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As the process for repealing and replacing Obamacare incrementally advances through Congress, its namesake remains largely absent from the give-and-take of the debate.

President Barack Obama has weighed into the health care fray only occasionallyand always from a distanceeven as his eponymous signature piece of domestic legislation comes under heightened threat.

It is not for lack of want. Aides and advisers say that the former president is, like all Democrats, troubled by ability of Republican leadership to keep repeal efforts alive. One official said he did not expect GOP lawmakers to get even this far. But he is wary of engaging in a highly visible way, even in this critical hour, for fear that it would backfire politically.

We are acutely aware that opponents of the Affordable Care Act would like no better foil than him, said one Obama advisor. We dont want to make this any harder than it is. Allowing opponents to make this about Obamas legacy undermines the debate about the actual impact of the law.

For now, Hill Democrats say theyre comfortable with Obama at a distance. Though the party has been unable to stop repeal-and-replace efforts at critical juncturesthe most recent coming in the form of a narrowly-lost vote to start debate in the Senatethe prospect of turning the debate into a Obama-v-Trump narrative is viewed as counterproductive.

I think [Obama] faces a dilemma of potentially becoming the issue and he wants to avoid that distraction, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) told The Daily Beast, off to the side of a Capitol Hill rally featuring individuals whose health care is dependent on Obamacare-related coverage. He may be at the emotional breaking point but I think he is intensely rational and deliberative and he has thought through what would happen if he became the image of this fight and he has decided it is better that the image be the kind of people we have here.

There have been two components to date to Obamas post-presidential involvement in the repeal and replace debateone public, the other private. When the Senate introduced its health care legislation in late June, he blasted the fundamental meanness at the core of this legislation in a Facebook post. Since then, hes been quiet.

Behind the scenes, the 44th president has kept close tabs on the debate, discussing legislative strategy with Democratic members of Congress and hosting occasional conference calls with administration alums who are involved on the issue. Should the legislation make it through the Senate and into conference committee with the House, associates say his presence may grow. Obama is already slated to hit the campaign trail this fall for Virginia gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam, during which health care reform will undoubtedly come up. There is also talk of getting Obama more involved in fundraising efforts for health care advocacy organizations.

But there are no plans to have the former president go much beyond there, whether by delivering a major speech or giving interviews on the topic. Lawmakers say there would be only marginal utility to doing so since, as Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) put it, the public already knows the presidents views.

I think what is most important is that people who are here, people who are organizing across this country, are being heard, Gillibrand added. They are going to make a difference.

But there is also a larger fear; mainly, that Obamas involvement would reactivate his political opponents and green light on-the-fence Republicans to side with party leadership. The goal for Democrats, at this juncture, is simply to get more lawmakers to vote no. With the party fully united against repeal-and-replace legislation, its not entirely clear how the former president can help with that. Its not inconceivable that he may hurt.

I am more than willing to criticize Obama for floating above it all- just not this time, said Jim Manley, a longtime advisor to former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). [A]nything he says Trump will just uses as a way to distract from his efforts to take away health care for millions of Americans.

More here:
Obama Stays Silent on Health Care Debate. Here's Why. - Daily Beast

While transfer speculation swirls around him, Neymar keeps scoring goals, this time against Manchester United in the ICC.

LANDOVER, Md. -- Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu met with former President of the United States Barack Obama at half-time of the Catalan club's International Champions Cup 1-0 win against Manchester United on Wednesday.

Obama was present as a special guest at the FedEx Field to witness Barca win their second successive match in the U.S., with Neymar scoring the only goal of the game in the first half.

In a statement, Barca said that Obama was very "cordial" during the meeting, in which he talked with Bartomeu about the possibility of working with the club's Foundation in the future.

"During Mr Obama's encounter with Mr Bartomeu, the two talked about the work the FC Barcelona Foundation is carrying out in the United States," the statement explained.

"In addition, they also talked about the FCBEscoles project and the women's football team the club will be fielding in the country. The two also discussed the possibility of a future project involving both the Foundation and Mr Obama."

James Costos, who was appointed as the club's new strategic advisor in the United States earlier this month, organised the meeting.

Costos previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra from 2013 to 2017 and has also worked as a corporate and executive manager in the retail and entertainment industry, most notably at HBO.

Neymar's goal against United was his third in two games, following his brace in the 2-1 win against Juventus at the weekend.

Barca have one final ICC game left in the States before returning to Spain ahead of the new season, against Clasico rivals Real Madrid in Miami on Saturday.

Link:
President Obama meets Barcelona president at Man United match - ESPN FC

In her first public appearance since leaving the White House, the former first lady was asked which shards of glass had cut her the deepest.

There were no video cameras allowed at the event, but CNN has verified the remarks the Post reported with the Women's Foundation of Colorado.

Tuesday's speech at the Pepsi Center in Denver was part of the Women's Foundation of Colorado's 30th anniversary fundraising celebration.

Seated in a comfortable armchair in a talk-show format, Obama was met with cheers when she made brief remarks about the current administration and "boos" after saying she wouldn't be running for public office.

"Michelle is a rarity in today's society," said Mattye Crowley, one of the event's 8,300 attendees. "We have witnessed for over eight years people picked and tormented her every move, and she stayed true to herself."

The former first lady told the audience how best to empower girls from a young age. She said a large portion of that responsibility falls on education.

"If we want girls in STEM, we need to rethink how we deliver education," Obama told the crowd, using the acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. "Teachers, a kind word can mean the world to a young girl."

While serving as first lady, she launched several campaigns aimed at education.

"Reach Higher" inspires students to complete education past high school, and "Let Girls Learn" helps facilitate educational opportunities for young girls in developing countries.

They may have left the White House, but the Obamas aren't going away anytime soon.

"Public service and engagement will be a part of my life and my husband's life forever," Obama said.

She stayed away from current politics, but did mention the campaign slogan of her husband, former President Barack Obama.

"It was never 'yes he can'; it was 'yes we can,'" Obama said. "When we put so much on a person, on a leader, we absolve ourselves of doing anything else. We're all on a journey together -- we are all figuring this out. We all want someone who will fix things, but we're going to have to fix it together."

Some final words of wisdom from Obama? Surround yourself with other powerful people, don't be afraid to fail and protect what you love.

"What is going on within us [women] that we don't feel worthy enough to protect the things we value?" she said.

See more here:
Michelle Obama rises above racist jabs to empower women - CNN International

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would ban transgender people from the U.S. military, an action appealing to some in his conservative political base but sowing confusion about the fate of thousands of transgender service members.

Trump's surprise announcement, in a series of Twitter posts, drew condemnation from rights groups and some lawmakers in both parties as discrimination with purely political motives. But it was praised by conservative activists and some Republicans.

Trump spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the administration has not yet decided whether transgender service members already in the military would be immediately thrown out, saying the White House and Pentagon would have to work that out.

The action, reversing Democratic former President Barack Obama's policy, halted years of efforts to eliminate barriers to military service based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

"After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military," Trump tweeted, without naming any of the generals or experts.

"Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail," added Trump, who as a presidential candidate last year vowed to fight for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people.

Sanders said Trump had "extensive discussions with his national security team" and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was informed after the president made the decision on Tuesday.

"This was about military readiness," Sanders told a briefing. "This was about unit cohesion. This was about resources within the military, and nothing more."

Some White House officials were caught by surprise. A senior administration official said Trump had been determined to act for a while, but the question was the timing, with advisers split on whether to conduct reviews before announcing the move.

The Pentagon earlier referred questions about Trump's decision to the White House.

The announcement at least temporarily changed the subject in Washington with Trump's administration mired in investigations into his presidential campaign's contacts with Russia and struggling to win approval of any major legislation.

It was not the first time Trump has targeted transgender people since taking office in January. In February, he rescinded protections for transgender students put in place by Obama that had let them use bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity.

Senate Armed Forces Committee Chairman John McCain - the most prominent veteran in Congress, who was a Navy pilot and prisoner of war during the Vietnam War - called Trump's announcement unclear and inappropriate until an ongoing Pentagon study on the issue is completed and reviewed by Mattis, the military leadership and lawmakers.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council advocacy group, was among those praising Trump, saying that "our troops shouldn't be forced to endure hours of transgender 'sensitivity' classes and politically correct distractions."

Obama's Pentagon last year announced it was ending its ban on transgender people serving openly, calling the prohibition outdated. The Defense Department had been expected to start allowing transgender people to begin enlisting this year. But Mattis on June 30 approved a six-month delay in allowing transgender recruits to join the military.

American Civil Liberties Union attorney Joshua Block said Trump had rejected the "basic humanity" of transgender service members.

"There are no cost or military readiness drawbacks associated with allowing trans people to fight for their country," Block said. "The president is trying to score cheap political points on the backs of military personnel who have put their lives on the line for their country."

Obama's defense secretary, Ash Carter, last year cited a study by the RAND Corporation think tank saying there were about 2,500 transgender active-duty service members and 1,500 reserve transgender service members.

"To choose service members on other grounds than military qualifications is social policy and has no place in our military," Carter said on Wednesday, noting there were already transgender individuals serving "capably and honorably."

The House of Representatives' top Democrat, Nancy Pelosi, noted that a Pentagon-commissioned study determined the cost of providing medically necessary transition-related care involving transgender service members would amount to one-100th of 1 percent of the military's healthcare budget. The study put the cost at $2.4 million to $8.4 million a year of the more than $50 billion the Defense Department spends on healthcare.

"Once again, President Trump has shown his conduct is driven not by honor, decency, or national security, but by raw prejudice," Pelosi said.

Sarah Warbelow of the Human Rights Campaign advocacy group said Trump's action amounted to "discrimination on the basis of sex and identity," and was open to legal challenge under the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the law.

U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican whose son is transgender, said on Twitter: "No American, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity, should be prohibited from honor + privilege of serving our nation."

Chelsea Manning, the transgender Army soldier who served seven years in prison for leaking classified data, said Trump's action "sounds like cowardice." Transgender celebrity Caitlyn Jenner defended "patriotic transgender Americans" in the military and asked Trump on Twitter, "What happened to your promise to fight for them?"

But Vicky Hartzler, a Republican congresswoman, praised Trump for changing Obama's "costly and damaging policy."

The U.S. military's ban on gays serving openly in the armed forces ended under Obama in 2011 after Congress passed legislation in 2010 reversing a law dubbed "don't ask, don't tell" that had forced the ouster of thousands of service members and others to hide their sexual orientation.

The Pentagon under Obama also opened all combat roles in the military to women.

The U.S. military at times has been in the vanguard of social progress. Trump's action came on the 69th anniversary of Democratic President Harry Truman racially integrating the armed forces, years before the 1950s and 1960s civil rights battles.

Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Phil Stewart in Washington; Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Lawrence Hurley and Susan Heavey in Washington, and Daniel Trotta, Andrew Seaman, Joseph Ax and Jonathan Allen in New York; Writing by Will Dunham; Editing by Jonathan Oatis

Read more:
Trump to ban transgender military personnel, reversing Obama - Reuters

Former President Obama's ambassador to the United Nations is set to meet with congressional investigators on the Senate Intelligence Committee in a closed session on Friday, according to a CNN report.

Senate investigators examining Russia's role in the 2016 presidential campaignand possible ties between the Trump campaign and Moscow have interviewed a slew of former Obama administration officials in recent weeks.

Obama's former national security adviser Susan Rice met with the intelligence panel last week, as did former chief of staff Denis McDonoughDenis McDonoughFormer Obama UN ambassador to meet with Senate Intelligence panel: report Trump administration must release Clinton emails State Department tried to hide Sunday shows preview: McMaster hits circuit for second straight week MORE and James Clapper, Obama's former director of national intelligence.

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In addition to speaking with the Senate Intelligence Committee, CNN reported, Power has also agreed to meet with lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee, which is conducting its own investigation into Russian election meddling.

Spokespeople for the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee declined to confirm the panel's reported meeting with Power to The Hill.

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Former Obama UN ambassador to meet with Senate Intelligence panel: report - The Hill