Obama Administration: Landmark Moments and Special Visitors

The President and First Lady bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, before they departed Winfield House in London following a dinner in honor of the Queen.
(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

The President signs the health insurance reform bill. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

"Much has been made of this photograph that shows the President and Vice President and the national security team monitoring in real time the mission against Osama bin Laden. Some more background on the photograph: The White House Situation Room is actually comprised of several different conference rooms. The majority of the time, the President convenes meetings in the large conference room with assigned seats. But to monitor this mission, the group moved into the much smaller conference room. The President chose to sit next to Brigadier General Marshall B. “Brad” Webb, Assistant Commanding General of Joint Special Operations Command, who was point man for the communications taking place. WIth so few chairs, others just stood at the back of the room. I was jammed into a corner of the room with no room to move. During the mission itself, I made approximately 100 photographs, almost all from this cramped spot in the corner. There were several other meetings throughout the day, and we've put together a composite of several photographs (see next photo in this set) to give people a better sense of what the day was like. Seated in this picture from left to right: Vice President Biden, the President, Brig. Gen. Webb, Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and then Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Standing, from left, are: Admiral Mike Mullen, then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; National Security Advisor Tom Donilon; Chief of Staff Bill Daley; Tony Blinken, National Security Advisor to the Vice President; Audrey Tomason Director for Counterterrorism; John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper."(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Barack Obama and Burmese Opposition Leader Aung San Suu Kyi pet Bo, the Obama family dog, at the conclusion of their meeting in the Oval Office, Sept. 19, 2012. Danny Russel, Senior Director for Asian Affairs, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton watch at left. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Barack Obama pauses to look back at the scene before leaving the platform following the inaugural swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Jan. 21, 2013. Standing behind the President are First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Malia and Sasha, and Marian Robinson. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Four Presidents during the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Filling in for David Lienemann, Lawrence Jackson made this photograph of the real Vice President, with Julia-Louis Dreyfus, star of the HBO show Veep', in his West Wing office of the White House.
(Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

The President and First Lady wave to supporters as they ride in the inaugural parade. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Meetings happen everywhere including on the escalator. Here, the President continues a conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel following their meeting with other leaders at the NATO Summit in Newport, Wales. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

The President signs the H.R. 3547, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, which at the time provided fiscal year 2014 appropriations. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan walk from the Reflecting Pool toward the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., April 27, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Barack Obama laughs with Caroline Kennedy, U.S. Ambassador to Japan, in the Oval Office, April 27, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden discuss the Resolute Desk with Charles, Prince of Wales, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, prior to a meeting in the Oval Office, March 19, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

First Lady Michelle Obama and Meryl Streep participate in a photo shoot for MORE magazine in the Blue Room of the White House, Feb. 24, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

President Barack Obama and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany participate in a joint press conference in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 9, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Two days after the visit of Pope Francis, the President and First Lady hosted President Xi Jinping of China and Madame Peng Liyuan for another State Visit. Before the formal State Dinner, the President showed President Xi and Madame Peng the Gettysburg Address in the Lincoln Bedroom. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

The President and Pope Francis walk along the Colonnade. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

A festive atmosphere as the White House was lit with the colors of the rainbow in celebration of the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Peacerunner: The Congressman and Northern Ireland

How did an ex-congressman help to end centuries of conflict in Ireland? Penn Rhodeen's new book, 'Peacerunner,' provides a fascinating insight into the true story of Bruce Morrison and his role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland.

Warfare, ranging from active hostilities to seething tension, was the norm between the Irish and the English since the 1100s. During the thirty years from the start of The Troubles to the 1998 Good Friday agreement, over 3,000 Irish and British nationals were killed. Many celebrated the famous Good Friday agreement that put an end to one of the longest-standing conflicts in the world, but just a handful knew the full story of one American and the crucial role he played in winning peace—and none knew it better than Penn Rhodeen.

In a narrative that grips the reader from the first pages, Rhodeen recounts Bruce Morrison’s heroic peacemaking efforts in lively prose and rigorous detail. A natural storyteller, Rhodeen offers readers the chance to step into modern political history for an up-close look at Morrison’s remarkable journey. Follow Morrison as he persuades Clinton to create a positive political climate in America and makes the connections necessary in Ireland and Britain to help win the IRA ceasefire and enact a solid, lasting peace.

With an introduction by President Bill Clinton and cameos from Tony Blair, George Mitchell, Gerry Adams, Jean Kennedy Smith, John Major, and other larg- er-than-life figures, Rhodeen dramatizes events that somehow receded into the past without getting their due. Peacerunner is the story of how one man changed world history and the modern political landscape.

Bruce Morrison’s story is one of unlikely optimism in the face of seemingly hopeless conflict. Peacerunner has the power to inspire readers from all walks of life and spark new dialogue about how best to lend aid in countries afflicted by unending war.

Thanks to the publishers for a review copy of Peacerunner. 

Presidential Election 2016: Do Candidates “Better Halves” Matter?

Embed from Getty Images

The 2016 race for the presidency is shaping up to be unlike anything we've seen before. With the South Carolina primaries curbing Jeb Bush's race for the White House and invigorating Donald Trump's plans even more, the path to the presidency will be one that we won't forget.

AirPR has been tracking media coverage of the US presidential candidates’ spouses as a way to see which candidate is getting legitimate media traction. It’s an interesting way of looking at the race and one which I haven't seen before.

The question at hand was: “Is there ANY correlation whatsoever in terms of spouses who rule the spotlight and the ultimate success of the candidates with whom they share a, ah-hem, bed?
With such a wide field of candidates, particularly on the Republican side, AirPR wanted to see what trends emerged when it came to press that was focused less on the candidates and more on the candidates’ spouses. Here's what they found.

1. It’s the Bill, Bill, and Bill media show

Since September 2015, top tier media outlets have written nearly 6,000 articles that focus on any or several of the candidates’ spouses. Here’s a breakdown of influential coverage for the top 5 spouses:

● Bill Clinton: 3,890 articles
● Melania Trump: 461 articles
● Heidi Cruz: 148 articles
● Jane O’Meara Sanders: 97 articles
● Jeanette Rubio: 56 articles

2. The media’s interest in Melania Trump and Bill Clinton are for entirely different reasons

In the case of the candidates’ spouses, Bill Clinton and Melania Trump lead the pack without question. The reasons for this are clear: Bill Clinton already has high visibility, and as a former president, there is a steady level of media coverage that other people simply don’t have. In the case of Melania Trump, there appears to be a huge curiosity factor. When you start to see articles saying how much (or how little) Melania Trump says, you know you’re in for an interesting ride.

Point blank: Both these spouses have star power. While former President Clinton is viewed as a campaign weapon, it remains to be seen what Melania’s role in Trump’s campaign will be. That mystique in and of itself may be one of the key reasons driving her media coverage.

3. It’s not about the economy...or the debates...stupid

Prior to tracking spousal media coverage, we made the assumption that when a candidate did well at a particular event or commanded a certain topic during a debate, a stronger spotlight would shine on the candidates’ “better half”. In fact, this didn’t happen at all.

Take Jeannette Rubio, for example. Her husband Marco Rubio, by most pundits’ reports, has performed consistently in the top 4 or 5 with regard to debate performance. This strength hasn’t had any noticeable impact on the number of stories featuring Jeannette Rubio.

4. No topics are off limits anymore

It’s getting ugly out there, particularly when it comes to Bill Clinton’s past infidelities, Melania’s aforementioned silence, or Heidi Cruz’s children. Long gone are the days where the masses were shocked when Bill Clinton was famously asked on the campaign trail if he wore “boxers or briefs”. Today, questions facing the spouses run the gamut.

A recent New York Times feature on Jeannette Rubio focused on how her religious and conservative beliefs often shaped her husband’s beliefs. An article of this nature in 2008 or even 2012 would have had a huge ripple effect on a campaign. In reality, because of faster media cycles and the changing face of media consumption and dissemination, this piece was widely socialized via Twitter and LinkedIn, but didn’t move the dial in public perception or buzz.

5. The spouses are mostly waiting in the bullpen...for now

Early coverage on the candidates’ spouses, for now, is limited. The campaigns seem to grasp of the fact that while spousal exposure can be equated with a sign of a campaign’s legitimacy, there is fear of peaking too soon.

As with the the aforementioned New York Times piece on Jeannette Rubio, the story is more about the past than the present. Campaign strategists recognize that increased presence of the “woman behind the man” or the “man behind the woman” humanizes the candidate. We expect you’ll see more of that, particularly in the Republican race, once the first round of primaries reduces the number of candidates.

The beginning of primary season will drastically shift the role husbands and wives play on the campaign trail. If early 2016 is any indication, expect to be seeing and reading as much about the spouses as you will the candidates.

But what is it about presidential spouses that fascinates us so much? Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer, AirPR CEO has shared his thoughts.

Why do you think the media and voters are fascinated with political spouses?

I think it’s the starting point of the fascination that reveals the most about Americans' fascination with the candidates’ spouses. Early on in the campaigning process, to many, there are a group of politicians vying for our attention. Once voters learn about their preferred candidate, they start to ask , “What will this person look like as a president?”. It’s then they view the bigger picture - their family, whether or not they bring an air of leadership or humanity to the role, and of course the role his or her spouse might play . The coverage we’ve seen so far indicates that the media and general voting public are mostly interested in the frontrunners’ spouses from either party, but true to form with this year’s election, there’s no such thing as business as usual. In terms of media coverage and interest, it really has been the Bill Clinton and Melania Trump show. With President Clinton, he brings a steady stream of coverage that is unprecedented for a candidate’s spouse. With Melania Trump, there’s an air of mystique, partly because she’s been mostly quiet during the campaign and also because, well, the Trump campaign is playing with a new set of rules. It’s fascinating to watch. Additionally, I also think the media is fascinated by political spouses because people are wondering how much a political spouse's influence will ultimate influence American politics directly via the candidate.

How do you think the spouses will be used by the campaigns moving forward? What is their untapped power?

As we go deeper into the primary season and closer to the national conventions, the spouses of the front runners are going to play a complementary role. With Hillary, we have a pretty good idea of how her campaign is going to use Bill. We saw in 2008 that he can be an effective (at times) attack dog to defend against the slings of the opposition. While it hurt her campaign to some extent in ’08, so far he’s taking on a similar role with this campaign, albeit more of an “attack dog meets elder statesman” persona. With Trump, I think you’re going to see Melania Trump step into the limelight more as Trump pivots toward to the center. His campaign will rely on her to soften his edges. Ted Cruz’ wife, Heidi, will play a similar role, as Ted will have to battle the perception that he’s unlikable. I think the one wild card in here is Jane Sanders - we haven’t quite seen what she’s capable of yet. She might have to represent a younger voice, as Bernie would be the the oldest person to ever take office if he wins. We’re already seeing a few interviews where one of her key messages is “75 is the new 55”. For all of the candidates, I think you’re going to see more leaning on the spouses in this election than ever.

Thanks to AirPR for sharing this fascinating data with us! 

White House Week

Perhaps the most exciting bit of news from The White House this week was that the President officially joined Twitter! 

Hello, Twitter! It's Barack. Really! Six years in, they're finally giving me my own account.

— President Obama (@POTUS) May 18, 2015

I wasn't the only one that got excited. 

It's about time, @POTUS! –mo

— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) May 18, 2015

Welcome to @Twitter, @POTUS! One question: Does that username stay with the office? #askingforafriend

— Bill Clinton (@billclinton) May 18, 2015

Barack Obama has his own Twitter account. He hasn’t asked for followers yet because he probably doesn’t want to @POTUS on the spot.

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) May 18, 2015

Away from the White House, I attended a special luncheon in honor of the American Ambassador to the UK, Ambassador Matthew Barzun. It was fantastic to hear of his passion for the UK - and his love of Wales!

Links of the Week

This week I've been reading...

DC cherry blossoms captured through Instagram

White House staff dish on Clinton Administration

All aboard the new Metro cars

What does Michelle Obama need?

The newest Clinton family member!

via // via

Congratulations to Chelsea Clinton and her husband Marc on the arrival of their daughter Charlotte! These pictures of the new parents- and proud grandparents are absolutely amazing!

White House Week

President Obama wrote a handwritten tribute to the Gettysburg Address:

The White House

Earlier this week, Dr. Jill Biden and Labor Secretary Tom Perez visited Cleveland Community College in North Carolina and Broward College in Florida as part of their “Community College to Career” tour designed to highlight innovative workforce training partnerships.

Dr. Biden and Secretary Perez met with students, toured innovative labs and classrooms, and learned more about the Labor Department’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grants. These unprecedented investments are helping leverage strong partnerships with local employers to transform community colleges into engines of economic growth across the country.

On Wednesday, the President awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 16 recipients. These included: Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem, Ernie Banks, Ben Bradlee, Bill Clinton, Daniel Inouye (posthumous), Daniel Kahneman, Richard Lugar, Loretta Lynn, Mario Molina, Sally Ride (posthumous), Bayard Rustin (posthumous,) Arturo Sandoval, Dean Smith, Cordy Tindell Vivian and Patricia Weld. Find out more here.

Official White House Photo

Presidents Past and Present honor JFK

The President, First Lady, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton paid their respects at the grave of President Kennedy yesterday.

Forming part of the commemorations of the 50th Anniversary of his death, they joined members of the Kennedy family at Arlington National Cemetery.



The First Lady wore a deep red a line coat, with black shoulder detailing. She also wore a pair of black suede knee high boots.

Later in the day, President Obama awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to recepients including Oprah Winfrey, President Clinton, Gloria Steinem and former Senator Dick Lugar. The Presidential Medal of Freedom was established fifty years ago by President Kennedy.



In the evening, the President and First Lady attended a dinner in honor of the recipients at the National Museum of American History.

White House Week

The White House

Earlier in the week, President Obama met with congressional leaders about Syria. President Obama said he is asking Congress for hearings and a vote on taking military action, and emphasized that the plan developed by the Joint Chiefs does not involve boots on the ground.

On Wednesday, President Obama arrived in Stockholm, ahead of the G20 Summit in Russia. On Thursday and Friday, he attended meetings and functions at the G20 Summit. You can read his schedule here.

Former President Bill Clinton spoke about the benefits of the Affordable Care Act in Little Rock, Arkansas earlier in the week. You can watch his remarks below.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom 2013

Google Images

Recipients: 

Ernie Banks

Ben Bradlee

Bill Clinton

Daniel Inouye (posthumous)

Daniel Kahneman

Richard Lugar

Loretta Lynn

Mario Molina

Sally Ride (posthumous)

Bayard Rustin (posthumous)

Arturo Sandoval

Dean Smith

Gloria Steinem

Cordy Tindell 'C.T.' Vivian

Patricia Wald

Oprah Winfrey

Behind the Scenes at the opening of the George W Bush Presidential Library

The White House has recently released images from the month of April and May. These great images from the opening of the George W Bush Presidential Library give us an insight into what it was like behind the scenes on the day.

The White House

For more behind the scenes photos from The White House click here. 

2012 in Review: Instagram

I've loved using Instagram this year- and can't wait for more snaps to happen in 2013!

I can be followed at lauraemilyd, and check out a small selection of images I have taken this year.

In Video: Highlights from Day 2 of the DNC