Archive for the ‘Obama’ Category

An Obama Insider’s Lament – National Review

Conservatives will have a hard time finding a more like-minded guide to the decision-making inside the Obama White House than Michael Wear.

Wear served in the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships during Obamas first term, and then directed faith outreach for the presidents reelection campaign. His memoir of his time in the administration, Reclaiming Hope, is a spectacularly readable portrait of a unique niche in Obama-world to which many progressives grew hostile over time, representing as it did faith in general and Christianity in particular.

At a meeting early in Obamas first term, Wear recalls, he was introducing himself to some other young staffers and explaining his job when the second-most senior staffer at the table interrupted me and began a rant about the separation of church and state and what he deemed to be the impropriety of [faith-based outreach].

By his own account, Wear was nave at the beginning of the Obama years, a 21-year-old out to change the world before the world changed him, too inexperienced to know what was impossible and therefore willing to reach for what no one had done before. He is as admirably frank as Democrats get these days in acknowledging the virtues of faithful Americans, and he doesnt shy away from or gloss over the Obama administrations problems and clashes with Christian groups, dissecting each one as an insider who remains deeply sympathetic to Obama but who cant deny what he saw all around him.

In describing the battle that erupted between the administration and the Little Sisters of the Poor over Obamacares contraception mandate, Wear casts himself as Cassandra. This was not a standard disagreement between religious conservatives and a progressive White House, but instead a potentially landscape-shifting conflict-stoking move. This reality was conveyed to the highest levels of the White House repeatedly. He claims that the administration chose the path of most resistance in the contraception fight as a deliberate, cynical political strategy: A senior political advisor repeatedly thought that the bishops complaints would bolster a useful campaign narrative: that supporters of their view, including Republican Mitt Romney, held anachronistic views about women and family planning.

On gay marriage, Wear warily recounts Obamas declaration to Pastor Rick Warren at Saddleback Church that I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman and his May 2012 announcement that he suddenly realized that opposing gay marriage was incompatible with the Golden Rule to treat others as one wishes to be treated. Wear reminds readers that the presidents language was poll-tested and promoted by LGBT groups as effective. He also notes that many [campaign staffers] now acted as though he had never opposed same-sex marriage in the first place.

For cynics, its easy to conclude that President Obama is a liar, or that all of his statements come with an expiration date. But for Wear, a true believer, the conveniently timed, unpersuasively explained change of heart challenges the public persona Obama constructed during the 2008 campaign.

I was forced to ask myself, would he really have used religious language to convince voters of something he did not believe? Wear writes. If the president did believe in and support same-sex marriage in 2007 or even earlier, his repeated assertions that he did not were a direct rebuke to the type of politics he said was possible. To let stand the claim that he supported gay marriage all along is to choose political gain over the integrity of the presidents own words.

Rarely will you hear a participant in a winning presidential campaign describe the victorious effort so scathingly. Wear cringes at Democratic National Convention speakers almost comically excited about abortion. The cynicism of the endeavor grates on him. Data-driven politics is incompatible with an aspirational politics. It is willing to sacrifice a broader coalition for a few bucks, a dozen hours of free airtime and an angrier base. Hes clearly uncomfortable with the effort to paint Republican opponents into extreme, theocratic monsters: Too often the White House would not seek to marginalize the most offensive voices but to prop them up....One former aide to Obama summarized the 2012 campaigns basic message to voters was that Mitt Romney hates you.

Wear concludes by contrasting the 2009 inaugural where Obama stood by the decision to have Rick Warren deliver the invocation with the 2013 inaugural, where controversy erupted surrounding Louie Giglio.

Giglio is the pastor of Passion City Church, a particularly outspoken activist against human trafficking, and, in Wears words, the type of evangelical leader Democrats had pined for just years ago when they were on the defensive on social issues. He was no stranger to Obama; he was one of four Evangelical leaders invited to the White House to meet with the president after Obama announced the administrations support for gay marriage. But after he was announced as a speaker at the 2013 inauguration, liberal and gay-rights groups threw a fit.

Wear describes increasingly tense negotiations that climax when a senior staffer at one of our countrys leading LGBT rights groups is asked what kind of religious leader would be deemed acceptable to replace Giglio. The reply was, Honestly, if it is a Christian, we will find something on him, and make him famous. Giglio withdrew.

Wears conclusion is succinct and disturbing: In 2009, our diversity demanded we accept that there will be voices we disagree with in public spaces. In 2013, diversity required us to expel all dissent.

You might expect a book with tales like this to be angrier. Throughout, its clear Wear loves Obama both as a Christian and as a political leader. The story amounts to an affectionate, forgiving look at a leaders increasingly consistent betrayals. Your perspective on Christianity may determine whether you walk away from Reclaiming Hope thinking of Wear as a merciful soul or as a man who got suckered and is rationalizing his past loyalty.

Undoubtedly, a part of Obamas conscience wanted a more civil, respectful tone in politics, a Democratic party in which the Christian faithful felt warmly welcomed and celebrated instead of vilified, and a nation where religious liberty was broadly respected and persons of faith would feel like they were being demonized for political purposes.

Throughout his presidency, Obama wrestled with that conscience, and he always found a way to beat it.

Jim Geraghty is National Reviews senior political correspondent.

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An Obama Insider's Lament - National Review

Michelle Obama Was Inspired by Mary Tyler Moore: ‘She Was One of the Few Single Working Women Depicted’ – Us Weekly

As a self-described product of pop culture, former First Lady Michelle Obama once said during an August 2016 interview with Variety that she was inspired by Mary Tyler Moore, who passed away at the age of 80 on Wednesday, January 25.

The child obesity and female education activist and not to mention first-ever black first lady said it was Moores single, hardworking character Mary Richards in The Mary Tyler Moore Show who caught her eye at the age of 10 when she would watch TV with her family while eating dessert.

She was one of the few single working women depicted on television at the time, Obama told Variety while talking about Moores beloved stereotype-crushing 70s sitcom. She wasnt married. She wasnt looking to get married. At no point did the series end in a happy ending with her finding a husband which seemed to be the course you had to take as a woman. But she sort of bucked that. She worked in a newsroom, she had a tough boss, and she stood up to him. She had close friends, never bemoaning the fact that she was single. She was very proud and comfortable in that role. I was probably 10 or 11 when I saw that, and sort of started thinking, You know what? Marriage is an option. Having a family is an option. And going to school and getting your education and building your career is another really viable option that can lead to happiness and fulfillment.

Indeed, the late icon helped push boundaries and debunk stereotypes when she first landed the role in 1970. The show explored a variety of social issues, including sex and birth control, and as Obama pointed out, its lead character was an unwed, 30-something boss lady. In 1992, Entertainment Weekly dubbed Moores character "the first great grown-up single working woman on TV.

Moore, who, like Obama, was an activist throughout her life, particularly pertaining to issues related to diabetes, died of cardiopulmonary arrest on Wednesday. "Today, beloved icon Mary Tyler Moore passed away at the age of 80 in the company of friends and her loving husband of over 33 years, Dr. S. Robert Levine, her rep told Us in a statement. A groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mary will be remembered as a fearless visionary who turned the world on with her smile."

The spunky actress, whose broad career also earned her an Oscar nomination for her role in 1980's Ordinary People, had been hooked up to a respirator for more than a week prior to her death.

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Michelle Obama Was Inspired by Mary Tyler Moore: 'She Was One of the Few Single Working Women Depicted' - Us Weekly

Trump Revives Keystone Pipeline Rejected by Obama – New York Times


New York Times
Trump Revives Keystone Pipeline Rejected by Obama
New York Times
The actions were the latest to dismantle Obama era policies. The former president rejected the proposed 1,179-mile Keystone pipeline in 2015, arguing that it would undercut American leadership in curbing reliance on carbon energy to address a warming ...

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Trump Revives Keystone Pipeline Rejected by Obama - New York Times

Despite Country Club Members’ Rift, Obama Gets an Invitation – New York Times


New York Times
Despite Country Club Members' Rift, Obama Gets an Invitation
New York Times
WASHINGTON For weeks, the members of an exclusive, mostly Jewish country club in the Maryland suburbs of Washington have been entangled in a bitter dispute over whether to exclude former President Barack Obama, who has played golf there, ...
Maryland country club gives itself a mulligan, reaches out to ObamaWashington Post
Obama finally gets offer to join exclusive golf clubNew York Post
'Jewish' Golf Club Rolls Out Red Carpet for Barack Obama After AllForward
GolfDigest.com
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Despite Country Club Members' Rift, Obama Gets an Invitation - New York Times

Obama sent Palestinians $221M hours before leaving office – New York Post

WASHINGTON Officials say the Obama administration in its waning hours defied Republican opposition and quietly released $221 million to the Palestinian Authority that GOP members of Congress had been blocking.

A State Department official and several congressional aides said the outgoing administration formally notified Congress it would spend the money Friday morning. The official said former Secretary of State John Kerry had informed some lawmakers of the move shortly before he left the State Department for the last time Thursday. The aides said written notification dated Jan. 20 was sent to Congress just hours before Donald Trump took the oath of office.

In addition to the $221 million for the Palestinians, the Obama administration told Congress on Friday it was going ahead with the release of another $6 million in foreign affairs spending, including $4 million for climate change programs and $1.25 million for UN organizations, the congressional aides said. The aides and the State Department official werent authorized to speak publicly on the matter and demanded anonymity.

Congress initially had approved the Palestinian funding in budget years 2015 and 2016, but at least two GOP lawmakers Ed Royce of California, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Kay Granger of Texas, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee had placed holds on it over moves the Palestinian Authority had taken to seek membership in international organizations. Congressional holds generally are respected by the executive branch but are not legally binding after funds have been allocated.

The Obama administration for some time had been pressing for the release of the money which comes from the US Agency for International Development and is to be used for humanitarian aid in the West Bank and Gaza for the Palestinian Authority, to support political and security reforms as well as help prepare for good governance and the rule of law in a future Palestinian state, according to the notification sent to Congress.

The $1.25 million for UN agencies is to be used as voluntary contributions to the UN Peacebuilding Fund; the UN Special Coordinator on improving the UN response to sexual exploitation and abuse; the Montreal Protocol Secretariat, which oversees the protection of the ozone layer; the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; and the UN System Staff College.

The $4 million for climate programs includes assistance for clean energy, sustainable landscapes, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and creating a climate technology center.

The last-minute allocation also contained $1.05 million in funding for the State Departments Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan office and the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

The Palestinian funding is likely to draw anger from some in Congress as well as the Trump White House. President Trump has vowed to be a strong supporter of Israel and has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Washington next month.

He also has pledged to move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, although White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Monday a final decision on that had yet to be made. Despite speculation in Israel that an announcement of the move is imminent, Spicer said the decision-making process is only in its very early stages.

If it was already a decision, then we wouldnt be going through a process, Spicer told reporters.

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Obama sent Palestinians $221M hours before leaving office - New York Post