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US President Barack Obama admitted he should have expected to be criticized for hitting the links on the same day that he addressed the beheading of American journalist James Foley and spoke with his family. ´Part of this job is also the theater of it,´ he told NBC News´ Chuck Todd. ´Well, it´s not something that always comes naturally to me. But it matters. And I´m mindful of that.´ He added: ´I should have anticipated the optics´ of playing golf. Obama, who was on vacation at the time of Foley´s murder, was heavily criticized for heading to the golf course

Networks Refused to Give President Primetime Air for ObamaCare Victory Lap By Kyle Drennen Created 04/04/2014 - 12:37pm On Thursday, BuzzFeed reported that NBC, ABC, and CBS turned down a White House request for primetime coverage of a presidential address on Tuesday to spike the football on ObamaCare reaching the seven million enrollment mark. Instead, the President was forced to settle for an afternoon pep rally in the Rose Garden which only ABC and NBC covered live. These were the same networks that fretted over Republicans not agreeing to let Obama give a primetime campaign speech to Congress at the...

President Obama pushed back on criticism of his recent appearance with comedian Zach Galifianakis to promote the Affordable Care Act, noting that President Lincoln "loved telling the occasional bawdy joke." The president´s remarks, during an interview with ESPN Radio´s Colin Cowherd that aired Thursday, were an indirect jab at Fox News host Bill O´Reilly, who argued during a segment of his show earlier this month that the 16th president would never have agreed to such an appearance. "First of all, if you read back on Lincoln, he loved telling the occasional bawdy joke and being out among regular folks," Obama

The White House says President Barack Obama will make a statement on Ukraine before he departs Thursday for a day of events in Florida. The statement is scheduled for 11 a.m. Eastern time on the South Lawn. The U.S. imposed sanctions earlier this week against several Russian officials for their role in the crisis in Ukraine.

It’s not funny but it’s on “Funny or Die.” President Barack Obama appears in a “Funny or Die” video with Zack Galifiankis for the comedian’s “Between Two Ferns” satirical talk show. The pair strident, antagonistic trade barbs that don’t work– they come off as hostile and satirical. Then there’s a pitch for Obamacare and its impending March 31st deadline. This is supposed to appeal to young people. But basically the two just insult each other. The whole comes off as less presidential than Richard Nixon saying “Sock it to me” on “Laugh In.”

The Fox TV network says President Barack Obama will introduce the debut episode of the science series “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey.” The 13-part program is a reboot of astronomer Carl Sagan’s groundbreaking 1980 “Cosmos” series. It debuts 9 p.m. EDT Sunday on stations including Fox and National Geographic Channel. …

First Lady Michelle Obama turns 50 today, and although the big White House celebration planned by President Obama isn’t until Saturday, that doesn’t mean you have to wait to celebrate. If your invite to Saturday’s dance party in Washington went missing, here are 50 other ways to honor the first lady on her big day — by doing some of her favorite things, from wearing stylish dresses to eating your veggies to doing the Dougie, preferably with Jimmy Fallon. 1. Dance to Beyonce 2. Eat your vegetables 3. Move into a massive new house with your family and invite your...

<p>DAVID CORN: I saw a president who remains frustrated with the political-media culture that he has to work within, and that he's looking to rally people, students here, and supporters, and people within the media.</p> <p>CHRIS MATTHEWS: But David Corn, you skeptic. He came to us today. He came amongst us.</p>

In an interview with ABC, Obama said the decision will revolve around Sasha, the President and First Lady Michelle Obama's youngest daughter, who will be a sophomore in high school when he leaves office. Malia, the oldest daughter, will be in college. "'Cause she's, you know, obviously they - and Michelle - have made a lot of sacrifices on behalf of my cockamamie ideas, the running for office and things," Obama told ABC's Barbara Walters. The interview with the President and First Lady was recorded last week and is scheduled to air Friday evening on the network.

All Miles Scott wanted to do was to put on his Batman costume and fight crime on the grimy streets of Gotham City. Miles, a 5-year-old leukemia patient, got his wish on Friday, and his heroism earned him a pat on the back from President Obama. “Way to go, Miles. Way to save Gotham,” the president said in one of his first posts on Vine,a social media site that loops six-second videos uploaded by its users.

1 minute ago Obama’s certified organic night out Posted by CNN Political Unit Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama went out to dinner Friday night with first lady Michelle Obama and senior aide Valerie Jarrett for a birthday dinner for Jarrett at a certified organic restaurant. The trio dined at Restaurant Nora in Washington’s Dupont Circle neighborhood. “The menu changes daily, offering a la carte items and a four-course chef’s tasting menu,” the restaurant’s website says. “The wine list presents over 100 exceptional wines from small producers, many of them using organically grown grapes and sustainable practices.” Founded in 1979,...

On Barack and Michelle Obama's schedule for today, this event is listed: 7:30PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY host a concert celebrating Memphis Soul music as part of their “In Performance at the White House” series; THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks As the White House has previously announced, Justin Timberlake (who will be making his White House debut), Al Green, Ben Harper, Queen Latifah, Cyndi Lauper, Joshua Ledet, Sam Moore, Charlie Musselwhite, Mavis Staples, and others will be performing at the exclusive event. But while the performers are known, the guest list for the private event has not yet been...

Next week Justin Timberlake, Al Green, Queen Latifah, and many others will perform at the White House in a "Memphis Soul" concert, the White House announced today. "As part of their 'In Performance at the White House' series, the President and First Lady will invite music legends and contemporary major artists to the White House for a celebration of Memphis Soul music. The program will include performances by Alabama Shakes, William Bell, Steve Cropper, Al Green, Ben Harper, Queen Latifah, Cyndi Lauper, Joshua Ledet, Sam Moore, Charlie Musselwhite, Mavis Staples and Justin Timberlake, with Booker T. Jones as music director...

First lady Michelle Obama, surrounded by servicemen and women, made a surprise appearance at Sunday night's Oscar ceremony when she appeared via live video from Washington to present the award for Best Picture. Jack Nicholson was present on stage to hand off the award to Ben Affleck for Argo. Obama praised the nominees for the night's highest honor, saying the films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar could teach lessons that "apply to all of us no matter who we are, what we look like, where we come from and who we love." She said she was excited to pay...

If you've been watching the coverage of Hurricane Sandy and wondering how to help, you'll have a chance to pitch in on Friday. "Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together," a benefit concert to aid victims of the storm that devastated the Northeast, will air at 8 p.m. ET on the networks of NBC Universal. Money collected will be donated to the American Red Cross relief efforts. The special will air Friday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, USA Network, SyFy, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, E!, Style Network, G4 and more. It will also be live streamed on NBC.com.

As a bizarre and perpetually confused friend once reminded me, “even a blind squirrel’s broken clock finds a nut twice a day.” And so it was with Joy Behar, who attempted to offer a defense of President Obama’s meeting schedule while at the same time unwittingly pointing out a perceived problem with the priorities: Joy Behar doesn’t like all the criticism President Obama has received for going on The View while refusing to meet with any world leaders at the United Nations meeting in New York City this week. “Obama is being bashed for doing the View instead of meeting...

Barack Obama will be visiting one of his biggest fans soon - late night talker David Letterman. The president will chat with the "Late Show" host during a trip to New York City next week, according to the National Journal. Letterman's nightly monologues mostly spare the president from satirical ribbing, saving his most cutting remarks for the Romneys ... or even former President George W. Bush. The news comes on the same day Obama told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he couldn't meet with him due to a scheduling conflict.

(Yahoo! News) -- First Lady Michelle Obama will lead the official American delegation to the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the White House announced on Friday. The group includes women's soccer Olympic great Brandi Chastain and basketball star Grant Hill, a member of the 1992 "Dream Team."

President Barack Obama will provide a special introduction to USA Network’s airing of the 1962 film adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Saturday at 8 p.m. “I’m deeply honored that President Obama will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of To Kill A Mockingbird by introducing it to a national audience,” Pulitzer prize winner and famously media-shy Lee says. “I believe it remains the best translation of a book to film ever made and I'm proud to know that Gregory Peck's portrayal of Atticus Finch lives on — in a world that needs him now more than ever.”...

Witnesses say man may have pulled gun as Obama motorcade passed near Ground Zero Published: Thursday, May 05, 2011, 2:56 PM Updated: Thursday, May 05, 2011, 3:02 PM Kelly Heyboer/ The Star-Ledger By Kelly Heyboer/ The Star-Ledger NEW YORK — Authorities apprehended a man who witnesses say may have pulled a gun out of a backpack as President Barack Obama's motorcade passed today in New York. The man, who wore a blue hat, had dark curly hair and appeared to be in his 20s, was wearing a backpack. New York Police Department officers and Secret Service agents shouted, "Get down,...