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Today: President Hosts EU Summit & Luncheon

2011-11-27T22:48:00.000-08:00

Global economy, counterterrorism, Iran...
President Obama will welcome the leaders of the European Union to a summit and luncheon at the White House today. At 11:45 AM, he will meet with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, and High Council Representative Catherine Ashton in the Roosevelt Room. After, at 12:30 PM, the President will host "an EU summit lunch" in the Cabinet Room,. Both are closed to press. (Above: José Manuel Barroso is at right of the President during the 2009 EU summit at the White House; former High Representative Javier Solana is at left)

The President and the EU leaders will discuss "the global economy; our efforts to strengthen economic ties and growth; our joint work to support democracy and prosperity in the European neighborhood, across the Middle East and North Africa, and in other regions; our continuing coordination on Iran; and our commitment to improved transatlantic law enforcement and counterterrorism cooperation," the White House said.

After the luncheon, at 1:40 PM in the Roosevelt Room, President Obama, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso will deliver statements to the press.

*Photo by Pete Souza/White House, taken on Nov. 3, 2009 in the Cabinet Room.

First Lady To Keynote "Building A Healthier Future" Summit

2011-11-27T21:42:00.000-08:00

Partnership for a Healthier America's two-day childhood obesity summit begins Tuesday; includes Great American Family Dinner Challenge...
First Lady Michelle Obama will give the keynote address on Wednesday morning at Partnership for a Healthier America's (PHA) Building a Healthier Future Summit. The two-day event in Washington, DC, is the first national summit hosted by the non-profit foundation established to further Mrs. Obama's Let's Move! campaign, and will bring together business and industry leaders with their nonprofit, academic, and government counterparts for panel meetings and discussions. It begins on Tuesday morning at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.

Mrs. Obama serves as honorary chair of PHA, which is led by Dr. James R. Gavin III. The foundation is responsible for organizing and managing the private-sector commitments the First Lady has garnered for the Let's Move! campaign, including the pledges from Walmart and other grocers to build stores in food deserts, and from national chain Darden Restaurants to revamp its menu offerings.

At the summit, "private sector leaders from all industries will be announcing new commitments while current PHA partners will be proving updates on their progress," according to organizers.

Honorary vice-chairs Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, NJ and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., will both speak at the summit, as will Gavin.

Healthy cooking in the spotlight...
Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass is also a featured participant at the Summit. Kass will serve as the emcee for The Great American Family Dinner Challenge on Tuesday night, a cooking exhibition that will pit two teams of James Beard Award-winning chefs against each other to create a fabulous dinner on a Food Stamps budget. The chefs--Tom Colicchio and Maria Hines vs. Holly Smith and Ming Tsai--will have $10 of ingredients and just thirty minutes to dazzle the judges, who are two sets of "real" parents. (Kass, above)

A dinner on Tuesday night for all Summit attendees will be cooked by James Beard Award winners and nominees Floyd Cardoz, Koren Grieveson, Michel Nischan and Anne Quatrano.

Social media: PHA's website is here; a Facebook page for the summit is here; Twitter is @PHANews with the hashtag #PHASummit. Check out @LetsMove and Letsmove.gov for the First Lady's campaign.

*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/ObamaFoodorama

Wednesday: First Lady Will Unveil 2011 White House Holiday Decorations

2011-11-27T21:12:00.000-08:00

Military families invited for first viewing, holiday crafts...
On Wednesday, Nov. 30th, as she unveils the decorations for her third holiday season in the White House, First Lady Michelle Obama will welcome military families, including Gold Star and Blue Star parents, spouses and children, for the first viewing. At 1:30 PM, Mrs. Obama will deliver remarks in the East Room, and then she will host the children in the State Dining Room for a special holiday craft and treat session.

Executive Chef Cris Comerford and Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses will demonstrate how to make edible holiday treats and decorations. White House Florist Laura Dowling will demonstrate holiday crafts. (Above: Mrs. Obama and Yosses making gingerbread cookies with kids during the 2010 holiday preview)

Yosses' annual Gingerbread replica of the White House will also be unveiled on Wednesday. Last year's white chocolate-covered extravaganza weighed 400 pounds, while the 2009 edition came in at 390 pounds. Both were created with honey from the White House Beehive, and featured marzipan miniatures of First Dog Bo, and the First Lady's Kitchen Garden. (Above: The 2009 White House Gingerbread House)

Two White House Christmas Trees will honor military families this year. Last Friday, Mrs. Obama was presented with the Official White House Christmas Tree, and the 19-foot-tall Balsam Fir, grown in Wisconsin, will be placed in the Blue Room, and decorated with a theme honoring Blue Star families. A special Gold Star Christmas tree decorated by Gold Star families will be displayed at the visitor’s entrance on the East Wing Landing. As many as 100,000 visitors will view the White House holiday decorations in the next month, according to an aide.

In 2009, Mrs. Obama's first holiday theme was "Reflect, Rejoice, Renew." In 2010, the theme was "Simple Gifts." Both themes were inspired in part by the First Lady's Kitchen Garden, and made liberal use of fruit and dried vegetables, woven among the more traditional greens.

*Top photo by Lawrence Jackson/White House; second by Eddie Gehman Kohan/ObamaFoodorama.com

Dinner with Barack: The Mini Movies

2011-11-27T10:18:00.000-08:00

Obama Campaign releases five new videos from inside President's dinner with contest winners...
President Obama this week announced the third "Dinner with Barack" contest to raise money for his 2012 re-election war chest. To build interest among donors, Obama for America released five new videos from inside the first contest dinner President Obama has completed, his meal on Oct. 27 at Liberty Tavern in Arlington, Virginia. The President's press pool was allowed into the dining room for less than one minute during the event for a rapid photo op, so the Campaign videos are the first extended look at what occurred as four "everyday Americans" broke bread with the Commander in Chief. The longest video is more than eight minutes long, and edited like a feature film. (Above, the President with from L Knight, Smith, Helbling, and Martinez).

The winners were Juanita Martinez, a retired teacher from Brighton, Colorado; Casey Helbling, a software entrepreneur and small-business owner from Minneapolis, Minn.; Ken Knight, a U.S. postal worker from Chandler, Arizona; and Wendi Smith, a retired professor and artist from Corydon, Indiana. Helbling is such a huge Obama supporter he named one of his children "Maxwell Barack," he revealed after the dinner. All had to sign documents agreeing to be used--without pay--in campaign materials. Each prize, taxable by the IRS, was valued at $1,075, and included air fare to DC and a one-night hotel stay for the guests. The prizes did not include make up and hair service for the winners, as they made their feature film debuts.

The dinner was just 70 minutes long; the guests declined the President's offer of dessert. The longest mini-movie, above, is titled "Dinner With Barack: Two Teachers, an Army Veteran, a Small Business Owner and The President." It's edited to build excitement, and shows the President's guests arriving in Washington and being wowed by the monuments, while discussing their thrill over the upcoming dinner with Mr. Obama. Then it transitions to the restaurant, and shows edited portions of the Presidential mealtime conversation. The other four videos are shorter vignettes of the table talk, edited by theme.

For the record, the President at dinner enjoyed the "Harpoon Caught Swordfish," which is regularly featured on The Liberty Tavern menu. It's served "Portuguese style," with white beans, sweet peppers, lamb sausage escarole, and Littleneck clam sauce ($22). He washed it down with iced tea, though his companions drank wine. Before this week's video releases, the four winners had previously dished about their dinner to various media outlets, as well as put out statements for Campaign HQ.

Above, in this 1:05-long clip, "Dinner With Barack: The Impact of My Father," the President is asked by one of his guests about the "negative impact" of not knowing his father, who left when he was a small child. It's the most moving of the videos.

"As I look back on my life, I only remember my father for one month of my whole life," President Obama said. "When I was ten."

His father, however, introduced him to all the things he became passionate about, the President said--among these basketball and jazz--and the absence made him realize how important it is to be a good father to daughters Malia and Sasha.

Above, in the 1:04-long "Dinner With Barack: A Typical Day," Mr. Obama discusses what might occur on any given day of the Presidency. The days are "packed," the President said, noting that he's "not a morning person." The last time he was awakened in the middle of the night for an emergency was for the Japan earthquake and tsunami, the President said, "probably around 3 in the morning."

"At 6:30, even if I'm really busy, I'll stop, go upstairs, and have dinner with the girls," the President said.

Above, in the 1:02-long "Dinner With Barack: Why Education Is important," the President and his guests discuss education issues, as the title implies.

Above, the final 52-second video is a teaser, billed as "Video Preview: Dinner with Barack." The President talks about the challenges of trick-or-treating in public with his daughters, now that he's Commander in Chief. Last time he "pulled it off," Mr. Obama said, was in 2007.

Other dinners...
The President will dine at a later date with four more donors from the Campaign's second contest, the "Dinner with Barack II" sweepstakes, held during fundraising quarter 3, July-September. The winners' names have not yet been released. In an interview in September, Campaign Deputy Press Secretary Katie Hogan told Obama Foodorama that there was no way to determine how many donors have actually given money in order to be entered in the dinner contests; she said that donations for the dinner contests were not specifically tracked, which seems hard to believe. Donors for the second and third contests were and are automatically entered into the dinner pool, but that was not the case for the first dinner contest. Entering the contests without donating is/was possible, too.

The third contest closes on December 31, and will have three winners, each of whom can bring a guest. The Campaign is already heavily promoting the third dinner contest, and this week sent a Thanksgiving e-mail to woo donors.

*Videos by OFA; photo by AP/Pool

Roasting Obama Economic Policy

2011-11-27T10:13:00.000-08:00

Combining Black Friday and its ongoing criticism of President Obama's economic policy, the widely read Zero Hedge has posted this bit of anti-Presidential food art. The "Rotisserie & BBQ Debt Oven" featuring President Obama's head on two turkeys was posted under the title "Walmart After Christmas Price Riot!"

The Obama image was part of a larger tableau contributed by "williambanzai7," and also included an image of Jon Corzine as a chef hawking lids, and Lloyd Blankfein hawking a "slice-o-matic."

*Image from Zero Hedge/williambanzai7

College Hoops & A Hot Dog

2011-11-26T14:26:00.000-08:00

Cheering for First Brother-in-Law Craig Robinson's team, the President watches Oregon State Beavers beat Towson University Tigers...
It was a good post-Thanksgiving Saturday for the Hoops Lover in Chief: President Obama began the day with the news that the 149-day NBA lockout will end, played basketball with personal aide Reggie Love, then traveled to Maryland to watch as the Oregon State Beavers defeated the Towson University Tigers, 66-46. Oregon State, of course, is coached by First Lady Michelle Obama's brother Craig Robinson, and the entire First Family was on hand to witness the victory. President Obama enjoyed a hot dog and bottled water during the second half of the game, sitting beside his wife, who was clad in an orange sweater and black pants, in honor of Oregon State's team colors (above).

Obama daughters Malia and Sasha were also clad in team colors as the First Family entered the Towson basketball arena at 1:40 PM, to a standing ovation from the crowd. The Obamas shook hands with folks in the stands and took their courtside seats, opposite the Oregon State bench.
Before the tip-off, legendary actor-comedian Bill Murray, on hand for the game, stopped by to greet the First Couple (above).

As the Oregon State team was introduced, the President and Mrs. Obama smiled broadly and clapped a bit louder when Coach Robinson’s name was called out. The Oregon State hoopsters on Wednesday joined the First Family as they packed groceries at the Capital Area Food Bank, for a Thanksgiving community service event.

Earlier in the day, after playing basketball with personal aide Reggie Love at Fort McNair, President Obama was asked about the end of the NBA lockout.

The President gave a thumbs up and said, “Good deal.’’

At halftime, the Towson football team was introduced. The Tigers won the Colonial Athletic Association championship this season and are now competing in the FCS playoffs. The players posed for a photo with the President. Swarming around him, the team was warned they’d have to run laps if they didn’t give him some room.

By 4:02 PM, victory accomplished, the President and First Lady were airborne in Marine One, heading back to the White House from the Baltimore area. Daughters Malia and Sasha traveled separately, according to pool. Before heading to Maryland, the President and his daughters visited Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe in Washington, DC, for Small Business Saturday.

*Photos by AP/pool

Small Business Saturday: President Obama Visits Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe

2011-11-26T10:25:00.000-08:00

President buys books during early Christmas shopping outing...
To support "Small Business Saturday," President Obama this morning did some Christmas shopping, browsing the literary offerings at Washington, DC's Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe, accompanied by daughters Malia and Sasha. The popular bookstore and cafe, located in Dupont Circle, has been open since 1976.

"You doing some Christmas shopping? Not yet?" President Obama asked a boy named Alexander, whom he greeted by the bakery case (above, as Malia and Sasha look on).

"Well, we're starting early. This is Small Business Saturday. So we're out here supporting small business."

Father and daughters browsed the travel/writing section for a while, and left with an armload of childrens' books, but not before the President shook hands and chatted with fellow patrons. (Above: Browsing the stacks)

The event to encourage support of independently owned businesses was sponsored by some very large corporations: American Express, FedEx, Google, and Facebook, among others. Small businesses create one in three jobs in America, according to the Administration. The President arrived at 11:36 AM, and spent about 20 minutes with his daughters at the store.

The President began his Saturday with a rousing game of hoops in the gym at Ft. McNair, joined by personal aide Reggie Love, who will depart the White House by the end of the year.

"We're sad to see Reggie go," President Obama told his press pool, when queried. "But he's doing the right thing. He's going to finish his education and as you can see we're still getting a little basketball in."

The Presidential book purchases, according to the White House:

The Invention of Hugo Cabret - by Brian Selnick

Diary of a Whimpy Kid Cabin Fever - by Jeff Kinney

Tails - by Matthew Van Fleet

Descent into Chaos - by Ahmed Rashid

The Tiger's Wife - by Tea Obreht

The Phantom Tollbooth - by Norton Juster

The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao - by Junot Diaz

Zen Shorts - by Jon Muth

The President's motorcade was back at the White House by 11:57 AM. In the afternoon, the First Family traveled to Towson University, to watch First Brother-in-Law Craig Robinson's Oregon State Beavers trump the Towson Tigers 66-46, in a hoops match up.

Info: Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe is at 1517 Conn. Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036. Phone: (202) 387-1400.

*Top photo by Pete Souza/White House; second by AP/pool

O Christmas Tree: First Lady Michelle Obama Receives 2011 Official White House Tree

2011-11-25T09:27:00.000-08:00

Wisconsin tree will be displayed in Blue Room, with decorations that honor military families...
The very busy Presidential winter holiday season officially kicked off this morning when First Lady Michelle Obama accepted delivery of the 2011 Official White House Christmas Tree. Joined by daughters Malia and Sasha and First Dog Bo, Mrs. Obama was presented with the 19-foot-tall Balsam Fir, grown in Wisconsin, during a brief ceremony by the North Portico. The tree will be the centerpiece of the White House Christmas decorating scheme, on display throughout the holidays in the Blue Room with a theme that honors Blue Star families.

The tree was delivered via horse-drawn wagon, with a top-hatted coachman in control of an impressive pair of Clydesdales, their necks bedecked with red ribbons and wreathes. A band of US Marine Corps horn players gave a rousing rendition of O Christmas Tree as Mrs. Obama and her daughters watched the tree arrive.

"Let's check it out," the First Lady said to the girls as they walked around the carriage, examining the tree. Bo scampered about, trotting between the horses and his mistress.

Mrs. Obama, her hair pulled back in a bun, kept the autumn chill at bay in a gray sweater, gray print skirt and knee-high gray boots. She chatted briefly with 2011 National Christmas Tree Association Grand Champion winners Sue and Tom Schroeder, who grew the tree on their farm, Schroeder’s Forevergreens, near Neshkoro, Wisconsin (above). The tree was planted eighteen years ago.

Mrs. Obama's inspection was purely ceremonial: White House Chief Horticulturalist Jim Adams and Superintendent of Grounds Dale Haney, who were on hand for today's presentation, traveled to Wisconsin to select the tree on Oct. 3rd. The Schroeders harvested it on Nov. 17th.

"What do you think? Does it get the thumbs up?" Mrs. Obama asked Malia and Sasha. They enthusiastically consented, and Mrs. Obama agreed.

"Thumbs up!" she said. "Bring 'er on in!"

100,000 people will see the dazzling tree...
The very tall tree will require the removal of the Blue Room chandelier as it is installed. It will be viewed by as many as 100,000 people during the holidays, according to a White House aide, between those who visit for regular tours and for the many festive receptions that will be held through Dec. 16. Social Secretary Jeremy Bernard, the mastermind for the upcoming events, was on hand for today's delivery ceremony. (Above: Carriage horse Abe, right, and Jay, delivered the tree last year, too)

The White House will be decorated by the floral department staff and a team of volunteers this weekend and through the beginning of next week. Mrs. Obama's decorating theme will be unveiled next Wednesday, Nov. 30. She will welcome military families as the first group of visitors to view the seasonal decor.

Schroeder’s Forevergreens is one of approximately 800 Christmas tree farms and lots nationwide that donate Christmas trees to the Christmas SPIRIT Foundations’ Trees for Troops program, according to the East Wing. (Above: Mrs. Obama, the girls, and Bo walk out to receive the tree)

"Trees for Troops has provided 84,000 full-sized farm-grown Christmas trees to troops and military families since it began in 2005 and this year’s goal is to deliver their 100,000th tree," the East Wing said.

Members of the National Christmas Tree Association have presented the official White House Christmas Tree for display in the Blue Room since 1966.

Last year's tree was grown in Pennsylvania. Read about it here.

*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

Bobby Flay's Favorite White House Moment

2011-11-25T03:47:00.000-08:00

Slinging steaks with the President? Nope...
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay is one of the few White House guests chefs to actually cook with President Obama--they grilled steaks together on the South Lawn during a Father's Day picnic in 2009 (above). But going mano-a-mano over hot coals with the Eater in Chief was apparently all in a day's work for Flay, who says his favorite White House memory actually involves First Lady Michelle Obama. They had a special moment in 2010, when Flay visited the White House to harvest veggies from the Kitchen Garden for the White House episode of Iron Chef America.

"I got to take my daughter and my favorite moment was watching Michelle Obama and my daughter have a five-minute conversation about being 14. It was amazing," Flay told the Vancouver Sun.

"When we walked out of the White House, I said to my daughter, 'Sophie, just stop for a second. I want you to put this in a very special place because today will be a blur in your lifetime but I want you to remember this as a very special day in your life.' She was like, 'I know, Dad'."

Flay and Executive Chef Cris Comerford teamed up to beat Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse on Iron Chef America. Their winning recipes included Sweet Potato Pie with Honey Meringue and Broccoli Soup. (Above: Flay with Mrs. Obama, Comerford, and host Alton Brown)

*Top photo by Pete Souza/White House, second courtesy Food Network

What If The Kitchen Garden Had Failed?

2011-11-25T03:45:00.000-08:00

Never waste a crisis: Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan says that a South Lawn crop disaster might have been a good thing...

Washington Whispers reports that during a Monday event about sustainable farming held at the U.S. Archives, the Deputy Agriculture Secretary (l) discussed the possibility of First Lady Michelle Obama's Kitchen Garden failing:

"Merrigan, who manages the Agriculture Department's "Know your farmer, know your food" program, joked at an event last night that when Sam Kass, the assistant White House chef who tends the garden, expressed concern about the visibility of the first lady's garden and the chance that it might fail during the first year, she told him, "That would be great. ...Then people would understand the kinds of challenges that farmers face."

The Kitchen Garden is visible to the thousands of tourists who walk along the fence line of the South Lawn each month, and is kept in meticulous shape by the US Park Service, which manages the White House grounds. There's been no crop failure: The garden produced about 2,600 pounds of vegetables this year, according to the White House.

Merrigan, Washington Whispers pointed out, "has since applauded the First Lady's gardening success for setting an example for families on basic planting."

*Photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

2011-11-25T02:34:00.000-08:00

President Obama has no public events scheduled today. First Lady Obama will be presented with the 2011 Official White House Christmas Tree at 11:00 AM at the North Portico.

2011 Obama White House Thanksgiving Menu

2011-11-24T09:06:00.000-08:00

First Family's feast includes turkey, ham, oyster & cornbread stuffing, five sides, and six kinds of pie...
President Obama and the First Family are celebrating Thanksgiving in the White House with a traditional menu starring turkey and six different kinds of pie, including Pumpkin Pie and Banana Cream Pie. The Obamas will share their Thanksgiving with unidentified “friends, family and staff,” according to the White House. The feast will be created with bounty from First Lady Obama's Kitchen Garden, according to assistant chef Sam Kass. Honey from the White House Beehive will also be used for the dishes. (Above: At Wednesday's Turkey Pardoning Ceremony, Malia pets Liberty as the President and Sasha look on)

"Like millions of Americans, Michelle, Malia, Sasha and I will spend the day eating great food, watching a little football, and reflecting on how truly lucky we truly are," President Obama said today.

In addition to turkey, the Thanksgiving table will be laden with ham, two kinds of stuffing, five side dishes including macaroni and cheese and green bean casserole, and dinner rolls. The show-stopping pies also include Apple, Cherry, Huckleberry, Sweet Potato, and Pumpkin. The President is a fanatic for pie, and Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses has said that Banana Cream Pie is his favorite. Yosses' Apple Pie recipe is here.

2011 Obama Family White House Thanksgiving Menu

Turkey
Ham

Cornbread Stuffing
Oyster Stuffing

Side Dishes
Greens
Sweet Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Macaroni and Cheese

Dinner Rolls

Dessert
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Sweet Potato Pie
Banana Cream Pie
Cherry Pie
Huckleberry Pie

Like many Americans, the First Family enjoys the same Thanksgiving menu each year, and the 2011 menu is identical to the the 2010 menu the White House issued, as well as to the 2009 menu, minus the words "honey baked" in front of "ham."

In an annual Thanksgiving tradition, President Obama made calls to US military service members this morning, at around 9:00 AM ET from the Oval Office. The President's weekly address also thanked the troops, and today Mrs. Obama sent out an e-mail asking Americans to join the Joining Forces/USO "Thanks From Everywhere" campaign. (Above: The President made his calls to troops from the Oval Office)

On Wednesday morning, President Obama granted a Thanksgiving pardon to turkey Liberty and his alternate Peace during the annual White House ceremony. In the afternoon, the First Family packed holiday grocery bags at a local food bank.

President Obama's Thanksgiving address:

*Top photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama; second by Pete Souza/White House. National Turkey Federation Chairman Ricard Huisinga is in the Pardon Ceremony in the photo at top.

Obama Makes Thanksgiving Calls To Troops

2011-11-24T08:49:00.000-08:00

President calls 10 armed service members deployed in Operation New Dawn and Operation Enduring Freedom...
In an annual Thanksgiving tradition, President Obama made calls to US military service members this morning, at around 9:00 AM ET from the Oval Office. (Above, in action)

According to the White House, “President Obama called 10 members of our armed services - two from each the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy - deployed in support of Operation New Dawn and Operation Enduring Freedom. The President thanked each of them for their service and sacrifice and wished them and their families a Happy Thanksgiving.”

The President's weekly address also thanked the troops, and today First Lady Michelle Obama sent out an e-mail asking Americans to join the Joining Forces/USO "Thanks From Everywhere" campaign.

On Wednesday morning, President Obama granted a Thanksgiving pardon to turkey Liberty and his alternate Peace during the annual White House ceremony. In the afternoon, the First Family packed holiday grocery bags at a local food bank.

*Photo by Pete Souza/White House

First Lady Obama's 2011 Thanksgiving Message: Thank A Hero

2011-11-24T08:04:00.000-08:00

Join the "Thanks From Everywhere" campaign...
President Obama's Thanksgiving Address honored America's Armed Forces, and First Lady Michelle Obama is asking Americans to do the same.

Mrs. Obama sent an e-mail and video this morning from the White House, asking Americans to thank members of the military for their service. The messages will be added to the "Thank You From Everywhere" map created by the USO and Joining Forces, Mrs. Obama's campaign to support military families.

"I can't think of any better way to spend Thanksgiving than letting our servicemembers know how grateful we are for everything that they do," Mrs. Obama wrote. "So this year...We've partnered with the USO to create a program called Thanks From Everywhere."

In her video, Mrs. Obama calls Jessica Allen, the wife of a service member injured in combat in Afghanistan.

The text of the First Lady's e-mail:

Good morning,

Every Thanksgiving, Barack sits down to call some of our troops and thank them for their service.

When he tells me about these conversations, it always reminds me of how blessed we are to live in a country where men and women will stand up to protect our freedoms and preserve our way of life. And whenever I've had the chance to meet with these heroes and their families, I've always walked away inspired by their courage and in awe of their strength.

I can't think of any better way to spend Thanksgiving than letting our servicemembers know how grateful we are for everything that they do. So this year, we're making it easy to do just that.

We've partnered with the USO to create a program called Thanks From Everywhere. To get involved, simply visit JoiningForces.gov/Thanks and write a quick note that troops and veterans all over the world will be able to see.

Add your message to Thanks From Everywhere.

Your note will be added to a map with messages from people all over the country, showing our troops and their families just how much we appreciate their service and sacrifice.

If we all do our part, we'll help to build a wave of support to honor our veterans and their families -- and ensure they get the recognition they deserve this holiday season.

At a time when we are sitting down to share the blessings we've received this past year, please take a moment to be a part of this effort to thank America's heroes and their families.

Send a message to Thanks From Everywhere today:

http://www.JoiningForces.gov/Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving,

Michelle Obama
##

President Obama's Thanksgiving Address

2011-11-24T03:04:00.000-08:00

The First Family will celebrate Thanksgiving at the White House today. In his third annual Thanksgiving address, President Obama "wishes the American people a happy Thanksgiving -- and gives a special thanks to the brave men and women serving overseas and those giving back to their communities during the holidays." Transcript after the jump.

On Wednesday morning, President Obama granted a pardon to turkey Liberty and his alternate Peace during the annual White House ceremony. In the afternoon, the First Family packed holiday grocery bags at a local food bank.

The transcript:

From my family to yours, I’d like to wish you a happy Thanksgiving. Like millions of Americans, Michelle, Malia, Sasha and I will spend the day eating great food, watching a little football, and reflecting on how truly lucky we truly are.

As Americans, each of us has our own list of things and people to be thankful for. But there are some blessings we all share.

We’re especially grateful for the men and women who defend our country overseas. To all the service members eating Thanksgiving dinner far from your families: the American people are thinking of you today. And when you come home, we intend to make sure that we serve you as well as you’re serving America.

We’re also grateful for the Americans who are taking time out of their holiday to serve in soup kitchens and shelters, making sure their neighbors have a hot meal and a place to stay. This sense of mutual responsibility – the idea that I am my brother’s keeper; that I am my sister’s keeper – has always been a part of what makes our country special. And it’s one of the reasons the Thanksgiving tradition has endured.

The very first Thanksgiving was a celebration of community during a time of great hardship, and we have followed that example ever since. Even when the fate of our union was far from certain – during a Civil War, two World Wars, a Great Depression – Americans drew strength from each other. They had faith that tomorrow would be better than today.

We’re grateful that they did. As we gather around the table, we pause to remember the pilgrims, pioneers, and patriots who helped make this country what it is. They faced impossible odds, and yet somehow, they persevered. Today, it’s our turn.

I know that for many of you, this Thanksgiving is more difficult than most. But no matter how tough things are right now, we still give thanks for that most American of blessings, the chance to determine our own destiny. The problems we face didn’t develop overnight, and we won’t solve them overnight. But we will solve them. All it takes is for each of us to do our part.

With all the partisanship and gridlock here in Washington, it’s easy to wonder if such unity is really possible. But think about what’s happening at this very moment: Americans from all walks of life are coming together as one people, grateful for the blessings of family, community, and country.

If we keep that spirit alive, if we support each other, and look out for each other, and remember that we’re all in this together, then I know that we too will overcome the challenges of our time.

So today, I’m thankful to serve as your President and Commander-and-Chief. I’m thankful that my daughters get to grow up in this great country of ours. And I’m thankful for the chance to do my part, as together, we make tomorrow better than today.

Thanks, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

###

The First Family Visits Capital Area Food Bank For Thanksgiving Community Service

2011-11-23T15:13:00.000-08:00

The Obamas work food distribution table, gift turkeys and White House M&Ms to surprised patrons...
On the chilly, drizzly eve of Thanksgiving, the First Family on Wednesday afternoon continued a longstanding tradition of holiday community service with a visit to Capital Area Food Bank in Northeast Washington, DC. President Obama, First Lady Obama, daughters Malia and Sasha and First Grandmother Marian Robinson chatted with patrons as they handed out recyclable green shopping bags full of holiday groceries to a crowd of excited visitors. (Above: The First Family in action)

"Happy Thanksgiving to you!" President Obama said repeatedly, and asked people their names and holiday plans.

The 4:30 PM outing came after a jocular turkey pardoning ceremony in the morning, where the President grinned his way through the annual reprieve for two lucky gobblers, Liberty and Peace. He was still filled with holiday spirit, and smiled, chatted and shook hands with the patrons who approached the long distribution table where he stood with his family, offering bags of baby carrots, grapes and apples from blue plastic tubs.

There was a special treat on offer, too: White House M&Ms were gifted to the delighted patrons, who were not informed that the Obama family would be at work. The special candy is in white boxes with a blue Presidential seal and President Obama's autograph.

The food bank donates 30 million pounds of food per year to those in need, according to the White House. Many of the patrons were regulars, according to pool, and surprised to see the First Family at work in the warehouse-style room, which was filled with stacked pallets and shelves of food boxes.

The President was clad casually in a dark blue shirt, the collar unbuttoned, and an unzipped jacket, and he admired a sharply dressed patron.

"Now that's a nice looking suit!" He told one man, who wore a beige pinstriped suit.

The First Lady wore a green and black dress with a maroon hooded sweatshirt. The girls had an outfit change from the morning's pardon ceremony, where their sparkling shoes had caught the attention of the press.

The White House said that members of the Oregon State basketball team were also at work during the hour the First Family visited. That, of course, is the team coached by Mrs. Obama's brother, Craig Robinson.

The President and Mrs. Obama donated two dressed turkeys to the food bank, given by Jaindl’s Turkey Farm in Orefield, Pennsylvania, the White House said.

The Obama Family Thanksgiving celebration on Thursday will be at the White House. Update: The menu. On Friday, the winter holidays begin, as Mrs. Obama is presented with the Official White House Christmas Tree during during a ceremony by the North Portico. Update: The presentation.

The motorcade left the Capital Area Food Bank at 5:17 pm and, after an uneventful ride, arrived at the White House at 5:28 pm.

*Top photo by Pete Souza/White House; other photos & Video by AP/pool

"Dinner with Barack," Thanksgiving Edition

2011-11-23T10:47:00.000-08:00

Dinner with the President is the perfect holiday gift for family members, Obama Campaign advises...
Update, Nov. 27: Campaign releases 5 new videos from the first "Dinner with Barack"
As President Obama was pardoning the National Thanksgiving Turkey on Wednesday morning, his 2012 Campaign operation sent out an e-mail to supporters, urging donations for the newly launched "Dinner with Barack" contest, the third sweepstakes offering an intimate dinner with the Eater in Chief. It was timed for Thanksgiving and holiday gift giving: The latest enticement for donors is that each contest winner can bring a guest. "Who do you want to meet the President?" asked Rufus Gifford, National Finance Director. (Above: A new logo for the contest)

"As you celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, look around the table and ask yourself: Who would you bring?" wrote Gifford. "It's hard to think of a better gift for your parent, spouse, child, or best friend than the chance to accompany you to dinner with President Obama."

The donation ask was $3. The assigned retail value of the prize package has jumped from $1,075 for the first dinner, to $1,600 for the current dinner, which includes airfare and a hotel stay. President Obama has completed one "Dinner with Barack" event with donors; he dined last month at a Virginia restaurant with the four winners of the first contest.

"I'd bring my mom" to the dinner, Gifford wrote. The contest closes on December 31.

The e-mail had the subject heading ""Who do you want to meet the President?"

The text:

Friend --

We just launched our next Dinner with Barack contest, and this time there's a big new twist: Each winner can invite a guest.

So as you celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, look around the table and ask yourself: Who would you bring?

It's hard to think of a better gift for your parent, spouse, child, or best friend than the chance to accompany you to dinner with President Obama.

To be automatically entered right now, make a donation of $3 or whatever you can today.

When you do, you'll be helping fund this campaign as we near a critical fundraising deadline at the end of the year -- just three days before voters in Iowa head to the caucus and the 2012 election formally kicks off.

President Obama wants to connect face to face with the people who are chipping in however they can to grow this campaign.

So this time we're asking the three people who win to bring along a guest: maybe your significant other, or the friend who first got you involved in this movement. I'd bring my mom.

Thanksgiving is a perfect time to start thinking about whom you'd pick.

So throw your hat in today with a gift of $3 -- and be automatically entered for Dinner with Barack:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Dinner

Thanks,

Rufus

Rufus Gifford
National Finance Director
Obama for America
##

President Obama Grants Thanksgiving Pardon To Liberty And Peace...

2011-11-23T08:19:00.000-08:00

Another Executive Action that doesn't require Congressional approval...
During a windy ceremony under the North Portico this morning, a smiling and jocular President Obama pardoned Liberty, the 2011 National Thanksgiving Turkey. Daughters Malia and Sasha joined their father to watch the brief exercise of Executive Power. Richard Huisinga, National Turkey Federation chairman presented the lucky 45-lb, 19-week-old tom to President Obama.

"Tomorrow is one of the best days of the year to be an American...but it's also one of the worst days of the year to be a turkey," President Obama said.

"They don't have it so good," he added, and riffed on his "we can't wait" push to take action without waiting for Congress.

"Some of you may know that recently I’ve been taking a series of executive actions that don’t require Congressional approval," President Obama ,said to laughter. "Well, here’s another one. We can’t wait to pardon these turkeys. Literally."

"Otherwise they’d end up next to the mashed potatoes and stuffing."

Liberty's alternate, Peace, was also granted a pardon. Read more about the turkeys here.

*The transcript of the President's remarks.

*Top photo by Chuck Kennedy/White House

Transcipt & Video: President Obama's Remarks, 2011 National Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon

2011-11-23T08:15:00.000-08:00

President Obama pardoned Liberty, a 45-lb, 19-week old turkey from Willmar Poultry Company in Willmar, Minnesota, during a morning ceremony under the North Portico. Liberty's alternate Peace was also pardoned but was not at the ceremony. Duaghters Malia and Sasha joined their father. Read more about the lucky gobblers and their FFA handlers. On the eve of their pardon, the turkeys stayed at the W hotel in Washington, DC.

The White House

_______________________________________

Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release November 23, 2011

Remarks by the President at the Pardoning
of the National Thanksgiving Turkey

North Portico

10:40 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody! Well, it is wonderful to see all of you here today. Happy Thanksgiving, and welcome to the White House.

Tomorrow is one of the best days of the year to be an American. It’s a day to count our blessings, spend time with the ones we love, and enjoy some good food and some great company. But it’s also one of the worst days of the year to be a turkey. (Laughter.) They don’t have it so good.

The rare exception, of course, are the two birds who’ve joined me today. Now, is Peace here, or just Liberty? Just Liberty is here, but Peace is back here somewhere. Some of you may know that recently I’ve been taking a series of executive actions that don’t require Congressional approval. (Laughter.) Well, here’s another one. We can’t wait to pardon these turkeys. (Laughter.) Literally. Otherwise they’d end up next to the mashed potatoes and stuffing.

I want to thank Richard Huisinga, the Chairman of the National Turkey Federation, and his wonderful family for donating this year’s turkey from his farm in Willmar, Minnesota. The turkey’s name is Liberty -- there he is -- and along with his understudy named Peace, he has the distinction of being the luckiest bird on the face of the Earth. Right now, he’s also probably one of the most confused. (Laughter.)

Liberty was chosen from a flock of about 30 other contestants for the honor of being here today. And for the first time in history, these two turkeys were raised by four students from nearby Willmar High School.

Now, I’m told that in order to prepare Liberty and Peace for their big day, the students exposed them to loud noises and flash bulbs so that they’d be ready to face the White House press corps. This is actually true. They also received the most important part of their media training, which involves learning how to gobble without really saying anything. (Laughter.)

So Liberty is ready for his turn in the spotlight. And after he finishes a round of cable hits and a few Sunday shows, he’s going to retire to a life of leisure at Mount Vernon -- the same place where George Washington spent his golden years.

And later today, Michelle, Malia, Sasha and I will also be taking two unnamed turkeys, who weren’t so lucky, to a local food bank here in D.C. that helps those in need. And I want to thank the folks at Jaindl’s Turkey Farm in Orefield, Pennsylvania, for donating these dressed birds for the third year in a row.

A great writer once called Thanksgiving the “one day that is ours … the one day that is purely American.”

When we gather around our tables tomorrow to share the fruits of our blessings, let’s remember what that means. Let’s be grateful for what we have. Let’s be mindful of those who have less. Let’s appreciate those who hold a special place in our lives, and make sure that they know it. And let’s think about those who can’t spend the holiday with their loved ones –- especially the members of our military serving overseas. I’d like to thank all our men and women in uniform and their families for their incredible service and devotion.

And that’s what being an American is all about. Even when times are tough, we look out for each other. We lift each other up. And we remind ourselves just how lucky we are here, together, in the greatest country on Earth.

So from our family to yours, I want to wish everybody a wonderful and happy and healthy Thanksgiving.

And now, since Liberty and Peace have been so patient, it is my privilege to grant them the official pardon. And I’m going to -- I’ve got to give them a little symbol. (Laughter.)

(The turkeys are pardoned.)

THE PRESIDENT: All right, you are hereby pardoned. (Laughter.) Give them a round of applause. (Applause.)

END
10:45 A.M. EST
##

*Top photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan, second by Chuck Kennedy/White House. National Turkey Federation chairman Richard Huisinga is with the President.

Behind The Scenes At The Turkey Pardon...

2011-11-23T08:13:00.000-08:00

It was a rainy and windy morning at the White House, and staff had to mop the North Portico before rolling President Obama's podium into place before he could pardon Liberty, the National Thanksgiving Turkey. This year is the second time the event took place under the North Portico, rather than in the Rose Garden, where it is traditionally held. The President's first Turkey Pardon, in 2009, was also under the North Portico.

Today: President Obama Will Pardon "Liberty," The 2011 National Thanksgiving Turkey

2011-11-23T03:00:00.000-08:00

After a night at the W hotel, the glorious Minnesota gobbler is ready to make history...
UPDATE, Nov. 23: Read about the perfect Pardon Ceremony
Liberty is the name of the 2011 National Thanksgiving Turkey that President Obama will pardon at 10:30 AM this morning during a special ceremony under the North Portico at the White House, it can now be revealed. Ahead of his star turn in the decades-long White House tradition, started in 1947, the magnificent, 20-week-old, 45-lb Minnesota tom made his Washington debut on Tuesday afternoon, acting impressively regal--and calm--as he met the media and a handful of excited tourists in the rooftop lounge at the W, the tony Washington, DC hotel. (Above: Liberty looks out at the White House, before enjoying special W "gourmet" turkey chow)

With 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue glimmering in the foggy distance, the fine fellow strutted his stuff for close to an hour, joined by the four FFA (Future Farmers of America) teens who have raised him under the guidance of National Turkey Federation chairman Richard Huisinga, co-owner of Willmar Poultry Farms, in Willmar, Minnesota. That's where the tom was hatched on July 7th, into a special Presidential Flock with 34 companions. Liberty's alternate is Peace, and he also stayed at the W, and will be at the White House today. They're "hybrid broad-breasted white” turkeys.

This year marks the 64th anniversary of the Federation's National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation and Pardon.

Last week, a different tom from the Presidential Flock got a little feisty during a pardon ceremony with Minnesota's Governor Mark Dayton, flapping his wings and astonishing the gathered crowd in a momentary escape attempt. But Liberty was a model citizen during his Tuesday debut. The months of training the FFA students have poured into prepping him for the Pardon Ceremony have paid off: The glorious gobbler was immune to the noise and flash photography surrounding him as he met his enthusiastic public. Above, from left, the FFA students are Preston Asche, Brenna Ahlquist, Brianna Hoover, and Val Brown.

In addition to their care duties for the Presidential Flock, the teens spent weeks sitting in the two huge pens where the gobblers lived at Agforte farm, getting the toms used to human contact--as well as plenty of noise and lights.

"We played ringtones, and flashed cameras at them," said Hoover.

Led Zeppelin's song "Kashmir" got an especially big response from the toms, said Willmar's Jenn Baumgartner, who joined the kids as a chaperone.

The turkeys have very distinct personalities, said Brown.

"They're very smart, and curious. Some were more aggressive than others."

The toms were driven to DC in a special van that replicated their living quarters; their human counterparts flew.

Turkey room service? Yes, says the W...
Why was the turkey meet n' greet at the W hotel? Liberty stayed there ahead of his Presidential moment, of course. Yes, really: For the second year in a row, the W--which has both a good sense of humor and a strong devotion to US history--ensconced Liberty and Peace in a special room, from which furniture had been removed so they could spend the night in the lap of luxury. The National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation and Pardon ceremony has gone on through 11 Administrations, a tradition started in 1947. The W was thrilled to host the turkeys, said Ed Baten, the W's General Manager. The hotel gets an incredible amount of publicity by playing up the "pampered poultry" angle.

During his media meet n' greet, Liberty dined on gourmet turkey chow, "specially prepared by the hotel chef," said Baten, with a blend or organic soy beans and cranberries. Minus a spa visit, the turkeys were afforded all the amenities that guests enjoy at the W, Baten said, and laughed when asked if the minibar in the birds' room was intact: No, the turkeys were not enjoying shots of Wild Turkey during their visit, Baten said.

The turkeys actually spend the night in a room that has been cleared of most furniture, with a special enclosure installed so they don't injure themselves. The floor is covered with straw and bedding. They eat their regular turkey chow, lest they get ill.

Today marks the 12th time a Minnesota turkey receives a Presidential pardon, something President Obama joked during last year's ceremony is "one of the most important duties that I carry out as President." Minnesota is the largest turkey producer in the US, thanks to the massive Willmar Poultry, which is responsible annually for 45 million of Minnesota's 47 million birds. (Above: President Obama pardoning Apple the turkey in 2010)

The company is a breeding operation, focusing for the last six decades on genetics, biotechnology, and vaccines, and is an affiliate company Life-Science Innovations. Its fast-growing, meaty birds are sold to farmers as day-old poults, who then raise them. The US produces 244 million turkeys a year; Willmar sells about 600,000 poults weekly. Americans will eat 46 million turkeys on Thanksgiving Day. 2005 was the last year a Minnesota bird had the distinction of a Presidential pardon.

The Pardon ceremony is typically held in the Rose Garden, though in 2009 President Obama granted his first turkey pardon from beneath the safety of the North Portico, because it was raining. The historic "front porch" of the White House, the North Portico is where world leaders arrive to enter the halls of power. Today's ceremony will be under the North Portico, too: It's been raining for two days in DC. Liberty will no doubt perform just fine, inclement weather notwithstanding.

What happens to the rest of the Presidential Flock?
The remaining members of Willmar's Presidential Flock will be "processed" next week, and donated to a local food pantry in Willmar, said Steven H. Olson, Executive Director of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association. They'll be providing sustenance for hundreds of families. The teens, after their months of close contact with the birds, are unperturbed by the prospect of bidding their companions farewell.

"It's part of the education element of the FFA program," said Olson. "These kids were raising food animals. That's something that's important for everyone: Knowing where your food comes from."

A life at Mount Vernon...
Knowing where your food is going is also important. After President Obama grants his pardon, Liberty and Peace will not be processed. The turkeys will live out their days in the nationally recognized livestock facility at Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens, the glorious, historically preserved farm/estate of the first American President, George Washington. The bird will be on display during the seasonal holiday program, Christmas At Mount Vernon, through Jan. 6, 2012. The historically preserved plantation estate is located in Virginia, about a half hour from the White House. The President's 2010 turkeys, Apple and his alternate Cider, were sent there last year, in a first for National Turkey duos. Previously, the birds were sent to be the Grand Marshals of the Disneyland Thanksgiving Parade.

Apple and Cider died last March, according to a Mount Vernon spokesman, living for less than a year after their Presidential pardon. Like Liberty and Peace, they were also "hybrid broad- breasted white" turkeys, and these birds are bred solely to be food animals, gaining weight fast and having a short life span. Liberty and Peace are expected to live no more than a year, according to a Willmar spokesman.

Related: Much more about the history of presidents and turkeys is in this post.

Update: The First Family visited Capital Area Food Bank on Wednesday afternoon to participate in a Thanksgiving community service event, helping pack holiday meals for the needy. The 2011 White House Thanksgiving menu is here.

*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

Presidential Dining Deja Vu: Obama Announces Third "Dinner with Barack" Contest

2011-11-22T10:14:00.000-08:00

Retail value of dinner with President has skyrocketed..and this time, the three winners can bring guests...
Update, Nov. 27: Campaign releases 5 new videos from the first "Dinner with Barack"
The global economy may be in hot water, but the value of dinner with President Obama has gone up. In an effort to raise funds for the 2012 re-election campaign, President Obama is for the third time raffling himself off as a dinner date, he announced today in an e-mail to supporters. While the President is a cheap date--dinner can be had for just a $3 donation--the assigned retail value of the prize package has jumped from $1,075 for the first dinner, to $1,600 for the current dinner, which includes airfare and a one-night hotel stay. As an extra enticement for supporters, the contest is now two-for-one: Each winner can bring a companion. (Above: The new logo for the new dinner sweepstakes)

"We're taking names for the next dinner starting now, and this time I want to add a new feature: If you win, you can bring a guest," President Obama wrote.

This time there will be three dinner winners, rather than four, for a total of six guests sharing a meal with the President. It's proved to be a popular fundraiser, but the phrase "we're taking names" sounds a bit Orwellian, doesn't it? As he notes in his e-mail, the President dined on October 27th at a Virginia restaurant with the four winners of the first contest. He has yet to dine with the four winners of the second sweepstakes, and the Campaign has not released their names. The current contest closes for entries on Dec. 31. The prize is taxable, and no donation is *actually* needed to enter the contest.

The e-mail had the subject heading "You and a guest".

The text:

Friend--

A few Thursdays ago, I had dinner with four Americans named Ken, Casey, Juanita, and Wendi -- the winners of the campaign's first Dinner with Barack contest.

I loved getting to know each of them.

We're taking names for the next dinner starting now, and this time I want to add a new feature: If you win, you can bring a guest.

Chip in $3 or more today to be automatically entered to win a spot for you and a guest at the next dinner.

The folks who this election is all about tend to fall under the radar of the D.C. pundits and traditional news media.

They're people like Juanita, who helped put her three sons through college on a teacher's salary while saving what she could for retirement.

Like Ken, a single dad who stood by his mother as she fought insurance companies while battling two forms of cancer.

They're like Casey, whose three young kids may not yet appreciate what courage it took for their dad to take a chance and start his own business.

And Wendi, an artist and third-generation teacher who canvassed, marched, and phone banked in Indiana in 2008, the year her home state defied the traditional electoral map.

These people weren't just there for themselves -- they were representing you, this movement, and the folks I go to work for every day as president.

These dinners are important to me because I want to spend time whenever I can with the people who sent me here. They're proving wrong the conventional wisdom that says campaigns should cater to Washington lobbyists and powerful interests. And they're an important reminder that this movement -- and my presidency -- have never just been about me.

I'm proud that we're choosing to run the kind of campaign where a dinner like this isn't just possible, it's a regular thing. And next time, I don't just want to meet you -- I want to meet someone else in your life.

Donate $3 or more, and start thinking about who you'll invite to dinner:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Dinner

Thanks for being part of this,

Barack

##

Video - Sam Kass Talks Thanksgiving Turkey: "I'm A Stuffing And Gravy Kind of Guy"

2011-11-22T10:06:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is about family, friends, and guilt-free eating for the White House chef...
Sam Kass, Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives, mixes personal and political food policy observations as he talks about the First Family's Thanksgiving plans, and First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign in a new interview with NBC's David Gregory. Thanksgiving, not surprisingly, is the favorite holiday for the White House assistant chef; it's "about being together and enjoying delicious food and being able to not worry about it and just eat and eat," Kass said.

The First Family shares the same feeling, said Kass.

"Thanksgiving is about celebration," Kass said. "About enjoying food and family and coming together...We just have fun and enjoy really traditional dishes that are being eaten all over the country."

Kass gives some cooking tips, too, revealing his secrets for perfect gravy and the ideal stuffing. Add nuts and cranberries, he advises, for ultimate deliciousness.

"I'm a stuffing and gravy kind of guy," he said.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The transcript:

GREGORY: I just want to start by pointing out I wouldn't normally wear a full suit here, in the kitchen, but a) this is the First Kitchen, and you're in your dress whites here, so I mean that’s formal --

KASS: You know, this, this is my nice coat --

GREGORY: So I do have to ask you as we look at the White -- is this, is this the whole White House kitchen? I mean is this where everything happens?

KASS: This is where all the magic happens. And it's pretty amazing; it is quite small, at least to me--

GREGORY: It is small. I mean I’m looking around -- I mean it's bigger than my kitchen but it's still small. So whether you're cooking for the first family, or whether you’re cooking for a state dinner, it all was staged out of here.

KASS: It's all staged out of here, and you know this is an historic building, right, so we can't change any walls.

GREGORY: Right.

KASS: But when this kitchen was built, state dinners were closer to thirty people, as opposed to say a hundred and fifty or even up to three hundred. So this is what we have to work with and Chef Comerford and the team makes it happen -- and it's an amazing thing to see.

GREGORY: Let me first talk about you, because it’s interesting: You can be in your chef whites, but you're also spending part of the day wearing your suit, as an advisor in the White House on a lot of these nutritional issues. I mean this is a unique role that you play.

KASS: It is. It is a unique role, and it's a real honor to be able to work with the First Lady and the broader team, and we're trying to improve the health and nutrition of the country particularly as it pertains to our youngest, our youngest kids, so it's been a great honor.

GREGORY: Well let's talk more about that in just a minute, but I do want to talk about what everybody's talking about, which is: over Thanksgiving, and the Thanksgiving meal, this first family in particular is so committed to nutrition on a national scale and certainly in their own home. Does that also pertain to Thanksgiving or is it as much of a celebration of historical eating as it is for most families?

KASS: Thanksgiving is about a celebration, and enjoying food and family and coming together and really enjoying that whole, that whole process. So we really, we just have fun and enjoy really traditional dishes, just like dishes that are being eaten all over the country -- and the same way that they've been eating in their family for, since long before they got here. So it's about fun and enjoyment.

GREGORY: And let me ask you more generally: I mean is Thanksgiving to you, is the Thanksgiving meal a celebration of American food? Is that how you view it?

KASS: Oh absolutely. I mean I think Thanksgiving, you know, it comes from a celebration of the harvest, right – as the original, from way back when -- and for us, being in the White House, you know we just had a great harvest with a bunch of kids from the area and the First Lady and we're going to be using some of that produce for the Thanksgiving dinner here. But it is about tradition, and it is about togetherness and eating as a family and celebrating all that we have to be thankful for. And I think that is at the core of it, and you know personally I'll say it's my favorite holiday for that very reason -- that it's just about being together and enjoying delicious food and being able to not worry about it and just eat and eat.

GREGORY: What, what particularly interests you as a chef at this stage and working here? What is it that excites you the most about food? I should say what kind of food excites you the most -- whether cooking it or thinking about it.

KASS: Right, well in dual roles I probably have a couple different answers for you on that. But I think in terms of the cooking and as a chef, what excites me every day is being able to go down to the first lady's garden and being able to cook out of that. I mean it's just such an honor, number one, but two, as a chef, it's the best way to cook. I mean I can go down and pick whatever looks the best and is the most ripe, and then bring it up here and be putting it on the plate in thirty minutes. And that's, there's just, that's just exciting -- every day – ‘cause there's always something new getting ready to be harvested in the garden, so that's just been great.

GREGORY: And that is a great model for a lot of people who can eat that way, but one of the challenges you face and the First Lady faces is that so many Americans are not in a position --

KASS: That’s right.

GREGORY: To, you know, go into their garden and cook that for dinner, because -- you talk about food deserts, where fresh fruit and vegetables is not available for families to cook, whereas fast food seems to be everywhere.

KASS: Right. You know, we talk about choice and choice being you know the essence of what the First Lady is trying to, trying to work on here. But for families that don’t have any fresh food in their -- or any kind of healthy food in their neighborhoods, the notion of choice just doesn’t mean anything to them. So we’re working very hard to try to ensure that all communities really have access to healthy and affordable food.

Just this past summer the First Lady had a major announcement with, with retailers both big and small to target their growth and expansion in fifteen hundred locations across the country in the next five years. According to the companies this would, this will impact 9.5 million people -- families who do not have access to healthy and affordable food -- by either building new stores of refurbishing old stores that don’t have food to make sure we’re bringing in healthy food to these stores. It’s going to have a transformative impact for these families and make it much easier for them to make those healthier choices for, for their kids.

GREGORY: You’ve also, we’ve talked about the food pyramid and how the government revises those guidelines. What should the dinner plate look like?

KASS: Right. The the ‘My Plate’ has just been this great breakthrough. And it’s something that the First Lady had always said – ‘We need to give simple tools that make sense, and that are applicable to people’s lives.’ And while the pyramid, you know, was great and had its, had its strengths, we don’t eat off pyramids, and being able to put this in a plate form provides a framework that we can just see what is what is a plate should look like. But it’s open to the interpretation of any chef, and I say that in the most broadest terms -- all parents are chefs right? They’re cooking every night for their families -- to interpret this in a way that is delicious and creative and makes sense to the cultures and traditions of any family or community. So that’s why this has been so exciting and the response has just been overwhelming, it’s been great.

GREGORY: And so the key to your plate is what? In terms of getting the best nutritional value for particularly young people.

KASS: Yeah and eating balanced meals essentially. If every, if everyday we’re eating basically balanced meals with fruits and vegetables, whole grains, some good protein, some dairy: Then you know then our kids are free to do what they want and not for parents to not worry about them. So, you know, as a kid goes to a pizza party or has a, you know, splurges on the weekends, it’s no big deal. It’s if where kids are eating in that manner day in and day out is when they start to run into trouble.

GREGORY: But typically, I mean even like the old food pyramid, you want to see a lot of green on that plate.

KASS: A lot of green, a lot of leafy greens, dark orange vegetables, some whole grains, we’re really on the way if we’re doing that.

GREGORY: I have to ask: My colleague Mika Brzezinski on Morning Joe has been so upset about the news in the past couple of weeks, that somehow Congress came to the agreement that pizza was a vegetable. Can you help me understand how this could possibly come to pass?

KASS: You're going to have to ask them for those, for the answer on that one. You know, we’re working really hard to try to make sure that their standards are reasonable and that schools can achieve them, but also that are supporting the health of kids. So that kind of decision I’m going to have to say, the Hill is where you’re going to get the answer for that.

GREGORY: What about what’s happening in schools? Where do you think is an appropriate place for government generally, and for the administration given the First Lady’s concern about this, to have the best possible impact on what children are eating in schools?

KASS: I would say, you know the First Lady’s said this a lot -- that government has a role to play here certainly. But most of the answers to the challenges we face when it comes to our kids’ health are going to come from the country -- from citizens and teachers, parents, community leaders, business leaders, and not really from from the government. We do have a role to play and I think schools is one of the places where it’s clear we have a responsibility to ensure that there are good standards that are based on science, that really help make sure our kids are getting the food that they need. You know we’ve done a lot.

The passage of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act that the First Lady championed along with leaders on the Hill and lots of people from around the country is is is doing a lot of that work. But the First Lady also is championing the Healthier U.S. School Challenge, which is a challenge that has very high standards around both what’s being served but also physical activity and nutrition education. We’re seeing incredible response to this all over the country -- schools are working so hard to on their own raise their owns standards and meet these really high benchmarks, and that has been amazing.

So we’re working to be supportive in any and every way we can, and it’s happening all over the country. Everywhere we go we run into a science teacher who has built a garden and is doing curriculum, or we run into a food service professional who’s just taken it on his or her back to just make some big changes and educate their kids about how to make a better choice even in the cafeteria line. Story after story like this. So it’s just been great.

GREGORY: And along with that, a big part of the campaign is Let's Move, and being active and for kids as well as grownups to be active, because any of us know who try to live a fit life that you've got to get the eating right but you’ve got to -- that level of activity has to always be there. One can't go without the other.

KASS: That's absolutely right. And you'll see in this next year we're going to really focus a lot on making sure our kids are getting the activity we need. Right now, you know, the average American child is in front of a screen for about seven hours a day. And so long as our kids are sitting in front of a screen for seven hours a day, we're going to have some real challenges in making sure that they're going to reach their adulthood, you know, in a healthy place. So we're going to really work to inspire the nation, to work with mayors and other key stakeholders to provide better access to play, better access to being physically active, both in schools but then also in the community. So we're going to work hard on that.

GREGORY: So let me ask you a few quick ones. On the topic of Thanksgiving, is there a standout food for you that you like to eat or cook or both?

KASS: I'm a stuffing and gravy kind of guy.

GREGORY: Oh there's the fitness right there.

KASS: Hey, come on, look it's Thanksgiving, right. We’ve got to enjoy ourselves, you’ve got to blow it out.

GREGORY: And what's the secret to your stuffing and gravy?

KASS: Oh, well I mean I keep my gravy real simple. You just take the drippings from the turkey, a little flour, some herbs, a little shallot, a little onion, you're good to go. I keep that really simple. But I love in stuffing, some cranberries, some nuts, like pecans, and any kind of herb you throw in there. And whatever you do, whether you go bread or you go rice, you'll be good to go.

GREGORY: We've talked about grains. Like some hot grains right now that are being used in cooking. You know, great for your families instead of cooking rice, you can cook your kids some other grains -- talk about em, what excited you?

KASS: There's lots of great options out there that are really affordable and we just need to learn you know, practice, to practice cooking with them, cause you know we haven't cooked with them a lot. Couscous can be made in five minutes -- whole wheat couscous is literally done in five minutes; it's available in most stores, it's very cheap. Cracked wheat -- also really delicious, easy to cook, it's great. Brown rice, we always, you know, I always try to cook with brown rice whenever possible.

GREGORY: Farro.

KASS: There's also farro. Farro is a great grain, really good whole grain and lots of nutrients, lots of fiber, becoming more and more available. It's a really old grain, it's actually one of the world's oldest grains.

GREGORY: And you can make it like risotto.

KASS: Yeah, I make it like risotto all the time. Or you can cook it just like rice --there's lots of ways to use it. But we’re trying to, yeah, families are experimenting and coming up with new dishes all the time. It's really exciting.

GREGORY: What is a house standout, a White House favorite that you've cooked, you or the team have cooked?

KASS: Oh that’s, that's top secret information.

GREGORY: That's classified information?

KASS: There's no way I can disclose that. Oh a standout, I don't know, what's a standout? You know, we, to be quite honest with you, we just try to cook balanced meals, there always has to be a vegetable on the plate ,and it always has to get eaten -- that's for sure, that's non-negotiable. And we just try to keep balance, but we also make sure we're having fun. We have kids in this house and so you know, we throw them a bone every once and while, give ‘em something that's fun now and again--

GREGORY: Do you keep anything in the kitchen here for any late night snacks, or it's just like the leftover farro?

KASS: Yeah they’ve got to fend for themselves.

GREGORY: They’ve got to deal with that. What about when you really get to let loose? A state dinner, a time when you really want to be creative, what really gets your juices flowing as a chef and for that kind of setting?

KASS: Oh you know, look, it just depends on the season. I think a lot of times we really try to cook with what's the weather, what's the season like. So today it's cold and rainy, well you know that would be more exciting to get the soups, the squashes, we did, Chef Comerford did an amazing squash dish, squash soup, for the Korean state dinner that was made with squash from the garden. It was actually planned as a part of a three sister's garden, with the corned beans and squash that some young kids planted with us. So that was amazing. We got so excited about that. It's really fun to watch that whole process translate into a state dinner, I mean it's just been amazing.

GREGORY: Chef Kass, thank you very much.

KASS: It's been such a pleasure.

GREGORY: Happy Holidays.

KASS: To you as well.

##

*Photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama. NBC Video.

New Hampshire Lunch: President Obama Stops At Julien's Corner Kitchen In Manchester

2011-11-22T09:57:00.000-08:00

Ahead of tax-break speech, an eat n' meet with "a middle class family"...
Back on American soil for less than 48 hours after his whirlwind tour of the Asia Pacific, President Obama was already heading out of Washington, DC on Tuesday morning. He took part in a favorite road ritual: En route to a speech at Central High School in Manchester, New Hampshire, President Obama stopped at Julien's Corner Kitchen for a planned lunch meeting with the Corkery family. The cozy, casual corner restaurant serves breakfast and lunch, pool reported, and is also located in Manchester. (Above: The President, the Corkery family, and their very low-cal meal)

According to a White House backgrounder about the 11:35 AM meeting, the President sat down with the Corkery family to discuss "the importance of extending and expanding the payroll tax cut that has given tax breaks to millions of families across the country this year," the subject of his speech at the high school. Chris Corkery, the father, has taught math at Central High for twelve years, and he is a retired Colonel, serving 26 years in the US Army. His wife Kathy, a small business owner, and their two sons, Andrew and Nicholas, were also at the lunch, which looks to have been extremely low calorie.

Mr. Corkery introduced the President at Central High School, where he was greeted by an audience of more than 1,200 as he warned Congress that failing to act on the tax cut "will hurt middle-class Americans."

The press pool was escorted into the restaurant to listen in on the beginning of President Obama's conversation with the Corkerys, which lasted 20 minutes.

"Although it was difficult to hear with music playing in the background, Mr. Obama could be overheard discussing Mr. Corkery's military service and his wife's role in supporting him during difficult times. The young children (roughly age 4 and 5) greeted Obama warmly," pool reported.

The President's motorcade was off and heading for the high school at 11:52 AM. Pool failed to report on what or if the President actually dined.

Info: Julien's Corner Kitchen is at 150 Bridge St, Manchester, NH 03104. Phone: (603)
622-4044.

*Photos by AP/pool

Supercommittee Fails: Now That The "Secret" Farm Bill Is Dead, What's Ahead For Agriculture?

2011-11-22T01:18:00.000-08:00

2012 Farm Bill: Will Congress cut crop insurance? Subsidies? Conservation?...
*Ed note: My colleague Jerry Hagstrom, acclaimed agriculture journalist and author of the subscription-only The Hagstrom Report, has allowed Obama Foodorama to cross-post his detailed analysis of what the future holds, now that the Supercommittee has admitted defeat...

Supercommittee Failure Means Uniform Cuts
As Congress Fights Over New Farm Bill In 2012

By Jerry Hagstrom

The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction’s failure to come up with a proposal into which a new five-year farm bill could have been incorporated means that the Office of Management and Budget will announce early next year that farm programs will be subject to across-the-board cuts at the same time that Congress is struggling to write a new five-year bill in regular legislative order.

"After months of hard work and intense deliberations, we have come to the conclusion today that it will not be possible to make any bipartisan agreement available to the public before the committee’s deadline,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. ,and Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, the co-chairs of the supercommittee, said in a statement issued at 4:46 PM on Monday, after the markets had closed.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., said in a joint statement that agriculture committee leaders had developed a bipartisan, bicameral proposal for the Committee on Deficit Reduction that would save $23 billion.

“However, the Joint Select Committee’s failure to reach a deal on an overall deficit reduction package effectively ends this effort,” the statement said.

“We are pleased we were able to work in a bipartisan way with committee members and agriculture stakeholders to generate sound ideas to cut spending by tens of billions while maintaining key priorities to grow the country’s agriculture economy. We will continue the process of reauthorizing the farm bill in the coming months, and will do so with the same bipartisan spirit that has historically defined the work of our committees.”

Senate Agriculture Committee ranking member Pat Roberts, R-Kans., said the supercommittee’s failure “means that a farm bill will now be written in regular order as it should be.”

“In recent weeks, the chairs of the House and Senate agriculture committees have worked on a farm bill proposal, largely without my input and the input of the other members of the two committees,” Roberts said. “The last proposal was so ‘secret’ that I still have not seen final legislative language and scores.”

Roberts also said that, while “significant strides” were proposed in crop insurance and conservation programs, “I had substantial concerns about what little I knew of the direction of the commodity title and the inequitable distribution of spending reductions between commodities, conservation, nutrition and specialty crop programs.”

Complicated process ahead for Farm Bill...
Roberts’s statement reveals how difficult and complicated it will be for agricultural leaders to achieve their often competing goals through the processes of across-the-board cuts and regular order for the farm bill.

Roberts has said repeatedly this year that the nutrition programs, which make up about 75 percent of the Agriculture Department budget, should be subject to cuts, but in fact the bill that Stabenow and Lucas had written cut food stamps by $4 billion over 10 years, and exempted -- at Roberts’ insistence -- any cuts to crop insurance, while the program of “sequestration” or across-the-board cuts exempts food stamps, and will require cuts in crop insurance.

The debt ceiling bill that gave the Treasury Department the power to raise the debt ceiling also said that if the congressional supercommittee failed to reduce the deficit by $1.5 trillion over 10 years, across-the-board cuts in both defense and domestic spending would go into effect in 2013 to achieve $1.2 trillion in savings over 10 years.

Domestic programs, other than those that are exempt such as food stamps, are to be cut by 7.8 percent in 2013 and an unspecified percentage in years after that.

House Agriculture Committee ranking member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., has said that agriculture programs would be cut about $15 billion over 10 years, an amount that is less than the $23 billion that the agriculture committee chairmen and ranking members told the super committee they would accept in exchange for writing a new farm bill.

But the $15 billion cut will be much more concentrated in crop subsidies, conservation programs and crop insurance than if the agriculture leaders’ new farm bill had been accepted. And on top of that, the pressure not to reduce defense spending as much as the debt ceiling bill requires might mean that there will be pressure for an even bigger cut to agriculture programs.

President Barack Obama said in a statement on Monday night that he would veto any proposal to reduce the defense or domestic spending cuts.

“There will be no easy off ramps on this one,” President Obama said.

Under sequestration, all programs will be cut by the same percentage. The direct payments that the agriculture leaders were planning to eliminate or phase out will be subject to the same cut, as will marketing loans and most mandatory conservation programs.

Although the Office of Management and Budget has not issued definite statements on what programs will be exempt, the Conservation Reserve Program payments are unlikely to be cut because the government does not usually cut multi-year contracts during deficit reduction.

Crop insurance, subsidies likely to be cut...
But crop insurance programs are annual contracts, and both the subsidies to crop insurance companies and agents for delivering the policies and the premium subsidies to farmers are likely to be subject to cuts.

The Obama administration had already called for cuts to crop insurance when it proposed that $33 billion be cut from farm bill spending, so any appeal to OMB on the crop insurance issue is unlikely to find a receptive audience. Ferd Hoefner of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition noted in an email today that since crop insurance is now the largest farm subsidy program, it would be subject to the largest cut.

Food stamps along with other social welfare programs are exempt, but the situation with other nutrition programs is unclear, even though they serve poor people.

The special nutrition program for women, infants and children known as WIC operates like an entitlement, but it is appropriated and it appears likely it would be subject to cuts, as would commodity distribution programs. Whether school meals would be cut is also unclear. It’s possible that some aspects of the food stamp program might be subject to cuts, but OMB has not issued clear guidance on the nutrition programs, a Senate aide said on Monday.

Whether Congress can write a new farm bill in 2012 is open to question.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, told reporters last week that if Lucas were asked he would probably say that he could not get a bill through his committee. Lucas’s office did not respond to a query about whether Lucas agreed with that statement.

The Environmental Working Group, which is critical of crop subsidies and favors conservation, nutrition and programs that promote healthier eating, decried the agriculture leaders’ secretiveness in writing the farm bill that would have gone to the super committee.

But the passage of the fiscal year 2012 Agriculture appropriations bill with its provisions to restrict the Agriculture Department’s ability to implement a rule to improve the quality of school meals and to rewrite the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Act rule is an indication that progressives would face a difficult time in getting Congress to continue or improve programs they believe are important.

Likewise, the appropriations bill contained a provision tightening up limits on payments to big farmers, a prospect that gives conventional agriculture groups heartburn.

It’s unclear what will happen to the proposal that Stabenow and Lucas wrote. They never officially released that bill or showed legislative language to other members of their committees. The most public knowledge of that proposal came from a summary that Stabenow prepared for the super committee that was leaked. That proposal did not contain details of the commodity title proposals and was dated by the time reporters got their hands on it, Stabenow aides said.

What's ahead in the regular legislative order...
Consideration of a farm bill in regular legislative order is likely to spur debate, as provisions in that proposal would raise target prices. Some groups have said that high target prices are likely to encourage farmers to plant major crops like corn, soybeans and wheat rather than engage in the rotation that environmentalists say is better for the land and leads to the planting of crops that have grown in importance since the 1996 farm bill allowed planting flexibility.

Regular order is also likely to mean public discussion about whether the new proposals would mean the United States has to classify more of its farm payments as trade-distorting, whether the country might exceed its $19.6 billion annual limit on those programs, and what kind of message the country is sending to the World Trade Organization about the trade-distorting subsidies that the U.S. government has always discouraged in international forums.

The American Farm Bureau Federation, which has criticized the farm bill proposals that were in the super committee proposal, said in an email today that regular order would allow for consideration for proposals it had made that had been rejected.

If Congress cannot reach agreement on a new farm bill, some lobbyists have suggested that the 2008 bill should be extended until 2013, when a new Congress might take a different view of it.

Congress will have to take some action before the 2008 act expires on Sept. 30, 2012, because that expiration would trigger a revival of the 1949 farm act, which contains provisions that are totally out of date and would also cause much higher government spending levels.

But an extension of the 2008 farm bill would not stop sequestration, and it would mean there would not be money for disaster programs, whose authority ended on Sept. 30, or for renewable energy development programs whose baseline ends on Sept. 30, 2012.

The Stabenow-Lucas proposal had extended renewable energy programs, but the Agriculture Energy Coalition had already expressed “great disappointment” that the bill reauthorized energy programs “only at modest levels and without mandatory funding.”

Farm group reaction...
Farm groups issued mostly bland statements about the future.

“Presumably there will be a regular process of holding hearings and seeking input to consider the alternatives that the committee was working on, as well as additional alternatives,” said National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson. “NFU will continue to advocate for a safety net that provides support during difficult times – when markets collapse or when disasters strike.”

National Association of Wheat Growers CEO Dana Peterson said, “We are disappointed the super committee has failed at its task. Our growers understand our country has a lot of very serious issues in front of it right now, with effects well beyond farm policy. We are encouraging members of Congress to have an open dialogue on the path forward for our country, our economy and our industry.”

Peterson also noted that the group had never seen a written copy of the commodity title.

National Corn Growers Association President Garry Niemeyer said the group was disappointed and would continue to advocate for “market-based risk management farm programs that recognize our nation’s difficult financial situation.”

The National Cotton Council, which had earlier praised the ag committee proposal, declined to comment today.

Peterson, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., who was considered the Aggie on the supercommittee, did not respond to requests for comment.

“There are so many scenarios that no one really knows what will happen,” Hoefner said in an email.

Congress “could punt to 2013, with or without sequestration being allowed to trigger,” he said.

Or it “could take it up quickly in 2012 hoping to get in front of any later action on deficit reduction,” or it “could wait for budget deal to solidify in 2012, assuming there is another shot at trying to prevent sequestration, though if that takes a long time there would not likely be enough time remaining to develop farm bill, unless they basically went with what they were going to do now but didn't.”

*Senate Agriculture Committee Recommendations to the Super Committee [PDF]

*Cross-posted from The Hagstrom Report. To subscribe to The Hagstrom Report, check out TheHagstromReport.com.

Transcript & Video: President Obama's Statement On The Failure Of The Supercommittee

2011-11-21T15:19:00.000-08:00

"There will be no easy off ramps"...
President Obama delivered a statement in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Monday, after the co-chairs of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, aka "the "Supercommittee," announced that they had failed in their mission. The announcement came in the afternoon after the financial markets had closed. (Above: The President during his remarks)

*An analysis of what is next for Agriculture is here.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_____________________________

For Immediate Release
November 21, 2011

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
ON THE SUPERCOMMITTEE

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

5:44 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. As you all know, last summer I signed a law that will cut nearly $1 trillion of spending over the next 10 years. Part of that law also required Congress to reduce the deficit by an additional $1.2 trillion by the end of this year.

In September, I sent them a detailed plan that would have gone above and beyond that goal. It's a plan that would reduce the deficit by an additional $3 trillion, by cutting spending, slowing the growth of Medicare and Medicaid, and asking the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share.

In addition to my plan, there were a number of other bipartisan plans for them to consider from both Democrats and Republicans, all of which promoted a balanced approach. This kind of balanced approach to reducing our deficit -- an approach where everybody gives a little bit, and everyone does their fair share -- is supported by an overwhelming majority of Americans -- Democrats, independents, and Republicans. It’s supported by experts and economists from all across the political spectrum. And to their credit, many Democrats in Congress were willing to put politics aside and commit to reasonable adjustments that would have reduced the cost of Medicare, as long as they were part of a balanced approach.

But despite the broad agreement that exists for such an approach, there's still too many Republicans in Congress who have refused to listen to the voices of reason and compromise that are coming from outside of Washington. They continue to insist on protecting $100 billion worth of tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans at any cost, even if it means reducing the deficit with deep cuts to things like education and medical research. Even if it means deep cuts in Medicare.

So at this point, at least, they simply will not budge from that negotiating position. And so far, that refusal continues to be the main stumbling block that has prevented Congress from reaching an agreement to further reduce our deficit.

Now, we are not in the same situation that we were -- that we were in in August. There is no imminent threat to us defaulting on the debt that we owe. There are already $1 trillion worth of spending cuts that are locked in. And part of the law that I signed this summer stated that if Congress could not reach an agreement on the deficit, there would be another $1.2 trillion of automatic cuts in 2013 -– divided equally between domestic spending and defense spending.

One way or another, we will be trimming the deficit by a total of at least $2.2 trillion over the next 10 years. That's going to happen, one way or another. We've got $1 trillion locked in, and either Congress comes up with $1.2 trillion, which so far they've failed to do, or the sequester kicks in and these automatic spending cuts will occur that bring in an additional $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction.

Now, the question right now is whether we can reduce the deficit in a way that helps the economy grow, that operates with a scalpel, not with a hatchet, and if not, whether Congress is willing to stick to the painful deal that we made in August for the automatic cuts. Already, some in Congress are trying to undo these automatic spending cuts.

My message to them is simple: No. I will veto any effort to get rid of those automatic spending cuts to domestic and defense spending. There will be no easy off ramps on this one.

We need to keep the pressure up to compromise -- not turn off the pressure. The only way these spending cuts will not take place is if Congress gets back to work and agrees on a balanced plan to reduce the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion. That’s exactly what they need to do. That’s the job they promised to do. And they've still got a year to figure it out.

Although Congress has not come to an agreement yet, nothing prevents them from coming up with an agreement in the days ahead. They can still come together around a balanced plan. I believe Democrats are prepared to do so. My expectation is, is that there will be some Republicans who are still interested in preventing the automatic cuts from taking place. And, as I have from the beginning, I stand ready and willing to work with anybody that’s ready to engage in that effort to create a balanced plan for deficit reduction.

Now, in the meantime, we've got a lot of work left to do this year. Before Congress leaves next month, we have to work together to cut taxes for workers and small business owners all across America. If we don’t act, taxes will go up for every single American, starting next year. And I’m not about to let that happen. Middle-class Americans can’t afford to lose $1,000 next year because Congress won’t act. And I can only hope that members of Congress who've been fighting so hard to protect tax breaks for the wealthy will fight just as hard to protect tax breaks for small business owners and middle-class families.

We still need to put construction workers back on the job rebuilding our roads and our bridges. We still need to put our teachers back in the classroom educating our kids.

So when everybody gets back from Thanksgiving, it’s time to get some work done for the American people. All around the country, Americans are working hard to live within their means and meet their responsibilities. And I know they expect Washington to do the same.

Thanks.

END 5:50 P.M. EST
##

*Photo by Pete Souza/White House

The Bidens Host Early Thanksgiving Dinner For Wounded Warriors

2011-11-21T15:15:00.000-08:00

Vice President: Taking care of veterans is a "sacred obligation"...
Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden welcomed twelve Wounded Warriors to an early Thanksgiving dinner on Monday afternoon at their Washington, DC, residence. The guests--primarily Marines who served in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province--were joined by their parents or spouses at the Naval Observatory. They sat around two large tables in the dining room as they had a traditional feast: Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, and pumpkin pie. (Above: The Bidens welcome their guests)

Many of the service members were in wheelchairs and missing limbs, having been wounded in 2010 and 2011. They are still recovering, and in treatment and being outfitted with prostheses at Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda. The Vice President welcomed the men and women by telling them that they are an "inspiration" to all Americans, and “part of the finest group of warriors that the world has ever seen.”

He promised that President Obama and all future presidents will be committed to making sure that they will have access to any medical breakthroughs that can improve their lives or help them heal.

“We have only one true sacred obligation and that is to provide for those of you we send into harm’s way, and give you every single solitary thing that you could possibly need to make the transition back home reasonable and workable," Biden said. "That is the only truly, truly sacred obligation we have.”

When he was done, the Vice President gave the microphone to his wife, who spoke of her own experiences as the mother of a deployed soldier. The Bidens' son, Captain Beau Biden, of the Delaware Army National Guard, is a veteran of the Iraq war. With First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Biden leads the Joining Forces initiative to support and honor military families. (Above: Dr. Biden speaking with Lance Cpl. Joshua Misiewicz)

“I know what it was like to look down our family table and see my son missing,” Dr. Biden said. “I know what you families have gone through when your loved ones are deployed and I know what it feels like…I know how other families are feeling this Thanksgiving.”

During dinner, the Vice President sat between Lance Cpl. Stephen Ayhens, who lost both his legs when he stepped on a buried bomb, and Lance Cpl. William Carpenter, who was injured by a hand grenade. Dr. Biden sat beside Lance Cpl. Joshua Misiewicz.

Shortly after the meal began, Misiewicz and his mother broke away to talk to reporters in a small living room on the first floor. Misiewicz played hockey while growing up in Chicago, and lost both of his legs above the knee when he stepped on a buried bomb on a foot patrol in Sangin, Afghanistan in July. He has already been outfitted for prostheses at Walter Reed. Just last Thanksgiving, he was working at Camp Pendleton, outside of San Diego, and getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan.

“This is so nice,” Misiewicz said of the dinner. “It shows a lot of people care.”

His mother, Nancy Misiewicz, also chimed in with thanks for the Bidens.

“Nothing compares to a home-cooked meal.”

This is the third year the Bidens have welcomed Wounded Warriors for Thanksgiving.

*Photos by the Office of the Vice President. *Updated

Joint Statement From Agriculture Chairs: Stabenow, Lucas On Supercommittee Failure

2011-11-21T15:12:00.000-08:00

Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement on Monaday afternoon in response to the announcement that the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction failed to reach an agreement:

"House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders developed a bipartisan, bicameral proposal for the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction that would save $23 billion. However, the Joint Select Committee’s failure to reach a deal on an overall deficit reduction package effectively ends this effort.

We are pleased we were able to work in a bipartisan way with committee members and agriculture stakeholders to generate sound ideas to cut spending by tens of billions while maintaining key priorities to grow the country’s agriculture economy. We will continue the process of reauthorizing the farm bill in the coming months, and will do so with the same bipartisan spirit that has historically defined the work of our committees."
##

*President Obama's statement is here. An analysis of what is ahead for agriculture is here.

Friday: First Lady Michelle Obama Will Receive 2011 Official White House Christmas Tree

2011-11-21T07:55:00.000-08:00

Balsam Fir grown in Wisconsin will be centerpiece of holiday decorating scheme...
During an annual and charming ceremony that includes a horse-drawn carriage driving up to the North Portico, First Lady Michelle Obama will be presented with the Official White House Christmas Tree this Friday, Nov. 25th, the East Wing announced today. (Above: Mrs. Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha receiving the 2010 Christmas tree)

The glorious tree, a 19-foot-tall Balsam Fir, comes from Schroeder’s Forevergreens near Neshkoro, Wisconsin, where it was grown by the 2011 National Christmas Tree Association Grand Champion winners Sue and Tom Schroeder. The tree was selected in early October, said the East Wing, "and harvested this month." The Schroeders will present the tree to Mrs. Obama during the brief 11:00 AM ceremony, which typically includes members of the President's Own Marine Corps Band playing carols beneath the North Portico.

Schroeder’s Forevergreens is one of approximately 800 Christmas tree farms and lots nationwide that donate Christmas trees to the Christmas SPIRIT Foundations’ Trees for Troops program, according to the East Wing.

"Trees for Troops has provided 84,000 full-sized farm-grown Christmas trees to troops and military families since it began in 2005 and this year’s goal is to deliver their 100,000th tree."

The tree will be one of about 24 that will be on display at the White House through the holiday season, and will be in the Blue Room. Mrs. Obama's 2011 decorating theme will be announced shortly.

Members of the National Christmas Tree Association have presented the official White House Christmas Tree for display in the Blue Room since 1966.

Last year's tree was grown in Pennsylvania. Read about it here.

*Pool photo

Turkey Trot: Gobbler From Presidential Flock Tries To Escape Minnesota Pardon Ceremony

2011-11-21T05:29:00.000-08:00

Feathers might be flying at Wednesday's Rose Garden ceremony when President Obama pardons the National Thanksgiving Turkey if the behavior of one gobbler from the specially trained Presidential Flock is any indication. On Friday, "Ted," a feisty tom raised by Willmar Poultry Company in Minnesota, made a break for it during a pardon ceremony with Governor Mark Dayton in the State Capitol. Sen. Amy Klobuchar was on hand as Ted fled his cage and flapped his way into the crowd. (Above: Klobuchar, center laughs as the turkey heads for the hills; Dayton is at right)

Like all wannabe National Turkeys, the 35 members of Willmar's Presidential Flock have been trained for weeks to be able to appear in public, with plenty of human interaction and exposure to flash cameras and noise. Ostensibly the official National Turkey--which is not Ted, but a different bird that will be selected by and presented to President Obama by Richard Huisinga, co-owner of Willmar and chair of the National Turkey Federation--is the best behaved of the lot.

On Friday, after a few moments of mirth, the 45-pound Ted was retrieved and re-penned by one of the FFA (Future Farmers of America) students who has helped raise him, reported the StarTribune. The turkeys were born on July 7, and Ted's youthful hijinks caused a lot of laughter from the crowd--and from Klobuchar and the Governor.

After his escape plan was foiled, Ted sat on a table as the Governor and Klobuchar petted him for the cameras. He received his reprieve in due course, though there was one more moment of wing-flapping on the table.

While Gov. Dayton said during the ceremony that he was pardoning Ted so the gobbler can be pardoned by President Obama, it doesn't quite work that way. (Above: Klobuchar reacts as Ted spreads his wings while on the pardon table)

The actual National Turkey--and an alternate--are currently being driven to Washington, DC, to share the spotlight with President Obama. They'll be staying at a luxury hotel during their visit.

The gobblers are hybrid broad-breasted white turkeys, and have been cared for by four teens participating in the FFA program at Willmar High School. They are just two of the 45 million turkeys produced by Willmar Poultry each year. Read more here about the Presidential Flock and their journey to the White House.

Minnesota's The Uptake posted a video of the escape attempt. Both StarTribune and The Uptake repeated the Governor's assertion that Ted is the tom being pardoned at the White House, but to repeat, it's a different turkey who will be pardoned by President Obama.

*Photos by Glen Stubbe for the StarTribune; Video from The Uptake

For Vice President Biden's Birthday, Obama Campaign Sells The "Cup Of Joe" Mug

2011-11-20T12:01:00.000-08:00

The Obama fundraising operation never lets a holiday go by without making a plea for financial support. Today is Vice President Joe Biden's 69th birthday, and while it isn't (yet!) a national holiday, Campaign Manager Jim Messina sent an afternoon e-mail to donors suggesting a special celebration: Drop $20 (or more!) "to get your official Cup-of-Joe mug." Above, the mug as it appears on the OFA swag store website, complete with one of the Veep's favorite words, "literally," in the promo.

"I can't think of a better way to honor the Vice President's birthday than for his smile to grace kitchen tables and workplaces across America," Messina wrote in his e-mail.

Made in the USA, the mug is a big *&%!$*# deal, isn't it? And a perfect accompaniment to the Obama Birther Mug the Campaign is selling. Unfortunately, unlike President Obama's mug, Biden's doesn't have his birth certificate on it. Or Biden's other *&%!$*# signature fave word, which would make it a best-seller.

The mug missive was Messina's second Biden birthday e-mail of the day. Earlier, he sent an follow-up to Dr. Jill Biden's e-mail request that supporters sign a birthday card for her husband. Messina asked for more signatures "before we deliver the card to the Vice President."

"Hundreds of thousands of supporters have already added their names and their good wishes. Joe's going to love reading these," Messina wrote.

Messina's coffee mug e-mail had the subject heading "On this day in 1942".

Click here to see more Obama Campaign foodie swag, including a Biden can holder.

The text of Messina's mug e-mail:

Friend --

Joe Biden was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on this day in 1942.

I can't think of a better way to honor the Vice President's birthday than for his smile to grace kitchen tables and workplaces across America.

Wish Joe a happy birthday -- donate $20 or more to get your official Cup of Joe mug today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Cup-of-Joe-Mug

Thank you,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

##

*Expect 4-6 week delivery time of you actually order a mug.

Michelle Obama At NASCAR Sprint Cup Finale: "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines"...

2011-11-20T06:03:00.000-08:00

Homestead Speedway: First Lady, Dr. Biden serve as Grand Marshals, host barbecue for military families, announce new job commitments for vets & military spouses...
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden will visit Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida today, serving as Grand Marshals for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup finale, the Ford 400. The race is the biggest prize in American motor sports, and Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden's appearance is part of the Joining Forces campaign to support and honor families.

Before the race, Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden "will recognize service members and military families from the local community at a special BBQ lunch," the White House said. They will also invite a military family to join them as they lead lead the pre-race ceremony and speak what the White House bills as " the most famous words in racing"--“Gentlemen, start your engines.”

Carl Edwards of Missouri is the #1 ranked driver today. Edwards, 32, is the only NASCAR driver who is a member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, and has worked with Mrs. Obama on the Let's Move! campaign.

The Miami visit will also "highlight new commitments by American companies to hire and train veterans and military spouses," the White House said. Representatives from companies committing to hiring 10,000 veterans and military spouses by the end of 2013 will volunteer at the barbecue, which will be at the Speedway’s Nationwide Garage.

Walmart, Mrs. Obama's largest private-sector partner for the Let's Move! campaign, has also partnered with the First Lady for Joining Forces. The company created the video, above, featuring racing stars encouraging Americans to support America's uniformed heroes. The video includes Edwards.

The hiring commitments, per the White House:
Representatives from the following companies who have pledged support for the hiring initiative will be at the barbecue: The Beacon Council, G4S Secure Solutions (USA), Ryder System, Inc., Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc., Google, The National Military Family Association, The Boeing Company, Raytheon, Inventis Group Ltd. and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.

"This employment commitment includes a first-of-its-kind dedicated local employment effort in South Florida led by the Beacon Council, Miami-Dade County’s economic development leader, to hire veterans and military spouses," the White House said.

*The Beacon Council and their 274 companies will strive to hire 4,000 veterans by the end of 2013;

*G4S Secure Solutions (USA) whose workforce is 21% veterans already will hire 3,000 veterans by 2013;

*Ryder System, Inc. whose workforce is 10% veterans already expects to hire more than 550 veterans in 2011 and 1,000 additional veterans by the end of 2013; and

*BAE Systems, Inc. which already employs more than 3,000 veterans is committed to employing wounded warriors and veterans through their Warrior Integration services.

##

Happy Birthday, Vice President Joe Biden!

2011-11-20T04:46:00.000-08:00

Dr. Jill Biden organizes a special gift for VP's 69th...
Vice President Joe Biden celebrates his 69th birthday today, his second since being sworn in to office. He's spending the day in Wilmington, Delaware and has no public events scheduled, according to the White House. In 2009, Biden celebrated his last birthday before becoming Vice President at Transition headquarters in Chicago, where President Obama presented him with a dozen cupcakes (above). It's the only Obama-Biden birthday photo released by the Administration that actually includes cake in the image.

Dr. Jill Biden will not be spending the big *&%!$*# deal of a day with her spouse in Delaware. Instead, she will be in Florida, joining First Lady Michelle Obama at Homestead-Miami Speedway as co-grand marshal for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup finale. They'll be hosting a barbecue for military families, and announcing a new private-sector jobs commitment for veterans as part of the Joining Forces campaign.

But on Friday, Dr. Biden orchestrated a special birthday celebration for the Vice President, sending an email to Obama campaign supporters, asking them to sign an online birthday card. It was also from the First Family, Dr. Biden said. (Above: The online card)

"I know I don't usually send you emails, but Joe has a birthday coming up this Sunday, and I'm trying something new," Dr. Biden wrote. "The First Family and I are putting together a special card for him...So help us make this birthday a memorable one for Joe."

The subject heading for the e-mail was "Sign Joe's card."

The full text:

Friend--

I know I don't usually send you emails, but Joe has a birthday coming up this Sunday, and I'm trying something new.

The First Family and I are putting together a special card for him, and we'd like as many supporters of this campaign as possible to add their names and messages for Joe.

Because the year ahead is going to be a big one -- not just for Joe and me, but for all of us. We've all got some work to do.

So help us make this birthday a memorable one for Joe. Add your names, and, if you like, your own notes and well-wishes for the year ahead:

http://my.barackobama.com/For-Joe

Thanks,

Jill

##

*Photo from Change.org, the website of the Transition

President Obama's Proclamation: National Farm-City Week, 2011

2011-11-18T14:42:00.000-08:00

For the second year in a row, President Obama has issued a Proclamation declaring Thanksgiving week as National Farm-City Week. For 2011, it runs from Nov. 18-24, and is intended to "celebrate the essential contributions of farmers and ranchers" and "recommit to a prosperous and sustainable future for American agriculture."

"As we gather with family and friends this Thanksgiving, let us pay tribute to the men and women whose hard work brought the bounty we find before us from farm to fork," President Obama said.

He discusses the establishment last Spring of the White House Rural Council, hailing its efforts to create jobs.

"We have worked to cultivate local and regional food systems, empower young and beginning farmers, and support rural businesses," President Obama said.

The President also mentions the importance of renewable fuels for rural economies.

"By finding new ways to harness homegrown fuels in small towns and on family farms, we can create new jobs, improve our energy security, and unlock additional sources of income for farmers."

The President's Proclamation:

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

____________________________

For Immediate Release

November 18, 2011

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

With tenacity, resilience, and humility, our farmers and ranchers have helped drive our Nation's growth for generations. Season after season, their careful stewardship and dedication brings an abundance of wholesome food, plentiful fiber, a stronger economy, and new opportunities to secure our clean energy future. During National Farm-City Week, we celebrate the essential contributions of farmers and ranchers to our country's well-being and recommit to a prosperous and sustainable future for American agriculture.

As our urban centers continue to grow, we look to our fields and ranches to supply our markets and families with fresh, healthy food. To help our farming communities meet the challenges of the 21st century, I established the White House Rural Council earlier this year. By partnering with leaders in rural America, we have worked to cultivate local and regional food systems, empower young and beginning farmers, and support rural businesses. Together, we stand with our rural communities and reaffirm our commitment to their continued success.

To make a lasting investment in our Nation's energy future, my Administration is taking action to promote renewable energy production across rural America. As part of a comprehensive strategy to build our clean energy economy, we are working to produce more renewable, domestic biofuels and to help bring solar panel arrays and wind turbines to rural businesses. By finding new ways to harness homegrown fuels in small towns and on family farms, we can create new jobs, improve our energy security, and unlock additional sources of income for farmers.

This week, we honor the individuals, families, and communities who provide us the staple foods that sustain our Nation. As we gather with family and friends this Thanksgiving, let us pay tribute to the men and women whose hard work brought the bounty we find before us from farm to fork.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 18 through November 24, 2011, as National Farm-City Week. I call upon all Americans to reflect on the vital contributions of those who dedicate their lives to promoting our Nation's agricultural abundance and environmental stewardship.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

Bali, Indonesia: President Obama Attends The East Asia Summit Dinner

2011-11-18T05:33:00.000-08:00

"Tonight our business is everything but official"...
In Bali, Indonesia for the East Asia Summit, President Obama joined his counterparts on Thursday evening for a formal dinner, held at the convention center and hosted by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The 8:30 PM dinner in the ballroom had the leaders and their spouses seated in a straight line at a long head table in front, facing a stage, where dancers in elaborate traditional Balinese costumes performed. (Above: The President watches the performance with Yudhoyono)

Mr. Obama is the first US president to attend the East Asia Summit. The dinner came after the "family photo" of the attending leaders, and all wore traditional shirts, both for the photo and for the dinner.

Just a week ago at the APEC summit in Hawaii, Mr. Obama nixed the idea of the gathered leaders donning such gear for the family photo. As host, he mandated "no coconut bras," and no grass skirts, either. In Bali, the President wore a green shirt with orange accents in an ikat print, while the other leaders wore yellow, gold, maroon, black and red shirts for the family photo and then to the dinner. He was in the front row for two family photos--one with spouses, and one without. First Lady Michelle Obama is not in Bali. (Above: The President with the leaders and spouses during the photo op)

Yudhoyono spoke in English as he welcomed his guests to the dinner. The resort island of Bali has "an amazing way to cure jetlag and rejuvenate strength," he said.

Tonight, he said, the main duty was to enjoy he festivities; "tomorrow our works begins," with an agenda that includes energy, climate change, the world economy, maritime cooperation, and trade.

"You may leave all that for tomorrow," Yudhoyono said. "Tonight our business is everything but official."

Earlier today, after a bilateral meeting with Yudhoyono, President Obama said he was pleased to be at the summit.

"This is another example of how the United States is refocusing on the Asia Pacific, and engaging more deeply in regional organizations, so we can meet our common challenges together."

President Obama arrived in Bali on Thursday, the final stop on a nine-day tour of the Asia Pacific region. He returns to Washington, DC, on Saturday.

*Photos by AP/pool

Power Politics In Action: Congress Officially Makes Pizza A Vegetable

2011-11-18T04:45:00.000-08:00

Hot lunch: How lobbyists, big food corporations, and their friends on Capitol Hill fried the Administration's school nutrition standards...

By Marian Burros

Not everyone remembers how the Reagan Administration was shamed into withdrawing its effort to put ketchup in the same category as a serving of broccoli or kale in 1981. But Dr. Marion Nestle, author and professor of nutrition at New York University, remembers it well. Which is why she says the Congressional bill passed on Thursday that has turned pizza into a vegetable “makes me crazy."

“It’s about profit. It has nothing to do with the health of children,” Nestle told Obama Foodorama.

The Agriculture Appropriations bill, part of the larger "minibus" that provides funding for FY 2012, was approved by the Senate on a 70-30 vote, just after the House agreed to it 298-121. It provides $18.2 billion for school lunch and breakfast programs but contains four nutrition riders, two of which prohibit the Agriculture Department from providing healthier food for children.

The proposed changes that would reduce fat, saturated fat, sodium and sugar, add more whole grains and increase the variety of vegetables and fruits in school meals are science-based recommendations from the National Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.

Congress had asked for the update to help reduce childhood obesity, one of First Lady Michelle Obama’s signature projects, the Let’s Move! campaign. But lawmakers appear to have had second thoughts, though both Mrs. Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack have repeatedly said the changes are essential to combat childhood obesity, pointing out that many children, particularly those that are disadvantaged, get up to half their daily calories from school lunch and breakfast. Better nutrition in schools is crucial for academic achievement and "winning the future," according to President Obama.

But spurred on by lobbyists for companies that might have their profit margin adversely affected by the proposed regulations, Congress is now requiring the USDA to back off from its efforts to require pizza makers to use more than 1/8 cup of tomato paste in order to call pizza a vegetable serving, and to reduce the use of potatoes (read French fries) in school lunches.

USDA wanted to reduce the frequency of potatoes along with other high-starch vegetables like corn, lima beans and peas because the IOM report said schools need to serve more orange and dark green vegetables.

The National Potato Council, in concert with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Mark Udall (D-Col), made sure Congress killed the proposed potato restriction: French fries will be available every day in school cafeterias. The potato industry points with pride to Mrs. Obama’s professed love of French fries, ignoring her admonition to treat them as an occasional indulgence rather than part of a daily diet. Many schools brag that they bake the French fries before serving. But that takes place after they have been fried at the facility where they were made.

Companies like ConAgra, the industrial agriculture giant, and Minnesota’s Schwan’s Food Service, which sells 70 percent of the pizzas served in school lunches, went all out to prevent a change in amount of tomato paste required to classify it as a serving of vegetables. Under the current regulations, tomato paste has a special exception carved out for it so that the 1/8 cup used on a pizza slice is comparable to the standard serving size of ½ cup of any other vegetable. USDA wanted to take away the special exception.

Pizza purchases from schools account for the largest part of Schwan's $3 billion in annual sales, so it is not surprising hat Democrat Amy Klobuchar, the company's home-state Sentator, sent a letter to USDA warning them to leave the pizza standard alone.

At the same time Schwan's was complaining about the pending change in the pizza regulation requiring more vegetable content, it was vigorously selling itself to school lunch directors as the company that could help them meet the proposed new rules, because it had added whole grain to its pizzas and reduced the fat and sodium content.

“We’re passionate about feeding children better," Schwan's president Jim Clough told Business Wire in August. But that passion does not extend to vegetables.

The company did not return repeated calls requesting comment.

ConAgra and Schwan's have also funded the website Coalition for Sustainable School Meal Programs, which has urged parents to help change the proposed regulations, particularly the one about pizza. Barry Sackin, a former vice president for public policy of what is now called the School Nutrition Association (SNA), is running the website and has worked with ConAgra and Schwan's.

The SNA is a trade association made up of the people who are responsible for school lunches. It also has industry members, like Schwan's and ConAgra, who pay hefty fees for membership. SNA is not happy with the changes USDA is proposing. It wants another year before the changes take affect: 2013 instead of 2012. It favors leaving the exception for tomato paste, claims there is not enough whole grain in certain sections of the country to use in school meals, worries that fresh leafy green vegetables are not available in certain part of the country in certain seasons and that if they can’t put enough salt in the food children won’t eat it.

When the First Lady gathered hundreds of professional chefs at the White House in June of 2010 to launch the Chefs Move to Schools initiative, she asked them to help schools improve the meals they served. But many of the chefs were surprised to discover that the professional lunch ladies resented their efforts.

“Members of the School Nutrition Association don’t have any power,” said Nestle. “Unlike anything else in school they have to run a break-even enterprise and the only way to do it is having lots and lots of kids eat their meals, so they pander to lowest common denominator.”

The Chefs Move program, run by USDA, now has 3,700 chefs enrolled, according to Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass. But there are more than 90,000 schools participating in the federal school lunch and breakfast programs.

The other riders in the bill: Sodium and Whole Grain...

There are two other riders to the Ag bill that seem designed to slow down the process of changing school lunch rather than an outright prohibition of changes. One requires USDA to provide scientific evidence that reducing sodium is important for health reasons. That shouldn’t be too hard: the Institute of Medicine has already done that. The other requires a definition for whole grains, and USDA already has a definition.

A USDA spokesman said the Agency sees “no barriers to implementing those parts of the regulation.”

House Republicans claim these four nutrition riders will save $6.8 billion over five years, a claim USDA vigorously disputes.

According to the Agency spokesman, the changes “will have little to no affect on the cost the new standards.”

Mrs. Obama could not have imagined that her efforts to reduce childhood obesity would cause such forceful reaction from the food industry, its assorted front groups and its friends in Congress.

Another anti-Obama front group...

The Coalition for Sustainable School Meal Programs is not the first front group fighting against healthier food. The Sensible Food Policy Coalition, whose members includes PepsiCo, Kellogg and General Mills, has been working to quash the government’s voluntary nutritional guidelines for advertising food to children, quite similar to the core principles of Let’s Move!.

The coalition wants to substitute the food industry’s far less stringent standards for the guidelines put together by the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, USDA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last month, there was a hearing in the House in which the members made speeches, using text provided by the coalition’s members.

“What corporations want is free reign,” said Nestle. “They want to market anyway they want, to put any kind of junk food in kids and they’ve got Congress to back them up."

"The idea the Senate is passing laws about potatoes, putting riders on bills and the senatorial staff members are writing letters to USDA about the amount of tomato paste on pizza is power politics in action.”

Though Mrs. Obama agressively championed the school nutrition legislation that offered the improved standards for meals, the East Wing would not comment on the recent developments in Congress, instead referring queries to USDA.

##

Update, 11:00 AM: In Bali, Indonesia, today, President Obama signed the bill into law.

Ed. note: Dr. Nestle was recently named by Forbes magazine as one of "The World's 7 Most Powerful Foodies" -- #2 to Mrs. Obama's #1 spot on the list. Burros, the author of this post, was actually the journalist in the Reagan era who coined the idea that "ketchup is a vegetable," which is now part of the food culture lexicon.

*Obama pizza at top of post was created by British food artist Prudence Strait for the Daily Mail. Photo by Alistair Heap.

Sam Kass Stars As Guest Judge On "Chopped" - Video Preview

2011-11-18T03:31:00.000-08:00

Let's Move!: A special episode devoted to school lunches...
For the second time since First Lady Michelle Obama launched the Let's Move! campaign, Senior Policy Advisor For Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass will judge a TV culinary competition dedicated to school lunches. In 2010, Kass guest-judged Top Chef: Washington, DC, as pro chefs tried to please middle schoolers. But Kass' upcoming TV outing on Tuesday, Nov. 22, has a better twist: He'll judge real! live! "lunch ladies" battling it out on "Chopped," Food Network's popular pot boiler hosted by Ted Allen. (Above: Kass onscreen)

The episode is billed as "an incredible competition" with "an emotional victory," and that's because the four women going knife-to-knife for the $10,000 prize are standouts in the school food world.

Each lunch lady comes from a school that declines to offer pre-processed, re-heated fare from the kind of big food corporations that successfully lobbied Congress to weaken school nutrition standards. They all run cafeterias on a tight budget, yet manage to serve delicious, healthy scratch-cooked fare. One contestant works at a school she says is more like a farm, with a 1-acre vegetable garden and livestock. One was trained at Johnson & Wales, and one is a former baker. Still, the lunch ladies will be using USDA ingredients they'd have in a school kitchen, including dill pickles and canned tuna. But they'll also be using quinoa and fresh vegetables as they show America that cooking healthy school lunches with the kind of challenges all schools face is possible.

From the episode notes: "The ladies seek to make a big impression with their first dishes, made with dill pickles and canned tuna. Then in the entrée round, quinoa is a new ingredient for two out of the three chefs. Will they be able to take something unknown and create something great?"

"The two finalists pour their hearts into making fantastic desserts that include grapes and cream cheese. And an emotional victory brings an incredible competition to its conclusion."

And the competitors are...
Three of the chefs come from Connecticut. Cheryl Barbara, from High School in the Community in New Haven, runs a backpack program, and sends food home with kids on weekends. Rhonda Deloach, from the Common Ground magnet school in New Haven, is the chef who sources from her own school farm. Diane Houlihan is the assistant cook manager at Great Neck Elementary School in Waterford. New York provides the fourth lunch lady: She's Arlene Leggio of Islip High School in Long Island.

Two other judges join Kass: Chef Marc Murphy, noted in the video as a "big supporter" of Share Our Strength's "No Kid Hungry" campaign, and fine "dining specialist" and chef Amanda Freitag, noted as a supporter of Edible Schoolyard NYC.

The episode airs on the Food Network on Tuesday at 10 PM ET/PT. On Nov. 29, Kass will emcee a different culinary competition--but this one's not on television. Read all about it here. Check out the White House's before-after school lunch menu, which shows how child friendly meals in institutional settings can be far healthier.

*Video from Chopped/Food Network

President Obama's Visit To Darwin, Australia

2011-11-17T07:23:00.000-08:00

Get your Obama newspaper hats!...
Locals--and local media--in Darwin, Australia were thrilled by President Obama's Nov. 17th visit, the first-ever by a sitting US president to the Northern Territory.

The NT News created Obama newspaper hats, and included these in its print edition so locals could dress properly when raising a pint to the President. Still, the stop, at the end of a 28-hour whirlwind visit that included a Parliamentary Dinner and an address to Parliament, was somber. Joined by Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the President laid a wreath at the USS Peary Memorial in Bicentennial Park to honor the eighty US troops killed when the Japanese sank the Navy destroyer during a massive attack on Feb. 19, 1942. Click here for a photo gallery of the President's Darwin visit. At top, local bakers Fran Anderson and Marni Champion wear the commemorative hats.

*Photo by Patrina Malone/NT News

Transcript: Remarks By President Obama To The Australian Parliament

2011-11-16T15:07:00.000-08:00

On his second day in Canberra, Australia, his first visit to the country, President Obama addressed the Australian Parliament: Transcript below. The President also planted a commemorative tree, visited a local high school, and visited a war memorial to honor fallen troops. In the video at the bottom of the post, the President and Prime Minister Julia Gillard hold a joint news conference. Gillard honored the President with a Parliamentary Dinner on the day he arrived, Nov. 16 local time.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________

For Immediate Release November 17, 2011

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA
TO THE AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT

`
Parliament House
Canberra, Australia

10:42 A.M. AEST

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Prime Minister Gillard, Leader Abbott, thank you both for your very warm welcome. Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, members of the House and Senate, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for the honor of standing in this great chamber to reaffirm the bonds between the United States and the Commonwealth of Australia, two of the world’s oldest democracies and two of the world's oldest friends.

To you and the people of Australia, thank you for your extraordinary hospitality. And here, in this city -- this ancient “meeting place” -- I want to acknowledge the original inhabitants of this land, and one of the world’s oldest continuous cultures, the First Australians.

I first came to Australia as a child, traveling between my birthplace of Hawaii, and Indonesia, where I would live for four years. As an eight-year-old, I couldn’t always understand your foreign language. (Laughter.) Last night I did try to talk some "Strine." (Laughter.) Today I don’t want to subject you to any earbashing. I really do love that one and I will be introducing that into the vernacular in Washington. (Laughter.)

But to a young American boy, Australia and its people -- your optimism, your easy-going ways, your irreverent sense of humor -- all felt so familiar. It felt like home. I’ve always wanted to return. I tried last year -- twice. But this is a Lucky Country, and today I feel lucky to be here as we mark the 60th anniversary of our unbreakable alliance.

The bonds between us run deep. In each other’s story we see so much of ourselves. Ancestors who crossed vast oceans -- some by choice, some in chains. Settlers who pushed west across sweeping plains. Dreamers who toiled with hearts and hands to lay railroads and to build cities. Generations of immigrants who, with each new arrival, add a new thread to the brilliant tapestry of our nations. And we are citizens who live by a common creed -- no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, everyone deserves a fair chance; everyone deserves a fair go.

Of course, progress in our society has not always come without tensions, or struggles to overcome a painful past. But we are countries with a willingness to face our imperfections, and to keep reaching for our ideals. That’s the spirit we saw in this chamber three years ago, as this nation inspired the world with a historic gesture of reconciliation with Indigenous Australians. It’s the spirit of progress, in America, which allows me to stand before you today, as President of the United States. And it’s the spirit I’ll see later today when I become the first U.S. President to visit the Northern Territory, where I’ll meet the Traditional Owners of the Land.

Nor has our progress come without great sacrifice. This morning, I was humbled and deeply moved by a visit to your war memorial to pay my respects to Australia’s fallen sons and daughters. Later today, in Darwin, I’ll join the Prime Minister in saluting our brave men and women in uniform. And it will be a reminder that -- from the trenches of the First World War to the mountains of Afghanistan -- Aussies and Americans have stood together, we have fought together, we have given lives together in every single major conflict of the past hundred years. Every single one.

This solidarity has sustained us through a difficult decade. We will never forget the attacks of 9/11, that took the lives not only of Americans, but people from many nations, including Australia. In the United States, we will never forget how Australia invoked the ANZUS Treaty -- for the first time ever -- showing that our two nations stood as one. And none of us will ever forget those we’ve lost to al Qaeda’s terror in the years since, including innocent Australians.

And that’s why, as both the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader indicated, we are determined to succeed in Afghanistan. It is why I salute Australia -- outside of NATO, the largest contributor of troops to this vital mission. And it’s why we honor all those who have served there for our security, including 32 Australian patriots who gave their lives, among them Captain Bryce Duffy, Corporal Ashley Birt, and Lance Corporal Luke Gavin. We will honor their sacrifice by making sure that Afghanistan is never again used as a source for attacks against our people. Never again.

As two global partners, we stand up for the security and the dignity of people around the world. We see it when our rescue workers rush to help others in times of fire and drought and flooding rains. We see it when we partner to keep the peace -- from East Timor to the Balkans -- and when we pursue our shared vision: a world without nuclear weapons. We see it in the development that lifts up a child in Africa; the assistance that saves a family from famine; and when we extend our support to the people of the Middle East and North Africa, who deserve the same liberty that allows us to gather in this great hall of democracy.

This is the alliance we reaffirm today -- rooted in our values; renewed by every generation. This is the partnership we worked to deepen over the past three years. And today I can stand before you and say with confidence that the alliance between the United States and Australia has never been stronger. It has been to our past; our alliance continues to be indispensable to our future. So here, among close friends, I’d like to address the larger purpose of my visit to this region -- our efforts to advance security, prosperity and human dignity across the Asia Pacific.

For the United States, this reflects a broader shift. After a decade in which we fought two wars that cost us dearly, in blood and treasure, the United States is turning our attention to the vast potential of the Asia Pacific region. In just a few weeks, after nearly nine years, the last American troops will leave Iraq and our war there will be over. In Afghanistan, we’ve begun a transition -- a responsible transition -- so Afghans can take responsibility for their future and so coalition forces can begin to draw down. And with partners like Australia, we’ve struck major blows against al Qaeda and put that terrorist organization on the path to defeat, including delivering justice to Osama bin Laden.

So make no mistake, the tide of war is receding, and America is looking ahead to the future that we must build. From Europe to the Americas, we've strengthened alliances and partnerships. At home, we’re investing in the sources of our long-term economic strength -- the education of our children, the training of our workers, the infrastructure that fuels commerce, the science and the research that leads to new breakthroughs. We’ve made hard decisions to cut our deficit and put our fiscal house in order -- and we will continue to do more. Because our economic strength at home is the foundation of our leadership in the world, including here in the Asia Pacific.

Our new focus on this region reflects a fundamental truth -- the United States has been, and always will be, a Pacific nation. Asian immigrants helped build America, and millions of American families, including my own, cherish our ties to this region. From the bombing of Darwin to the liberation of Pacific islands, from the rice paddies of Southeast Asia to a cold Korean Peninsula, generations of Americans have served here, and died here -- so democracies could take root; so economic miracles could lift hundreds of millions to prosperity. Americans have bled with you for this progress, and we will not allow it -- we will never allow it to be reversed.

Here, we see the future. As the world’s fastest-growing region -- and home to more than half the global economy -- the Asia Pacific is critical to achieving my highest priority, and that's creating jobs and opportunity for the American people. With most of the world’s nuclear power and some half of humanity, Asia will largely define whether the century ahead will be marked by conflict or cooperation, needless suffering or human progress.
As President, I have, therefore, made a deliberate and strategic decision -- as a Pacific nation, the United States will play a larger and long-term role in shaping this region and its future, by upholding core principles and in close partnership with our allies and friends.

Let me tell you what this means. First, we seek security, which is the foundation of peace and prosperity. We stand for an international order in which the rights and responsibilities of all nations and all people are upheld. Where international law and norms are enforced. Where commerce and freedom of navigation are not impeded. Where emerging powers contribute to regional security, and where disagreements are resolved peacefully. That's the future that we seek.

Now, I know that some in this region have wondered about America’s commitment to upholding these principles. So let me address this directly. As the United States puts our fiscal house in order, we are reducing our spending. And, yes, after a decade of extraordinary growth in our military budgets -- and as we definitively end the war in Iraq, and begin to wind down the war in Afghanistan -- we will make some reductions in defense spending.

As we consider the future of our armed forces, we've begun a review that will identify our most important strategic interests and guide our defense priorities and spending over the coming decade. So here is what this region must know. As we end today’s wars, I have directed my national security team to make our presence and mission in the Asia Pacific a top priority. As a result, reductions in U.S. defense spending will not -- I repeat, will not -- come at the expense of the Asia Pacific.

My guidance is clear. As we plan and budget for the future, we will allocate the resources necessary to maintain our strong military presence in this region. We will preserve our unique ability to project power and deter threats to peace. We will keep our commitments, including our treaty obligations to allies like Australia. And we will constantly strengthen our capabilities to meet the needs of the 21st century. Our enduring interests in the region demand our enduring presence in the region. The United States is a Pacific power, and we are here to stay.

Indeed, we are already modernizing America’s defense posture across the Asia Pacific. It will be more broadly distributed -- maintaining our strong presence in Japan and the Korean Peninsula, while enhancing our presence in Southeast Asia. Our posture will be more flexible -- with new capabilities to ensure that our forces can operate freely. And our posture will be more sustainable, by helping allies and partners build their capacity, with more training and exercises.

We see our new posture here in Australia. The initiatives that the Prime Minister and I announced yesterday will bring our two militaries even closer together. We’ll have new opportunities to train with other allies and partners, from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. And it will allow us to respond faster to the full range of challenges, including humanitarian crises and disaster relief.

Since World War II, Australians have warmly welcomed American service members who've passed through. On behalf of the American people, I thank you for welcoming those who will come next, as they ensure that our alliance stays strong and ready for the tests of our time.

We see America’s enhanced presence in the alliance that we’ve strengthened: In Japan, where our alliance remains a cornerstone of regional security. In Thailand, where we’re partnering for disaster relief. In the Philippines, where we’re increasing ship visits and training. And in South Korea, where our commitment to the security of the Republic of Korea will never waver. Indeed, we also reiterate our resolve to act firmly against any proliferation activities by North Korea. The transfer of nuclear materials or material by North Korea to states or non-state entities would be considered a grave threat to the United States and our allies, and we would hold North Korea fully accountable for the consequences of such action.

We see America’s enhanced presence across Southeast Asia -- in our partnership with Indonesia against piracy and violent extremism, and in our work with Malaysia to prevent proliferation; in the ships we’ll deploy to Singapore, and in our closer cooperation with Vietnam and Cambodia; and in our welcome of India as it “looks east” and plays a larger role as an Asian power.

At the same time, we’ll reengage with our regional organizations. Our work in Bali this week will mark my third meeting with ASEAN leaders, and I’ll be proud to be the first American President to attend the East Asia Summit. And together, I believe we can address shared challenges, such as proliferation and maritime security, including cooperation in the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, the United States will continue our effort to build a cooperative relationship with China. All of our nations -- Australia, the United States -- all of our nations have a profound interest in the rise of a peaceful and prosperous China. That's why the United States welcomes it. We’ve seen that China can be a partner from reducing tensions on the Korean Peninsula to preventing proliferation. And we’ll seek more opportunities for cooperation with Beijing, including greater communication between our militaries to promote understanding and avoid miscalculation. We will do this, even as we continue to speak candidly to Beijing about the importance of upholding international norms and respecting the universal human rights of the Chinese people.

A secure and peaceful Asia is the foundation for the second area in which America is leading again, and that's advancing our shared prosperity. History teaches us the greatest force the world has ever known for creating wealth and opportunity is free markets. So we seek economies that are open and transparent. We seek trade that is free and fair. And we seek an open international economic system, where rules are clear and every nation plays by them.

In Australia and America, we understand these principles. We’re among the most open economies on Earth. Six years into our landmark trade agreement, commerce between us has soared. Our workers are creating new partnerships and new products, like the advanced aircraft technologies we build together in Victoria. We’re the leading investor in Australia, and you invest more in America than you do in any other nation, creating good jobs in both countries.

We recognize that economic partnerships can’t just be about one nation extracting another’s resources. We understand that no long-term strategy for growth can be imposed from above. Real prosperity -- prosperity that fosters innovation, and prosperity that endures -- comes from unleashing our greatest economic resource, and that’s the entrepreneurial spirit, the talents of our people.

So even as America competes aggressively in Asian markets, we’re forging the economic partnerships that create opportunity for all. Building on our historic trade agreement with South Korea, we’re working with Australia and our other APEC partners to create a seamless regional economy. And with Australia and other partners, we’re on track to achieve our most ambitious trade agreement yet, and a potential model for the entire region -- the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The United States remains the world’s largest and most dynamic economy. But in an interconnected world, we all rise and fall together. That’s why I pushed so hard to put the G20 at the front and center of global economic decision-making -- to give more nations a leadership role in managing the international economy, including Australia. And together, we saved the world economy from a depression. And now, our urgent challenge is to create the growth that puts people to work.

We need growth that is fair, where every nation plays by the rules; where workers rights are respected, and our businesses can compete on a level playing field; where the intellectual property and new technologies that fuel innovation are protected; and where currencies are market driven so no nation has an unfair advantage.

We also need growth that is broad -- not just for the few, but for the many -- with reforms that protect consumers from abuse and a global commitment to end the corruption that stifles growth. We need growth that is balanced, because we will all prosper more when countries with large surpluses take action to boost demand at home.

And we need growth that is sustainable. This includes the clean energy that creates green jobs and combats climate change, which cannot be denied. We see it in the stronger fires, the devastating floods, the Pacific islands confronting rising seas. And as countries with large carbon footprints, the United States and Australia have a special responsibility to lead.

Every nation will contribute to the solution in its own way -- and I know this issue is not without controversy, in both our countries. But what we can do -- and what we are doing -- is to work together to make unprecedented investments in clean energy, to increase energy efficiency, and to meet the commitments we made at Copenhagen and Cancun. We can do this, and we will.

As we grow our economies, we’ll also remember the link between growth and good governance -- the rule of law, transparent institutions, the equal administration of justice. Because history shows that, over the long run, democracy and economic growth go hand in hand. And prosperity without freedom is just another form of poverty.

And this brings me to the final area where we are leading -- our support for the fundamental rights of every human being. Every nation will chart its own course. Yet it is also true that certain rights are universal; among them, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, and the freedom of citizens to choose their own leaders.

These are not American rights, or Australian rights, or Western rights. These are human rights. They stir in every soul, as we’ve seen in the democracies that have succeeded here in Asia. Other models have been tried and they have failed -- fascism and communism, rule by one man and rule by committee. And they failed for the same simple reason: They ignore the ultimate source of power and legitimacy -- the will of the people. Yes, democracy can be messy and rough -- I understand you mix it up quite well during Question Time. (Laughter.) But whatever our differences of party or of ideology, we know in our democracies we are blessed with the greatest form of government ever known to man.

So as two great democracies, we speak up for those freedoms when they are threatened. We partner with emerging democracies, like Indonesia, to help strengthen the institutions upon which good governance depends. We encourage open government, because democracies depend on an informed and active citizenry. We help strengthen civil societies, because they empower our citizens to hold their governments accountable. And we advance the rights of all people -- women, minorities and indigenous cultures -- because when societies harness the potential of all their citizens, these societies are more successful, they are more prosperous and they are more just.

These principles have guided our approach to Burma, with a combination of sanctions and engagement. And today, Aung San Suu Kyi is free from house arrest. Some political prisoners have been released, and the government has begun a dialogue. Still, violations of human rights persist. So we will continue to speak clearly about the steps that must be taken for the government of Burma to have a better relationship with the United States.

This is the future we seek in the Asia Pacific -- security, prosperity and dignity for all. That’s what we stand for. That’s who we are. That’s the future we will pursue, in partnership with allies and friends, and with every element of American power. So let there be no doubt: In the Asia Pacific in the 21st century, the United States of America is all in.

Still, in times of great change and uncertainty, the future can seem unsettling. Across a vast ocean, it’s impossible to know what lies beyond the horizon. But if this vast region and its people teach us anything, it’s the yearning for liberty and progress will not be denied.

It’s why women in this country demanded that their voices be heard, making Australia the first nation to let women vote and run for parliament and, one day, become Prime Minister. It’s why the people took to the streets -- from Delhi to Seoul, from Manila to Jakarta -- to throw off colonialism and dictatorship and build some of the world’s largest democracies.

It’s why a soldier in a watchtower along the DMZ defends a free people in the South, and why a man from the North risks his life to escape across the border. Why soldiers in blue helmets keep the peace in a new nation. And why women of courage go into brothels to save young girls from modern-day slavery, which must come to an end.

It’s why men of peace in saffron robes faced beatings and bullets, and why every day -- from some of the world’s largest cities to dusty rural towns, in small acts of courage the world may never see -- a student posts a blog; a citizen signs a charter; an activist remains unbowed, imprisoned in his home, just to have the same rights that we cherish here today.

Men and women like these know what the world must never forget. The currents of history may ebb and flow, but over time they move -- decidedly, decisively -- in a single direction. History is on the side of the free -- free societies, free governments, free economies, free people. And the future belongs to those who stand firm for those ideals, in this region and around the world.

This is the story of the alliance we celebrate today. This is the essence of America’s leadership; it is the essence of our partnership. This is the work we will carry on together, for the security and prosperity and dignity of all people.

So God bless Australia. God bless America. And God bless the friendship between our two peoples.

Thank you very much. (Applause.)

END 11:10 A.M. AEST
##

Joint remarks:

In Australia, President Obama Feted With Parliamentary Dinner: The Menu, The Guest List...

2011-11-16T06:37:00.000-08:00

The US-Australia relationship is "crackerjack," says President Obama, even if we "disagree" about "the merits of Vegemite"...
In Australia on Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Julia Gillard hosted a lavish banquet in honor of President Obama. The "Parliamentary Dinner," held in a vast hall at Parliament House Canberra, was a formal affair, which Australian media billed as a State Dinner. The three-course menu for a guest list of hundreds, including Cabinet Ministers and Australian luminaries, starred regional favorites: Pan-fried Jewfish, lamb, and a pavlova with wattleseed. (Above: The President and Prime minister in the center of the Head Table)

Clad in a sequined black gown, Gillard welcomed the President for a "night of friendship," and admitted that she's been “a little bit nervous” about his visit. She said her significant other, Tim Mathieson, “really got a talking to from the First Lady” while in Hawaii for the APEC summit, where he joined Mrs. Obama for lunc h on Sunday.

“She said to him that you often don’t eat because you are so focused on your work that you forget to eat and she wanted to make sure that we feed you well in Australia," Gillard told President Obama.

"So the only answer to that was to make sure that you had a hearty meal and had six to seven hundred witnesses."

During his own remarks after the dinner, President Obama recalled a childhood visit to the country, and used local vernacular as he hailed the relationship between the US and Australia.

"We can say with confidence and with pride that the alliance between the United States and Australia is deeper and stronger than it has ever been. Spot on. Crackerjack. In top nick."

While Americans and Australians "may not always speak the same way or use the same words," President Obama assured the crowd that there are more similarities than differences.

"I think it’s pretty clear...that we understand and see the world in the same way, even if we disagree about the merits of Vegemite."

The President was clad in a dark suit that he'd worn during his day of meetings, and had arrived with Gillard at 7:48 PM to trumpets. They stood together on stage before the dinner began, as a military band played and a chorus sang the American and then the Australian national anthems. Read the full transcript of the President's remarks. (Above: Seated on stage)

Opposition Leader Tony Abbot also spoke, telling Mr. Obama that “as the leader of the United States, sir, you are the world’s president.”

Tablesettings featured red white and blue flora arrangements, and US and Australian flags decorated the hall. As for the "hearty" meal: Mission accomplished.

Parliamentary Dinner in Honor of
President Obama

First
Macadamia and Thyme Encrusted Lamb Canon
with Avocado Cream Quenelle
Blood Orange Segments and Herb Salad

Wine: Voyager Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2011 Margaret River (WA)

Main
Pan-fried Jewfish
with Seared Prawn Mousse
Crushed Kipfler Potato and Saffron Cream Reduction

Wine: Hollick Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Coonawarra (SA)

Dessert
Wattleseed and Passionfruit Pavlova Roulade
with Fresh Raspberries

Guest list as provided by Prime Minister Gillard's office:

President Barack Obama

Prime Minister Julia Gillard

Mr. Tim Mathieson

Tony Abbott, Opposition Leader

Speaker of the House of Representatives Harry Jenkins

President of the Senate John Hogg

The Honourable Robert French AC, Chief Justice of Australia

Former Prime Minister Howard

General David Hurley

Australian Ambassador to America Kim Beazley

Premier of QLD Anna Bligh

Premier of SA Jay Weatherill

Chief Minister of the ACT Katy Gallagher

Pool also reported as guests: "Ministers and Members of Parliament, plus their partners; a number of Ambassadors and High Commissioners; a number of Department Secretaries; a number of representatives from Australian businesses, unions, business interest groups, academics and NGOs.

*The President's address to the Australian Parliament is here. The next day he visited Darwin, in the Northern Territory.

A dinner report from ABC Australia:

*Photos by pool/AFP; toast photo by Pete Souza/White House

Transcript: President Obama's Remarks At Parliamentary Dinner, Canberra, Australia

2011-11-16T06:07:00.000-08:00

President Obama was feted by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard with a Parliamentary Dinner on Wednesday night at Parliament House Canberra. A full post with THE MENU is here. The President made remarks after the dinner, which came during the first part of a whirlwind 28-hour visit to the country, the President's first since taking office.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________

For Immediate Release
November 16, 2011

After Dinner Remarks by
President Obama at Parliamentry Dinner

Parliament House
Canberra, Australia

9:09 P.M. AEST

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, Prime Minister Gillard and Leader Abbot, thank you both for your wonderfully warm words. And I thank you for showing that in Canberra, as in Washington, people may not always see eye-to-eye, but on this we are all united: There are no better friends than the United States and Australia. (Applause.)

Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, and distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I am going to be brief, for we have had a busy day. I am not sure what day it is. (Laughter.) Am I’m going to subject you to a very long speech tomorrow.

But I do want to express my deep appreciation for the way you’ve welcomed me here today. I know that I am not the first guy from Chicago to come to these parts. A century ago, Walter Burley Griffin came here with a vision for this city. He said, “I have planned a city that is not like any other in the world.” And tonight, I want to thank all of you -- and the people of Australia -- for the hospitality that is unlike any other in the world.

Our toasts earlier tonight reminded me of a story. It’s from our troops -- this is true story -- our troops serving together in Afghanistan. Our guys, the Americans, couldn’t figure out why your guys were always talking about cheese. All day long. Morning, noon and night. Why are the Aussies always talking about cheese? And then, finally, they realized -- it was their Australian friends just saying hello, just saying “cheers.” (Laughter.)

So we Americans and Australians, we may not always speak the same way, or use the same words, but I think it’s pretty clear, especially from the spirit of this visit, and our time together this evening, that we understand each other. And we see the world in the same way -- even if we do have to disagree on the merits of vegemite. (Laughter.)

As many of you know, I first came to Australia as a child. But despite my visits, I have to admit I never did learn to talk "Strine." I know there is some concern here that your Australian language is being Americanized. So perhaps it’s time for us to reverse the trend. Tonight, with your permission, I’d like to give it a burl. (Laughter and applause.)

I want to thank the Prime Minister for a very productive meeting that we had today. I think she’ll agree it was a real chinwag. (Laughter.) When Julia and I meet, we listen to each other, we learn from each other. It’s not just a lot of earbashing. (Laughter.) That's a good one -- earbashing. (Laughter.) I can use that in Washington. (Laughter.) Because there's a lot of earbashing sometimes. (Laughter.)

That’s been the story of our two nations. Through a century of progress and struggle, we have stood together, in good times and in bad. We’ve faced our share of sticky wickets. (Laughter.) In some of our darkest moments -- when our countries have been threatened, when we needed a friend to count on -- we’ve always been there for each other. At Darwin. At Midway. After 9/11 and after Bali.

It’s that moment, in the midst of battle -- when the bullets are flying and the outcome is uncertain -- when Americans and Aussies look over at each other, knowing that we’ve got each other’s backs, knowing in our hearts -- no worries, she'll be right. (Laughter and applause.)

And so tonight -- as we mark 60 years of this remarkable alliance, through war and peace, hardship and prosperity -- we gather together, among so many friends who sustain the bonds between us, and we can say with confidence and with pride: The alliance between the United States and Australia is deeper and stronger than it has ever been -- spot on -- (laughter) -- cracker-jack -- (laughter) -- in top nick. (Laughter.)

Thank you very much, everybody. (Applause.)

END
9:15 P.M. AEST
##

President Obama In Australia, Day 1

2011-11-16T05:16:00.000-08:00

President Obama's schedule for his first full day in Australia included a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Julia Gillard, a joint press conference and a lavish "Parliamentary Dinner," held at Parliament House Canberra.

After an arrival ceremony, President Obama wrote in Gillard's guest book:

"To the People of Australia, with whom we have stood together for a century of progress and sacrifice. On this 60th Anniversary of our Alliance, we resolve that our bonds will never be broken, and our friendship will last for all time."

*Top photo by AFP/pool; second tweeted by @JuliaGillard

President Obama Will Grant 2011 Thanksgiving Pardon To Minnesota Turkeys

2011-11-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

For the first time in history, FFA students help raise the specially trained Presidential Flock...
UPDATE, Nov. 23: Meet Liberty, the 2011 National Thanksgiving Turkey
UPDATE 2, Nov. 23: Read about the perfect Pardon Ceremony
Two glorious gobblers will be spared the fate of the Thanksgiving plate when they're granted an official pardon from President Obama during a Rose Garden ceremony at 10:30 AM next Wednesday, Nov. 23, to "celebrate the 64th anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation." The decades-old White House tradition is "one of the most important duties that I carry out as President," Mr. Obama joked at last year's event, which has been orchestrated by the National Turkey Federation (NTF) since 1947. (Above: The President pardoning last year's turkey with daughters Malia and Sasha)

Chairman Richard Huisinga will present the yet-to-be-named turkey to the President. The tom and his alternate will be selected from a 35-member Presidential Flock that has been raised by Huisinga's family-owned Willmar Poultry Company at AgForte farm in Willmar, Minnesota.

Turkeys from Minnesota have starred in the White House pardon ceremony eleven previous times, NTF spokesperson Sherrie Rosenblatt told Obama Foodorama, most recently in 2005. The lucky toms, hatched on July 7th, are "hybrid broad-breasted white” turkeys that have been specially trained for their White House debut by a group of teen FFA (Future Farmers of America) members. The gobblers will be ensconced at a DC luxury hotel during their visit. Yes, really: Last year's Top Toms had a swank stay at the W hotel. (Above: One of the Presidential Turkeys, just days old)

Minnesota is the largest turkey producer in the US, thanks to the massive Willmar Poultry, which is responsible annually for 45 million of Minnesota's 47 million birds. The company is a breeding operation, focusing for the last six decades on genetics, biotechnology, and vaccines, and is an affiliate company Life-Science Innovations. Its fast-growing, meaty birds are sold to farmers as day-old poults, who then raise them. America produces 244 million turkeys a year; Willmar sells about 600,000 poults weekly.

Dancing With The Stars...er, the turkeys...
The National Turkey--who is always male--will weigh about 45 pounds by the time he meets President Obama. Huisinga will select the official turkey and his feathery stunt double on Nov. 18th, the day before they are driven to Washington for their moment in the Presidential spotlight, according to Wilmar spokesman Jenn Baumgartner. A second turkey is always chosen in case the first gets ill, or can't "perform his duties."

Last year, President Obama likened the selection process to a popular reality TV series, noting that the wannabe National Turkeys had to "strut their stuff for a panel of judges."

"It’s kind of like a turkey version of “Dancing With the Stars," except the stakes for the contestants was much higher," President Obama said, to laughter. "Only one pair would survive and win the big prize: Life --and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington."

FFA students raise the Presidential Flock...
In a twist that Rosenblatt said is a first for the National Turkey Federation, four students from Willmar High School who are members of FFA (Future Farmers of America) have been charged with many of the responsibilities for the Presidential Flock. The two girls--Brenna Ahlquist and Brianna Hoover, and two boys--Val Brown and Preston Asche--have also been on a tour of Minnesota schools to introduce some of the Presidential birds to youngsters, many of whom have never had the opportunity to visit a farm. They've discussed their months of work raising the turkeys. (Above: Team Obama Turkey)

"I'm so proud of these kids," Baumgartner said. "They've taken this very seriously."

Training the turkeys: Rock & Roll!
The flock has been raised in identical conditions to turkeys that are sold to the public, with plenty of vitamin-enriched Minnesota corn and soy and water, in an open pen with a flooring of litter that allows full movement and plenty of light, according to Baumgartner.

"They eat as much as they want, and grow really fast. But they're raised just like commercial birds."

Well, sort of: Commercial birds are typically raised in flocks of about 10,000 in massive poultry barns. And the Presidential Flock has undergone weeks of training with the FFA students to ensure that the two who visit the White House will be unruffled. There's always a huge scrum of media on hand to capture the historic moment when the President meets poultry, and the training is designed to ensure the National Turkey will keep calm and carry on, so to speak.

The FFA teens have spent loads of time in the pens with the Presidential Flock, exposing the toms to plenty of flash cameras, and plenty of noise--in the form of rock & roll music. The birds have also been taught to stand on a table, to replicate what goes on at the pardon ceremony, when the National Turkey is placed on a table for easy presidential access. (Above: One of the FFA students with a Presidential Turkey during the taming training)

"They're getting a lot of hands-on attention," Rosenblatt said.

The turkeys will travel to Washington in the back of a van that has been designed to replicate their pen on the farm. Once in DC, the turkeys will be staying at a five-star hotel, which has requested anonymity to protect the birds. The FFA kids will also be traveling to Washington for the ceremony, and Baumgartner will be along as a chaperone.

Name that turkey!...
The White House will announce the name of the National Turkey and the alternate on the day of the ceremony. The Minnesota Turkey Growers Association has been running a name-that-turkey contest for state residents, and the White House will ostensibly select the birds' names from their short list. Last year President Obama pardoned a California turkey named Apple, and his alternate was Cider. President Obama's 2009 turkey, raised in North Carolina, was named Courage, and his double, though also a tom, was Carolina. Other Presidential turkey duos have been named Marshmallow and Yam, Flyer and Fryer, Pumpkin and Pecan. (Above: The Presidential Flock)

After the ceremony, the turkeys will live out their days in the nationally recognized livestock facility at Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens, the glorious, historically preserved farm/estate of the first American President, George Washington. It's located in Virginia, about a half hour from the White House. Apple and Cider were sent there last year, in a first for National Turkey duos; previously, the birds were sent to be the Grand Marshals of the Disneyland Thanksgiving Parade.

Related: In 2009, President Obama's first pardoning ceremony was held under the North Portico, because it was raining. Much more about the history of presidents and turkeys is in this post.

*Top photo by pool; others courtesy of Minnesota Turkey Growers Association

First Lady Michelle Obama Featured On EverydayHealth.com: "Eat Like The White House"

2011-11-15T09:25:00.000-08:00

An "exclusive" interview with First Lady Michelle Obama was posted today on EverydayHealth.com as the website unveiled its Fall editorial feature, "Eat Like the White House Eats." The website claims 28 million visitors monthly, and Mrs. Obama begins her interview on healthy eating and the importance of the Let's Move! campaign by professing her love for French fries. The above photo compilation of Mrs. Obama and her favorite food is posted with the interview.

The web feature includes five recipes that are credited to the White House chefs, but three of these were NOT actually created by the white-jacketed folks working at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. There's also a section on presidential snacks; President Obama's favorite snack, according to the website, is chocolate Smoked Salt Caramels.

As her interview begins, Mrs. Obama is asked her favorite food.

"This is an easy one — it’s French fries. I love them. And I’m not afraid to talk about it because it’s important that we realize that healthy eating doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach. Choosing a healthy diet isn’t about deprivation, it’s about balance. It’s about moderation. Like I tell my kids, as long as you eat fruits and vegetables at every meal, you’ll be okay if you have pizza or ice cream every once in a while. The problem is when the treats become the habits."

Mrs. Obama also offers some parental advice for getting children to try healthier foods.

"Give them some choice in the matter. Find nutritious recipes they like and build up from there. Garden with them. Take them grocery shopping. Get them involved in the kitchen."

The recipes...
As for the recipes: Three of the "Five Fresh Recipes From the White House Kitchen" that are posted online and credited to the White House chefs were actually created by the food editors at Better Homes and Gardens magazine to accompany Mrs. Obama's July cover story about the Kitchen Garden. These include the recipes for Sweet Potato Fries with Baby Tomato Ketchup, smashed Apple Jam, and Fruit Pockets. They're perfectly good and easy recipes, but the White House chefs did not create them.

A fourth recipe that's posted, for Turkey and Spinach Lasagna, was previously released by the White House, created by Executive Chef Cris Comerford for an appearance on The Martha Stewart Show. But the recipe is credited on EverydayHealth.com as a creation of Assistant Chef Sam Kass. There seems to be one new White House recipe, for "I Made It Myself" Pizza, which is a veggie-loaded pie. But the White House, as of this writing, has not yet confirmed if a White House chef actually created the recipe.

Above: A screengrab of the online feature, which also includes ten recipes "inspired" by the First Lady's White House Kitchen Garden, and a healthy eating quiz.

The press release for the feature notes that "In addition to the French fries indulgence admission, Michelle Obama also notes in the exclusive interview that healthy eating does not have to be an all or nothing approach and she encourages Everyday Health readers to remember that treats should not become the habit. She offers ideas on how to involve children in the process and provides insights into a typical Obama family dinner – a time she says helps her family be a bit healthier, with their eating and as a family."

*Images from EverydayHealth.com

Congress Thwarts Obama Administration's Plans For Healthier School Meals

2011-11-14T22:51:00.000-08:00

House-Senate compromise bill dilutes USDA's proposed school nutrition standards...
UPDATE: Congress approved the measure. Read more here on the debacle.
In January of this year, the US Department of Agriculture unveiled its proposed rule for improved school nutrition standards, designed to create a sweeping change in the kind of foods allowed in America's lunchrooms. Championed by First Lady Michelle Obama as a pillar of the Let's Move! campaign, the rule offered the first real improvement in decades to the quality of meals that schools offer to millions of youngsters on a daily basis. But the proposal has come under fire since first unveiled, and late on Monday, lawmakers certified their own distaste for the rule as they approved a final House-Senate compromise on a $182 billion appropriations bill that requires changes to the nutrition standards. (Above: Mrs. Obama during a visit to a school in Florida to promote healthy eating)

The FY 2012 bill is expected to be voted on separately in the House and Senate this week, and includes requirements for USDA to delay a proposed increase in the use of whole grains in school meals, and to delay proposed restrictions for sodium levels. It also allows unrestricted servings of potatoes and other starchy vegetables, such as corn and peas; USDA had proposed a limit of a one-cup serving per week. Tomato paste on pizza will also be allowed to be credited as a vegetable. That's currently the case, but USDA's proposal ended this practice.

According to the bill summary released on Monday, school lunch and school breakfast programs will receive $18.2 billion in mandatory funding.* Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee said in a statement on Monday that the school meal provisions in the appropriations bill will "prevent overly burdensome and costly regulations," and "provide greater flexibility for local school districts to improve the nutritional quality of meals."

Without the provisions, the cost of school meal programs "would balloon by an additional $7 billion over the next five years – leaving states and local school districts in the lurch," according to the Republicans.

USDA's final nutrition rule was expected to be released next month, and would have gone into effect for the school year beginning in Fall of 2012. The proposed rule is based on a 2009 Report from the federal Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences. Both Mrs. Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack have hailed the rule as crucial to combating childhood obesity, arguing that many children get up to half their daily calories in school. More than 32 million children participate in the National School Lunch Program, and 11 million are enrolled in the National School Breakfast Program. The Administration says one in three children is overweight or obese.

School meals: Profit & PR campaigns...
School meals are a high-profit market for major food corporations. Despite Mrs. Obama's efforts to encourage direct farm-to-table sourcing for cafeteria offerings, big corporations provide millions of daily meals to America's schools. Thus in the last year, powerful food companies, agriculture lobbies, and various coalitions of lawmakers have allied in battles over each food area that USDA sought to restrict. This has included the creation of slick PR campaigns.

For instance, ConAgra and the giant, privately held Schwans, which sell millions of processed school meals, including pizza, have funded the “Coalition for Sustainable School Meal Programs,” which includes a website with a campaign called “Fix the Reg,” asking parents and other "interested parties" to contact USDA and lawmakers to demand changes to the school nutrition rule. This group was especially interested in keeping USDA's current designation of tomato paste as a "vegetable" intact, something many nutritionists have argued makes poor sense.

In the potato and starchy-vegetable battle, potato-state lawmakers, led by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and The National Potato Council, joined together to create a high-profile PR campaign, which called on Congress to allow schools to serves as many servings of potatoes and starchy vegetables as they deem appropriate. It also included a website and a phone/e-mail campaign aimed at lawmakers. This was very successful; in October, when the Senate released its version of the appropriations bill, lawmakers voted to block the potato and starchy vegetable limit.

In its June version of the spending bill, House Republicans called on USDA to go back to the drawing board and completely re-write the proposed school nutrition rule.

During the public comment period for USDA's proposed rule, the agency received more than 130,00 comments, spokesman Courtney Rowe told Obama Foodorama. These were still being analyzed in October, she said. But the comments included requests for changes or delays to the USDA's proposal from entire school districts, as well as from the School Nutrition Association, the largest US organization that represents school cafeteria professionals.

The House-Senate bill approved on Monday funds Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.

*The full funding from the bill for nutrition: Mandatory food and nutrition programs within the Department of Agriculture – including SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) and child nutrition – are funded at $98.6 billion – $2 billion less than the President’s request based on the Administration’s Mid-Session Review. "This funding will allow all individuals and families who meet the programs’ criteria for aid to receive all the benefits available to them, and includes $3 billion in reserve funds in case of unanticipated increases in participation or food price increases," according to the summary.

Related: In December of 2010, the White House created a before-after school lunch menu, showing what a week of school meals would be like before USDA's nutrition rule, and what they would be like after it was approved.

*Photo by Samantha Appleton/White House

2011 APEC: Walmart Touts Let's Move! Partnership, Local Farm Sourcing

2011-11-14T05:42:00.000-08:00

White House-Walmart partnership is "delivering results," says CEO...
Global grocery giant Walmart, First Lady Michelle Obama's largest private sector partner for the Let's Move! campaign, put out a press release from the APEC summit in Honolulu, touting its partnership with the White House. CEO Scott Price attended the APEC CEO Summit, and the press release highlights two of the commitments Walmart has made to the Let's Move! campaign: Sourcing from local farmers and dropping prices for healthier foods. Price notes the two initiatives in the press release. (Above: Mrs. Obama toured an organic farm during her visit to Hawaii)

"In the U.S., in partnership with First Lady Michelle Obama's 'Let's Move' campaign, Walmart efforts to make food healthier and healthier food more affordable are delivering results," Price said. "It will save customers approximately $1 billion per year on fresh fruits and vegetables."

"Walmart's Direct Farm program procures directly from over 800,000 farmers, offering higher incomes for farmers and lower prices for customers," noted the release.

Mrs. Obama spotlighted Let's Move! and local sourcing during her visit to Hawaii, with a tour of MA'O Organic Farms, and a farm-to-table luncheon for APEC Leaders' spouses at Kualoa Ranch.

Walmart's drop in prices for consumers due to its Let's Move! commitment has not yet been tracked. The company has also pledged to build 275-300 stores in food deserts by 2016, to help Mrs. Obama reach the Let's Move! goal of eradicating all US food deserts by 2017.

The full press release:

HONOLULU, Nov. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Walmart Asia CEO Scott Price today reiterated Walmart's focus on contributing to the communities in which the Company does business in APEC economies. Price made the comments during the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit held in Honolulu, USA, Nov 11-14, 2011.

Price said, "Walmart is a strong contributor globally to the communities in which we operate and this is especially true in APEC economies. These include great examples in the U.S., China, Japan, Mexico and Chile. In the U.S., we announced a $2 billion commitment through 2015 to help end hunger in America. In China, we are working closely with the China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF) on poverty alleviation for women. Walmart's Direct Farm program procures directly from over 800,000 farmers, offering higher incomes for farmers and lower prices for customers."

Price continued, "In Japan we are committed to helping with the recovery efforts of the earthquake-affected region. We've committed well over $5 million to these efforts. We have just announced two new programs. One, in partnership with Save the Children to get children back into school, and the other with Mercy Corps to support women engaged in the harvesting of Wakame seaweed. We were also very active after the earthquake in Chile through a $1.9 million donation to provide emergency housing in different regions as well as to rebuild small businesses. In Canada, Walmart donated over CA$8 million as a key sponsor of the Children's Miracle Network that raises funds for children's hospitals across Canada. Finally, in Mexico, our Indigenous Product Commercialization Program, which offers training and funding to boost production processes of marginalized communities and indigenous groups living in isolated regions to improve their income and quality of life, was recognized by the United Nations Development Programme with its World Business and Development Award."

According to Price, these programs and their impact were possible only because of the collaboration between governments, the private sector and social sector.

"In most instances, high impact is possible because there is a strong alignment between the priorities of that government and the private sector. Both the U.S. and China have strong examples of this. In China, we have really benefitted from working closely with the China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF) on a key national priority – poverty alleviation of women," Price said. "The program is now in full execution and is making a big difference in the three pilot provinces in which we are working. In the U.S., in partnership with First Lady Michelle Obama's 'Let's Move' campaign, Walmart efforts to make food healthier and healthier food more affordable are delivering results. It will save customers approximately $1 billion per year on fresh fruits and vegetables."

"We want to be a part of the solution to a better life for the communities in which we operate. We want to work with governments and the social sector to ensure that," concluded Price.

##

*Pool photo

First Lady Shows Off Hawaii's Organic Foods At 2011 APEC Spouses Luncheon

2011-11-13T12:26:00.000-08:00

At Kualoa Ranch, Mrs. Obama's farm-to-table menu by chef Ed Kenney spotlighted the work of student farmers...
In Hawaii on Sunday, First Lady Michelle Obama treated the spouses of leaders attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit to an organic farm-to-table luncheon at Kualoa Ranch, an historic agritourism venue on the windward side of Oahu. Held beneath a white pavilion overlooking Kaneohe Bay, the event was intended to "introduce" the guests to Mrs. Obama's signature Let's Move! initiative, according to the East Wing. Thus Honolulu chef Ed Kenney's menu was anchored by fruit and vegetables harvested on Saturday when Mrs. Obama visited MA'O Organic Farms for a tour and discussion with student farmers. President Obama's sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, was included on the luncheon guest list, which numbered just eleven. She also accompanied Mrs. Obama on Saturday. (Above: Mrs. Obama was seated between Mrs. Laureen Harper of Canada and Ms. Lynda May Babao of Papua New Guinea; Soetoro-Ng is at far left)

The First Lady dined with many of her guests on Saturday evening when she and the President hosted the APEC Lead ers Dinner in Honolulu. But there was a formal arrival ceremony for the luncheon, and Mrs. Obama, clad in a bright yellow silk sleeveless dress printed with an island pattern, greeted each spouse individually, reaching out to clasp their hands and exchange pleasantries, and then posing for formal photos.

The lone male spouse on hand for the lunch was Mr. Tim Mathieson, the "domestic partner" of Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia. Mrs. Kim Yoon-ok, First Lady of South Korea, was also in attendance; she was at the White House just last month for a State Visit. (Above: Mathieson presented Mrs. Obama with a photo during their greeting)

At the start of the luncheon, Mrs. Obama stood at the head of the single, long table, and spoke of her fondness for Hawaii, which she said essentially sealed the deal with her husband.

"I have to tell you that this state, as you know, has a very special place in my heart. As many of you know, my husband was born and raised here," she said. "Our family has the privilege of coming here--the burden of coming back here every year...And that's really one of the reasons I married Barack."

"When I realized that this is where we'd be spending the holidays, I said, "Yes -- I love you!" Mrs. Obama added, to laughter.

The First Family now spends the Christmas holiday each year on island; during the President's time in office this has been at a beachfront rental compound in the town of Kailua, which also has a view of Kaneohe Bay. Mr. Obama is referred to locally as kama'aina, a child of the land, someone who is not a Native Hawaiian but who was either born on the islands or has spent much time there.

"He has always talked about how growing up in this place has shaped his character," Mrs. Obama said. "There is a special spirit here, a spirit of openness and tolerance."

"In many ways, Hawaii is really the perfect place for this APEC summit," she added, echoing the President's toast at Saturday night's di nner, when he called on the APEC Leaders to adopt the spirit of Hawaii and act as ohana--family--when pursuing their goals.

"Folks here view their differences as strengths--not as weaknesses," Mrs. Obama said. "And people of all different backgrounds live together and work together and seek to learn from each other."

The menu...
The First Lady then introduced Kenney to her guests, hailing him as "a great Hawaiian chef." He owns the restaurants Town and Downtown, and sources much of his produce from MA'O Organic Farms, a 24.5-acre certified organic operation in the Waianae area, which is run primarily by students interns who work in exchange for college tuition and a monthly stipend. Kenney sits on the farm's advisory board, and has been working with it for a decade. He held a wood platter with fresh vegetables as he explained the menu and farming practices (above).

"I had the pleasure of spending a very cool afternoon with many of these young people yesterday, and I can tell you that they are some amazing, positive people who will have an impact not just on the state of Hawaii, but on the rest of the world," Mrs. Obama said.

Ninety percent of the produce for the luncheon was grown at MA'O, Kenney said, and harvested on Saturday by the two young farmers who joined him to prepare the lunch, Ku’u Samson and Manny Miles.

The luncheon began with a salad of MA'O beets with arugula, clementine, and pistachio, with Naked Cow Dairy feta, and poppy seed vinaigrette. The entree was freshly caught mahi mahi with limu sauce, which was made with basil, parsley, capers, and shallots. The accompaniment was MA'O root vegetables--carrots and rutabaga; as well as pa'i 'ai, a hand-pounded taro; and pickled limu--seaweed sourced from Heeia fishpond--"right down the road" from the Kualoa Ranch. Dessert was a Meyer Lemon Tart and fresh Liliko'i--passion fruit plucked from Kenney's own backyard, he said.

Kenney said the fish had been caught the day before off Heeia, and since they didn't know what it would be, its name wasn't on the printed menu that accompanied each place setting. The menu noted fresh fish from Kaneohe Bay.

The Honolulu Boy Choir entertained after the luncheon, singing traditional songs. After, a garden of native trees at the Ranch was dedicated in Mrs. Obama's honor, in a ceremony closed to press. (Above: Mrs. Obama introduces the choir)

The other guests joining Mrs. Obama were Madam Mai Thi Hanh, First Lady of Vietnam; Mrs. Nadine Heredia, First Lady of Peru; Mrs. Laureen Harper, spouse of the Prime Minister of Canada; Mrs. Fang-Yui Lien, spouse of the Representative of Chinese Taipei; Ms. Lynda May Babao, spouse of the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea; Mrs. Kristiani Herawati, First Lady of Indonesia; and Datin Sri Rosmah Mansor, spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Mrs. Obama presented the APEC spouses with diplomatic gifts created by Hawaiian artists from natural materials that represent Hawaii, including orchids and Koa wood. These were atop each place setting, in small woven presentation boxes. The women received one-of-a-kind brooches cast from real orchid blooms selected by Mrs. Obama; Mr. Mathieson received Koa and sterling cuff links, with the inscription "Made exclusively for Michelle Obama." Read more about the gifts here. (Above: One of the brooches)

The family-owned Kualoa Ranch was founded in 1850, purchased from King Kamehameha III, and the dramatic terrain encompasses mountains and sea. It has been much used by Hollywood, most notably for the "Jurassic Park" films and the "Lost" TV series. It also includes a grass-fed cattle operation.

Mrs. Obama has hosted two previous farm-to-table events for spouses of world leaders. In 2010, she welcomed the spouses of UN General Assembly members to New York's Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture Center, where they took a farm tour and had lunch at Blue Hill resturant, cooked by chef Dan Barber and the White House chefs. During the 2009 Pittsburgh G20 Summit, Mrs. Obama hosted a farm-to-table dinner for spouses at Teresa Heinz Kerry's Rosemont Farm. Both events spotlighted local, organic and sustainably grown ingredients. (Above: Mrs. Obama walking with her guests)

*The full transcript of Mrs. Obama's remarks.

*Pool photos by AP and Honolulu Star Advertiser

First Lady's Gifts For 2011 APEC Leaders' Spouses

2011-11-13T12:21:00.000-08:00

Crafted by Hawaiian artists with island materials, and “Made Exclusively for Michelle Obama"...
As she hosted a special luncheon on Sunday in Hawaii for the spouses of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders, First Lady Michelle Obama presented each with a diplomatic gift, "representing the natural beauty and rich culture of Hawaii," the White House said. The gifts were created by Hawaiian artists, who used natural materials from the islands. Female spouses received brooches made from real orchid blooms, with the flowers being personally selected by Mrs. Obama, according to the White House. Male guests received cufflinks made of sterling silver and Koa wood, with an engraving that reads “Made Exclusively for Michelle Obama.” The gifts were presented in special boxes. (Above: The brooches and their presentation boxes)

Orchid artist Wayne Keeth "grows orchids himself, handpicks each at the height of their beauty, and then casts the individual blossoms without a mold, creating a one-of-a-kind piece," said the White House of the brooches. "This distinctive gift allows each recipient to leave Hawaii with a special and meaningful part of the islands. The blossoms were specially selected for First Lady Michelle Obama on the occasion of APEC 2011."

Each brooch was "presented in a Lauhala style box adorned with a fresh orchid blossom," the White House said. "Ubiquitous on the islands and often used to create leis, the orchid and its colorful blossom elegantly symbolizes the inherent beauty of the islands and the gracious, welcoming nature of the Hawaiian people."

The cufflinks were created with wood from Hawaiian woodturner Keith Maile from Oahu, and designer Kara Ross. (Above: The cufflinks, center, with the presentation box)
"Ancient Hawaiians had a deep spiritual connection to the native Koa forests, and used the wood of the Koa tree in many aspects of life. In ancient times it was said, “E ola Koa,” live long, like the Koa tree in the forest," the White House said of the gift.

The cufflinks were presented in a Lauhala style box adorned with a carved coconut decoration.

The First Lady's luncheon was held at at Kualoa Ranch, an historic, 4,000-acre agritourism venue that is also a working grass-fed cattle operation. Honolulu chef Ed Kenney prepared the luncheon, using organic fruit and vegetables harvested on Saturday, when Mrs. Obama visited MA'O Organic Farms in Waianea, for a tour and a roundtable discussion with the student interns who run the farm. The young farmers got a special gift from the First Lady, too. More on Kenney is here.

On Saturday night, President Obama and Mrs. Obama hosted a dinner and reception for APEC leaders and spouses, at the Hale Koa Hotel in Honolulu.

*White House photos

Transcript: First Lady's Remarks At 2011 APEC Leaders Spouses Luncheon, Kualoa Ranch

2011-11-13T11:50:00.000-08:00

In Hawaii on Sunday, as President Obama continued his Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings, First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a luncheon for the APEC spouses. The event was held at Kualoa Ranch, an historic, 4,000-acre agritourism venue that is also a working grass-fed cattle operation. Honolulu chef Ed Kenney prepared the luncheon, using organic fruit and vegetables harvested on Saturday, when Mrs. Obama visited MA'O Organic Farms in Waianea, for a tour and a roundtable discussion with the student interns who run the farm. More on Kenney is here.

Mrs. Obama welcomed the APEC spouses in a formal receiving line before the luncheon, and each received an official diplomatic gift. Kualoa Ranch, founded in 1850, has dramatic terrain that encompasses mountains and sea. It has been much used by Hollywood, most notably for the "Jurassic Park" films and the "Lost" TV series.

On Saturday evening, the President and Mrs. Obama hosted the APEC Leaders Dinner at the Hale Koa Hotel in Honolulu.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
______________________________________________

For Immediate Release
November 13, 2011

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY
AT APEC SPOUSES LUNCHEON

Ka’a’awa, Hawaii

11:49 A.M. HAST

MRS. OBAMA: Well, first of all I just want to say welcome and good afternoon. It is such a pleasure to see each of you again today. I hope you enjoyed last night. I hope that you got some rest. And if you still feel a bit tired, then our hope is that this spectacular view will wake you up, as well as this wonderful lunch. I am thrilled to be with all of you today, as I am every time we have an opportunity to meet.

I know traveling for our spouses can be difficult, but for me, one of the things that makes it worthwhile is getting to know each one of you. Over the last several years, I've had an opportunity to talk and share stories, and learn more about your lives and your children and your family. And I can say that this is one of the greatest benefits of being a First Lady, is sharing this experience with each and every one of you. So from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for your friendship, and I look forward to spending more time with each of you in the years to come.

I am also thrilled to have a chance to welcome you all here to Hawaii at this year’s APEC Summit. And I have to tell you that this state, as you know, has a very special place in my heart. As many of you know, my husband was born and raised here. Our sister, Maya, is joining us here today, and she still lives here with our two nieces. She's working with the University of Hawaii, doing some great outreach education, training of teachers, and just being an overall great professional and wonderful mother. And I'm glad that she could be here today.

And our family has the privilege of coming here -- the burden of coming back here every year. (Laughter.) And that's really one of the reasons I married Barack. (Laughter.) When I realized that this is where we'd be spending the holidays, I said, "Yes -- I love you!" (Laughter.) So Barack and I, we have a tradition: Over the last 20, maybe -- more than 20 years, because we started coming back even before we were engaged; every year we come here for two weeks and spend time getting to know this wonderful island and spending time with our families. So it is a unique privilege to be able to share this special place with all of you. And ever since I first met Barack, he’s always talked about how growing up here, in this place, has shaped his character and his perspective -- and it's true. He is a very calm, focused individual, and much of that comes from his upbringing here, and the connection to the community here as well.

As he said, Hawaii is an incredibly diverse place; it's home to people of all different cultures. And there’s a special spirit here –- a spirit of openness and tolerance. And I have experienced it myself. I feel like this is my home away from home, a place where I feel welcome and open and optimistic. Folks here view their differences as strengths –- not as weaknesses. And people of all different backgrounds live together and work together and seek to learn from each other.

So in many ways, Hawaii is really the perfect place for this year’s APEC Summit, because that is precisely what our spouses are working towards here during their time together. They’re coming together to address our shared challenges. They are finding ways to boost our economies so that we can all prosper. And they’re working to ensure -- most importantly -- that our young people will have every opportunity to fulfill their dreams. And I know that all of you and your spouses also share that hope and goal for the young people in our country and in our world.

So we thought that this last point actually brings me to one of the reasons why we came here, and why you're about to eat the meal that you're going to have. Because we're working with young people -- they've helped us make this afternoon possible. The fresh fruits and vegetables that you’ll be eating today were grown and prepared by some phenomenal young people at a local organic farm under the guidance of a great Hawaiian chef, Chef Ed Kenney.

And I had the pleasure of spending a very cool afternoon with many of these young people yesterday, and I can tell you that they are some amazing, positive people who will have an impact not just on the state of Hawaii, but on the rest of the world. Through the work that they're doing, they're not only interning and learning about farming and learning how to reconnect with one of the important cultural aspects of their heritage, but they're also working, earning a living, gaining an internship -- and the program is paying for many of them to finish their education. All of these young people are either getting -- going to community colleges in the area, or they're pursuing their graduate or undergraduate educations at the University of Hawaii and other institutions here. I love these kids. I love this program. And I am just pleased that they decided to come and spend a little more time with us today. So it is now my pleasure to introduce to you Chef Kenney and two of the great students who work with Ma'o Farms -– Manny Miles and Ku’u Samson. You guys ready to talk some more?

MS. SAMSON: Yes. (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA: They pretend to be shy, but they're not really. So they're going to tell you a little bit more about the meal that they've prepared for you -- for us today, and anything else that you want to share with us. So, Chef Kenney, take it away.

END 11:56 P.M. HAST

#

Related: Mrs. Obama has hosted two previous farm-to-table events for spouses of world leaders. In 2010, she welcomed the spouses of UN General Assembly members to New York's Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture Center, where they took a farm tour and had lunch at Blue Hill resturant, cooked by chef Dan Barber and the White House chefs. During the 2009 Pittsburgh G20 Summit, Mrs. Obama hosted a farm-to-table dinner for spouses at Theresa Heinz Kerry's Rosemont Farm. Both events spotlighted local, organic and sustainably grown ingredients.

Hawaii: First Lady Michelle Obama Offers Advice And Praise During Visit To MA'O Organic Farms

2011-11-13T08:45:00.000-08:00

First Lady says job opportunities in farming and food policy are increasing: "It's the most powerful thing"...
On Saturday morning, as the 2011 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit kicked off, First Lady Michelle Obama brought her Let's Move! campaign to the international stage with a tour of MA'O Organic Farms in the Waianae area of Oahu.

As with all of Mrs. Obama's field trips for Let's Move!, the visit spotlighted a very successful program that can serve as a model for others hoping to do the same work in combating obesity through boosting food access and inspiring healthy eating. After her tour with the college-age interns who run the farm, Mrs. Obama sat down for a roundtable discussion on food policy, farming, community action and the long road to creating sustainable change. President Obama's sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, was also on hand to listen to Mrs. Obama discuss her signature initiatives. (At top: Mrs. Obama with MA'O student interns Manny Miles and Cheryse Sana during the roundtable)

"I've heard about all that's been going on here for years and years," Mrs. Obama said. "So I jumped at the opportunity to come and not just see for myself, but to also allow the world to see what you all are doing."

"As you know, I planted a little garden in my back yard," she added, referring to her own White House Kitchen Garden. "One of the primary reasons we planted the garden was as a form of education. Our goal is to eliminate childhood obesity in a generation."

Wearing a sleeveless navy blue dress and flats, the First Lady put the students at ease, chatting easily with them around a large wood table. They wore t-shirts with the farm's motto: "No panic, go organic." Mrs. Obama was accompanied by acclaimed local chef Ed Kenney, who will prepare her luncheon on Sunday for APEC Leaders' spouses at Kualoa Ranch. He sits on the farm's advisory board, and said he has been involved with the organization for a decade, teaching the students and using its produce at his Honolulu restaurants Town and Downtown. (Above: During the tour)

MA'O has an intense focus on education: It is a 24.5-acre certified organic farm is run primarily by local youth participating in the Kauhale Youth Education and Entrepreneurship Initiative, who trade a three year commitment to 20 hours of weekly agricultural work in exchange for a full tuition waiver at a local college and a monthly stipend, which often supports entire families. The farm has become a vital part of the surrounding Waianae community, creating jobs and boosting health initiatives in an area that the East Wing says is among the most impoverished in the state. Obesity and other diet related diseases, such as diabetes and heart attacks, are overwhelmingly present in Waianae, as they are in most Native Hawaiian populations. (Above: With Kenney during the tour)

Mrs. Obama told the MA'O farmers that she is very proud of their work, and their project is something she hopes to see replicated across the US.

"We feel like we're just a small part of what you all have been doing for a very long time," Mrs. Obama said. "And it's important to know that it's working. It's sustaining a community, it's creating a conversation, and it's putting young people to work and giving them futures, which is the most powerful thing."

MA'O grows 35-45 varieties of fruits and vegetables that are sold to other top restaurants on the island as well through farmers' markets, retailers and subscriptions. But its mission is larger: To send more Waianae students to college, develop leadership skills that can be applied in any career, and to promote food self-sufficiency in Hawaii, which has incredibly high food prices, thanks to the fact that much of what is eaten on island is flown or shipped in.

Challenges and support...
Mrs. Obama asked the young farmers to explain some of the challenges they've faced. (Above: Viewing the farm's produce cleaning station during the tour)

"Farming is not necessarily the hot thing to do, right?" she said. "So what happens when you hang out with your boys and you tell them, "I'm going to farm! I like arugula." How does that work out?"

Being an organic farmer is "not really the most popular job," admitted 21-year-old Derrick Parker, adding that he's asked by friends when he's going to switch careers.

"They’re like, "So when are you going to get out of that?"" Parker said. "I can't, like, just say it's their fault that they're saying that, or they're trying to bring me down. But it's just that that's how we were raised up -- that's how we were brought up."

Parker is now a music student at the University of Hawaii in addition to being a farmer, and at the First Lady's behest he sang a few bars of a gospel song, to much applause and laughter, in a clip that made the local news.

Getting his family to understand his career choice was the hardest for Manny Miles, who at 27 has worked at MA'O for 9 years, and described himself as "the old fart of all the interns." He's now co-manager of the intern program.

"With my family the biggest challenge was getting them to understand that eating healthy is important," Miles said. "I lost my father three years ago, and my family doesn't want to admit that it was due to his health."

"Definitely, I have faced hardships by being in this program," Maisha Abbot, 21, said, and told a similar story.

But Mrs. Obama offered a bright look at the future for farmers.

"What your families don't understand is that there are -- there will be growing opportunities in not just farming but in policy, in larger discussions in terms of technology," she said.

Mrs. Obama praised the way the MA'O farmers support each other, and pointed out that while ending obesity, eradicating food deserts, and getting more farming cooperatives like MA'O established will be "a heavy lift," the education element that goes on at MA'O is crucial.

"I think that that's one of the most key components of this effort," Mrs. Obama said, and urged the young farmers to inspire others in their community.

"You now have to lift people up, whether it's your own brothers and sisters or the kids down the street, or the students that you're going to teach. It is a responsibility that you all have to embrace, to just keep reaching back."

First Lady advises patience...and a long-term commitment...
Mrs. Obama advised the young farmers to be patient with the pace of change, because it's something that takes a long time.

"I say this, the President says this -- change -- meaningful change does take time. And the thing that I would urge you not to be is so impatient that you give up before you get -- right? Be patient! Because oftentimes we expect things instantaneously."

Mrs. Obama pointed out that that is why Let's Move! has a generational goal, rather than any immediate goals: The time frame for her initiative is decades long.

"It would have been ridiculous for me to say, in 10 years we're going to -- or in 5 years we're going to change the way people have thought about eating and living," Mrs. Obama said.

"The key is to stay the course, and to not let the great be the enemy of the good. I mean, you may not achieve everything that you envision right away, but that doesn't mean you turn around, that doesn't mean you stop. That means you keep pushing it forward, step by step."

Mrs. Obama had parting advice: Woo local politicians, and get more members of the community involved.

"You don’t do this alone. You have to have a coalition of people that represent so many different factions of a community," she said. "Pull other people in. You’ve got -- buy in your local elected officials. Find the foundation leaders out there. Find the businesses that are -- that can help support this. It takes a community to make this happen."

The interns sang Mrs. Obama a farewell song as she prepared to leave, an Oli Mahalo, which is an honorific thank you song in Hawaii. Before she left, Mrs. Obama presented each farmer with a special gift: A box of Presidential M&Ms, featuring President Obama's autograph. She also handed out plenty of hugs. (Above: The First Lady posed with the interns for a group photo before departing)

The full transcript and a video of the roundtable is here.

In the evening, Mrs. Obama joined President Obama in hosting the APEC Leaders Dinner at the Hale Koa Hotel in Honolulu. On Sunday, she will host the spouses luncheon, and on Monday she will host a Joining Forces event at Hickham Ar Force Base.

A video of the roundtable, from Nonstop Honolulu:

*Photos by Ed Morita, Nonstop Honolulu

At Let's Move! Event, Michelle Obama Presents Gifts Of White House M&Ms

2011-11-13T07:57:00.000-08:00

On Saturday in Hawaii, during a visit to MA'O Organic Farms, First Lady Michelle Obama held a roundtable discussion on the importance of healthy eating and organic farming for her Let's Move! campaign to end childhood obesity. After, Mrs. Obama presented the student interns who run the farm with a special gift: Presidential M&Ms. The college-age farmers, above, pose with their boxes of M&Ms, which feature the Presidential seal on one side of the blue and white box, and President Obama's autograph on the other side.

During the roundtable, the students described their families' health challenges with diet-related disease to Mrs. Obama.

Native Hawaiians have a statistically high prevalence of obesity, and the farm engages in community outreach to try to shift the local eating paradigm to healthier foods. (Above: A close-up of the First Lady's gift)

"I tried for years to try and get them to eat healthy," said student farmer Derrick Parker, 21, of his family's eating habits.

"I mean, I grow vegetables for a living. It's not hard to take some home -- My dad, he's so stubborn, he's so used to eating, like, Spam, corned beef. But I mean, it just takes a lot to try and get it to work."

The coveted boxes of Presidential M&Ms are given to special guests visiting the White House, and they're also included in the Halloween treat bags given to kids trick-or-treating at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

President Obama's sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, was also on hand to listen to Mrs. Obama discuss her signature initiative.

*Photos by Ed Morita, Nonstop Honolulu.

President Obama Toasts To Ohana And The Future At 2011 APEC Leaders Dinner

2011-11-12T20:47:00.000-08:00

"A’ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia...no task is too big when done together by all"...
Standing at a podium under a dramatically lit tent on the grounds of the Hale Koa Hotel in Honolulu, President Obama on Saturday night welcomed the leaders and representatives from 20 other Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation nations with a luau, dinner and a hula performance. He was clad in the same dark suit he'd worn all day for his meetings, and greeted his guests in Hawaiian and English as he toasted with a glass of water, as is his habit. (Above: Mid-toast)

Earlier in the day, the Honolulu-born President said he felt "a little odd" wearing a business suit for the very first time during a visit to Hawaii. As he made his toast, First Lady Michelle Obama sat to the President's right at the Head Table, clad in a pewter and silver strapless cocktail dress, with a bright pink bodice. The dinner, prepared by chef Alan Wong, began after an Arrival Ceremony that was delayed by security issues and lasted close to an hour. The President in his toast spoke of 'ohana, family, and the theme of the weekend summit: Cooperation. (Above: The President and Mrs. Obama at the arrival ceremony)

The President anchored his toast with a Hawaiian proverb, and opened with the traditional Hawaiian greeting. Guests included Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen Harper; Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her "domestic partner" Tim Mathieson; South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak and First Lady Kim Yoon-ok; China's President Hu Jintao; and President Demitry Medvedev of Russia.

"Aloha," President Obama said to his guests, who were seated around four large tables.

Hawaii, the President said, is "a melting pot" that could inspire the work of APEC, which represents 3 billion people of every race, faith and creed.

"Here, we’re a single ‘ohana -- one family. We remember that beneath the surface, behind all the different languages and some very long names, we all share the same hopes, the same struggles and the same aspirations. And we’ve learned that we’re more likely to realize our aspirations when we pursue them together," President Obama said.

"That’s the spirit of Hawaii. It’s what made me who I am. It’s what shapes my interactions with all of you. And it’s the spirit that I hope guides us in our work this weekend."

He raised his glass.

"And so I’d like to propose a toast with the words of a traditional Hawaiian proverb: A’ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia. And that means, no task is too big when done together by all," President Obama said. "Cheers. Salud. Everybody enjoy the evening."

Chef Wong has cooked at the White House, and President Obama has visited his Honolulu restaurant, Alan Wong's, the last five times he was on island.

After dinner, during a reception that included more guests, the President and Mrs. Obama watched a cultural performance in the hotel's amphitheater. Manu Boyd and his hula halau entertained the larger, post-luau gathering, as did singer Makana, who also performed during the dinner. They performed on a stage lit with fire torches, and the evening ended just before midnight local time.

The First Lady earlier in the day had her own event, visiting MA'O Organic Farms in Waianae, and hosting a roundtable with the students who run the farm. She was joined by Hawaiian chef Ed Kenny, who will prepare her luncheon for APEC Leaders' spouses on Sunday at Kualoa Ranch.

*AP photos

President Obama, First Lady At 2011 APEC Leaders Dinner Arrival Ceremony

2011-11-12T20:44:00.000-08:00

Security issues delay arrivals of APEC Leaders for Power Luau...
On a warm, breezy evening in Honolulu, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greeted the APEC leaders arriving at the Hale Koa Hotel for the 2011 APEC Leaders Dinner, prepared by chef Alan Wong and served in a dramatically lit tent on the vast lawn of the military hotel. The Arrival Ceremony was delayed by security issues: Spouses/companions had not been properly credentialed for the dinner. Beginning at 6:45 PM, the arrivals lasted almost an hour, due to delays with getting the spouses through. Above: The President and Mrs. Obama recive applause as they arrive lead the way into the dinner.

To greet their guests, the First Couple stood under the spreading branches of a rubber tree, with the President in the same dark suit and striped tie he wore earlier for his day of meetings. Mrs. Obama wore a strapless dress that appeared to be made of raw silk. It was pewter colored from the waist down, with a lighter silver bodice, separated by a beaded belt. The dress was topped with a pink sash that wrapped asymmetrically around the top of her dress, over one arm and under the other.

Long waits between Leaders' arrivals...
While the names of APEC Leaders' souses were on a list, they did not have proper security tags, and there was a mad scramble among officials to rectify this, reported Honolulu Civil Beat. So the President and Mrs. Obama would greet a few leaders, and then wait for the next set to appear, as the spouses slowly received security clearance. Above: Posing with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen Harper.

The greetings were casual.

"Guys, how are you?" The President said to the Harpers.

APEC Leaders attending the event without dinner dates obviously got through the line immediately.

Each Leader was announced by a military aide, and then walked forward to the Obamas, who each offered greetings and in some cases hugs. They all then turned to the gathered photographers and posed for a photo. Above: Greeting Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her "domestic partner" Tim Mathieson; they are not married.

First in line was the leader of Taiwan and his wife, followed by Singapore, Thailand (both stag) and New Guinea.

The President and Mrs. Obama then stepped away for a few minutes. They returned to greet more leaders, taking breaks after a every handful of leaders, due to the security SNAFU.

Above: Greeting South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak and First Lady Kim Yoon-ok, who were honored with a State Visit and State Dinner at the White House in October.

Pool reported President Hu Jintao of China looking "somewhat stiff" as he approached and greeted the Obamas. A translator came over to facilitate conversation. Earlier in the day, Hu had a bilateral with President Obama, their first meeting since Hu was honored with a State Visit and State Dinner at the White House last January, and their ninth visit overall.

Thanks to the security issues, the Arrival Ceremony took nearly an hour. Above: President Demitry Medvedev of Russia got a slap on the arm as a welcome from President Obama.

After the arrivals, the guests were seated under the tent, and the dinner began with the President making a welcoming toast.

The arrivals, and the President's toast:

*AP photos