Shallow Nation » Barack Obama

Obama Family Portrait Photo by Annie Leibovitz (Official)

Shallow Nation — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:39:10 +0000

Here is the official Obama family portrait photo by Annie Leibovitz. It was taken on Sept. 1, 2009 at the Green Room in the White House in Washington, DC, featuring the President, First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia.

As Vanity Fair notes, the legendary photographer first began photographing the President and his family in 2004 when he was running for the Senate. She first photographed the family at the campaign headquarters in Chicago, with a caption, “Is this the face of a future president?”

More on the story along with additional pictures: Annie Leibovitz’s Portraits of President Obama and His Family ViaThe Swamp

A video interview with the famed photographer is below.

Link

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Obama Family Portrait Photo By Annie Leibovitz (Official)

Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize 2009 (Video)

Shallow Nation — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:28:58 +0000

U.S. President Barack Obama is the Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2009. Video of the Oct. 9 announcement, which has come as a surprise, is below. Updated with video and transcript of Obama’s speech in response.

The Nobel Committee, in Oslo, Norway, named him the 108th recipient of the prize for, according to a statement, “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”

Additionally, the statement reads: “The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama’s initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climactic challenges the world is facing.” [Source: Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize]

As the New York Times notes, the announcement came as a surprise with journalists, inquiring of committee chairman Thorbjorn Jagland, as to why he was named the Nobel Laureate rather than other candidates who include human rights activists in such countries as China and Afghanistan. Noting the Obama administration’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan, he said:

“[It] concerns us all. We do hope an improvement in the international climate could help resolve that.”

Additionally, why so early in his presidency was he the award recipient. To which the chairman responded:

We are not awarding the prize for what may happen in the future but for what he has done in the previous year. We would hope this will enhance what he is trying to do.”

Source: Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

He is the fourth U.S. president to win the Nobel; previous recipients have been Jimmy Carter in 2002 long after he had left office; Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt while they were still in office. [Source: Factbox - U.S. presidents who won Nobel Peace Prize]

Video of the Barack Obama Nobel Peace Prize announcement is below. Additionally see the video of the Obama speech on Oct. 9.

In his speech he said: “Let me be clear, I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations…”I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many transformative figures that have been honored by this prize.”

Source: Obama Says He’s ‘Surprised and Humbled’ by Nobel Prize

Here is the full transcript of the speech: President Obama’s Nobel Reaction

Both videos are below. Check back for additional updates.

Video Link Announcement

Video Link – Obama Speech at the White House responding to winning the Nobel Peace Prize

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Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize 2009 (Video)

Obama Olympics 2016 Video, Photos 10-2-09: Chicago 2016 Bid in Copenhagen

Shallow Nation — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:25:19 +0000

Here are the Obama Olympics 2016 speech video, photos, and transcripts. As part of the Chicago Olympics 2016 bid in Copenhagen, Denmark on October 2, 2009; both the President and the First Lady addressed the IOC. The announcement time of the host city takes place at approximately 6:30 p.m. local time. (1:30 pm ET).

The presentation by the U.S. city which competes with Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, and Tokyo to host the Games, was in total 70 minutes long. As such it was the culmination of Chicago’s four-year long campaign, with a budget of $48 million, as the Wall Street Journal reports.

Update: Chicago has been eliminated and Rio de Janeiro has won. See: Live – 2016 Olympics decision day

President Barack Obama delivered his address before the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Copenhagen saying, in part that the U.S. “is ready and eager to assume that sacred trust…I urge you to choose Chicago. And if you do — if we walk this path together — then I promise you this: The city of Chicago and the United States of America will make the world proud.”

For her part, the WSJ reports, First Lady Michelle Obama, a native Chicagoan made an appeal, evoking memories of her father, who came down with multiple sclerosis in while in his 30s, noting that as a child she remembers sitting on her father’s lap and cheering for Olympic gymnasts Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci. former athlete

Speaking of her father: “He taught me how to throw a ball and mean right hook better than anybody in our neighborhood,” breaking into her trademark smile.

Source: Cities Make Pitches for 2016 Olympics

Here are the full transcripts of the speeches: President Obama: Address to the International Olympic Committee and Michelle Obama Speech to the International Olympics Committee. Transcript

For more coverage and analysis, see:

The full video of both speeches are below.

Link

Link: President Obama Olympics 2016 video – 10-2-09

Link Chicago Olympics 2016 Video

Obama Olympics 2016 Video, Photos 10-2-09: Chicago 2016 Bid in Copenhagen

Obama UN Speech Video, Photos 9-23-09

Shallow Nation — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:32:21 +0000

Here is the full Obama UN speech video, transcript and photos from September 23, 2009. President Barack Obama delivered the address at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. It is his first address to world leaders at the UN General Assembly since assuming office.

In his address, the President was stern in his assessment of the responsibilities of the U.S. and other world nations. Among the issues he addressed were climate change. He said: “The danger posed by climate change cannot be denied. Our responsibility to meet it must not be deferred. If we continue down our current course, every member of this assembly will see irreversible changes within their borders.

“Our efforts to end conflicts will be eclipsed by wars over refugees and resources. Development will be devastated by drought and famine. Land that human beings have lived on for millennia will disappear. Future generations will look back and wonder why we refused to act, why we failed to pass on — why we failed to pass on an environment that was worthy of our inheritance. And that is why the days when America dragged its feet on this issue are over. We will move forward with investments to transform our energy economy, while providing incentives to make clean energy the profitable kind of energy.”

Obama spoke in general terms as well, regarding challenges nations face: “We can be remembered as a generation that chose to drag the arguments of the 20th century into the 21st; that put off hard choices, refused to look ahead, and failed to keep pace because we defined ourselves by what we were against instead of what we were for. Or, we can be a generation that chooses to see the shoreline beyond the rough waters ahead; that comes together to serve the common interests of human beings, and finally gives meaning to the promise embedded in the name given to this institution: the United Nations.”

At times, his remarks were directed towards specific countries: “If the governments of Iran and North Korea choose to ignore international standards they must be “held accountable. The world must stand together to demonstrate that international law is not an empty promise, and that treaties will be enforced.”

Here is the transcript: Obama UN Speech: Full Text.

For more analysis, see:

The full video is below.

Link: Obama UN Speech Video at United Nations General Assembly, New York City, Sept. 23, 2009

Obama UN Speech Video, Photos 9-23-09

Obama Letterman Video 9-21-09

Shallow Nation — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:13:14 +0000

Here is the Obama Letterman video, transcript and photos from September 21, 2009. President Barack Obama made an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman as the sole guest; it is his sixth time overall as a guest and first since assuming office. The appearance is historic in that it is the first ever on the show by sitting president.

He delivered a memorable line while addressing the strong reaction that health care reform has received, which former President Jimmy Carter suggested may have roots in racism. He said: “It’s important to realize that I was actually black before the election.”

Other notable moments include the Letterman Top 10 reasons for Obama to appear on the show as follows:

10. Heard the lady with the heart-shaped potato was gonna be here.
9. Thought it would be fun to watch someone else get heckled.
8. Something to do with that whole Cash For Clunkers deal.
7. Every president since Teddy Roosevelt has done it.
6. Someone offers you 600 bucks, you take it ladies and gentlemen.
5. We told him Megan Fox would be here.
4. Needed some time to hang out before check-in time at his hotel.
3. I have no idea.
2. Said yes, without thinking, like Bush did with Iraq.
1. Wanted to congratulate Dave on the big Emmy win.

In a response, Obama said, “The main reason I’m here? I want to see that heart-shaped potato.” The potato was then tossed to Letterman, who gave it to Obama who said, “This is remarkable.”

On a more serious note, the President additionally addressed health care reform and financial reform during the hour long interview. Regarding the economic recovery he said: “We’re not going to recover overnight. Unemployment is still going to be a big problem for at least another year.”

See also for more details and transcript:

The video is below.

Link: Obama Letterman Video

Here are additional segments of the program.

Video Link

Video Link

Obama Letterman Video 9-21-09

Obama Calls Kanye a Jackass Video [Audio]

Shallow Nation — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:13:52 +0000

What began as the President’s off-the-record remark became a Tweet and now documented via the Obama Kanye Jackass video, which has gone viral, in the aftermath of the original Tweet by ABC News Nightline co-anchor Terry Moran on September 14, 2009. The President was weighing in on the Kanye West Taylor Swift incident at the MTV VMA 2009 awards which saw the rapper crash the stage when Swift won the Best Female Video Award, take the microphone and tell a stunned audience Beyonce should have won the award.

**UPDATED below with video footage.

The original Tweet Moran made (before a CNBC interview with the President, when the remark was made) to his more than 1 million followers (since deleted): “Pres. Obama just called Kanye West a ‘jackass’ for his outburst at VMAs when Taylor Swift won. Now THAT’S presidential.”

The audio and transcript of the President remarking on the incident pictured above which TMZ obtained (Obama Calls Kanye a Jackass) and which can heard via the video below reveals the President backtracking the remark: “Where’s the pool?” he asks, referring to the White House press reporters. He then adds: “Come on, guys. Cut the president some slack. I’ve got a lot of other stuff on my plate.”

Full transcript: Obama: Kanye Is A “Jackass”

ABC has since issued a statement to Politico regarding the original Tweet:

“In the process of reporting on remarks by President Obama that were made during a CNBC interview, ABC News employees prematurely tweeted a portion of those remarks that turned out to be from an off-the-record portion of the interview. This was done before our editorial process had been completed. That was wrong. We apologize to the White House and CNBC and are taking steps to ensure that it will not happen again.”

Source: Did Obama Call Kanye a Jackass?

Holly Baily of Newsweek reveals that it is CNBC’s John Harwood who is speaking with the president prior to an interview and is asking him what he thought of the Kanye West Taylor Swift incident. The publication questions how it is that TMZ obtained the recording, who made the recording, and other questions which will likely find an answer quickly. [Source: TMZ Posts Audio of Obama Calling Kanye a 'Jackass.' But How Did It Get the Tape? ]

More on the story here. The full audio can be heard via the video below and seen in the newly released video footage.

Obama, Kanye West and trouble with Twitter

Link: Obama Calls Kanye a Jackass Video [audio]

Link: Video footage

Obama Calls Kanye a Jackass Video [Audio]

Obama Wall Street Speech Video, Photos 9-14-09 (Federal Hall New York)

Shallow Nation — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:13:36 +0000

Here is the full Obama Wall Street speech video, transcript and photos from September 14, 2009. The President delivered the address in New York City at Federal Hall at 26 Wall Street, to discuss what the administration is doing to foster economic recovery and address the need to overhaul the financial regulatory system to avert future crises in U.S. and economic markets. The speech took place on the one-year anniversary of the collapse of financial giant Lehman Brothers and was delivered before an audience of 150 bankers, traders, financiers, officials and politicians according to media reports.

Noting the history of Federal Hall in New York which is where the 1789 inauguration of President George Washington took place and Congress met, the President noted that it was in this location that two centuries ago ‘Hamilton and Jefferson debated how best to administer a young economy and the country continues to face economic crises. He said: ‘We will not go back to the days of reckless behavior and unchecked excess” and went on to say that his administration proposes “the most ambitious overhaul of the financial system since the Great Depression.” He went on to say, “But I want to emphasize that these reforms are rooted in a simple principle: we ought to set clear rules of the road that promote transparency and accountability.”

Here is the transcript: Obama Wall Street Speech: Full Text.

For more analysis, see:

The full video is below.

Link: Obama Wall Street speech video at Federal Hall, New York City, Sept. 14, 2009

Obama Wall Street Speech Video, Photos 9-14-09 (Federal Hall New York)

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