Here is video of President and Mrs. Obama delivering a "Christmas Message" from the White House. They wished Americans a "Merry Christmas," and pledged to continue trying to make the lives of Americans better. Obama also thanked America's servicemen and women for defending the freedoms that we have, and said he has "no greater honor" than to serve as Commander-in-Chief. (more)

April 30th, 2009, during his 100th Day speech: “a Recovery Act that has already saved or created over 150,000 jobs” May 27th 2009, during his 100th day of the Recovery Act speech: “the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has saved or created nearly 150,000 jobs” [all emphasis mine] So, in the last 4 weeks, not only has the Stimulus Package NOT created (or saved, which I can’t fathom how they’d calculate) one single new job, it now appears to be actively destroying jobs, since the number went from... (more)

Fox News .. being the evil right-wing network that it is ... has actually turned down yet another PrezBO does Prime Time press conference. The administration requested that networks air his 100 day address to the nation during primetime on Wednesday, and Fox News turned it down. Man does this have the liberal thongs in a wad! That means, of course, that I love it. (more)

TAPPER: Is the president of the belief, or in possession of information, that members of the Bush administration who formulated these interrogation policies broke the law? GIBBS: I -- again, I think I'd point you to the comments that the president made today that a determination of who -- of whether a law was broken or who broke a law was not a determination that would be made inside the confines of the White House. It would rightly be made inside the confines of the Justice Department. TAPPE... (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Cut a latte or two out of your annual budget and you've just done as much belt-tightening as President Barack Obama asked of his Cabinet on Monday. The thrifty measures Obama ordered for federal agencies are the equivalent of asking a family that spends $60,000 in a year to save $6. Obama made his push for frugality the subject of his first Cabinet meeting, ensuring it would command the capital's attention. It also set off outbursts of mental math and scribbled calculations as po... (more)

What happens when the White House publicity points collide with hard fiscal facts? Which side will win, the spin or the facts? See this Washington Post headline: "Obama to Order $100 Million in Budget Cuts." Is this a joke headline? Isn't this "order" totally swamped by all of the spending Obama and the Democrats in Congress have approved? The deficit for March just set a monthly record of $192.3 billion, with a B. How is $100 million more than a rounding error, or a day of interest on the Obama stimulus... (more)

President Obama returned to Washington on Sunday night with his eye back on his domestic agenda and a plan to save government money. President Obama arrives by Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday. On Monday, Obama will gather his full Cabinet together for the first time as president and challenge it to cut a total of $100 million in the next 90 days, two senior administration officials said. (more)

TAPPER: Thank you, Mr. President. You have heard from a lot of Latin American leaders here who want the U.S. to lift the embargo against Cuba. You've said that you think it's important leverage to not lift it. But in 2004, you did support lifting the embargo. You said, "It's failed to provide the source of raising standards of living and squeeze the innocent" and "it's time for us to acknowledge that this policy has failed." I'm wondering, what made you change your mind about the embargo? (more)

PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD -- In an interview with ABC News, Jeffrey Davidow -- a senior adviser to President Obama on Latin American affairs and director of the Summit of the Americas -- said that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez rushed a photograph of he and President Obama shaking hands onto his government's website because Mr. Obama is more popular than Mr. Chavez in Venezuela. "Every president and political leader in Latin America, and many in the rest of the world as well -- maybe not every one of ... (more)

Obama vows to cut dozens of federal programs'There will be no sacred cows,' president says as he targets inefficiencyJim Young / ReutersPresident Barack Obama praised former rival John McCain for leading the effort to cut spending in Congress.View related photosVideoObama, Chavez shakes hands April 17: Rachel Maddow talks about how President Obama shook hands with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on a trip to Latin America The Rachel Maddow ShowVideoChuck Todd: ‘Cuba has hijacked OAS summit’ April 17:... (more)