Obamas Have Rockin' Good Time Out West
This story was filed by CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer.
If their teachers ask Malia and Sasha Obama to write the traditional "what did you do on your summer" essay, they'll have quite a story to tell.
After touring some major European cities with their mom earlier this summer, the girls have just wrapped up a trip to two of the gems of the National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park and The Grand Canyon.
The Obamas understandably guard their daughters' privacy, but the White House allowed a few very brief public glimpses of the First Family's vacation. Unlike most children who endure their parents' call to "say cheese," the Obama girls had their pictures snapped by the media, along with White House photographers and videographers.
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(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
After touring some major European cities with their mom earlier this summer, the girls have just wrapped up a trip to two of the gems of the National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park and The Grand Canyon.
The Obamas understandably guard their daughters' privacy, but the White House allowed a few very brief public glimpses of the First Family's vacation. Unlike most children who endure their parents' call to "say cheese," the Obama girls had their pictures snapped by the media, along with White House photographers and videographers.
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Something Fishy in Montana
(AP PHOTO)
A White House official says deputy chief of staff Jim Messina will be the president's guide for a few hours of trout fishing. Messina, who grew up in Montana and Idaho, had been angling for an opportunity to show the president the wonders of the great outdoors. It will be the president's first opportunity to use a fly-fishing rig that he received as a birthday present from friends. An aide says while the president has fished in the past, he's not an avid fisherman.
Mr. Obama and his fishing party will hope for luck in an area known for fighting Rainbows, Cutthroats and other trout varieties. The National Park Service says nearby Yellowstone National Park is home to 16 species of fish. Spokesman Robert Gibbs says Mr. Obama will practice "catch and release."
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White House Report: "Worker Flexibility" is Key
(CBS/AP)
While the study cites the historic resilience of the U.S. economy, it warns "the growth path may not look the same as that envisioned before the recession."
The study indicates the best job prospects are in "the already-expanding health care sector" and environmental occupations. It says those fields are growing at a faster rate than the overall economy, creating white collar and blue collar openings.
Not surprisingly, the administration's report pins hopes for economic gains on the $787 billion stimulus package. It continues to project saving or creating 3.5 million jobs by the fourth quarter of next year. It says near term recovery could be helped by "pent-up" demand by consumers.
The report forecasts moderation in the decades-long decline in manufacturing jobs. It predicts job creation in the aerospace and pharmaceutical industries. It says the construction industry will "eventually recover" and add more jobs in the coming decade.
White House economists say occupations that hire workers with post-secondary education and training are growing faster than other fields. The report by the Council of Economic Advisers also points to "an expected shift towards jobs that require workers with greater analytical and interactive skills." The report calls for "a comprehensive strategy" to create strong, effective education and training programs.
The full report can be found here.
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Help for Woman who Reached Out to Obama
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Another administration official says the private group contacted the White House after it saw Mr. Obama's conversation with 53-year-old Debby Smith during a health care reform program yesterday in Annandale, Virginia. A tearful Smith told Mr. Obama about her battle with kidney cancer.
Following the meeting she told reporters she was still unsure whether she would receive the treatment she needs. An official says the White House is "optimistic" that Smith will be helped.
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White House: Job Market Remains in "Tough Recession"
4929152 A senior Obama administration economic advisor tells CBS News the latest unemployment numbers show that "the job market remains in the grips of a tough recession."
Jared Bernstein, chief economist for Vice President Biden, says the administration still expects unemployment to hit ten percent some time later this year. But he sees some glimmers of hope. In a radio interview with CBS News White House Correspondent Peter Maer, Bernstein said that aside from the big factory losses, the job reduction rate throughout the economy has "diminished somewhat over the past three months." But he acknowledged it is nowhere near satisfactory.
He contends administration economic stimulus efforts "are taking hold and helping to stabilize." But noting that stabilization won't be enough, Bernstein said, "We need to see that unemployment rate come down."
He refused to say when that would happen. Bernstein continues to predict the Recovery Act will add 3.5 million jobs to the economy next year. While he points to some signs of improvement, he notes "less bad is not good enough."
Asked about some economists' predictions of a "jobless recovery," Bernstein said there could be a technical recovery in growth terms while the labor market continues to shrink. Bernstein said that would not be a true recovery.
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Jared Bernstein, chief economist for Vice President Biden, says the administration still expects unemployment to hit ten percent some time later this year. But he sees some glimmers of hope. In a radio interview with CBS News White House Correspondent Peter Maer, Bernstein said that aside from the big factory losses, the job reduction rate throughout the economy has "diminished somewhat over the past three months." But he acknowledged it is nowhere near satisfactory.
He contends administration economic stimulus efforts "are taking hold and helping to stabilize." But noting that stabilization won't be enough, Bernstein said, "We need to see that unemployment rate come down."
He refused to say when that would happen. Bernstein continues to predict the Recovery Act will add 3.5 million jobs to the economy next year. While he points to some signs of improvement, he notes "less bad is not good enough."
Asked about some economists' predictions of a "jobless recovery," Bernstein said there could be a technical recovery in growth terms while the labor market continues to shrink. Bernstein said that would not be a true recovery.
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White House Defends Huffington Post Question
(AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Defending the White House action, Gibbs said, "I think it was important and the president thought it was important to take a question using the very same methods, again, that many of you all are using to report information on the ground. I don't have any -- I won't make any apologies for that."
In today's sometimes contentious briefing with reporters, Gibbs insisted, "That question wasn't planted."
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Unprecedented Web Outreach For Obama's Speech
(AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Top officials who briefed reporters during the president's stop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia describe a "high profile" strategy to spread Mr. Obama's message. Spokesman Robert Gibbs described a "fairly sophisticated outreach."
The strategy includes using social networking pages that will allow people to monitor and comment on the speech. Speech excerpts and full transcripts will be posted. The administration will turn to Facebook, My Space and Twitter. A spokesman says Facebook is the largest social network in the Muslim world with nearly 20 million users.
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White House Comments On Bin Laden Tape
(AP / CBS)
Spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters in Rihyadh, Saudi Arabia, the tape is "consistent with messages we've seen in the past."
Gibbs said: "I don't think its surprising that al Qaeda would want to shift attention away from the president's historic efforts and continued efforts to reach out and have an open dialogue with the Muslim world."
Peter Maer is a CBS News White House correspondent.
Watch Robert Gibbs' Comments On Osama Bin Laden
Is Obama In Permanent Campaign Mode?
(CBS)
Asked what surprised him the most about his first 100 days, Mr. Obama responded, "I am surprised compared to where I started, when we first announced for this race, by the number of critical issues that appear to be coming to a head all at the same time. You know, when I first started this race, Iraq was a central issue, but the economy appeared on the surface to still be relatively strong. There were underlying problems that I was seeing with health care for families and our education system and college affordability and so forth, but obviously, I didn't anticipate the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression."
It was just an aside, of course. But it was something of a telling one coming during substantive comments on issues that included swine flu, troubled automakers, terror suspect torture and the other pressing items on the crowded Obama agenda.
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Inside Obama's Meeting With Medvedev
(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
The president hailed "a new era of progress" following his first face to face meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. They agreed seek a new deal to reduce nuclear warheads.
Negotiators will report initial results by July when President Obama will visit Moscow for a summit. The proposed arms deal would move beyond a 2002 treaty that committed the two nuclear arms holders to cut arsenals to between 1,700 and 2,200 by 2012.
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Obama Faces Major Tests Overseas
(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Obama faces the first major test of his international leadership skills as he prepares to take off on a challenging five-nation European trip.
The president lands in London Tuesday night, ahead of the crucial G20 economic summit. The president will be making his world stage premier at the London meeting and at a weekend NATO gathering in France and Germany.
His most pressing agenda items, the economy and the war in Afghanistan, will dominate the ambitious journey.
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Obama, Medvedev Expected To Meet Next Month
(AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)
The meeting is expected to take place on the sidelines of the planned "G-20" economic summit. The official confirms Mr. Obama has written to Medvedev indicating U.S. plans to deploy a missile defense system in Eastern Europe could, in the words of the official "be affected" if Russia works with the U.S. to prevent Iran from building long range missiles.
The official says the essence of the letter is, "If you cooperate with us in helping to deal with the Iranian threat...if the threat is no longer there, it will affect the missile defense project" planned for Poland and the Czech Republic.
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Obama Says Faith Shouldn't Divide People
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Addressing the National Prayer Breakfast today for the first time as president, President Obama bemoaned that "too often we have seen faith wielded as a tool to divide us from one another, as an excuse for prejudice and intolerance."
Mr. Obama pledged to "reach out to leaders and scholars around the world to foster a more productive and peaceful dialogue on faith."
He said he hopes and prays that open and honest talks can mend "old rifts."
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Addressing the National Prayer Breakfast today for the first time as president, President Obama bemoaned that "too often we have seen faith wielded as a tool to divide us from one another, as an excuse for prejudice and intolerance."
Mr. Obama pledged to "reach out to leaders and scholars around the world to foster a more productive and peaceful dialogue on faith."
He said he hopes and prays that open and honest talks can mend "old rifts."
Continue »
Gibbs: I Will Not Lie
Peter Maer is a CBS News White House Correspondent.
From his first bill signing to a series of events trumpeting the reversal of Bush era policies, President Obama has maintained what even Press Secretary Robert Gibbs describes as a "frenetic pace." At times the press office has churned out releases late into the night.
But in a radio interview with CBS News, Gibbs downplayed any prospect of burnout, saying, "I know he (President Obama) will pace himself and we'll pace ourselves."
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(AP)
But in a radio interview with CBS News, Gibbs downplayed any prospect of burnout, saying, "I know he (President Obama) will pace himself and we'll pace ourselves."
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Gibbs' Podium Premiere
Peter Maer is a CBS News White House Correspondent.
New White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs has tried the Briefing Room podium on for size and, with a few exceptions, it seemed to be a good fit.
In sharp contrast to the many empty seats in the closing days of the Bush administration, the room was packed with reporters eager to cover Gibbs' maiden voyage. He joked, "We should sell tickets."
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(CBS)
In sharp contrast to the many empty seats in the closing days of the Bush administration, the room was packed with reporters eager to cover Gibbs' maiden voyage. He joked, "We should sell tickets."
Continue »
