POLITICAL MUSINGS
OBAMA PRESIDENCY & THE 113TH CONGRESS:
Heller says lame duck Congress will not vote on unemployment benefits extension
- Government
- December 7, 2014
Non-partisan and unbiased.
Blog posts of Presidential speeches, Congressional documents and campaign speeches regardless of party in power.
Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS is a journalist, librarian, & historian. She is the author of Silver Boom! The Rise and Decline of Leadville, Colorado as the United States Silver Capital, 1860–1896. She has a BA in History & Art History, and a Masters in Library and Information Studies both from McGill University, and has done graduate work in Jewish history at Concordia University as part of the MA in Judaic Studies., where she focused Medieval & Modern Judaism and her thesis was on American Jewish History & Southern Jewish History.
Ms. Goodman wrote regularly about politics, news, education, and Judaism for Examiner.com until the publication closed in July 2016. She is the editor of History Musings... History, News & Politics which covers history news. She was also the former Editor/Features Editor for the History News Network (HNN), and had been working for HNN from 2004-2010, where she was the editor of some of the online magazine’s popular features, "History Buzz," "Political Highlights," "Top Young Historians," "History Doyens," "On this Day in History."
Ms. Goodman has also contributed to a number of reference publications; including the overviews, and chronologies for History of American Presidential Elections, 1789-2008, 4th edition, edited by Gil Troy, Fred L. Israel, and Arthur Meier Schlesinger, Facts on File, Inc. 2012, and the bibliographies for The Encyclopedia of the Cold War: a Political, Social, and Military History, edited by Spencer Tucker, ABC CLIO, 2007, and The Home Front Encyclopedia: United States, Britain, And Canada in World Wars I And II, edited by James D. Ciment & Thaddeus Russell, ABC-CLIO, 2006.
Ms. Goodman currently blogs at
Medium, where she is a top writer in history and regularly writes on "On This Day in History (#OTD in #History)" Feature and on the Times of Israel. Her scholarly articles can be found on Academia.edu
Source: CNN, 9-27-18 Prepared Written Testimony of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh Nomination Hearing to Serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court September 27, 2018 (submitted September 26, 2018) Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Feinstein, and Members of the Committee: Eleven days ago, Dr. Ford publicly accused me of committing a serious wrong more than […]
Source: CNN, 9-27-18 This morning, we continue our hearing on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. We will hear from two witnesses, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Kavanaugh. I’d like to thank Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh for accepting the […]
Source: CNN, 9-26-18 Written Testimony of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford United States Senate Judiciary Committee September 26, 2018 Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Feinstein, Members of the Committee. My name is Christine Blasey Ford. I am a Professor of Psychology at Palo Alto University and a Research Psychologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine. I […]
Source: National Post, 9-26-18 The following is the full speech U.S. President Donald Trump gave at the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly Annual General Debate in New York City on Tuesday. Madam President, Mr. Secretary-General, world leaders, ambassadors, and distinguished delegates: One year ago, I stood before you for the first time […]
Source: Vox, 9-7-18 Former President Barack Obama speaks to students at the University of Illinois, where he accepted the Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government on September 7, 2018. Scott Olson/Getty Images BARACK OBAMA: Hello, Illinois! I.L.L.! I.L.L.! Okay, okay. Just checking to see if you’re awake. Please have a seat, everybody. It is […]
Source: CNN, 9-1-18 Meghan McCain delivered a tribute to her father, the late Sen. John McCain, on Saturday at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. Read the transcript: “The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for, and I hate very much to leave it.” When Ernest Hemingway’s Robert Jordan at the close […]
Source: Town & Country, 9-1-18 To John’s beloved family, Mrs. McCain, to Cindy and the McCain children, President and Mrs. Bush, President and Secretary Clinton, Vice President and Mrs. Biden, Vice President and Mrs. Cheney, Vice President Gore, and as John would say, my friends. We come to celebrate an extraordinary man. A statesman, a […]
Source: Town & Country, 8-30-18 “My name is Joe Biden. I’m a Democrat. And I loved John McCain. I have had the dubious honor over the years of giving some eulogies for fine women and men that I’ve admired. But, Lindsey, this one’s hard. The three men who spoke before me I think captured John, […]
Source: Time, 7-17-18 MR. OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you so much. AUDIENCE: Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can! ADVERTISEMENT MR. OBAMA: Thank you. To Mama Graça Machel, members of the Mandela family, the Machel family, to President Ramaphosa who you can see […]
ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS PM Netanyahu’s Speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Iran’s Secret Atomic Weapon Sites Source: PMO, 9-27-18 “Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, When I spoke here, three years ago, Israel stood alone among the nations. Of the nearly 200 countries that sit in this hall, only […]
ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS Statement by PM Benjamin Netanyahu on US President Donald Trump withdrawing from the Iran Nuclear Deal Source: PMO, 08/05/2018 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening, issued the following statement: “Israel fully supports President Trump’s bold decision today to reject the disastrous nuclear deal with the terrorist regime […]
ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Speech claiming Iran is violating nuclear deal Source: Haaretz, 4-30-18 Good evening. Tonight, we’re going to show you something that the world has never seen before. Tonight, we are going to reveal new and conclusive proof of the secret nuclear weapons program […]
ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS PM Netanyahu’s Remarks at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center Event Marking Israel’s 70th Anniversary Source: PMO, 4-23-18 Photo by Kobi Gideon, GPO Thank you Herzi Makov, and thank you distinguished diplomats and friends. It’s an honor for me to be here at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center. […]
ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS Excerpt from PM Netanyahu’s AIPAC Speech Source: PMO, 06/03/2018 “Good morning, AIPAC. It’s always great to be here. But as I told President Trump yesterday, it’s especially great to be in America’s capital now that he has recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Thank you, President Trump for […]
ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS PM Benjamin Netanyahu statement in response to Secretary of State John Kerry’s speech attacking Israeli settlements Source: PMO, 12-28-16 הצהרת ראש הממשלה נתניהו 28/12/2016 יום רביעי כ”ח כסלו תשע”ז הנאום של מזכיר המדינה ג’ון קרי הוא אכזבה גדולה. הוא עוסק באופן אובססיבי בנושא ההתנחלויות בארץ ישראל, במקום […]
ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS Remarks on Middle East Peace Source: State.gov, 12-28-16 Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State The Dean Acheson Auditorium Washington, DC December 28, 2016 <iframe src=’https://players.brightcove.net/1705665025/HJ8lQG1Eg_default/index.html?videoId=5263818077001′ allowfullscreen frameborder=0> SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very, very much. Thank you. (Coughs.) Excuse me. Thank you […]
ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS PM Netanyahu’s Remarks at the Start of the Weekly Cabinet Meeting 25/12/2016 Source: PMO, 12-25-16 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting, made the following remarks: [Translated from Hebrew] “I share ministers’ feelings, anger and frustration vis-à-vis the unbalanced resolution that is […]
ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power’s Full Speech at the Security Council Source: Haaretz, 12-23-16 The full text of Samantha Power’s address to the Security Council concerning the resolution against Israeli settlements. The full text of Samantha Power’s address to the United Nations Security Council concerning […]
ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 Source: UN, 12-23-16 The full text of resolution 2334 (2016) reads as follows: “The Security Council, “Reaffirming its relevant resolutions, including resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 446 (1979), 452 (1979), 465 (1980), 476 (1980), 478 (1980), 1397 (2002), 1515 (2003), and 1850 (2008), […]
Posted by bonniekgoodman on December 7, 2014
https://historymusings.wordpress.com/2014/12/07/political-musings-december-7-2014-heller-says-lame-duck-congress-will-not-vote-on-unemployment-benefits-extension/
Source: WH, 12-7-14
East Room
5:09 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Good evening, everybody.
AUDIENCE: Good evening.
THE PRESIDENT: Welcome to the White House. Michelle and I love this event. Everybody looks so nice. (Laughter.) This is one of our favorites. And as Lily used to say — that’s the truth. (Laughter.) Now, as a President, I cannot stick out my tongue. That might cause an international incident.
But I want to start the evening by thanking David Rubenstein and the Kennedy Center Trustees, and the Kennedy Center’s new president, Deborah Rutter. Where’s Deborah? (Applause.) Yay! I want to thank George and Michael Stevens, who produce this event every year. (Applause.) Lately, they’ve won an Emmy for it just about every year, as well. So we are very proud to have them here. In fact, Michelle and I call this the “Stevens season.” (Laughter.)
President Kennedy once wrote, “The life of the arts, far from being an interruption, a distraction, in the life of a nation, is very close to the center of a nation’s purpose — and is a test of the quality of a nation’s civilization.”
I think Tom Hanks will agree that President Kennedy was probably envisioning “Joe Versus the Volcano” when he wrote that. (Laughter.) Although, I have to say, “Big” was on last night. (Applause.) And that — so things balance out. (Laughter.) But it’s clear that the group on stage with me tonight understands what President Kennedy understood: that our art is a reflection of us not just as people, but as a nation. It binds us together. Songs and dance and film express our triumphs and our faults, our strengths, our tenderness in ways that sometimes words simply cannot do. And so we honor those who have dedicated their lives to this endeavor. Those who have tapped into something previously unspoken, or unsung, or unexpressed. Those who have shown us not simply who they are, but who we all are. Those who are able to tap into those things we have in common, and not just those things that push us apart.
Now, I’m going to start with somebody who I know all of you think about whenever I sing, and that’s Reverend Al Green. (Laughter.) I’ve been keeping his traditions alive. (Laughter.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Do it again. Do it again.
THE PRESIDENT: No, I’m not going to do it again. I’m not going to do it. (Laughter.) No. No. That was like a one-time thing. My voice didn’t crack. It was a fluke. I can sing a little, but I cannot sing like Al Green. Nobody can sing like Al Green. (Applause.) Nobody can sing like Al Green. That soul, that light falsetto. His music can bring people together. In fact, he says he can hardly go anywhere without a fan coming up to him, pulling out a picture of one of their kids, and telling him which of his songs helped that child enter the world. (Laughter.) I embarrassed the Reverend. Look, at him, he’s all like — (laughter).
Al was born in Forrest City, Arkansas, one of 10 kids packed into a two-bedroom house. In his early 20s, he signed with Hi Records and helped bring Memphis soul into the spotlight with songs like “Tired of Being Alone.”
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Mm-hmm.
THE PRESIDENT: Mm-hmm. “Let’s Stay Together,” “Take Me to the River.”
AUDIENCE: Mmm. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: They’re thinking about all those songs and how it brought people together. (Laughter.) In the 1970s, he became a pastor at his church in Memphis, and later he started churning out a string of gospel hits that earned him eight Grammys. And as the years passed, he’s woven together his gospel and soul careers, recently collaborating with the Roots, John Legend, and his Memphis neighbor, Justin Timberlake. And of course, he’s still singing from the pulpit on Sunday. As he says, “The greatest thing that ever happened to me…the little boy from Arkansas, was that amidst all the doubts…I found peace.” For the peace he found and the soul he has shared with all of us, tonight we honor the Reverend, Al Green. (Applause.)
On the night of Patricia McBride’s farewell performance at the New York City Ballet, the crowd showered her with 13,000 roses. Thankfully, they cut the thorns off first. (Laughter.) And that is fitting, because when you hear about Patricia, you hear about somebody who is all rose and no thorn; legendary for her good cheer, her sweetness, her unabashed joyfulness. And that personality translated to the stage, where her humor and grace was matched only by her power and stamina, and incredible athleticism. She’s one of the most versatile dancers we’ve ever seen.
Patricia became the principal dancer at the New York City Ballet when she was just 18 years old, the youngest to ever hold that role, and she kept at it for 28 years — longer than anybody else in history. By the time she was finished, some of our greatest choreographers had written dozens of pieces just for her — which is not bad for a shy young girl who grew up in the shadow of World War II, putting glue on the toes of her dance shoes to make them last longer.
She’s the daughter of a single mom who worked as a bank secretary in a day when most mothers didn’t work outside the home, who pinched pennies from that job and paid the 75 cents for each dance lesson. Today, Patricia hasn’t forgotten where she came from. She and her husband Jean-Pierre are in charge of the critically acclaimed Charlotte Ballet, which offers a program that gives dance scholarships to young people in need. So for sharing her spirit and her smile in so many ways, tonight we honor Patricia McBride. (Applause.)
In “Nine To Five,” Lily Tomlin plays an undervalued employee whose chauvinist boss steals her ideas and screams at her to get coffee. Finally, she and two coworkers get so fed up, they kidnap him. They get to work changing the office. Working moms get treated better. Productivity rises. The top brass are thrilled. It’s basically a live-action version of the working family policies I’ve been promoting for years. (Laughter and applause.) We’ve sent DVDs to all members of Congress to try to get them on the program. (Laughter.)
That role has Lily written all over it. It’s edgy, a little dark, but fundamentally optimistic. She’s created countless characters — from Ernestine, the telephone operator; to “Lucille the rubber freak;” to Edith Ann, the five-and-a-half-year-old philosopher — all of them kind of oddballs, like Lily — (laughter) — all portrayed with incredible warmth and affection, like Lily. She pushed boundaries, as well. On her 1973 variety show, “Lily,” she and Richard Pryor performed a skit called “Juke and Opal,” about two black folks hanging out in a diner. (Laughter.) One reviewer called it “the most profound meditation on race and class that I have ever seen on a major network” — which says something both about Lily and the major networks. (Laughter.) That was ad-libbed, by the way. (Laughter.) In her one-woman show, “The Search of Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,” written by her brilliant partner, Jane Wagner — (applause) — yay, Jane — Lily played a dozen characters, transforming instantly into men and women, young, old, crazy and sane.
And this versatility has led to a flood of awards — Emmys, Tonys, a Grammy, Oscar nomination. She’s just inches away from an EGOT. And now she’s a Kennedy Center honoree. When asked what she hoped her tribute tonight would look like, she said, “What I’d like to see is a big stream of gay drag artists come out as Ernestine.” (Laughter and applause.) I haven’t talked to George Stevens. I don’t know whether this has been arranged. (Laughter.) Although, I’d like to see it, too. I think — (laughter.) But I can promise that your contributions to American stage and screen will live on. For her genius, her compassion, for just being funny, we honor tonight Lily Tomlin. (Applause.)
About 40 years ago, a young singer-songwriter named Gordon Sumner was known to wear a yellow and black striped sweater. Ever since, he’s been known by one name: Sting. Now, not everybody can pull off a name like Sting, but this guy can. His wife, Trudie, calls him Sting. Apparently his kids call him Sting. (Laughter.) “POTUS” is a pretty good nickname — (laughter) — but let’s face it, it’s not as cool as “Sting.” (Laughter.) I kind of wish I was called “Sting.” I’m stuck with “POTUS.” (Laughter.)
But everybody knows that Sting is more than just a name. He is an all-around creative force. There’s his singular voice on classics from The Police — “Roxanne,” “Every Breath You Take,” “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic.” There’s his incredible solo career — the songwriting that shape-shifts between rock and jazz and reggae, and rhythms drawn from all around the world. He’s acted in films. He’s topped the classical charts. He just opened a musical on Broadway. The guy once turned down a chance to be a Bond villain. Who does that? (Laughter.) Sting apparently. I mean, look at him — he’s too cool, right?
Because just being a celebrity was never Sting’s goal. This is a man who comes from humble roots. He’s the son of a milkman and a hairdresser. When he was a child, he was so tall that his classmates called him “Lurch.” They regret that now. (Laughter.) That’s payback right there. He’s here. You, whoever you are — you’re out there. (Laughter and applause.) Before he had any success as a singer, he had worked as a teacher, a construction worker, and in a tax office. And if a few things had gone differently, we could be living in a world with a really hip, cool tax clerk named Lurch. (Laughter.) Instead, we’ve got Sting — artist, truth-teller, a champion of human rights, a champion of our environment. And for all those reasons, and the fact that his music is spectacular and beautiful — for all those reasons, tonight we honor Sting. (Applause.)
One of four kids in his family in Concord, California, Tom Hanks once said his idea of a good time growing up was to take a bus to Sacramento. (Laughter.) In the years since, Tom has flown a rocket to outer space, he’s fallen in love with a mermaid, he’s faced down Somali pirates, mooned the President of the United States. (Laughter.) I’m glad he got that last one out of his system before this evening. (Laughter.)
Tom’s career began just like so many Hollywood legends — dressing in drag for a show called “Bosom Buddies” — (laughter) — kung-fu fighting The Fonz on “Happy Days.” But he first won our hearts in comedy, with big hits like “Big” and “Splash.” I did watch “Big” last night. That’s a great movie. I love that movie. Got kind of choked up at the end. And as the years passed, he told us “there’s no crying in baseball,” “life is like a box of chocolates.” He told “Houston, we have a problem.” And as a cartoon cowboy, he showed us we can always keep our faith in a little boy.
But Tom isn’t known simply for his characters — he’s known for his character. For his tremendous support of our veterans, he’s in the Army Ranger Hall of Fame. For his support of the space program, he has an asteroid named after him. Through Tom, we’ve seen our World War II heroes not simply in sepia-tones somewhere in the distance, but as they truly were: gritty, emotional, flawed, human. Through Tom, we saw the courageous faces behind an AIDS epidemic often overshadowed by stigma and bigotry. Through Tom, again and again, we’ve seen our passion and our resolve, and our love for each other. As his friend Steven Spielberg once said, “If Norman Rockwell were alive today, he would paint a portrait of Tom.”
And people have said that Tom is Hollywood’s everyman; that he’s this generation’s Jimmy Stewart or Gary Cooper. But he’s just Tom Hanks. And that’s enough. That’s more than enough. And for that, we honor him tonight — Mr. Tom Hanks. (Applause.)
So, Reverend Al Green; Patricia McBride; Lily Tomlin; Sting; Tom Hanks — charm, soul, spirit spunk — they’ve helped us better understand ourselves and each other. And, as President Kennedy expressed, they’ve helped us center our purpose as a nation, and together reflect the quality of our society. For that, we cannot thank them enough. We are so glad to be able to celebrate these extraordinary people. Thank you for everything that you’ve given to us over the years and for what you’re going to give us in the future.
Congratulations. God bless you all. Please join me in saluting one last time our extraordinary Kennedy Center Honorees for this evening. (Applause.)
END
5:28 P.M. EST
Posted by bonniekgoodman on December 7, 2014
https://historymusings.wordpress.com/2014/12/07/full-text-obama-presidency-december-17-2014-at-kennedy-center-honors-reception-transcript/
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY FEATURES OTD in History… May 13-June 20, 1939, the ill-fated St Louis filled with German Jewish refugees is refused entry into the Americas Bonnie K. Goodman May 31, 2019 By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS Source: Washington Post Eighty years ago on this day in history, May 27, 1939, […]
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ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY FEATURES OTD in History… January 10, 1776, Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense argues for American independence Bonnie K. Goodman Jan 10 By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history January 10, 1776, Thomas Paine (1737–1809) publishes anonymously his pamphlet Common Sense arguing for American independence from Great Britain. The popular […]
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ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History June 17–19, 1856, the first Republican Convention nominates John C Frémont for president By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history June 17–19, 1856, the first Republican Party convention convenes at the Musical Fund Hall, Philadelphia […]
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in history… June 18, 1812, President Madison signs declaration beginning the War of 1812 against Britain and colonial Canada By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history, June 18, 1812, the War of 1812 begins after President James Madison signs the […]
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY HISTORY, NEWS & POLITICS HISTORY & POLITICAL HEADLINES OTD in History… June 17, 1972, Five men break into DNC at Watergate launching a crisis and the fall of President Nixon By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS On this day in history… June 17, 1973, five men broke into the Democratic National Committee […]