs, Calif., and on the private British Virgin Islands estate of billionaire Richard Branson. He was seen last week with daughter Malia and adviser Valerie Jarrett at a Broadway showing of Arthur Millers The Price, and this week signed a lucrative deal for a forthcoming book.

The May 7 appearance in Boston offers Democrats a prominent opportunity to hear from their former president just more than 100 days into what has so far been a tumultuous Trump administration and a challenging time for the opposition party.

The decision to honor Obama, said Hunt, had nothing to do with Trumps election.

Bill Clinton admires an autographed copy of Profiles in Courage in 2000. Mario Tama / AFP / Getty Images

ID: 10624026

In a statement, Schlossberg outlined the ways in which Obama personifies the opening lines of Profiles in Courage: This is a book about that most admirable of human virtues courage. Grace under pressure, Ernest Hemingway defined it.

During his two terms as the first black president, Schlossberg said, Obama represented all Americans with decency, integrity, and an unshakeable commitment to the greater good amid unrelenting political opposition.

The committee received submissions for this years award nominee from a record 30,000 people up 5,000 from the year before, a foundation official said.

In a statement provided by the Kennedy Library Foundation, Obama said he is deeply humbled to receive the Profile in Courage Award. The late Kennedy, he said, asked us to cast aside our narrow self-interest and take up the chase of a greater ambition: our collective capacity to do big things, especially when its hard.

Amidst the noisy and too often trivial pursuits of the politics of our time, Obama added, its a summons to service that rings as loudly as ever.

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Barack Obama Will Return To National Stage For Award Honoring JFK's 100th Birthday - BuzzFeed News