1,000 Words: Always Be Closing Edition

From the White House Flickr feed:

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

President Barack Obama talks to a Member of Congress while en route to George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., to deliver remarks on health insurance reform, March 19, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Related Topics: 1,000 Words
  • Latest on Swampland

    Pete Souza / The White House via Getty Images

    Political Picures of the Week, May 18-25

    TIME’s photo editors bring you the best pictures of the past week from the Beltway and beyond.

    Obama Administration Blocks Global Health Fund To Fight Disease In Developing NationsHuffPost Politics

    From left: AP; ABACAUSA

    The Phony War: Obama and Romney Are Debating Character, Not Policy

    More than five months from Election Day, the back-and-forth about Mitt Romney’s record at Bain already feels played out. Unfortunately, there’s good reason to expect the campaign continues in this vein indefinitely. Neither Barack Obama nor Mitt Romney are terribly interested in dwelling on policy platforms. Romney’s plan to slash spending and keep taxes low on the wealthy isn’t especially popular, at least not at any level of detail beyond a blithe promise to shrink the deficit. Meanwhile, Obama’s signature first-term achievements, like health care, the stimulus and Wall Street reform, are all unpopular or tricky to sell. (The Dodd-Frank bill is the most popular of these, but hyping it means offending wealthy donors.) So what we’re getting instead is a superficial duel about character–and, worse, one that’s based on the largely false premise that the better man can better “manage” the economy back to health.

  • http://www.simonvinkenoog.nl/beeld/Yogi%20-%20Annelies%20Rigter.jpg yogi

    “Hey Kucinich, I got Georgetown to lose to Ohio last night for you, now will you vote for the health care bill? Yeah, you’re welcome, and thank you for busting my bracket.”

  • deconstructiva

    Obama: “Yeah, I’ll have an Italian sub and a large deluxe pizza with extra pepperoni and ham …oh, oops, sorry, Nancy… yeah, these speed dial buttons all look alike, really sucks. How’s that House vote count whipping going? …oh… want me to order extra pizzas for you? I’ll bring them myself.”

  • deconstructiva

    Obama: “Hello, Karen? Yeah, it’s me. Say, my staff can’t log into your website, and did that dude whathisname apologize to you? …oh, yeah, rusty, that’s the one….”

  • deconstructiva

    Obama: “Yes dear, I’ll pick up the gardening supplies after the HCR arm-twisting, I mean, conference… …milk and eggs, got it… …and pick up the tampons again? Arrrgh… …all right, I’ll pick up the tampons if you’ll mow the lawn this time.”

  • kevin

    “Congressman Stupak, do you have any idea how much noise Air Force One makes when it lands in Marquette, Michigan? We’re going to have a party, Congressman. You should come, it’s gonna be great. And when the watermelon’s done, right in town square, right in the band gazebo… You guys got a band gazebo? Doesn’t matter, we’ll build one. Right in the band gazebo, that’s where I’m going to drape my arm around the shoulder of some assistant DA my staff likes, someone we pick to run against you in the primary. And you should have your camera with you. You should get a picture of that. ‘Cause that’s gonna be the moment you’re finished in Democratic politics.”

  • http://theblindspotsofgod.wordpress.com lawyermommy

    Crickey!

    All I can say is that the President looks EXHAUSTED! Wowzerssss.

    I hope this bill is passed into law soon!

    LM
    http://theblindspotsofgod.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/technology-savvy-nigerian-criminals-are-the-greatest-threat-to-national-security/

  • http://twitter.com/ktumulty Karen Tumulty

    This car is not MOVING, Mr. President, until you put on your seat belt.

  • deconstructiva

    Obama: “Hello, is this Victoria’s Secret? …Yes, I’d like to place an order for 434 pairs of lacy big-girl panties and matching bras, each in gift boxes with cards …I’ll have my assistant over there shortly, she’ll pick the colors …name is John Boehner, that’s B-O-E-H…”

  • deconstructiva

    Obama: “Oh, it’s Boehner? Yeah, I’ll take it… John, dude, what’s up? …oh really… no way …hell no, we didn’t do that. Who came up with that idea? Hold on, I gotta fasten my seat belt.”

  • deconstructiva

    Obama: “Can’t we just use the side impact airbags instead?”

  • Ivy_B

    No sir, we don’t have a big enemy repelling cushion of air around you at all times, you have to use your seat belt. And, it’s the LAW!

  • anon76

    @KT- for the love of all things holy, throw a rock or something at the web monkeys. It’s nearly impossible to log on to leave comments, and it ain’t just me that’s having issues. For a (Satur)day where you guys are putting out a little content, we can not give you the post count you all deserve until the log-in issue is resolved.
    .
    Help us KT, you’re our only hope!

  • http://patricksartor.wordpress.com patricksartor

    Obama: No, I really don’t need to know how much I can save on my electric bill. I’m sorry, but, I really have some things to get done.

    Obama: Yes, I am aware of deregulation and green energy…I have to go now.

  • allthingsinaname

    No, I am not comming out and, your not comming in.

  • earljr1

    Trust me when I tell you, because my name is Obama…..they believe ANYTHING I tell them! Will your house seat be safe if you vote for HCR? aahh, let me get back to you on that one!

  • Exiled_At_Home (formerly Neo)

    KT,
    Please…fix…the…login…issues!
    ~
    After 968 attempts to post on JK’s thread, I finally was successful. PLEASE!

  • gysgt213

    As your President I am telling you Word Press is major suckage!

  • Paul-no not that one

    Good God how can TIME Incorporated have a clumsier website than a run of the mill blogspot?
    .
    I share Neo’s frustration.

  • Paul-no not that one

    Any TIME reporter working this weekend?
    .
    http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/03/true_colors_even_worse_than_we_thought.php?ref=fpblg
    .
    “t seems that ugly crowd of protestors harassing members of Congress in the Capitol complex this afternoon got even uglier than we thought. As noted earlier, in addition to menacing behavior toward multiple members of Congress, one protestor called Rep. Barney Frank a “faggot”, a taunt greeted by laughter from fellow protestors.

    We’re now getting reports that other protestors yelled “nigger” at Rep. John Lewis (D-GA).”

  • shepherdwong

    Hi Bart, is your refrigerator running? Well Connie Saltonstall is.

  • Paul-no not that one

    Ooo I’m in moderation –I was asking whether any TIME reporter was working this weekend,
    .
    Things are getting nasty and this link has bad words so I was put in TIME out.
    .
    http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/03/true_colors_even_worse_than_we_thought.php?ref=fpblg

  • http://patricksartor.wordpress.com patricksartor

    I had EXACTLY the same problem.

    “to reply please log in”

    Log in.

    “…please log in”

    Log in

    etc, etc etc.

  • formerlyjames

    Ugly crowd gathered at the Capitol. Don’t hold any Easter Seal parades just now. Wait until they disperse. May need tear gas.

  • formerlyjames

    I haven’t a problem on the web site. Curious. I was wondering about the dearth of comments. Now I know.

  • Paul-no not that one

    More than ugly fj, TPM has more.
    .
    Oh and a brick through Slaughter’s window.
    .

  • http://patricksartor.wordpress.com patricksartor

    Formerly,

    Maybe you’re just one Time’s favorites.

  • kevin

    They’re not just calling Democrats “f-ggot” and “n-gger,” they’re openly threatening violence:
    .
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjbrenchley/4448018629/
    .
    If you can’t make it out, the lower sign reads “If Brown Can’t Stop It, A Browning Can.”
    .
    I can’t wait to hear how Democrats are worse.

  • http://patricksartor.wordpress.com patricksartor

    One name: Joe Stack.

    Inside this movement are Christian American Jihadists ready to engage in suicide bombings.

    Intelligent debate is wonderful and what democracy and (as conservatives would bring up) what our founding fathers dreamed of and intended for this country.

    Your link brings us to the unintelligible debating points of the right wing extreme.

  • Paul-no not that one

    Kevin where is that picture from?
    .
    And it’s not the Democrats are worse. The script is “They are both the same”.
    .
    KT used it this week. Tired, lazy, obligatory conventional wisdom.

  • kevin

    It’s from the “Code Red” Tea Party rally this afternoon at the Capitol.

  • Paul-no not that one

    Thanks Kevin.
    .
    Maybe it is The Physician. He said he was going to be there.
    .
    I kid, of course, he doesn’t leave his house.

  • kevin

    I’ve seen a different picture that shows a second identical sign next to that one. Looks like they were mass produced.
    .
    At this point, it’s not a question of *if* one of these Tea Party nutcases acts on the violent rhetoric, it’s simply a matter of when and where.
    .
    And the second question, of course, is when it does happen, will the media stop treating these people like rational participants in the political process?

  • http://patricksartor.wordpress.com patricksartor

    “They are both the same”.

    No.

    Put four liberals in the room and we will look at things that conservatives do and smirk or roll our eyes like we are dealing with a retarded child or, maybe, a person with Alzheimer’s who needs supervision.

    Even then that is at our worst and least respectful.

    Put four conservatives into a room and at least three of them will be talking about us in terms used for wartime enemies out to ruin the world.

    We hear a joke about Bill Clinton, half of the time we can laugh about it.

    They hear a joke about GWB or any other prominent Republicans and most of them react like you just made a joke about their mother.

  • Paul-no not that one

    This site is laughable. So bush-league.

  • http://patricksartor.wordpress.com patricksartor

    Doc,

    Are you going to make a comment about the Tea Party or let people believe that you are that extreme in your beliefs?

    (I presume you are not – if so, I hope not to be a patient in your emergency room).

  • Paul-no not that one

    “And the second question, of course, is when it does happen, will the media stop treating these people like rational participants in the political process?”
    .
    No. It will be the act of an extremist. Like when an doctor who performs abortions is killed in his church.
    .
    Isolated act.

  • Paul-no not that one

    Black Representative Says He Was Spit On By Anti-HCR Protestor Today
    MOMENTS AGO
    Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) just released a statement detailing an incident today in he says an anti-reform protestor spat on him as Cleaver entered the Capitol. The man who allegedly spat on the three-term incumbent Democrat was later arrested Capitol by police, Cleaver’s office said.
    .
    http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/live/countdown-to-reform-wire/?ref=fpblg

  • kevin

    Rep. Cleaver is also Rev. Cleaver. They’re spitting on ministers.

  • glancep

    FTW!
    .
    I know Sorkin when I hear him… ;)

  • Paul-no not that one

    These people are exactly what they appear to be.
    .
    Will there be any coverage other than the Polk winning TPM to cover this?
    .
    I guess we shall see.

  • kbanginmotown

    Took me 2 tries to log in today.
    .
    Teh Crazy at Teh Capitol has not made it on to CNN International (JC – do you get other stations?).
    .
    Thank goodness for the intertubes…

  • grape_crush

    When your life is troubled, there’s always someone you can turn to for clarity…

  • grape_crush

    “always Obama can turn to…”
    .
    eesh.

  • sacredh

    C’mon Sarah, just think about it. Run with me in 2012. I’ll dump Joe and pick you to be my VP. I’ll get the sane vote and you’ve got the crazies locked up. I know what women like you want and I have two words about mine. Huge. Enormous. I’m serious. My speaking fees will make me filthy rich. Yours will too.

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