On his second day in office, President Barack Obama looks on as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks at the State Department’s headquarters on Thursday, her first full day on the job.
“My appearance today, as has been noted, underscores my commitment to the importance of diplomacy and renewing American leadership,” the President said.
He later announced former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell as envoy to the Middle East and former Ambassador Richard Holbrook to serve as a special representative in Pakistan and India.
NY’S NEW SENATOR
Democratic Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand has been picked for the vacated Senate seat of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Gov. David Paterson picked Gillibrand shortly before 2 a.m. Friday and is scheduled to announce it at noon today.
Gillibrand, 42, represents New York’s traditionally Republican 20th district and is largely unknown across the state. However, she has gained attention from party leaders in Washington.
The announcement comes just two days after Caroline Kennedy withdrew her name. Kennedy cited personal reasons for her decision to discontinue her run for the seat, but a source close to Gov. Paterson says he had no intention of appointing her.
Paterson did not think Kennedy was “ready for prime time,” citing her efforts, at times awkward, to try to win the appointment, the source told CNN.
THE BARACKBERRY
President Barack Obama still has his BlackBerry. Sort of.
On Thursday, in his first press conference since the inauguration, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that allowing the President to keep it is “a compromise that allows him to stay in touch with senior staff and a small group of personal friends”.
According to reports, Obama may actually have been issued a spy-proof alternative to his beloved BlackBerry. Gibbs declined to elaborate on the specific restrictions that will be placed on the BlackBerry, except to say that “use will be limited and that the security is enhanced to ensure his ability to communicate, but to do so effectively and to do so in a way that is protected.”
White House IT experts will use a server-based “whitelist” for incoming messages, and only people who are placed on the list will be able to send messages. The others will return to the sender. Additionally, Obama’s outgoing messages would be limited.
The Barackberry?? I mean they are reaaally chrihing the fact that we now have a black president! Thas wassup tho!
ooops. Meant to say, ”cherishing” lol
Being the President, I would really limit the use of my BB just for security purposes, however, I know in this day and age it’s really hard for any of us to be without our cell phones.
Man I Love this man..I’m still in awe about this whole thing, and I’m happy to hear he’s still keeping in tough with some friends…go’head
Barack was nervous yesterday.
I think he has to better understand the magnitude he is on now.
He is not running for office anymore.
He is now the President. He has to be confident and strong at all times.
He looked uncomfortable a few times during his speech yesterday and misspoke a few words. But it seemed like it was because he was a little nervous and I can surely understand why!!!!! He just did the unthinkable..
Its like it is all just really beginning to set in.
He is normally a very good speaker so Im looking for him to get back on track.
He has to slow down just a little and let it come to him. Overall he will be fine.
He has a great team with Hillary and Biden.. We are finally back in good hands again.
God bless Barack and God bleess America.
I like the idea of the phone. If he’s going to be in a bubble for so long, I say $3,000 is worth every penny to make him sort of comfortable. By the way, check out this commentary on Michelle Obama’s dress pick. It’s outrageous that a black woman in fashion is angry that she didn’t choose any black designers despite the fact that blacks played major roles in most of the day’s events… …http://fashionindie.com/michelle-obama-cant-do-anything-white/
I want the Barackberry! lol
I AM VERY PLEASED that Hiliary and Barack will work together.
I am also more than HAPPY, BLOWN COMPLETELY OUT-OF MY MIND & PROUD! That he’s out new President,BUT can we get some REGULAR CELEBRITY NEWS not PRESIDENTIAL NEWS EVERDAY????!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, things just start to get played out after a while.
Good Morning all
I don’t get what all the fuss is about his blackberry. It’s a device used to communicate. He has the highest position in the United States. Isn’t he supposed to have something handy to stay in touch?
Help me out somebody.
It’s 2009. Cell phones, blackberry’s. This is present day technology. Bush didn’t even know how to pronounce Internet. That right there told us all just how tech savvy he wasn’t.
He doing what he said. Obama baby!
I would keep my phone cause I want to text all the girls that turned me down back in the day and say ” hA HA.. LOOK AT ME NOW” .. LOL
“whitelist”? i’d say “blacklist” but somehow that don’t sound right either . . .
@11
Look at you now because…………
You have a cellphone?
Look I am still floating on cloud nine. So I can only imagine how he must feel.
I love the direction this adminstration is going. Barak is the only black man to do what no other black has EVER done since the begining of time. It will take some getting use to. I love that god has chose the perfect black man to do it. Barak is the chosen one he is AWESOME !!
I predict Barak would continue to make history and bridge gaps that NO the other US President was able to do like the one between Cuba and US.
Barak has a mission and being the first Black President of the United States not the only thing he was sent here to do. Sit back people; Barak is about to work miracles.
WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE? GOD SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT !
I just look at that first picture and smile. Hilliary and Obama will make a great team.
You are a mess!!
Hillary works for Barack…. They should work well together, then again I can see Barack working well with anyone…. I’m sure he’ll be tough when he needs to be…
#9 there are professional hackers so yes BB, cellphones and all modern technology is limited or cannot be used there is always the risk of a breach in security efforts and that is something that cannot be afforded on any level.
I’m stoked that he’s working with Hillary and is our president and I dont even use terms like that LMAO…….like someone else said, I’m still on cloud 9….
I would die if someone took away my blackberry. OMG…
I must say BB are addictive…that’s why I can’t live without my crackberry but all in all…his BB does need to be limited due to the position he’s in…
I love you President Obama!!!!! lol Seriously, I really do..And it scary cause I dont even know him! he inspires me so much. He is like the father I never had.
God Bless this man and please lead him where you want him to go! Amen
Ooops, i thought Cuomo would be our next Senator.
Wow, do they have anything like that for my Blackberry? The only issue I would have about it is the limited use. I text, chat, download and delete software like crazy. I just cannot seem to get enough of it.
At first “they” told him he was unable to keep his BB! And I thought, “How are you going to tell the President what he can and cannot have?” I guess he TOLD “them”!
@ #13
It’s called the “WHITELIST” because it’s a listing of those emails/numbers that CAN contact him as opposed to a “Blacklist”, which would be a list of those that CANNOT!
Bam Bang – I don’t know what speech you saw but I was close enough to see his face and my man was on point as usual.
i love hillary and like obama. i have high hopes for national security
i love me some Hillary!
I just want Brutha President to be careful with his Blackberry because the white devils are busy looking for a “got ya” moment.
Barack Obama should keep his blackberry and people who think different need to fallback!!!
dunno if the barackberry is a good idea we all know how some people would love to dig up some dirt on ur president i sure hope nothing like that happens.if u ask me i would say ditch the fone or be very very very careful…..
i want the barackberry tho lol!
They were not trying to take Barack`s Blackberry.They were just trying to make him aware, that it`s cool that he is the first wired president, and that he loves to exhange e-mails with close friends and advisers,but everytime Barack thumb taps out, a e-mail to friends and advisers, it leaves a e-mail trail that will be electronically saved and recorded,and under the Presidential Records Act,when Barack leaves office, his personal and intimate e-mails, will be released to the public,for everyone to see,cash in on, by writing a gossip book, based on his intimate e-mails and get in his and Michele`s personal business.In otherwords,he is not going to have any privacy,whenever he uses that Blackberry.
@Bam Bang…Barack has misspoke, stuttered, etc before..he is human..expect mistakes…he is smart enough for us to be able to know what he is saying..he can’t be cool with all that is going on…his flubs will NEVER be on the level of Bush’s so he will continue to be above average…he may have high expectations but we all need to realize he is human….
President Obama is a very calculating man, he has one thing over the average African American male. And that his whole life he lived and breathed in the white world. And was raised by a white man. So, he’s basically a white man. I’m trying to say that historically speaking the minute black men garner power in the white world, he falls victim to the decisive and destructive nature that has destroyed many black men careers and lives. I.E. OJ Simpson, and others. But, Obama’s background of going to the same Ivy League schools, having a white male father figure, his grandfather, he was raised as a white child. So, he is more than prepared to deal and handle himself, and prevent any drama. So, that should be a non issue. Obama was calculating and smart enough to win an impossible election , he can do this. Besides, he has First Lady Michelle in his corner. He said once, that his wife handles the bills. So, if she handles the bills, First Lady knows everything.
Why is it when a black person make history, he famous?
Barackberry? Come on now.
Can we have a little respect in here please, its….. PRESIDENT OBAMA!!!!
NOT Barack
NOT Obama
NOT Barry..
Its MR. PRESIDENT OR PRESIDENT OBAMA!!!
What Is The Wrist Band He’s Wearing?
I Know You Guys @ CL Can Find Out.lol
35.
Urban Industry Network
“Why is it when a black person make history, he famous?”
I think you need to ask your teacher,or your parents, what happened.
TOTALLY AGREEING WITH #37…ALTHOUGH HE IS VERY PERSONABLE…MAKES YOU WANNA REFER TO HIM ON A FIRST NAME BASIS…HYPE PARK/CHICAGO, BABY!!
@34 i totally agree i think that out of all the 50 states being born in hawaii was the best situation for him its funny how many ppl now when they say we have a blk president many ppl get offended saying that he is mullato ( i think i spelled that wrong) i understand that he is but being that if u didnt know his family history you would look at him and say he is african american i know this is off topic but im happy to see someone who looks like me in the white house like he said in his first speech “60 yrs ago they wouldnt let him in certain buildings now he has the highest office in the land” aint life beautiful
#39: It’s a bracelet given to the President by Tracy Jopek, mother of Sgt. Ryan David Jopek, who was killed in Iraq on August 2, 2006. It is engraved, “Sgt. Ryan David Jopek, August 2 2006. All gave some – he gave all”.
Mrs. Jopek gave it to Pres. Obama a few days before the Wisconsin primary. She said, “I wanted him to know my son’s name for one thing, for when he’s Commander-in-Chief.”
MY PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WELL OUR PREZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!^_^
Love this pic, he looks like he’s genuinely happy that Hillary is on his team.
I sure hope this isnt the non-sense we spend our time having to muddle through. I cant believe this necessitates resources – or this much fanfare!
xo
Rants, Thoughts & Merde
http://rantsthoughtsmerde...g-under-baz-luhrmann.html
@#18
I think you meant to respond to #10 which is me than #9 but I just wanted to thank you for giving me some insight as to why his blackberry may not be so safe after all. I didn’t think about hackers and security breaches and so fourth.
@ #35,Bohwe! You said that Obama has one thing over the Black male,in that he has lived his whole life lived and breathed in the white world.This is nonsense! Obama was raised not in a white world,but in Hawaii.Not only is Hawaii not white,but it is the the most racially diverse state in the United States,a place where whites are not the majority.In addition,Hawaiians,are black,they come from black people.Also,I am half-white,and half-black with blue eyes and I too was raised by a white grandfather.But,just like Obama,the friends I have,and schools and colleges, that I attended were racially diverse and not all white.In fact,when Obama was at Harvard Law school,his closest friend was Cassandra Butts,a black woman.So he has spent his whole life in a racially diverse world and not in a white world as you claim.
SOME OF YOU PEOPLE WILL TRY TO MAKE A BAD THING OUT OF THE GREASTEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO BLACKS EVER, THAT MAN AND HIS FAMILY ARE GREAT, WE NEED TO SHOW HIM ALL THE SUPPORT WE HAVE. THAT’S WHY AS A PEOPLE WE WILL NEVER LIVE UP TO OUR FULL POTENTIAL.
Why have I not seen any post regarding the racist drunken obama cookies in ny? Am I the only one bothered by this?
http://gothamist.com/2009...age_bakery_selling_dr.php
I thought his name was President Obama. I mean, he is the president now…
Anyway, I’m proud of him and believe he will do exceptionally well… Let’s get it!
@sistah4real I agree show him and his family ,Vp’s family and his chosen cabinet some love
I hope the president knows what he’s doing…letting that snake into his White House.
@51
I don’t think people mean any harm by referring to him by his first name. It’s just that President Obama is so well liked and so in touch with people that we get caught up by referring to him on a first name basis. For a long time he had this rock star status and he’s so engaging that people feel like they have this personal connection to him.
It will take a little time for some to start calling him President Barack Obama.
This whole Blackberry thing is very contrived and suspect to me. In almost every photo he’s made sure to be captured using his Blackberry. Why does the President of the United States of America need a PDA?? He has countless advisors and personnel at his beck and call to recieve and disseminate information. Nothing in this world can be spy proof and secure enough. Hackers can break into anything. I don’t believe this story not for one bit. They way the media is covering it like it’s breaking news is another reason why I’m raising my eyebraw at this entire scenario.
Furthermore when your are at a certain elevated White House/Pentagon level they have they’re own methods of communication that are highly advanced and foreign to the rest of the public. So for him to be so adamant about using that Blackberry when everyone is warning him of the dangers involved only makes him look like he’s trying to prove something.
Take a break from contemporary politics and go experience some history. Go see Notorious!
This is really all too much. I actually know someone who went to harvard and they are really close friends with Mr.President and he is who he says he is. He is the real deal. He has a heart for people and so does our first lady. He really wants to see change not only in the US but in the world. We all know one man can’t change the world that’s why he is calling on the whole world to change. He wants to keep his BB because he really wants to stay connected to his real close circle of friends which he has always kept close to him. And this is a fact
Go on with the Barachaberry! That’s what’s up!
Hi Hil!