Obama Documentary, “By the People” to Premiere on HBO

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Barack Obama with Edith Childs

A little off topic, but a few weeks ago I had the honor of meeting Mrs. Edith Childs, City Councilwoman from Greenwood, South Carolina. Childs is better known to the rest of the country as the “little woman” in the church hat whose spontaneous call, “FIRED UP? READY TO GO!” became an Obama campaign slogan and one of his funniest anecdotes on the stump. She recounted her version of the story with so much pride and appreciation, sharing humorous tidbits about the time Obama called her cell phone (while she was out shopping) to ask for permission to use “Fired Up” in the campaign, or how much she enjoyed her trip to New York when CBS News flew her in for an interview.

What a relief it is to be reminded that South Carolina is known for much more than ill-mannered politicians, clandestine trips to Argentina, and other Daily Show fare.

Memorable moments such as the Greenwood story are featured in the new HBO Documentary, “By the People: The Election of Barack Obama,” which will premiere on Tuesday, November 3 – one year after President Obama’s historic election victory. The trailer is below. Enjoy!

Published in:  on November 2, 2009 at 11:21 am Comments Off
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“I’ll Eat You Up!” Food & Gardening Children’s Books on Obama’s Reading List

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Head over to Obama Foodorama for a terrific post on the fun food and gardening-themed books that have been approved by the Obama Administration (including, of course, Max from Where the Wild Things Are). The essay also provides information about Secretary of Education’s Read to the Top! series from this past summer.

Published in:  on October 29, 2009 at 11:29 am Comments Off
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Writer Philip Roth on Barack Obama (Video)

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Obama Celebrates Readers at Maryland School

Credit: Gerald Herbert (AP)

Credit: Gerald Herbert (AP)

Today’s Washington Post features an article on President Obama’s surprise visit to an elementary school in Silver Spring, Maryland. Because Viers Mill Elementary was “the first Montgomery school with a large population of low-income students to be designated a National Blue Ribbon School for significantly reducing the achievement gap,” the President’s brief remarks praised their hard work and focused on the children’s reading habits.

He asked the students to share what books they have been reading as he shook hands around the lunch tables. One notable passage:

Jerry D. Weast, the Montgomery County school superintendent, was almost as excited as the students. “There was an authentic connection, because [Obama] has children and he knew their books,” Weast said. “He was able to relate to their books and, without any kind of hesitation, respond to their questions.”

The unexpected visit followed Obama’s own parent-teacher conferences at his daughters’ schools. In the article, the President also comments about seeing the film version of his favorite children’s book.

Published in:  on October 20, 2009 at 10:59 am Comments Off
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“One Who Helps Liberals & Moderates Throughout the Land”

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Sherman Alexie, the award-winning author of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, recently gave a funny and insightful interview with Mother Jones magazine that includes this exchange:

Mother Jones: On the campaign trail, Barack Obama was adopted into the Crow Nation and given the name One Who Helps People Throughout the Land. After that show of pandering, has he lived up to his name?

Sherman Alexie: [Laughs.] Well, first of all, these tribes that have given so many names and honorary memberships to people, they’re kinda trampy. I think some tribe adopted Norman Schwarzkopf, too. It’s the Indian version of getting a Hollywood star. So far Obama’s done nothing to be better or worse than any other president when it comes to Indians, which is what I suspected, because we represent no important voting bloc. His name should be One Who Helps Liberals and Moderates Throughout the Land.

Alexie also comments on book banning, the Amazon Kindle, and the intersections of pop culture and Indian identity. Read the entire interview here.

Published in:  on October 18, 2009 at 9:30 am Comments Off
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Obama Wins 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

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From the Norwegian Nobel Committee:

“Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population.

For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world’s leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama’s appeal that “Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.”

Published in:  on October 9, 2009 at 9:17 am Comments Off
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Grassroots Publishing and “Designing Obama”

Scott Thomas, the design director of the Obama campaign, is applying the model of grassroots activism to the publication of the art book, Designing Obama. To receive a copy of the 360-page book, Thomas and a collective of artists and designers are soliciting donations to fund its production. According to their website, the collection offers “the inside story on how design was used by the campaign, and scope out the pieces, created unofficially, by grassroots supporters.” Contribute as little as $10 for a digital download, $50 for a hardcover, or $150 for a special edition with your name printed in the book. You can also follow the book’s progress on Twitter.

Published in:  on October 6, 2009 at 9:49 am Leave a Comment
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New Book: “Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy”

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Head over to Black-Eyed Susan’s and enter to win an advanced copy of Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy by Mary Tomer. Written and edited by the founder of Mrs. O, a website that follows the First Lady’s fashion, the book features commentary, designer interviews, sketches, and over 120 photos. From the publisher:

Celebrated for her style and substance, Michelle Obama has transformed the role of first lady and become a 21st century icon, attracting attention from all over the world. The qualities so admired in her – intelligence, strength and charisma – radiate through her personal style, which has united accessibility with high-wattage glamour. The clothes, like the woman, feel both familiar and inspirational. Readily mixing high-end labels with more affordable brands, with a focus on craftsmanship and artistry, Mrs. O has elevated the notion of real value and ushered in a new era of fashion democracy.

Published in:  on at 9:08 am Leave a Comment
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First Lady Saves Planet, One Vegetable At A Time

1250934981163936Along with the NYT report that a local Farmer’s Market will be opening near the White House this fall, comes news about a forthcoming comic book called, Raw Organic Saving the Planet, with an image of First Lady Michelle Obama planting vegetables on the cover. The first collector’s edition, published by the media savvy chef Bryan Au, strives to honor “Michelle Obama’s achievements and dedication to promoting healthy living and diet for everyone’s benefit.” (h/t Glyphs)

Published in:  on September 12, 2009 at 8:29 am Comments (1)
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Obama: “Maybe You Could Be A Good Writer…”

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Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP (November 2008)

Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a good writer – maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper – but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor – maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine – but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team…

From Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Back to School Event
September 8, 2009

Published in:  on September 7, 2009 at 9:43 pm Comments (6)
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