Obama returning from summer vacation ready for busy fall

[webfact]

Obama returning from summer vacation ready for busy fall

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE

 

EDGARTOWN, Mass. (AP) — President Barack Obama is returning from vacation rested and ready for a busy fall, including pressing Congress for money to protect against the Zika virus and fending off lawmakers' attacks over the administration's $400 million "leverage" payment to Iran.

 

Obama also is expected to campaign doggedly to help elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as president.

 

Obama was due at the White House late Sunday after a 16-day getaway to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, with his wife, Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha. He began the day by going on a hike with the first lady and followed with his 10th round of vacation golf before heading to the airport.

 

Throughout the day, scores of residents lined roads to watch and wave as the motorcade crisscrossed the island on the last day of Obama's final vacation here as president. Signs posted around the various towns thanked the family for coming. He has spent all but one of his summers in office on the island.

 

His first order of business is a Tuesday trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to survey damage from flooding that killed at least 13 people and forced thousands into shelters.

 

Obama resisted pressure from Louisianans and others to interrupt his vacation to tour the ruins and meet with officials and flood victims.

 

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump filled the void created by Obama's absence, touring the ravaged area Friday with his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, and helping to unload a supply truck.

 

Obama planned to spend the rest of the week in meetings, largely to prepare for an upcoming, weeklong trip to Asia, his 11th and likely final visit to the region as president.

 

With Congress still on a seven-week break, Obama and aides probably will focus on what the White House can get from lawmakers before they leave town to campaign for re-election. Congress returns after Labor Day, and the House and Senate will have just a month to pass a catch-all spending bill by the Sept. 30 end of the federal budget year to keep the government operating.

 

Lawmakers plan to leave Washington again at the end of September, returning after the Nov. 8 elections.

 

The White House will continue to press lawmakers for money to help keep the mosquito-borne Zika virus from spreading and to develop a vaccine, now that Florida last week identified the popular Miami tourist haven of South Beach as the second site of Zika transmission on the U.S. mainland. A section of Miami's Wynwood arts district was the first.

 

Obama asked Congress for $1.9 billion this year for Zika prevention. Republicans offered $1.1 billion and added provisions that Democrats objected to, including language on Planned Parenthood and other issues, leaving the matter in limbo before Congress adjourned in mid-July. Lawmakers could end up adding Zika money to the broader spending bill.

 

In turn, incensed lawmakers have promised to keep the heat on the administration over $400 million it delivered to Iran in January. Republicans say the money was ransom, paid to win freedom for four Americans who were being held in Iran. Questioned about the payment earlier this month, Obama said: "We do not pay ransom. We didn't here. And we ... won't in the future."

 

The president and other officials denied any linkage. But administration officials also said it made little sense not to "retain maximum leverage," as State Department spokesman John Kirby put it last week, with the money long owed to Iran, to ensure the U.S. citizens' release.

 

The explanations have failed to satisfy critics in and out of Congress. Trump has begun telling supporters at his campaign rallies that Obama "openly and blatantly" lied about the prisoners. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Obama has set a "dangerous precedent" and owes the public a "full accounting of his actions."

 

Obama opens the fall, and what's expected to be a dogged effort to boost Clinton to the White House, in improved standing with the public, according to the Pew Research Center. His job approval rating stands at 53 percent, compared with 42 percent disapproval. That's about the same as just before July's political conventions.

 

But Obama's standing among independent voters has reached positive territory for the first time since December 2012. Fifty-three percent of independents approve of Obama's job performance, the center found, while 40 percent disapprove. Independents had split 46 percent to 46 percent on the question in June.

 

Obama won't spend much time at the White House on his return. After the Louisiana visit, the president heads to Nevada on Aug. 31 to discuss environmental protection at the Lake Tahoe Summit. He follows with the Sept. 2-9 trip to China and Laos.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-08-22

[Boon Mee]

Indeed...garnered enough criticism by staying away from flood-torn Louisiana didn't he?

 

[colinneil]

Baton Rouge residents are not as important as playing a round of golf.

How dare they expect me to interrupt my freebie for them.

[Buzzz]

6 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Indeed...garnered enough criticism by staying away from flood-torn Louisiana didn't he?

 

 

Why do you pollute every thread with nonsense?

 

[Scotwight]

 So, time to look at the facts.  The following was on Yahoo this morning.  Jobs: The labor participation rate is so low, we haven't seen this since the late 70's under Jimmy Carter. Paychecks: People are making less money now than they were when President Obama took office. Healthcare: Healthcare premiums have increased by almost $4,000. Government dependency: Food stamps have skyrocketed under this Presidency - up almost 36% and home ownership is down. The President has almost doubled the national debt. Wall Street has gotten richer but Main St. has not. The southern border is an absolute mess. Multiple domestic terror attacks on our homeland under the President's watch. 

[Ulysses G.]

20 minutes ago, Buzzz said:

 

Why do you pollute every thread with nonsense?

 

 

Pot, kettle black.

[Buzzz]

2 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

Pot, kettle black.

 

Your're the conspiracy nut here, not me. 

 

[Ulysses G.]

5 minutes ago, Buzzz said:

 

Your're the conspiracy nut here, not me. 

 

 

Why don't you produce some proof that I am a "conspiracy nut"? That is more of that nonsense you like to complain about when insulting someone else.

Edited August 22, 2016 by Ulysses G.

[ezzra]

As if he didn't enough damage already, he's trying to even do more before he leaves office, and a moment too soon, he should be getting busy packing up his belongings and moving to his mansion and start making millions on a speaking tours.....

[bassman]

1 hour ago, Scotwight said:

 So, time to look at the facts.  The following was on Yahoo this morning.  Jobs: The labor participation rate is so low, we haven't seen this since the late 70's under Jimmy Carter. Paychecks: People are making less money now than they were when President Obama took office. Healthcare: Healthcare premiums have increased by almost $4,000. Government dependency: Food stamps have skyrocketed under this Presidency - up almost 36% and home ownership is down. The President has almost doubled the national debt. Wall Street has gotten richer but Main St. has not. The southern border is an absolute mess. Multiple domestic terror attacks on our homeland under the President's watch. 

 

So basically he should just keep playing golf, better for America. 

 

His blatant lies and those of his staff throughout this administration is alarming, particularly when you add media's lack of accountability for this administration.

[Pimay1]

2 hours ago, Scotwight said:

 So, time to look at the facts.  The following was on Yahoo this morning.  Jobs: The labor participation rate is so low, we haven't seen this since the late 70's under Jimmy Carter. Paychecks: People are making less money now than they were when President Obama took office. Healthcare: Healthcare premiums have increased by almost $4,000. Government dependency: Food stamps have skyrocketed under this Presidency - up almost 36% and home ownership is down. The President has almost doubled the national debt. Wall Street has gotten richer but Main St. has not. The southern border is an absolute mess. Multiple domestic terror attacks on our homeland under the President's watch. 

Here is a government chart to back up your post.

 

[Pimay1]

2 hours ago, Buzzz said:

 

Why do you pollute every thread with nonsense?

 

So you equate the truth with nonsense.

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, Scotwight said:

 So, time to look at the facts.  The following was on Yahoo this morning.  Jobs: The labor participation rate is so low, we haven't seen this since the late 70's under Jimmy Carter. Paychecks: People are making less money now than they were when President Obama took office. Healthcare: Healthcare premiums have increased by almost $4,000. Government dependency: Food stamps have skyrocketed under this Presidency - up almost 36% and home ownership is down. The President has almost doubled the national debt. Wall Street has gotten richer but Main St. has not. The southern border is an absolute mess. Multiple domestic terror attacks on our homeland under the President's watch. 

Too bad we can not fast forward 4 to 8 years under president Trump. The above would look like small potatoes in comparison. 

[elgordo38]

Forget about trying to get money out of congress to fight the Zika virus. Like the last one he presented the GOP tried to attach defunding for Obamacare and also to cancel funding for Planned Parenthood. 

[Chicog]

9 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

Pot, kettle black.

 

 

But it is nonsense. Even an amateur knows that you would get relief without penalty from that under Rule 24.

 

 

Edited August 22, 2016 by Chicog

[Ulysses G.]

5 hours ago, Chicog said:

 

 

But it is nonsense.

 

 

 

He keeps telling others not to "pollute" the thread with nonsense.  He needs to follow his own advice.  I.E. Pot, kettle, black.

Edited August 22, 2016 by Ulysses G.

[Linzz]

On 8/22/2016 at 6:52 PM, elgordo38 said:

Too bad we can not fast forward 4 to 8 years under president Trump. The above would look like small potatoes in comparison. 

 

How do you know? Your post is a deflection from reality as it stands today. Diversion tactics based on the totally unknown does not address the facts

[MaxYakov]

On 8/22/2016 at 6:39 AM, Buzzz said:

 

Why do you pollute every thread with nonsense?

 

 

You, as of this irrelevant post, have an exceptional like-to-post ratio of  (820 / 701 ) = 1.698.

You, sir, need to get a life and a sense of humor, specifically satire, even though these would probably be highly unlikely for a liberal to achieve.

Edited August 24, 2016 by MaxYakov
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