Week Eleven

Presidential Archive    4/9 – 4/14/09

By Linnie Frank Bailey

Upon completion of a successful trip abroad, President Obama recognized the 2000^th project approved under his Recovery Act.  From road construction projects, to child disease prevention programs, the stimulus money makes it way across the country.  The President gave a major economic speech to the nation this week, and quoting Scripture, reminded Americans we must build our financial house “upon the rock.”

Thursday, April 9, 2009

The Obama’s Host Seder Dinner

The Obama family hosted a Seder dinner in the Old Family Dining Room of the White House in recognition of the Jewish holiday of Passover. Friends and White House staff and their families joined in the sit down dinner which included traditional foods such as matzo and bitter herbs, and featured a reading from Jewish religious text. It is believed to be the first time the White House has had a Seder hosted by a U.S. President.

A 21st-century VA

Days after visiting our troops in Iraq, the President announced needed changes for VA Health Centers.  Saying the time is now to give our veterans “the care they were promised and the benefits they have earned,” Obama announced the creation of a “unified lifetime electronic health record” for members of the armed services that will contain their administrative and medical information – “from the day they first enlist to the day that they are laid to rest.” The President signaled a newfound cooperation between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veteran Affairs to better address the needs of service members and veterans, stating as a goal:  “When a member of the Armed Forces separates from the military, he or she will no longer have to walk paperwork from a DOD duty station to a local VA health center; their electronic records will transition along with them and remain with them forever.”

Monday, April 13, 2009

Bo, The First Dog, Arrives

The Obama girls—Sasha and Malia—finally got that puppy their father promised them during his Presidential campaign.  Bo, a 6-month-old male Portuguese water dog was given to the family as a gift from Senator Ted Kennedy. It is reported that Bo is actually related to Kennedy's own two pooches. The name Bo is for Michelle Obama’s late dad who was reported to be a fan of musician Bo Diddley. The national obsession with the First Dog is sure to continue!

The White House Easter Egg Roll

There was double-dutch jump roping at the White House on Easter Monday, along with egg hunts and fun and games as the First Family hosted the annual White House Easter Egg Hunt.  Thousands of lucky children, whose families had signed up online, joined the Obama’s, along with performers  Fergie and Ziggy Marley.

Lifting Restrictions on Cubans

In a statement that was announced in English and Spanish, President Obama signaled an  increased flow of information and humanitarian items to the Cuban people, and a lifting of  restrictions on family travel and money transfers between Americans and their relatives in Cuba. He stressed however, the need for the Cuban government to embrace Democratic values.

Under Obama's plan, Americans would be able to make unlimited trips to visit relatives in Cuba and provide unrestricted financial aid to family members there. The administration will also begin issuing licenses for companies to provide cellular telephone and television to the island, and it will allow Cuban-Americans to pay for relatives on the island to get these services, officials said.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Obama Approves Use of Force Against Somali Pirates

In what is being called his first national security test, President Obama directed the use of necessary military force in the rescue of American Captain Richard Phillips who had been held hostage for five days.  Phillip’s ship, which contained humanitarian aide items, had been hijacked by Somali pirates.  With approval from their Commander-in-Chief, Navy Seal snipers shot the hijackers and the Captain was rescued.

Build Upon the Rock

In a major economic address, held at Georgetown University, President Obama—quoting from the Sermon on the Mount—told Americans we must build our financial foundation as the man who built his house “on the rock,” not on shifting sand. The President began by saying, “I want to step back for a moment and explain our strategy as clearly as I can. This is going to be prose, not hope.”  He continued by describing his actions to date while cautioning that the road ahead may still contain pitfalls.

President Obama concluded: “I want every American to know that each action we take and each policy we pursue is driven by a larger vision of America’s future – a future where sustained economic growth creates good jobs and rising incomes; a future where prosperity is fueled not by excessive debt, or reckless speculation, or fleeting profit, but is instead built by skilled, productive workers; by sound investments that will spread opportunity at home and allow this nation to lead the world in the technologies, innovations, and discoveries that will shape the 21st century.  That is the America I see.”