Author: Lynn Sweet

Below, from release….

OBAMA APPROVAL TIPS POSITIVE FOR FIRST TIME THIS YEAR,
QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY NATIONAL POLL FINDS;
MORE VOTERS APPROVE OF KAGAN SUPREME COURT PICK

American voters approve 48 – 43 percent of the job President Barack Obama is doing, up from a negative 44 – 46 percent April 21, the first time since December that more voters give him a thumbs up rather than thumbs down, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
But voters say 74 – 21 percent that the U.S. economy is in a recession now and disapprove 50 – 44 percent of the way President Obama is handling the economy, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University survey finds.
Voters approve 48 – 30 percent, with 22 percent undecided, of Obama’s nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Men approve 45 – 34 percent and women approve 50 – 27 percent. Republicans disapprove 57 – 22 percent, but Kagan wins 73 – 10 percent backing from Democrats and 45 – 31 percent support from independent voters.
American voters also say 42 – 36 percent that they would vote for a Democrat rather than a Republican in this year’s Congressional elections, reversing a 44 – 39 percent Republican lead March 24.
Obama’s policies have hurt rather than helped their personal financial situation, voters say 29 – 16 percent, with 54 percent who say the policies have made no difference. Going forward, voters expect Obama’s policies to hurt rather than help them personally 36 – 28 percent, with 32 percent who expect no difference.
“The increase in President Barack Obama’s job approval is a welcome step for the White House. His ratings have been in the no man’s land of just below parity for some time and now the question is whether this is the beginning of an upward trend or just a blip,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University poll.
-more-
Quinnipiac University Poll/May 26, 2010 – page 2
“The fact that three out of four American voters still see the nation in recession, despite the claims from the so-called experts, highlights the disconnect between Wall Street, Washington D.C.’s K St. and Main Street,” said Brown.
“For Obama to get his job approval back over 50 percent, where the White House would like to be, he needs to convince Joe and Jill Six-pack that his programs are helping them.”
American voters trust Obama 45 – 36 percent over Congressional Republicans to handle the economy. Independent voters trust Obama more 38 – 34 percent.
There is a noticeable gender gap in Obama’s approval rating: Men disapprove 48 – 45 percent, while women rate him positively 51 – 39 percent. His 48 – 43 percent disapproval from independent voters is a sizable jump from a 50 – 38 percent disapproval in April and responsible for much of the President’s overall increase. Democrats approve of his performance 78 – 13 percent while Republicans disapprove 77 – 17 percent.
“On the economy, President Obama gets slightly less negative grades: 50 – 44 percent disapprove, compared to 55 – 40 percent disapproval in April. And on creating jobs his 56 – 38 percent disapproval rating last month has improved to 51 – 40 percent disapprove,” Brown said.
A total of 70 percent of American voters are “somewhat dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” with the way things are going in the nation today. And 80 percent say the way things are going makes them more likely to vote this November.
Looking at the Kagan nomination, voters split 43 – 43 percent on whether Senators should consider her views on controversial issues, or just her qualifications for the Supreme Court. But voters say 50 – 37 percent that Senators who disagree with Kagan’s views would not be justified using a filibuster to block her nomination.
Looking at other aspects of Obama’s job performance, American voters:
• Approve 48 – 43 percent of the way he is handling foreign policy;
• Disapprove 51 – 44 percent of his handling of health care;
• Approve 45 – 40 percent of his handling of Afghanistan;
• Approve 49 – 41 percent of his handling of terrorism.
From May 19 – 24, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,914 registered voters nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and the nation as a public service and for research.
For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter.

1. If the 2010 election for the U.S. House of Representatives were being held today, would you vote for – the Republican candidate or the Democratic candidate in your district?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Republican 36% 85% 5% 33% 40% 32% 42% 12% 21%
Democrat 42 5 87 30 39 45 35 81 52
SMONE ELSE(VOL) 3 1 1 6 4 3 4 – 3
WLDN’T VOTE(VOL) 1 – – 2 1 1 1 – –
DK/NA 18 9 7 29 17 19 19 6 24

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Republican 27% 42% 37% 28% 42% 50% 8% 27% 65%
Democrat 54 38 39 49 40 35 78 48 16
SMONE ELSE(VOL) 1 4 3 4 2 3 2 5 2
WLDN’T VOTE(VOL) 2 – 1 1 1 1 2 1 –
DK/NA 17 15 20 19 15 11 11 21 17

TREND: If the 2010 election for the U.S. House of Representatives were being held today, would you vote for the Republican candidate or the Democratic candidate in your district?

May 26 Mar 24 Jul 2 Jun 4 Apr 29
2010 2010 2009 2009 2009

Republican 36 44 34 32 34
Democrat 42 39 42 42 41
SMONE ELSE(VOL) 3 1 2 2 1
WLDN’T VOTE(VOL) 1 1 1 1 1
DK/NA 18 16 21 22 22

2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Approve 48% 17% 78% 43% 45% 51% 40% 90% 67%
Disapprove 43 77 13 48 48 39 51 8 24
DK/NA 9 6 9 9 7 10 9 2 9

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Approve 60% 46% 42% 51% 45% 50% 79% 58% 19%
Disapprove 30 47 49 40 47 45 12 33 75
DK/NA 10 7 9 9 8 6 9 9 6

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President? (*High also 59% Mar 2009)

PostVt PreVt APPROVE…….
Poll Poll High Low
May 26 Apr 21 Mar 25 Mar 25 Feb 11 Jun 4 Apr 21
2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009* 2010

Approve 48 44 45 46 45 59 44
Disapprove 43 46 46 49 46 31 46
DK/NA 9 10 9 6 9 10 10

INDEPENDENTS…………………………………..
PostVt PreVt APPROVE……
Poll Poll High Low
May 26 Apr 21 Mar 25 Mar 25 Feb 11 Jun 4 Dec 9
2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009 2009

Approve 43 38 40 40 40 57 37
Disapprove 48 50 44 53 49 30 51
DK/NA 9 12 15 7 10 13 11

3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Democrats in Congress are handling their job?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Approve 34% 8% 64% 25% 31% 36% 27% 66% 50%
Disapprove 57 86 26 65 62 52 64 22 37
DK/NA 9 6 11 10 6 12 9 13 14

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Approve 43% 33% 28% 38% 30% 36% 60% 37% 16%
Disapprove 47 59 62 50 63 59 32 51 79
DK/NA 10 8 10 12 7 5 8 12 5

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Democrats in Congress are handling their job?
PostVt PreVt APPROVE…….
Poll Poll High Low
May 26 Mar 25 Mar 25 Feb 11 Jan 13 Mar 4 Mar 25
2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009 2010

Approve 34 36 30 28 32 45 30
Disapprove 57 55 62 63 59 45 62
DK/NA 9 9 8 9 9 10 8

4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling their job?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Approve 26% 48% 16% 20% 25% 28% 26% 27% 30%
Disapprove 62 41 73 69 67 58 62 65 55
DK/NA 11 11 10 11 8 14 11 8 15

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Approve 26% 29% 24% 25% 27% 31% 17% 21% 38%
Disapprove 61 61 65 61 65 61 74 67 53
DK/NA 13 9 11 14 8 8 9 12 9

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling their job?
PostVt PreVt APPROVE……
Poll Poll High Low
May 26 Mar 25 Mar 25 Feb 11 Jan 13 Mar 25 Oct 8
2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009

Approve 26 34 31 28 32 34 25
Disapprove 62 58 60 61 58 58 64
DK/NA 11 8 9 11 11 8 11

5. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in the nation today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Very satisfied 3% 2% 5% 2% 3% 3% 2% 9% 6%
Smwht satisfied 26 13 44 21 24 28 21 53 28
Smwht dissatisfied 31 28 31 34 30 32 33 20 31
Very dissatisfied 39 56 18 43 41 36 43 17 33
DK/NA 1 1 1 – 1 2 1 – 1

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Very satisfied 4% 2% 3% 3% 4% 4% 4% 3% 2%
Smwht satisfied 37 22 23 29 23 25 45 31 11
Smwht dissatisfied 32 31 31 31 32 33 32 37 25
Very dissatisfied 26 43 42 36 41 37 17 28 61
DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 – 1

TREND: In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in the nation today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?
VERY+SMWHT SAT
High Low
May 26 Apr 21 Mar 25 Mar 24 Feb 11 Dec 11 Nov 13
2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2001 2008

Very satisfied 3 3 4 3 2 21 2
Smwht satisfied 26 28 25 26 24 47 14
Smwht dissatisfied 31 29 28 29 33 19 38
Very dissatisfied 39 40 41 41 40 10 44
DK/NA 1 – 2 1 1 3 2
6. Does the way things are going in the nation today make you more likely or less likely to vote in the elections in November this year?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

More likely 80% 89% 81% 77% 81% 80% 80% 91% 73%
Less likely 7 2 5 10 7 6 6 2 13
No diff(VOL) 12 9 13 11 11 13 12 5 10
DK/NA 1 – 1 1 1 1 1 1 3

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

More likely 82% 82% 79% 80% 83% 86% 80% 80% 84%
Less likely 7 7 6 8 4 6 6 7 7
No diff(VOL) 10 11 14 10 12 8 14 11 9
DK/NA 1 – 1 1 – – – 1 1

7. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling – the economy?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Approve 44% 16% 73% 38% 42% 46% 37% 78% 57%
Disapprove 50 81 22 54 54 46 57 18 34
DK/NA 6 2 6 8 4 8 6 4 9

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Approve 53% 41% 39% 45% 42% 49% 73% 54% 18%
Disapprove 39 55 55 48 54 48 19 39 79
DK/NA 8 4 6 7 4 3 7 7 3

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the economy?

APPROVE……
High Low
May 26 Apr 21 Mar 25 Feb 11 Jan 13 Mar 4 Mar 25
2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009 2010

Approve 44 40 39 41 41 57 39
Disapprove 50 55 57 54 54 33 57
DK/NA 6 5 5 5 6 10 5

8. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling – foreign policy?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Approve 48% 19% 78% 41% 47% 48% 41% 84% 63%
Disapprove 43 71 14 49 47 39 50 7 32
DK/NA 9 10 8 9 6 12 10 9 5

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Approve 58% 46% 41% 49% 45% 54% 78% 57% 22%
Disapprove 35 44 48 40 47 42 17 33 70
DK/NA 7 9 11 11 8 4 5 10 8

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling foreign policy?

APPROVE…….
High Low
May 26 Apr 22 Mar 25 Feb 10 Jan 13 Apr 29 Jan 13
2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009 2010

Approve 48 48 46 46 45 57 45
Disapprove 43 42 43 43 46 32 46
DK/NA 9 10 12 11 9 11 9

9. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling – health care?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Approve 44% 12% 75% 38% 42% 45% 35% 88% 51%
Disapprove 51 86 19 56 53 49 60 8 38
DK/NA 6 2 7 7 4 6 5 4 11

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Approve 56% 39% 40% 45% 41% 43% 78% 50% 15%
Disapprove 38 58 53 47 56 56 16 43 81
DK/NA 6 3 7 8 3 1 6 6 4

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling health care?

PostVt PreVt APPROVE…….
Poll Poll High Low
May 26 Apr 21 Mar 25 Mar 25 Feb 11 July 2 Jan 13
2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009 2010

Approve 44 40 44 36 35 46 35
Disapprove 51 55 50 58 58 42 58
DK/NA 6 5 6 6 6 13 6

10. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling – the situation in Afghanistan?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Approve 45% 38% 57% 43% 51% 40% 41% 72% 48%
Disapprove 40 47 33 41 38 42 43 20 45
DK/NA 14 15 10 16 10 18 16 7 7

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Approve 49% 49% 40% 43% 46% 56% 51% 52% 35%
Disapprove 39 40 42 40 44 37 41 31 51
DK/NA 12 11 18 17 10 7 8 16 14

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the situation in Afghanistan?

APPROVE…….
High Low
May 26 Apr 22 Mar 25 Feb 10 Jan 13 Mar 25 Nov 18
2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009

Approve 45 49 52 51 45 52 38
Disapprove 40 39 36 39 45 36 49
DK/NA 14 12 12 10 10 12 12

11. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling – creating jobs?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Approve 40% 17% 67% 33% 37% 43% 34% 69% 56%
Disapprove 51 77 26 58 57 47 58 24 34
DK/NA 9 6 7 9 6 10 9 8 9

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Approve 48% 38% 36% 43% 39% 41% 64% 50% 17%
Disapprove 43 55 54 48 57 52 27 43 76
DK/NA 9 7 10 10 5 7 9 7 7

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling creating jobs?

May 26 Apr 21 Mar 25 Feb 11 Jan 13 Dec 22
2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009

Approve 40 38 37 37 34 37
Disapprove 51 56 57 56 59 56
DK/NA 9 6 6 7 7 8

12. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling – terrorism?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Approve 49% 21% 75% 46% 50% 48% 42% 87% 57%
Disapprove 41 70 18 43 42 41 47 10 34
DK/NA 10 9 7 11 8 11 10 3 9

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Approve 55% 49% 44% 50% 48% 52% 74% 61% 23%
Disapprove 34 43 45 38 45 43 19 28 70
DK/NA 10 8 11 11 7 5 7 11 7

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling terrorism?

May 26 Apr 22 Mar 25 Feb 10 Jan 13
2010 2010 2010 2010 2010

Approve 49 49 49 49 48
Disapprove 41 41 41 44 44
DK/NA 10 10 9 8 8

14. Do you approve or disapprove of President Obama’s nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Approve 48% 22% 73% 45% 45% 50% 43% 79% 49%
Disapprove 30 57 10 31 34 27 34 10 24
DK/NA 22 21 18 25 21 23 23 11 26

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Approve 50% 49% 47% 47% 49% 57% 72% 61% 22%
Disapprove 24 34 30 28 33 31 12 17 56
DK/NA 26 17 23 25 18 12 16 23 21

15. Should Senators support or oppose Elena Kagan’s nomination to the Supreme Court based only on whether she is qualified to be a justice, or should they also consider her views on controversial issues like abortion and gay marriage?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Qualifications 43% 34% 47% 48% 46% 41% 44% 35% 35%
Consider views 43 57 39 36 41 44 43 49 40
DK/NA 14 10 14 16 13 15 13 16 25

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Qualifications 43% 47% 39% 38% 47% 55% 51% 53% 31%
Consider views 45 43 41 44 45 39 41 37 52
DK/NA 12 10 20 18 8 6 9 10 17

16. If Senators did not agree with Elena Kagan on controversial issues like abortion and gay marriage, do you think they would be justified, or not justified in using the filibuster to prevent her nomination from coming to a vote?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Justified 37% 63% 22% 33% 39% 35% 39% 32% 23%
Not justified 50 28 64 54 52 49 50 51 58
DK/NA 13 9 14 13 9 16 11 17 19

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Justified 35% 38% 40% 37% 43% 33% 23% 30% 54%
Not justified 55 52 45 49 51 63 66 60 34
DK/NA 10 9 15 14 6 4 11 10 13

17. Would you describe the state of the nation’s economy these days as – excellent, good, not so good, or poor?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Excellent – 2% – – – 1% – 2% 1%
Good 12 7 19 10 14 11 10 19 15
Not so good 46 42 52 44 45 47 46 47 52
Poor 40 49 26 44 40 40 43 29 32
DK/NA 1 – 2 1 1 1 1 2 –

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Excellent 1% – – – – 2% – 1% –
Good 13 13 11 12 16 13 18 16 5
Not so good 51 45 42 47 43 48 52 53 35
Poor 35 41 44 40 41 36 29 29 59
DK/NA – 1 2 1 – 1 1 1 1

TREND: Would you describe the state of the nation’s economy these days as excellent, good, not so good, or poor?
EXLNT+GOOD….
High Low
May 26 Dec 22 Nov 18 Aug 6 July 2 Dec 10 Mar 4
2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 2003 2009

Excellent – – – – 1 3 –
Good 12 7 8 6 7 37 3
Not so good 46 46 42 49 44 42 28
Poor 40 45 49 44 47 16 68
DK/NA 1 1 1 – 1 1 –

18. Do you think the nation’s economy is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Better 32% 12% 52% 30% 35% 30% 30% 42% 34%
Worse 24 31 13 27 22 25 25 17 17
The same 43 56 35 42 42 43 44 40 46
DK/NA 1 1 – 2 1 2 1 1 2

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Better 39% 31% 29% 29% 38% 36% 53% 40% 13%
Worse 17 27 25 26 20 21 15 16 38
The same 44 41 45 44 41 42 32 44 47
DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2

TREND: Do you think the nation’s economy is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same?
May 26 Dec 22 Aug 6 July 2 Apr 29 Apr 1
2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 2009

Better 32 28 28 27 24 19
Worse 24 28 29 29 33 32
The same 43 43 41 42 42 47
DK/NA 1 1 2 2 2 2
19. Who do you trust to do a better job handling the economy – President Obama or the Republicans in Congress?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Pres Obama 45% 10% 82% 38% 45% 45% 36% 85% 65%
Reps in Congress 36 79 7 34 40 32 43 5 20
DK/NA 19 11 12 27 15 22 21 10 15

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Pres Obama 54% 45% 40% 48% 43% 48% 79% 55% 18%
Reps in Congress 30 40 37 31 44 38 10 25 65
DK/NA 16 15 23 21 13 14 11 20 17

TREND: Who do you trust to do a better job handling the economy – President Obama or the Republicans in Congress?

May 26 Dec 22 Aug 6 July 2 Apr 1 Mar 4
2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 2009

President Obama 45 45 47 54 55 56
Reps in Congress 36 36 36 32 27 26
DK/NA 19 19 17 14 18 18

20. Do you think President Obama’s policies have helped the economy, hurt the economy, or haven’t made a difference?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Helped 39% 12% 69% 31% 37% 41% 33% 77% 40%
Hurt 29 59 6 30 31 27 35 3 21
No difference 28 28 21 34 28 28 30 16 30
DK/NA 4 1 4 5 4 4 2 4 9

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Helped 50% 37% 34% 43% 38% 38% 68% 48% 15%
Hurt 15 34 35 25 35 29 8 17 56
No difference 31 27 26 28 25 31 20 33 27
DK/NA 4 1 5 4 2 1 5 2 2

TREND: Do you think President Obama’s policies have helped the economy, hurt the economy, or haven’t made a difference?

May 26 Dec 22 Aug 6
2010 2009 2009

Helped 39 37 37
Hurt 29 28 29
No difference 28 31 31
DK/NA 4 4 4

21. Looking forward, do you think President Obama’s policies will help the economy, will hurt the economy, or won’t make a difference?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Will help 45% 12% 77% 38% 41% 48% 38% 82% 58%
Will hurt 32 65 6 35 36 29 39 3 17
No difference 18 19 13 22 19 17 18 9 26
DK/NA 5 4 4 5 4 6 5 5 –

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Will help 59% 41% 37% 48% 44% 43% 76% 54% 17%
Will hurt 21 39 35 26 43 34 8 20 61
No difference 15 17 21 20 12 20 14 21 17
DK/NA 4 3 7 6 1 3 2 5 4

TREND: Looking forward, do you think President Obama’s policies will help the economy, will hurt the economy, or won’t make a difference?

May 26 Dec 22 Aug 6
2010 2009 2009

Will help 45 49 49
Will hurt 32 29 33
No difference 18 17 14
DK/NA 5 5 4

22. Do you think President Obama’s policies have helped your personal financial situation, hurt your personal financial situation, or haven’t made a difference?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Helped 16% 5% 29% 11% 15% 17% 12% 32% 30%
Hurt 29 50 6 35 31 27 34 4 21
No difference 54 45 63 52 53 54 53 60 48
DK/NA 2 – 2 2 1 2 1 4 1

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Helped 19% 18% 11% 17% 14% 15% 29% 17% 7%
Hurt 17 34 34 24 32 36 12 22 47
No difference 63 48 53 58 52 49 57 60 44
DK/NA 2 – 2 1 2 – 1 1 2

TREND: Do you think President Obama’s policies have helped your personal financial situation, hurt your personal financial situation, or haven’t made a difference?

May 26 Dec 22 Aug 6
2010 2009 2009

Helped 16 15 13
Hurt 29 26 23
No difference 54 58 63
DK/NA 2 1 1

23. Looking forward, do you think President Obama’s policies will help your personal financial situation, will hurt your personal financial situation, or won’t make a difference?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Will help 28% 7% 52% 21% 25% 31% 22% 62% 42%
Will hurt 36 72 7 39 40 33 43 4 18
No difference 32 19 36 36 32 32 31 31 39
DK/NA 4 2 4 3 2 5 4 3 1

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Will help 40% 28% 20% 33% 26% 24% 53% 33% 10%
Will hurt 20 45 39 29 43 43 10 27 63
No difference 38 25 35 34 29 32 35 37 24
DK/NA 2 2 6 4 2 1 2 3 3

TREND: Looking forward, do you think President Obama’s policies will help your personal financial situation, will hurt your personal financial situation, or won’t make a difference?

May 26 Dec 22 Aug 6
2010 2009 2009

Will help 28 31 33
Will hurt 36 37 36
No difference 32 30 28
DK/NA 4 2 3

24. Do you think the United States economy is in a recession now?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Yes 74% 85% 64% 76% 75% 74% 76% 63% 79%
No 21 13 29 21 22 20 20 28 18
DK/NA 5 2 7 3 3 6 4 9 3

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Yes 71% 77% 75% 75% 78% 69% 68% 72% 83%
No 25 19 19 19 20 28 28 25 14
DK/NA 3 4 6 6 2 3 4 3 3

TREND: Do you think the United States economy is in a recession now?

May 26 May 15
2010 2008

Yes 74 71
No 21 24
DK/NA 5 5

25. Do you approve or disapprove of the federal health care overhaul?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Approve 40% 13% 69% 35% 40% 41% 34% 68% 52%
Disapprove 51 83 23 54 53 50 58 23 40
DK/NA 8 4 8 11 8 9 8 9 8

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Approve 51% 37% 37% 44% 36% 44% 73% 51% 12%
Disapprove 40 59 52 46 60 54 21 41 81
DK/NA 9 4 11 10 4 1 6 8 8

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the federal health care overhaul?

May 26 Apr 21
2010 2010

Approve 40 39
Disapprove 51 53
DK/NA 8 8

26. Do you think the U.S. is doing the right thing by fighting the war in Afghanistan now, or should the U.S. not be involved in Afghanistan now?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His

Right thing 49% 70% 35% 50% 55% 44% 54% 29% 42%
Shld not be inv 42 23 56 40 39 44 36 63 53
DK/NA 9 7 9 10 6 13 10 8 5

AGE IN YRS……. INCOME…………. POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ <50 50-100 >100K Lib Mod Con

Right thing 42% 57% 46% 39% 57% 63% 35% 48% 60%
Shld not be inv 48 37 42 50 35 32 60 44 30
DK/NA 10 6 12 11 8 6 5 8 10

TREND: Do you think the U.S. is doing the right thing by fighting the war in Afghanistan now, or should the U.S. not be involved in Afghanistan now?

RIGHT THING…
High Low
May 26 Apr 22 Mar 25 Feb 10 Jan 14 Jan 14 Nov 18
2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009

Right thing 49 56 55 56 59 59 48
Shouldn’t be inv 42 36 37 37 35 35 41
DK/NA 9 8 8 7 6 6 11

WASHINGTON–President Obama raised $1.7 million Tuesday night at fund-raisers in San Francisco– $1.1m for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and $600,000 for Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).

The price list, according to the invitation:

The cocktail reception cost $250 to $500 per person.

It’s $2,000 for the VIP reception, which includes “premium standing area at the cocktail reception,” according to the invite.

The dinner costs $35,200 per couple or $17,000 for an individual, and it includes a photo with the POTUS.

From the pool report: An official from Boxer’s campaign says there will be 1,000 people total attending the fundraisers, roughly 100 paid for the dinner. After the Fairmont events, Obama headed to a private fundraiser at the home of Ann and Gordon Getty

The White House
Office of Media Affairs
Below, from the White House….

For Immediate Release
May 25, 2010

NEW DETAILS: President Obama Travel to Chicago, IL

WASHINGTON – On the evening of Thursday, May 27, President Obama will arrive at O’Hare International Airport. On the morning of May 28, he will depart from O’Hare, spend the day in Louisiana, and then return to O’Hare later that day. On the afternoon of Monday, May 31, 2010, President Obama will depart from O’Hare and return to Washington, D.C.

All of the arrival and departures of Air Force One at O’Hare are pooled for live television and open to pre-credentialed media.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2010
DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2010

In the morning, the President will tour Solyndra, Inc., a solar panel manufacturing facility in Fremont, California. There will be travel pool coverage of the tour. The President will then deliver remarks to workers on jobs and the economy. The President’s remarks are open press.

Following his remarks, the President will return to Washington, D.C. The President’s arrival on the South Lawn in open press.

Also tomorrow, Solicitor General Elena Kagan will travel to Capitol Hill to meet separately with Senator Tom Udall, Senator Merkley, Senator Mark Udall and Senator Cantwell.

In-Town Travel Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: ABC
Print: Washington Times
Radio: VOA

Out-of-Town Travel Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: ABC
Print: Politico

PDT

9:35AM THE PRESIDENT tours Solyndra, Inc
Fremont, California
Pooled Press

10:20AM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks on the economy
Solyndra, Inc
Open Press

11:15AM THE PRESIDENT departs San Francisco, California en route Andrews Air Force Base
San Francisco International Airport
Open Press

EDT

5:30PM In-Town Travel Pool Call Time

6:55PM THE PRESIDENT arrives Andrews Air Force Base
Out-of-Town Travel Pool

7:10PM THE PRESIDENT arrives at the White House
South Lawn
Open Press (Pre-set 6:10PM – Final Gather 6:40PM – North Doors of the Palm Room)

Briefing Schedule

Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton will gaggle aboard Air Force One

###

WASHINGTON–Democratic Illinois Senate nominee Alexi Giannoulias will be getting help from the Obama White House. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina are planning visits to Illinois to campaign for Giannoulias in June.

My Chicago Sun-Times colleague Abdon Pallasch has a report below, at the click.

Here’s what I learned: Messina and Duncan are coming in for fund-raisers, a few days apart. Duncan may also do a press event with Giannoulias.

On Tuesday afternoon, I talked with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs about the Illinois Senate race. The “White House is going to help the Democratic nominee in Illinois and we look forward to supporting the nominee and retaining the Senate seat.”

I asked if more White House help was coming and Gibbs, referring to Duncan and Messina told me, “This is high level help and this is a very important race. I don’t think this is the last of it.”

Obama on Tuesday headed to California to headline fund-raisers for Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

How the news of Messina and Duncan coming to Illinois helps Giannoulias: More than the actual dollars Messina or Duncan generate at their events, the White House actually doing something tangible for Giannoulias helps donors who have been reluctant to write checks. GOP rival Rep. Mark Steven Kirk (R-Ill.) is millions of dollars ahead in fund-raising. The White House weighed in after the Giannoulias family Broadway Bank failed and Giannoulias was still standing–and had a poll showing he was neck and neck with Kirk.

BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter
Following the hug and the shout-out President Obama gave Democratic Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias at a downstate Quincy event a few weeks ago, the White House is poised to shower a little more love on the beleaguered former banker.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan — a frequent hoops buddy of Giannoulias and the president — and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina are planning back-to-back visits to Illinois to campaign for Giannoulias in June.

As late as the morning of the Quincy event, reporters were pestering Giannoulias with questions about whether President Obama was giving his former close friend the cold shoulder following some rough hits in the press for Giannoulias when his family’s Broadway Bank was taken over by federal regulators and sold to MB Financial.

But Obama made clear later that day that he still considered Giannoulias to be a “soon-to-be-senator.” Obama himself is not expected to start campaigning for Democratic challengers until the fall, said Giannoulias spokeswoman Kathleen Strand.

In the coming months, Obama is expected to concentrate on shoring up support for Democratic incumbent senators, she said.

Giannoulias’ Republican opponent, Rep. Mark Kirk, is expected to attract a steady stream of big-name Republican endorsements and donations. Even Democratic Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is considering staying neutral in the race to help his friend Kirk.

Mrs. Obama, Lynn Sweet on White House South Lawn

from left, in gold shirt, Cynthia Gordy, Essence Magazine Washington Correspondent, Katherine Skiba, Chicago Tribune Washington Reporter, Darlene Superville, AP reporter, Lynn Sweet, First Lady Michelle Obama (photo by whoever picked up my camera and took some shots)
WASHINGTON–First Lady Michelle Obama ran, jumped, did some squats and ran an obstacle course on the White House south lawn on Tuesday, along with 84 kids and trainers from professional teams.

It was part of a kick-off of a summer program to get children to exercise. At one point she walked over to where the press was watching the event and said “you guys” should be participating too–and then she surprised me by calling out my name to come out and join her on the lawn. A few moments later, three other members of her press corps also came out.

Click below for transcript

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the First Lady

___________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release May 25, 2010

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY

AT “LET’S MOVE” SOUTH LAWN KICK-OFF

South Lawn

4:10 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Well, it’s good to see you all again! (Applause.) You are the first in this series. The first! Nobody has done this yet. You’re the very first.

But let me tell you a little bit more about why you’re here. As Shelly said, this is about your health. And we’ve spent a lot of time this year talking about eating right. And that started when we planted just behind you our garden in the White House. We call it the White House Kitchen Garden, and we planted that last year, and we worked with a lot of kids in the D.C. area. They helped us to plant and to harvest.

And the good thing about the kitchen garden is that it helped us start a conversation about eating right, because the kids got so excited about the garden, we figured that if we can get this group of kids excited about vegetables and gardening, that we might be able to take that nationwide.

So we started this campaign called “Let’s Move.” And the goal is to make sure that kids grow up healthy, eating well, and living better and longer, and that you learn skills that you can then teach your kids when you grow up.

And this is a nationwide campaign. I mean, we’ve got everyone in the country helping. We’ve got your parents helping, because we’re asking them to do their part in making sure they know what kind of good food to serve you.

We’re asking schools to do your part — to do their part, as well. We’re trying to make sure that schools around this country are serving healthy foods in your lunch rooms, because a lot of you are eating most of your meals at school, so we need to make sure they’re giving you what you need.

And we’re asking folks around the country — grocery store manufacturers — to make sure that everybody has access to good food that they can afford.

But the most — one of the most important things that we’re going to need is your effort in this, because the truth is, is that the whole important word in “Let’s Move” is “move,” right? One of those words is moving, because what we’re finding is that kids these days aren’t moving as much as they should.

You know, there’s a report out that says kids should get no less than 60 minutes of exercise every single day. And around the country we just got a report that shows that in states across the country, a lot of kids aren’t coming close. They’re not getting just what they need. And it’s hard if your schools don’t have P.E. and gym, right?

If you can’t do it at school, if you don’t live in a community where you have sports teams and things like that, if you can’t play outside because neighborhoods aren’t safe, right, so your parents want to keep you inside, if you’re watching too much TV and playing too many computer games — (laughter) — sometimes that cuts into your ability to move.

And this series that we’re doing on the South Lawn is really to encourage kids, because we got this press all behind you, and they’re going to show you guys on TV, and there are going to be a lot of kids going, how do I do that? You know, how do I get moving like that? They’re at the White House moving. Maybe I can do this in my own back yard, in my own community.

So you guys are going to be the first example this summer of really encouraging kids to move. But we are going to need you, not just here today, but you’re going to have to go home and take some of what you’ve learned here and teach your families and folks — the other kids in your schools who haven’t had a chance to come, and figure out how you guys can get other people in your lives moving. Can you promise me that you’ll help me on this?

CHILDREN: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: You promise?

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: Well, we’ve enlisted some help. We’ve got trainers here from some teams all around the city — from the Redskins and the Capitals, you name it. There are people around this city who are going to be working with you guys, teaching you softball and tennis and some soccer moves and some running moves — all things that I enjoy doing, as well as the President and our kids. So this is supposed to be fun. And I think I may get out there and run around with you, if you will allow me, if I don’t get too hot. (Applause.)

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: But what I want you guys to do is make a commitment that you will do your best to get that 60 minutes in every single day, and that you will find other people in your family and your schools and encourage them to do the same thing. Will you promise me that?

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: All right, well, let’s start talking, and let’s start moving. Let’s move! Come on, let’s see what we got going. (Applause.)

END 4:15 P.M. EDT

WASHINGTON–President Obama, who returns to Chicago on Thursday with his family, will cut short his Chicago activities on Friday when he flies to the Louisiana Gulf Coast in connection with the ongoing catastrophic oil spill disaster. Obama will return to Chicago later in the day.

below, from the White House….

President Obama to Travel to Louisiana Gulf Coast

WASHINGTON–On Friday morning, May 28, President Barack Obama will travel from Chicago to the Louisiana Gulf Coast to assess the latest efforts to counter the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Administration has mobilized one of the largest responses to a catastrophic event in history, with more than 1,200 vessels in the region and more than 22,000 people, including many of the brightest scientific minds from both the public and private sector, working around the clock to mitigate the oil’s impact.

WASHINGTON–White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday for what the White House called on Tuesday “an informal discussion of a range of issues in the U.S.-Israel bilateral relationship.”

Emanuel, whose father, Benjamin, was born in Israel, flew to Israel last week with other family members for the bar mitzvah of his son, Zach and a nephew. On Thursday, the White House said the Emanuel family will visit with Israeli President Shimon Peres.

Over the weekend, Emanuel and his family visited Eilat, in southern Israel and made a short trip to Jordan. Emanuel brothers Ari, a Hollywood superagent and Ezekiel, a White House health policy advisor are on the trip. Here is my earlier report on Emanuel in Israel, and the sometimes strained U.S.-Israeli relationship.

WASHINGTON–The Obama family, finally, return to Sweet Home Chicago for the Memorial Day weekend.

The last time the family — Obama, first lady Michelle, Malia, 11 and Sasha, 8 — were back at their home on South Greenwood was over Valentine’s Day weekend 2009. Obama made two quick day trips last summer, not staying overnight.

If anyone thought that the Kenwood community would host a Chicago White House — and some people did — well, they were very disappointed.

I’m told the Obama family is planning a casual weekend with friends. President Obama will throw in some work; on Monday, Obama will deliver a Memorial Day address at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, near Joliet, about 50 miles south of Chicago.

When Obama was elected, he envisioned frequent visits back home that never materialized. In December 2008, then President-elect Obama said he expected to return “as often as possible, my expectation would be that, depending on what my schedule looks like, you know, we’re going to try to get back here at least once every six weeks or couple of months.”

It turned out that the first couple was so eager to embrace Washington — and get Sasha and Malia settled in a new school with new friends — that Chicago visits just never happened. Besides, the Chicago pals — of the Obamas and their kids’ friends — were just as happy to hang at the White House or Camp David, the presidential retreat. Last summer, Chicago buddy Marty Nesbitt and his family even rented a place in Washington for a short time just to be nearby.

The Obama home will be a historic site whether or not the Obamas ever live there full time again. Last January, I asked Mrs. Obama why they never came home. She said, “Just tell Chicago, ‘nothing personal.’ It’s kids.”

The Obama Valentine’s Day return did cause some tumult, Mrs. Obama noted. South Lake Shore Drive closed for their motorcade, and security officials restricted access to streets near the house. Mrs. Obama, who said she missed shopping at the Target on Roosevelt Road, added, “It’s really life and the fact that the kids have built a life here and that’s good and right now I want to encourage that life and not keep pulling them out. So it’s less our schedules than them. Who’s got kids? They dictate the weekend.”

When the Obamas get home, they will find the home next door empty; their former neighbors, Bill and Jacky Grimshaw, moved out after selling their place for $1.4 million, and the new owners planned extensive renovations before moving in. The bidding war the Grimshaws hoped for over their home never occurred. While federal representatives looked at the Grimshaw house, the government did not go ahead with a purchase.

Eric Whitaker (Sun-Times Photo by John White)

By Abdon Pallasch
Sun-Times Political Reporter
CHICAGO–President Obama’s health care law will make a lot of people on Chicago’s South Side and other “underserved” areas healthier, said the president’s close friend Dr. Eric Whitaker, who has talked health policy with Obama since the two were grad students at Harvard in the early 90s.

“This new legislation will have a positive impact on this nation, on Chicagoans, and, indeed, on those I have worked with and for in underserved populations on Chicago’s South Side,” Whitaker said today. “It will benefit everyone in this room, all of us,” he told diners at the City Club of Chicago.

For one thing, the new law gives parents peace of mind, he said: “We don’t need to worry about our kids, especially those who have chronic illnesses, being denied coverage when they’re older, and we can even choose to keep our kids on our insurance policies now until they’re 26, and that should be a ‘Hallelujah’ in this crowd right now,” Whitaker told this mostly high-end audience.

Whitaker was exchanging e-mails with the president right up until the night before the vote on the health care legislation. He was there for Obama’s address to the joint session of Congress urging them to pass health care reform. That was the night a South Carolina congressman challenged Obama’s contention that the law would not cover illegal immigrants.

“I heard Rep. Joe Wilson shout, ‘You lie’ and, you know, we were going to try to deal with that South Side style,” Whitaker said as the room erupted in laughter. “I was sitting in the first lady’s box, and I decided to comport myself in a little different manner.”

Whitaker testified in favor of national health insurance twice before Congress in 1991 when he was national president of the American Medical Students Association. Like some other of Obama’s close friends in Chicago, Whitaker has attracted a few controversies over the years, and he defended himself today.

Whitaker heads up the Urban Health Initiative at the University of Chicago Hospital, where Michelle Obama recruited Whitaker to be a partner in what he described as an innovative program to divert people with “non-urgent” ailments away from the hospital’s emergency room to neighborhood clinics where they can be treated at one-tenth the cost to them or taxpayers and can develop long-term relationships with doctors to treat their chronic conditions.

Critics called that “patient-dumping.”

“Those who accuse hospitals of ‘patient-dumping’ when they direct patients away from the E.R. are too quick to assume the worst,” Whitaker said. “These critics miss the fundamental point that there are a host of reasons why it’s good health and fiscal policy to re-direct patients way from hospital emergency rooms.”

Whitaker introduced mutual friends of his and the presidents in the audience, including the successor to Obama’s controversial former pastor, Jeremiah Wright.

“I also want to recognize my pastor from a church you all have never heard of, Otis Moss from Trinity United Church of Christ,” Whitaker said to laughter and applause.

“Earlier this year, I attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and was present at a small session where we had Bill Gates … and other technology heavyweights. … They talked about health care technology that could really make a difference in improving health in developing countries,” Whitaker said. “I literally raised my hands and said, developing countries? How ’bout doing this work on the South Side of Chicago?”

Based on a recommendation from Obama, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich hired Whitaker to be the state’s director of Public Health in 2003. Like other major state posts in those days, it was screened by Tony Rezko, who has since been convicted of influence-peddling.

A federal grand jury is investigating the department’s funding of several faith-based initiatives that Whitaker helped start, though, as Whitaker emphasized today, “The organizations the subpoenas were about — they received funding in the last month of my tenure at the Illinois Department of Public Health.

One subpoena to the state names Whitaker and three others and asks for “e-mail and other electronic storage accounts” from “January 2007 to present.” Nothing indicates Whitaker is a target of the investigation and Whitaker himself said today, “I am not the target of any investigation.” He has not received an subpoena; has hired no lawyer and was unaware of the investigation until contacted by the Sun-Times two weeks ago.

Is sending government money to pastors to talk about chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension good public policy? Whitaker said “yes.”

“Our work in this particular area was recognized by the [Centers for Disease Control] as being an important innovation for improving the heath of the minority population,” Whitaker said. “That’s kind of under some controversy as of late, but I stand by the fact that churches on the ground are important actors in the community with ministers who are opinion leaders.”

These faith-based initiatives were Whitaker’s ideas, not Blagojevich’s, Whitaker said.

“It was something I felt strongly about,” Whitaker said. “I didn’t get any direction. That was part of how I wanted to administer the Public Health Department.”

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

_______________________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 24, 2010

DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR

TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2010

In the morning, the President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing and meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office. These meetings are closed press.

Later, as part of National Small Business Week, the President will host award-winning small business owners from around the country at an event in the Rose Garden. The President will discuss the important role that American small businesses play in our economy. This event is open press.

The President will then visit the U.S. Capitol to address the Senate Republican Caucus about his legislative agenda. This meeting is closed press. Later, the President will meet with President Napolitano of Italy in the Oval Office. This meeting is closed press.

Later in the afternoon, the President will travel to San Francisco, California. The departure from the South Lawn and the arrival at San Francisco International Airport are open press. In the evening, the President will attend fundraisers for Senator Barbara Boxer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. There will be travel pool coverage of the President’s remarks at the Fairmont Hotel.

The President will spend the night in San Francisco, California.

Also tomorrow, Solicitor General Elena Kagan will travel to Capitol Hill to meet separately with Senator Bennet, Senator Isakson, Senator Tester and Senator Lieberman.

Tomorrow at 12:45pm EDT, Harvard Law School’s Assistant Dean for Public Service Alexa Shabecoff and former Harvard Law School students Brandon Weiss (HLS ’08), Lauren Sudeall Lucas (HLS ’05), and Sarah Isgur (HLS ’08) will hold a conference call to discuss the role that then-Dean Elena Kagan played in expanding opportunities for Harvard Law School students to engage in public service. Reporters wishing to join this call should dial (800) 288-8975.

In-Town Travel Pool

Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg

Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP

TV Corr & Crew: NBC

Print: Roll Call

Radio: Talk Radio

Out-of-Town Travel Pool

Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg

Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP

TV Corr & Crew: NBC

Print: Politico

EDT

9:00AM In-Town Travel Pool Call Time

10:00AM THE PRESIDENT receives the Presidential Daily Briefing

Oval Office

Closed Press

10:30AM THE PRESIDENT meets with senior advisors

Oval Office

Closed Press

11:15AM THE PRESIDENT hosts award-winning small business owners from around the country; delivers remarks on small business jobs proposals

Rose Garden

Open Press (Pre-set 10:15AM – Final Gather 10:45AM – North Doors of the Palm Room)

12:05PM THE PRESIDENT addresses the Senate Republican Caucus

U.S. Capitol

Closed Press

2:00PM THE PRESIDENT meets with President Napolitano of Italy

Oval Office

Closed Press

2:55PM THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route Andrews Air Force Base

South Lawn

Open Press (Pre-set 2:20PM – Final Gather 2:35PM – North Doors of the Palm Room)

3:15PM THE PRESIDENT departs Andrews Air Force Base en route San Francisco, California

Out-of-Town Travel Pool (Call Time 2:00PM – Virginia Gate, Andrews Air Force Base)

PDT

5:35PM THE PRESIDENT arrives in San Francisco, California

San Francisco International Airport

Open Press

6:00PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks at a fundraiser for Senator Barbara Boxer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

Fairmont Hotel

Travel Pool Coverage

6:30PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks at a fundraiser for Senator Barbara Boxer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

Fairmont Hotel

Travel Pool Coverage

7:50PM THE PRESIDENT attends a reception for Senator Barbara Boxer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

Private Residence

Closed Press

###

below, from the White House…..

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 24, 2010

PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY TO HOST CONCERT HONORING PAUL MCCARTNEY IN THE EAST ROOM

On Wednesday, June 2nd, the President and First Lady will host a concert in the East Room honoring Paul McCartney, who will be awarded the 3rd Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress. President Obama will present the award as he did last year when the Library of Congress honored Stevie Wonder. The concert will be broadcast on PBS stations nationwide on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 8:00 PM EDT (check local listings) as “In Performance at the White House Celebrating the Music of Paul McCartney: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize.”

The prize commemorates George and Ira Gershwin, the legendary American songwriting team whose extensive manuscript collections reside in the Library of Congress. The prize is awarded to musicians whose lifetime contributions in the field of popular song exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins.

The President’s remarks at the ceremony will be pooled press.
###

WASHINGTON–Former White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers on Saturday hosted a welcome lunch for her successor, Julianna Smoot at a hotel here.

“It was a wonderful celebration welcoming Julianna to the social secretaries sisterhood,” Rogers told me.

Hosting a lunch for the new Social Secretary is a tradition started in the 1990s by former Clinton White House Social Secretary Ann Stock. The lunch took place days after Smoot’s first State Dinner, hosted by President Obama and First Lady Michelle for Mexico President Felipe Calderon and his wife, Margarita Zavala.

Rogers threw the lunch bash at the Jefferson Hotel; her menu included green salad, crab cakes or chicken, with sorbet and berries for dessert.

Others attending were Ann Stock, a Social Secretary in the Clinton White House, nominated by Obama to be Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs; Capricia Marshall, also from the Clinton White House and now the Chief of Protocol at the Department of State; Amy Zantzinger, who served under President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush and Cathy Fenton, who also came out of the George W. Bush White House. For more details, click here.

Said Zantzinger, “I think it is nice for the incoming Social Secretary to see the support system she has in place.”

WASHINGTON—For the first time since Valentine’s Day weekend, 2009, President Obama, First Lady Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia will return to their home in Chicago–arriving on Thursday for the Memorial Day Weekend.

On Monday Obama will speak at the Abraham Lincoln Cemetery outside Chicago, according to a White House spokesman.

Last January in an interview I asked Mrs. Obama why the family only came back to their home on S. Greenwood in Kenwood–only once. Her reply is here.

below, release….

REPS. GUTIERREZ, QUIGLEY CALL FOR INCLUSION OF SAME-SEX COUPLES IN COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM

Congressman Gutierrez: “Our efforts to fix our broken immigration system and protect basic civil rights are not truly comprehensive if we exclude same-sex couples.”

Congressman Quigley: “The beauty of America is that somewhere in each of our lineages, someone made the choice to come here, to a country built on fairness and justice. We must continue to honor that tradition not just for some, but for all families.”

CHICAGO – Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez, the sponsor of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP), and a national leader of the fight for immigration reform and fairness efforts, and Congressman Mike Quigley, a CIR ASAP co-sponsor and leading voice for LGBT equality, will join with LGBT leaders to hold a press conference in Chicago on Monday to announce their strong support for inclusion of same-sex couples and their families in comprehensive immigration reform efforts in Congress this year.

WHAT: Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, Rep. Mike Quigley, Rep. Jared Polis, LGBT community leaders and advocates announce plans to include same-sex couples and their families in immigration reform

WHEN: Monday, May 24, 2010
12:00pm CT

WHERE: The Center on Halsted
3656 N. Halsted
Chicago, Illinois

WHO: Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL-4)
Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL-5)
Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO-2)
LGBT and Immigrant Leaders and Families, TBD

CIR ASAP (H.R. 4321), Gutierrez’ comprehensive bill cosponsored by 97 other members, does not currently include a specific provision extending legal immigration benefits to bi-national same-sex couples and their families. However, the Congressman is recommitting himself to inclusion of a specific provision that would allow an American citizen in a committed same-sex bi-national relationship to petition for an immigrant visa for their permanent partner in the same manner as an heterosexual couple would. This would ensure that all American families can remain together through the immigration process. As many as 40,000 couples – many with American citizen children – would benefit from the provision. Other key provisions of CIR ASAP, including legalization provisions for undocumented residents, asylum policy reforms, and treatment in detention, already apply to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered persons.

Congressman Gutierrez will be joined at the press conference by Reps. Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Jared Polis (D-CO), who are each strong supporters of LGBT inclusion in immigration reform. Leaders from the LGBT and immigrant communities in Chicago are also invited to speak. Together they will announce their support for including same sex couples and their families in comprehensive immigration reform. They will also address the need for the LGBT and immigrant communities to be united in their efforts to pass legislation this year.

Also participating in the press conference will be individuals who would benefit from the provision and who will tell their personal stories of their families being separated by America’s broken immigration system.
###

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 23, 2010

DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR
MONDAY, MAY 24, 2010

In the morning, the President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing in the Oval Office. This briefing is closed press. Later, the President will attend a reception for the Federal Judge Association at the White House. This event is closed press.

The President will meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office. This meeting is closed press. The President will then participate in the daily briefing call with Gulf Coast Governors on the BP oil spill. This briefing is closed press.

In the afternoon, the President will welcome Prime Minister Saad Hariri of Lebanon to the White House. This will be the Prime Minister’s first official visit to Washington during his premiership and the President looks forward to consulting with Prime Minister Hariri on a broad range of mutual goals in support of Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence, and regional peace and security. There will be a pool still photographer spray at the bottom of the meeting.

Later, the President will host a reception to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the East Room. This event is pooled press.

The President will then meet with Secretary of Defense Gates in the Oval Office. This meeting is closed press

At 3:00 PM, United States Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen will join Press Secretary Robert Gibbs to hold a press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House. This briefing is open press.

In-Town Travel Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: FOX
Print: Regional Reporters
Radio: SRN

EDT

9:00AM In-Town Travel Pool Call Time

9:30AM THE PRESIDENT receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press

10:20AM THE PRESIDENT attends a reception for the Federal Judge Association
State Floor
Closed Press

11:05AM THE PRESIDENT meets with senior advisors
Oval Office
Closed Press

12:00PM THE PRESIDENT participates in the daily briefing call with Gulf Coast Governors on the BP oil spill
Oval Office
Closed Press

2:30PM THE PRESIDENT welcomes Prime Minister Saad Hariri of Lebanon to the White House
Oval Office
Pool Still Photographers Spray at the Bottom (Pool Gather Time 2:10PM–Brady Press Briefing Room)

4:00PM THE PRESIDENT host a reception to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
East Room
Pooled Press (Pre-Set 2:00PM //Final Gather 3:30PM–North Doors of the Palm Room)

4:30PM THE PRESIDENT meets with Secretary of Defense Gates
Oval Office
Closed Press

Briefing Schedule

3:00PM Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and United States Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen

###

Sunday morning update…..Ma’arivis reporting that Emanuel and his entourage traveled from Eilat to Jordan, en route to Petra.

WASHINGTON — White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is in Israel to celebrate the bar mitzvah of his son and a nephew. While there, he might meet with Israeli government officials, the White House told me Saturday night.

His brothers, Ezekiel, a White house health policy advisor, and Ari, a Hollywood superagent, will also be in Israel for the ceremony. Ezekiel Emanuel told me the trip was a “family affair.”

Tommy Vietor, an assistant press secretary, said Emanuel “is in Israel for his son’s bar mitzvah. He may have some meetings with Israeli government officials.”

YDNet news, an Israeli outlet, said Rahm Emanuel arrived over the weekend and traveled to Eilat, a city in a popular resort area. YDNet also said he could meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The bar mitzvah for Zach Emanuel — which the Jerusalem Post said would likely be at the Western Wall — has been tracked by the Israeli press because of Emanuel’s prominence and his Israeli background: His father, Benjamin, who lives in Wilmette, was born in Israel. There is also ongoing speculation about his exact role in shaping President Obama’s policy toward Israel.

U.S.-Israeli relations have been strained at times. The Israelis object to White House pressure over Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Tensions increased in March when Vice President Joe Biden was in Israel and was confronted with a surprise announcement about building new housing in Jerusalem. George Mitchell, Obama’s Mideast envoy was just in the region for a round of “indirect” peace talks; Mitchell met with Netanyahu last week.

The Jerusalem Post last week recalled that Emanuel, during an appearance last Nov. 10 at the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America told the group “This Memorial break, I am taking my son, my nephew Noah with Ari my brother, so they can have their bar mitzva in Israel.”

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
___________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release May 22, 2010

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY
AT WEST POINT COMMENCEMENT

Michie Stadium
West Point, New York

10:31 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Please be seated. Thank you very much. Good morning.

AUDIENCE: Good morning.

THE PRESIDENT: It is wonderful to be back at the United States Military Academy — the oldest continuously occupied military post in America — as we commission the newest officers in the United States Army.

Thank you, General Hagenbeck, for your introduction, on a day that holds special meaning for you and the Dean, General Finnegan. Both of you first came to West Point in the Class of 1971 and went on to inspire soldiers under your command. You’ve led this Academy to a well-deserved recognition: best college in America. (Applause.) And today, you’re both looking forward to a well-deserved retirement from the Army. General Hagenbeck and Judy, General Finnegan and Joan, we thank you for 39 years of remarkable service to the Army and to America. (Applause.)

To the Commandant, General Rapp, the Academy staff and faculty, most of whom are veterans, thank you for your service and for inspiring these cadets to become the “leaders of character” they are today. (Applause.) Let me also acknowledge the presence of General Shinseki, Secretary McHugh, the members of Congress who are with us here today, including two former soldiers this Academy knows well, Senator Jack Reed and Congressman Patrick Murphy. (Applause.)

To all the families here — especially all the moms and dads — this day is a tribute to you as well. The decision to come to West Point was made by your sons and daughters, but it was you who instilled in them a spirit of service that has led them to this hallowed place in a time of war. So on behalf of the American people, thank you for your example and thank you for your patriotism. (Applause.)

To the United States Corps of Cadets, and most of all, the Class of 2010 — it is a singular honor to serve as your Commander-in-Chief. As your Superintendent indicated, under our constitutional system my power as President is wisely limited. But there are some areas where my power is absolute. And so, as your Commander-in-Chief, I hereby absolve all cadets who are on restriction for minor conduct offenses. (Applause.) I will leave the definition of “minor” — (laughter) — to those who know better. (Laughter.)

Class of 2010, today is your day — a day to celebrate all that you’ve achieved, in the finest tradition of the soldier-scholar, and to look forward to the important service that lies ahead.

You have pushed yourself through the agony of Beast Barracks, the weeks of training in rain and mud, and, I’m told, more inspections and drills than perhaps any class before you. Along the way, I’m sure you faced a few moments when you asked yourself: “What am I doing here?” I have those moments sometimes. (Laughter.)

You’ve trained for the complexities of today’s missions, knowing that success will be measured not merely by performance on the battlefield, but also by your understanding of the cultures and traditions and languages in the place where you serve.

You’ve reached out across borders, with more international experience than any class in Academy history. You’ve not only attended foreign academies to forge new friendships, you’ve welcomed into your ranks cadets from nearly a dozen countries.

You’ve challenged yourself intellectually in the sciences and the humanities, in history and technology. You’ve achieved a standard of academic excellence that is without question, tying the record for the most post-graduate scholarships of any class in West Point history. (Applause.)

This includes your number one overall cadet and your valedictorian — Liz Betterbed and Alex Rosenberg. And by the way, this is the first time in Academy history where your two top awards have been earned by female candidates. (Applause.)

This underscores a fact that I’ve seen in the faces of our troops from Baghdad to Bagram — in the 21st century, our women in uniform play an indispensable role in our national defense. And time and again, they have proven themselves to be role models for our daughters and our sons — as students and as soldiers and as leaders in the United States armed forces.

And the faces in this stadium show a simple truth: America’s Army represents the full breadth of America’s experience. You come from every corner of our country — from privilege and from poverty, from cities and small towns. You worship all of the great religions that enrich the life of our people. You include the vast diversity of race and ethnicity that is fundamental to our nation’s strength.

There is, however, one thing that sets you apart. Here in these quiet hills, you’ve come together to prepare for the most difficult test of our time. You signed up knowing your service would send you into harm’s way, and you did so long after the first drums of war were sounded. In you we see the commitment of our country, and timeless virtues that have served our nation well.

We see your sense of duty — including those who have earned their right shoulder patch — their right shoulder combat patches, like the soldier who suffered a grenade wound in Iraq, yet still helped his fellow soldiers to evacuate — your First Captain of the Corps of Cadets, Tyler Gordy. (Applause.)

We see your sense of honor — in your respect for tradition, knowing that you join a Long Grey Line that stretches through the centuries; and in your reverence for each other, as when the Corps stands in silence every time a former cadet makes the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. Indeed, today we honor the 78 graduates of this Academy who have given their lives for our freedom and our security in Iraq and Afghanistan.

And we see your love of country — a devotion to America captured in the motto you chose as a class, a motto which will guide your lives of service: “Loyal ‘Til the End.”

Duty. Honor. Love of country. Everything you have learned here, all that you’ve achieved here, has prepared you for today — when you raise your right hand; when you take that oath; when your loved one or mentor pins those gold bars on your shoulders; when you become, at long last, commissioned officers in the United States Army.

This is the ninth consecutive commencement that has taken place at West Point with our nation at war. This time of war began in Afghanistan — a place that may seem as far away from this peaceful bend in the Hudson River as anywhere on Earth. The war began only because our own cities and civilians were attacked by violent extremists who plotted from a distant place, and it continues only because that plotting persists to this day.

For many years, our focus was on Iraq. And year after year, our troops faced a set of challenges there that were as daunting as they were complex. A lesser Army might have seen its spirit broken. But the American military is more resilient than that. Our troops adapted, they persisted, they partnered with coalition and Iraqi counterparts, and through their competence and creativity and courage, we are poised to end our combat mission in Iraq this summer. (Applause.)

Even as we transition to an Iraqi lead and bring our troops home, our commitment to the Iraqi people endures. We will continue to advise and assist Iraqi security forces, who are already responsible for security in most of the country. And a strong American civilian presence will help Iraqis forge political and economic progress. This will not be a simple task, but this is what success looks like: an Iraq that provides no haven to terrorists; a democratic Iraq that is sovereign and stable and self-reliant.

And as we end the war in Iraq, though, we are pressing forward in Afghanistan. Six months ago, I came to West Point to announce a new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. And I stand here humbled by the knowledge that many of you will soon be serving in harm’s way. I assure you, you will go with the full support of a proud and grateful nation.

We face a tough fight in Afghanistan. Any insurgency that is confronted with a direct challenge will turn to new tactics. And from Marja to Kandahar, that is what the Taliban has done through assassination and indiscriminate killing and intimidation. Moreover, any country that has known decades of war will be tested in finding political solutions to its problems, and providing governance that can sustain progress and serve the needs of its people.

So this war has changed over the last nine years, but it’s no less important than it was in those days after 9/11. We toppled the Taliban regime — now we must break the momentum of a Taliban insurgency and train Afghan security forces. We have supported the election of a sovereign government — now we must strengthen its capacities. We’ve brought hope to the Afghan people — now we must see that their country does not fall prey to our common enemies. Cadets, there will be difficult days ahead. We will adapt, we will persist, and I have no doubt that together with our Afghan and international partners, we will succeed in Afghanistan. (Applause.)

Now even as we fight the wars in front of us, we also have to see the horizon beyond these wars — because unlike a terrorist whose goal is to destroy, our future will be defined by what we build. We have to see that horizon, and to get there we must pursue a strategy of national renewal and global leadership. We have to build the sources of America’s strength and influence, and shape a world that’s more peaceful and more prosperous.

Time and again, Americans have risen to meet and to shape moments of change. This is one of those moments — an era of economic transformation and individual empowerment; of ancient hatreds and new dangers; of emerging powers and new global challenges. And we’re going to need all of you to help meet these challenges. You’ve answered the call. You, and all who wear America’s uniform, remain the cornerstone of our national defense, the anchor of global security. And through a period when too many of our institutions have acted irresponsibly, the American military has set a standard of service and sacrifice that is as great as any in this nation’s history. (Applause.)

Now the rest of us — the rest of us must do our part. And to do so, we must first recognize that our strength and influence abroad begins with steps we take at home. We must educate our children to compete in an age where knowledge is capital, and the marketplace is global. We must develop clean energy that can power new industry and unbound us from foreign oil and preserve our planet. We have to pursue science and research that unlocks wonders as unforeseen to us today as the microchip and the surface of the moon were a century ago.

Simply put, American innovation must be the foundation of American power — because at no time in human history has a nation of diminished economic vitality maintained its military and political primacy. And so that means that the civilians among us, as parents and community leaders, elected officials, business leaders, we have a role to play. We cannot leave it to those in uniform to defend this country — we have to make sure that America is building on its strengths. (Applause.)

As we build these economic sources of our strength, the second thing we must do is build and integrate the capabilities that can advance our interests, and the common interests of human beings around the world. America’s armed forces are adapting to changing times, but your efforts have to be complemented. We will need the renewed engagement of our diplomats, from grand capitals to dangerous outposts. We need development experts who can support Afghan agriculture and help Africans build the capacity to feed themselves. We need intelligence agencies that work seamlessly with their counterparts to unravel plots that run from the mountains of Pakistan to the streets of our cities. We need law enforcement that can strengthen judicial systems abroad, and protect us here at home. And we need first responders who can act swiftly in the event of earthquakes and storms and disease.

The burdens of this century cannot fall on our soldiers alone. It also cannot fall on American shoulders alone. Our adversaries would like to see America sap its strength by overextending our power. And in the past, we’ve always had the foresight to avoid acting alone. We were part of the most powerful wartime coalition in human history through World War II. We stitched together a community of free nations and institutions to endure and ultimately prevail during a Cold War.

Yes, we are clear-eyed about the shortfalls of our international system. But America has not succeeded by stepping out of the currents of cooperation — we have succeeded by steering those currents in the direction of liberty and justice, so nations thrive by meeting their responsibilities and face consequences when they don’t.

So we have to shape an international order that can meet the challenges of our generation. We will be steadfast in strengthening those old alliances that have served us so well, including those who will serve by your side in Afghanistan and around the globe. As influence extends to more countries and capitals, we also have to build new partnerships, and shape stronger international standards and institutions.

This engagement is not an end in itself. The international order we seek is one that can resolve the challenges of our times — countering violent extremism and insurgency; stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and securing nuclear materials; combating a changing climate and sustaining global growth; helping countries feed themselves and care for their sick; preventing conflict and healing wounds. If we are successful in these tasks, that will lessen conflicts around the world. It will be supportive of our efforts by our military to secure our country.

More than anything else, though, our success will be claimed by who we are as a country. This is more important than ever, given the nature of the challenges that we face. Our campaign to disrupt, dismantle, and to defeat al Qaeda is part of an international effort that is necessary and just.

But this is a different kind of war. There will be no simple moment of surrender to mark the journey’s end — no armistice, no banner headline. Though we have had more success in eliminating al Qaeda leaders in recent months than in recent years, they will continue to recruit, and plot, and exploit our open society. We see that in bombs that go off in Kabul and Karachi. We see it in attempts to blow up an airliner over Detroit or an SUV in Times Square, even as these failed attacks show that pressure on networks like al Qaeda is forcing them to rely on terrorists with less time and space to train. We see the potential duration of this struggle in al Qaeda’s gross distortions of Islam, their disrespect for human life, and their attempt to prey upon fear and hatred and prejudice.

So the threat will not go away soon, but let’s be clear: Al Qaeda and its affiliates are small men on the wrong side of history. They lead no nation. They lead no religion. We need not give in to fear every time a terrorist tries to scare us. We should not discard our freedoms because extremists try to exploit them. We cannot succumb to division because others try to drive us apart. We are the United States of America. (Applause.) We are the United States of America, and we have repaired our union, and faced down fascism, and outlasted communism. We’ve gone through turmoil, we’ve gone through Civil War, and we have come out stronger — and we will do so once more. (Applause.)

And I know this to be true because I see the strength and resilience of the American people. Terrorists want to scare us. New Yorkers just go about their lives unafraid. (Applause.) Extremists want a war between America and Islam, but Muslims are part of our national life, including those who serve in our United States Army. (Applause.) Adversaries want to divide us, but we are united by our support for you — soldiers who send a clear message that this country is both the land of the free and the home of the brave. (Applause.)

You know, in an age of instant access to information, a lot of cynicism in the news, it’s easy to lose perspective in a flood of pictures and the swirl of political debate. Power and influence can seem to ebb and flow. Wars and grand plans can be deemed won or lost day to day, even hour to hour. As we experience the immediacy of the image of a suffering child or the boasts of a prideful dictator, it’s easy to give in to the belief sometimes that human progress has stalled — that events are beyond our control, that change is not possible.

But this nation was founded upon a different notion. We believe, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” (Applause.) And that truth has bound us together, a nation populated by people from around the globe, enduring hardship and achieving greatness as one people. And that belief is as true today as it was 200 years ago. It is a belief that has been claimed by people of every race and religion in every region of the world. Can anybody doubt that this belief will be any less true — any less powerful — two years, two decades, or even two centuries from now?

And so a fundamental part of our strategy for our security has to be America’s support for those universal rights that formed the creed of our founding. And we will promote these values above all by living them — through our fidelity to the rule of law and our Constitution, even when it’s hard; even when we’re being attacked; even when we’re in the midst of war.

And we will commit ourselves to forever pursuing a more perfect union. Together with our friends and allies, America will always seek a world that extends these rights so that when an individual is being silenced, we aim to be her voice. Where ideas are suppressed, we provide space for open debate. Where democratic institutions take hold, we add a wind at their back. When humanitarian disaster strikes, we extend a hand. Where human dignity is denied, America opposes poverty and is a source of opportunity. That is who we are. That is what we do.

We do so with no illusions. We understand change doesn’t come quick. We understand that neither America nor any nation can dictate every outcome beyond its borders. We know that a world of mortal men and women will never be rid of oppression or evil. What we can do, what we must do, is work and reach and fight for the world that we seek — all of us, those in uniform and those who are not.

And in preparing for today, I turned to the world — to the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes. And reflecting on his Civil War experience, he said, and I quote, “To fight out a war you must believe in something and want something with all your might. So must you do to carry anything else to an end worth reaching.” Holmes went on, “More than that, you must be willing to commit yourself to a course, perhaps a long and hard one, without being able to foresee exactly where you will come out.”

America does not fight for the sake of fighting. We abhor war. As one who has never experienced the field of battle — and I say that with humility, knowing, as General MacArthur said, “the soldier above all others prays for peace” — we fight because we must. We fight to keep our families and communities safe. We fight for the security of our allies and partners, because America believes that we will be safer when our friends are safer; that we will be stronger when the world is more just.

So cadets, a long and hard road awaits you. You go abroad because your service is fundamental to our security back home. You go abroad as representatives of the values that this country was founded upon. And when you inevitably face setbacks — when the fighting is fierce or a village elder is fearful; when the end that you are seeking seems uncertain — think back to West Point.

Here, in this peaceful part of the world, you have drilled and you have studied and come of age in the footsteps of great men and women — Americans who faced times of trial, and who even in victory could not have foreseen the America they helped to build, the world they helped to shape.

George Washington was able to free a band of patriots from the rule of an empire, but he could not have foreseen his country growing to include 50 states connecting two oceans.

Grant was able to save a union and see the slaves freed, but he could not have foreseen just how much his country would extend full rights and opportunities to citizens of every color.

Eisenhower was able to see Germany surrender and a former enemy grow into an ally, but he could not have foreseen the Berlin Wall coming down without a shot being fired.

Today it is your generation that has borne a heavy burden — soldiers, graduates of this Academy like John Meyer and Greg Ambrosia who have braved enemy fire, protected their units, carried out their missions, earned the commendation of this Army, and of a grateful nation.

From the birth of our existence, America has had a faith in the future — a belief that where we’re going is better than where we’ve been, even when the path ahead is uncertain. To fulfill that promise, generations of Americans have built upon the foundation of our forefathers — finding opportunity, fighting injustice, forging a more perfect union. Our achievement would not be possible without the Long Grey Line that has sacrificed for duty, for honor, for country. (Applause.)

And years from now when you return here, when for you the shadows have grown longer, I have no doubt that you will have added your name to the book of history. I have no doubt that we will have prevailed in the struggles of our times. I have no doubt that your legacy will be an America that has emerged stronger, and a world that is more just, because we are Americans, and our destiny is never written for us, it is written by us, and we are ready to lead once more.

Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

END 11:04 A.M. EDT

Schedule for Week of May 24, 2010

On Monday, the President will meet with Prime Minister Saad Hariri of Lebanon at the White House. This will be the Prime Minister’s first official visit to Washington during his premiership and the President looks forward to consulting with Prime Minister Hariri on a broad range of mutual goals in support of Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence, and regional peace and security. Also on Monday, the President will host a reception to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

On Tuesday, as part of National Small Business Week, the President will host award-winning small business owners from around the country for an event at the White House where he will discuss the important role that American small businesses play in our economy. The President will also address the Senate Republican Caucus about his legislative agenda at the Capitol.

Also on Tuesday, President Obama will welcome President Giorgio Napolitano of Italy to the White House on Tuesday, May 25. The United States and Italy, a leading NATO ally, have strong bilateral relations. The President appreciates Italy’s robust contributions to peace efforts around the world and looks forward to continuing his consultations with President Napolitano, following up on their July 8 meeting last year in Rome.

Later on Tuesday, the President will travel to San Francisco, California to headline events on behalf of Senator Barbara Boxer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

On Wednesday, the President will visit the Solyndra, Inc. solar facility in Fremont, CA where he will tour their high-tech facilities and then make remarks to workers on jobs and the economy. Following his remarks, the President will return to Washington, DC.

On Thursday, President Obama will welcome the NCAA Men’s Basketball Champion Duke Blue Devils to the White House to honor their 2009-2010 season. The President and the First Lady will also host the first ever White House reception in honor of Jewish American Heritage Month.

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