The Obamas and The Queen

Wha0  great photo-ops!  What wonderful pictures the Obama’s have had taken with Queen Elizabeth II! The Queen’s face showed emotion as the United States Royals visited her in Buckingham Palace! She not only took the hands of our our first couple, she shook them vigorously, and even returned a hug arms around Michelle Obama! It showed us here in America that Barack and Michelle are revered in other parts of the world. I think that the two are looked as the hopeful future. I think the Obamas are young and vigorous and not only look decent, but are decent.  President Obama came bearing gifts to the Queen. And what cool gifts they are, who wouldn’t like an I-Pod loaded with the very famous show tunes of all time, and videos of the Queen’s visit to the state of Virginia? She also received a song book that was autographed by the famous composer Richard Rogers!  Very nice. And finally their personal meeting with the Queen culminated by a lunch.

Then it was on to visit with the Prime Minister and his wife. Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife welcomed the Obama to their home, while the ladies went on a tour of some cancer facilities, the men “kicked-back” and relaxed as President Obama spent some time talking to the little Brown boys about dinosaurs.

Finally, as riots were taking place in the streets of London, the G-20 Summit was taking place. Many world leaders came together to discuss the world’s economic crisis. People of Great Britain are blaming America for the down -turn in the world’s economy. We’ll see what stems from this meeting and all of the arms talks as well. Russia and America dominate in nuclear stockpiles and Russia has taken a very hard-line stance in its dispute with the United States. Our two sides did not discuss the missile defense plan but, Russia did voice its concerns.

And all this took place as President Obama’s aunt appeared in court to ask for asylum from her mother country of Kenya. Zeituni Onyango will have until next year to remain in the U.S. as the judge set her hearing for 2/4/10.  Let’s hope that this won’t shed any poor light on anything the U.S. royal couple tries to make an impact on. After all this couple is riding high on a whril-wind of cool, but it won’t be cool if your aunt is hung up in the court system in our country without papers!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone.

Mary Caliendo

Obama On Leno

As we all have heard President Obama appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.  The show did make history by being the first host to have a sitting president appear on any talk show.  The conversation/interview was light-hearted while Jay interspersed serious questions about the economy. When President Obama first appeared on the stage, he got a standing ovation from the audience as well as the band.

With ease Leno carried on a conversation-like interview of the president. President Obama answers questions easily and he talks like just another person. He does not put on heirs. Jay Leno asked Obama if he will have a basketball court installed. He said no that he wants to set up nets that are on wheels and can be removed when needed. The nets would be situated on the tennis courts. President Obama stated that there is a rim there, but it proves to be very inadequate.  On a funny note Jay Leno asked President Obama if his friends will ever “throw a game” because they are playing the president. President Obama laughed and said, NO! I mean what would you do when your surrounded by secret service guys with lots of guns?  It was meant to be funny and that’s it.

Which brings me to the next point, the spokesperson for the Special Olympics is not happy with President Obama. In a comment, again meant only to be funny, President Obama was asked if he is using the bowling alley in the White House. To answer he said yes and with a smiling face said to the effect, Look I bowled a 129! With that everyone was laughing. Jay chimed in as he laughed No President that really good! Leno was laughing and clapping his hands. Then Obama said to the effect, Yes just like some Special Olympics! Laughing continued and the audience clapping. Unfortunately, the Special Olympics was taking um-bridge with the comment. They felt that it was an insult to the Special Olympics itself.  A spokesman for the president stated that the president was merely talking only about his own bowling and nothing else.

I think that we are getting so PC that we cannot as people just be real! It was a comment that just was meant that he is less able than most. My goodness the president is real too!  I am sure it wasn’t meant as any kind of slam and it was certainly not something that was well thought out, it was a comment that was made as a part of an ensuing conversation. This president seems very real and the general public adores that part of Obama.

The president is the highest office in all the land, but thank goodness he, at this point has not forgotten where he came from. And here’s to hoping that his vision of cleaning up America’s financial and banking mess, as well as Iraq problems, shortly be a thing of the past. And here’s to hoping that we will have many years to come of happiness and prosperity.

Let’s hope that we don’t get so politically correct that we forget to be real!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone.

Mary Caliendo

Inspirational Inauguration

Well, there it is,it’s in the books; another inaugurated. This inauguration was somehow different though, January 20, 2009 was an historic day! Not that other inaugurations weren’t historical, but this one was that of the first African-American man. Barack Obama raised the bar to an even higher level. Is it because he now holds the highest office in the land? It  is also one that perhaps could be the highest in the world. It is the most watched and the most critized in all the world.

The pomp and circumstance  was exactly right to take place. The symbolism and the tradition that is all American, are filled with drama and emotion yesturday. Now President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama and the sweet children Malia and Sasha that flank them as they walk. The picture of the perfect family, an all American family. President Obama has much work ahead of him. And I for one would not want the jobs that he would have to do, nor would I want to make some of the decisions that he will ultimately make. But his ideas are pure and simple. He wants to get right down to the business of making this country run. He has ideas that most of us are thinking like more rules on people who work in the government jobs or could someone please fix our economy?

All in all that’s inspirational! A president that wants to put rules on the people he has appointed!  Wow! What a great idea, how come no one else thought of that? I hope that President Obama is able to see the majority of his promises to us come true while he is still in office. The American people have very short memories and will throw daggers the very minute that they think they may not get what they want. I hope that the people will have patience and wait it out. Wait while the new president rights the ship that has gone wayward and has sailed on choppy waves. We all know that phrase -be part of the solution not part of the problem! Be inspired and get to work yourself.

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone.

Mary Caliendo

Illinois Senate Being Held Hostage?

In a recent move, accused Governor Rod Blgojevich filled the open Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama. Blogojevich appointed Roland Burris. Roland Burris has a long and great record of public service in Illinois. He has held three full terms as the state’s comptroller. He has served on many boards and committees and his record is beyond reproach.

Burris is 71 years old and has filed a motion to ask law makers in Illinois for a swift result to filling the seat. He has asked law makers to pass him through and he said that he is headed to Washington, and he feels that he currently is the Senate appointee. Secretary of State Jessie White is quoted as saying he will not certify the appointment even if he was his uncle or a bag of cement, he will not pass Burris through!  Rod Blagojevich is acting within the rights and responsibilities of the Governor of Illinois.

What happened to innocent until proven guilty?  Patrick Fitzgerald’s office released transcripts, but it is all talk. After all no deals had been made, no transactions took place.  The Governor could say he was just joking around!  All those on the taped cannot be included in the wrong doing, why? If you are approaching the Governor with the idea of corruption aren’t you as guilty as he? Was it just the deal with the hospital, or the roads?  Or are they just embarrassed because of the scandalous hospital board? Edward Hospital and officials turned the state upside down when arrest of Levgine, and ties to Rezcko. Who by the way, is laying very low. Wow could not implicate the governor in that one, just keep plugging on!  Set some stuff up?? Possible.

All I know is that the greed, the money, and the power are ever showing its head here in Illinois as well as other states.

In the meantime, the senate seat in Illinois is kind of sort of filled! Impeachment proceedings can start as soon as next week!  I think if Burris fights the opposition to the seat, court proceedings could drag on for one year!

Illinois Supreme Court who is holding the Senate seat hostage? Who is playing games now?

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone.

Mary Caliendo

Obama Responds/Economic Team

President elect Obama says we can’t wait another minute! In response to George Bush and bail-out of CitiCorp, president elect Obama holds press conference in Hilton Hotels, 720 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago today.

In what amounts to a calculated and reassuring press conference, Obama introduces us to his economic team. He wants the team to already be working on a plan and likely wants something on his desk Jan. 20, 2009. The economic team appears to be quite diverse; men as well as women. It appears that they hail from a deep back ground of experience.

To summarize President elect Obama wants to create 2.5 million jobs and restore our confidence. Congress needs to make a big stimulus in order to jolt the economy. He thinks that we need to put people back into work. This is critical! The new congress needs to be aggressive and “hit the ground running”! He is hopeful for the future. He thinks that it may get worse before it gets better.

President elect Obama stated again that the auto industry is the backbone of America and we cannot allow this industry to vanish. We will bail them out,but they will not have a blank check, and the government will have a part ownership in the companies. He is also seeking clean energy, health care, and education. He wants to rebuild roads, and bridges. He believes that America is strong and resilient, and wants to rebuild; saying that it is the spirit of our nation!

With reassuring words and with  95%  of America receiving a net tax cut, that may be stimulus enough to get the middle class up and running again.

It will take time to turn around the previous administration’s mess. But taking into effect that this could be an investment in ourselves. Perhaps it will happen noticeably quicker.

But will Washington be able to work together and build a sustainable and responsible future for us all?

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone

Mary Caliendo

Michelle Obama’s Dress Down!

Michelle Obama stepped out onto the stage in Grant Park in Chicago to an overwhelming enthusiastic crowd of loving worshipers!  Mrs.president elect first lady you are a very beautiful woman and your children are beautiful too! Together the four of you (including Barack) look like models that have stepped out from a page of the nearest fashion and beauty magazine!  We all wish our families were so beautiful!

I just had to comment on that dress Michelle Obama wore on the night of the election!  I can sum it up in one word: YUCKY !

Although, Mrs. Obama could wear a paper bag and still look wonderful,this dress was just Yucky!  Oh well, I feel Mrs. Obama will do great things as the first lady of our country. She is a strong and intelligent woman. I wish her nothing but the best. I had wished that maybe the dress had been in blue blotches that way we could say it was a democratic dress.  Maybe she was silently paying some respect to the red side with that dress.

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone.

Mary Caliendo

Barack Obama Sweet Home Chicago

Barack brought it all home!  After the long, long campaign the winner announced early; as the electoral votes Barack commanded ended the journey for John Mc Cain.

In Chicago, the Grant Park rally was nothing like forty years ago. The Democratic Convention then turned into a race riot with the Chicago Police and it was an awful day in history. A day that left us all feeling a great amount of sadness. Any time I see any footage on those days I am moved to tears. 

And last night in Grant Park another historical gathering takes place, again one that will go down in the annals of history. It was a sea of mixed races standing shoulder to shoulder, there were tears, cheers, and smiles everywhere. There is pride. There is hope. Obama is a symbol of change. Change for the common man and woman, and child. There were some there who voted for the first time in their lives. There were some that had been voting for fifty years and more. Living in a moment of history, the public rally that ushered in a president. A president for the common people. A new man for the ages. Barack Obama is a wonderful speaker. He has a great amount of charisma, and all of Chicago claim him for their own. He is likable and promotes peace to all people.

Welcome President Barack Obama!  Welcome home to Chicago, welcome to the White House in a big way.

We hang on your word and as you have promised, we seek you out to lead us in the right direction, and lay the groundwork for the next century. From sweet home Chicago to around the world, may we have that peace you so have dreamt. Thank you President Obama for inviting the public to your rally. To those who have attended, or even those who watched we revel!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions,and always in a conversationalTone

Mary Caliendo

Barack SNL next?

Sarah Palin did well making fun of herself. In fact so many people tuned in that it broke all of the records for viewership in the past 14 years!

It looks like new breaking news today, that Barack is next to go on SNL!  Perhaps on November 1,2008 we will see him on SNL Saying that famous line “live from New York its Saturday Night”!

I wonder what  types of skits they’ll have him do? Will they actually make fun out of his heritage? That subject seems to be one that is a taboo one to use.  I hope they’ll use the fact that sometimes he likes to dance and they’ll play that one up?

I hope we will see him on the show it will be funny. I think that having Barack on so close to election that it can only help him.  Your thoughts?

Just my thoughts,just my opinions, and always in a conversationalTone

Mary Caliendo