Author Archives: Kirsten Salyer

About Kirsten Salyer

Kirsten Salyer loves listening to people’s stories. From Houston, Texas, the U.S. State Department intern studies journalism and international studies at Northwestern University. She enjoys traveling and meeting new people.

Dog days of summer

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It’s that time of year in Washington—Congress is on recess, the Obamas are on vacation and Bo is on board for some relaxing summer afternoons before the days cool down and the action heats up this fall.

As the Obamas enjoy a visit to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts this week, join me in taking a second’s pause to treat yourself to something sweet (perhaps the traditional Obama ice cream cone) and enjoy a good book (the president chose one of my favorites, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird for his daughters to read this trip).

I find summer days the best time to refocus, reenergize and reflect. What do you think should be Obama’s top priorities this fall? What are yours?

Ask not what your country can do for you

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Obama greets audience members after speaking at a fundraiser in Seattle.

Obama greets audience members after speaking at a fundraiser in Seattle.

How much would you pay to support President Obama at an event where you could meet him and hear him speak? How about $1,400 (the cost of attending Tuesday’s fundraiser in Seattle, Washington)? What about $30,400 (the suggested ticket price to attend Vogue Editor Anna Wintour’s dinner with Obama last month)?

Fundraising is part of the president’s unofficial job description. This week Obama’s schedule has been packed with fundraising appearances, including two for elected state officials while he was in Seattle Tuesday. At these functions, attendees are encouraged to make contributions to the Democratic Party, and Obama speaks to supporters about his policy and goals.

Fundraising is especially critical now with midterm elections approaching this November and with Obama’s approval rating having dipped to its lowest weekly average last week, according to a recent Gallup poll.

These events are not just about raising funds—they’re about raising support.

So in the spirit of President John F. Kennedy’s famous quote, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country,” Obama’s speech at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee finance event in Los Angeles, California Monday contained the following message:

“We’re going to move this country forward with your help, but we are going to need your help. We’re going to need your phone calls. We are going to need your knocking on doors. We need your enthusiasm. We need your spirit. We need your confidence that we can continue to make this country even better than it already is. All right? And if everybody here is able to marshal that spirit once again, I’m absolutely positive we’re not just going to do well in this election, we’re going to do right by the next generation.”

What’s your reaction?

Piloting a path for Gulf recovery

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The president and Sasha steer the boat on a tour of St. Andrews Bay in Panama City, Florida.

President Obama and Sasha steer the boat on a tour of St. Andrews Bay in Panama City, Florida.

The Obamas’ private family vacation to Panama City, Florida over the weekend exemplified the president’s public message: “To the people here in the Gulf, we are going to be standing by your side. And to Americans all across the country, come on down and visit.”

President Obama, first lady Michelle and daughter Sasha spent the trip touring the area and meeting the locals.

While oil from the recent spill may no longer be flowing into the Gulf, Obama remains committed to recovery efforts in the region, he said at a roundtable discussion with business owners, officials, Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Navy Secretary Ray Mabus Saturday.

“I made a commitment in my visits here that I was going to stand with you not just until the well was closed, not just until the oil was cleaned up, but until you had fully recovered from the damage that’s been done,” he said.

He also encouraged Americans to travel to the Gulf Coast. (I’m already planning a visit to the Galveston beaches when I return home to Houston, Texas in a few weeks and can’t wait for a swim in the surf and a shrimp Po’Boy sandwich.)

Check out my favorite pics from the Obamas’ trip below!

It wouldn’t be an Obama outing without a stop for ice cream. The first family gets an ice cream snack before leaving for Panama City.

It wouldn’t be an Obama outing without a stop for ice cream. The first family gets an ice cream snack before leaving for Panama City.

Obama and Michelle greet members of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Obama and Michelle greet members of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Obama and Sasha go for a swim at Alligator Point.

Obama and Sasha go for a swim at Alligator Point.

The Obamas play miniature golf in Panama City. Who do you think won?

The Obamas play miniature golf in Panama City. Who do you think won?

Want a glimpse behind the scenes?

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Check out pictures of the president watching fireworks over the National Mall, playing basketball on the White House court and signing the hood of a Chevy Volt in a slideshow of photos taken in July and recently updated on the White House Flickr.

My favorite is this one of President Obama and Michelle Obama marching to music in the Blue Room of the White House before festivities began on July 4. What’s yours?

Obama stays true to pledge to end war in Iraq

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Veterans listen as Obama speaks about Iraq and Afghanistan at the Disabled American Veterans convention Aug. 2.

Veterans listen as Obama speaks about Iraq and Afghanistan at the Disabled American Veterans convention Aug. 2.

Last week, President Obama announced that he will fulfill his campaign pledge to end the war in Iraq by the end of the month. Today, he’s meeting with his national security team to discuss U.S. actions in the country, according to the White House schedule.

By the end of August, the U.S. military strategy in Iraq will shift from combat operations to supporting and training Iraqi security forces, Obama said in his address at the Disabled Americans Veterans convention in Georgia last Monday.

“By the end of this month, we’ll have brought more than 90,000 of our troops home from Iraq since I took office—more than 90,000 have come home,” he said. “Our commitment in Iraq is changing—from a military effort led by our troops to a civilian effort led by our diplomats.”

What do you think of Obama’s decision?

Obama talks education in the Lone Star State

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President Obama visited Texas Monday to attend Democratic fundraising events and speak about higher education at the University of Texas at Austin.

Obama spoke to a crowd of 3,500 students, faculty and guests about the importance of education and his commitment to making college affordable. His strategy includes offering direct government loans, increasing the maximum amount of government grants and simplifying financial aid applications.

“I’m absolutely committed to making sure that here in America, nobody is denied a college education, nobody is denied a chance to pursue their dreams, nobody is denied a chance to make the most of their lives just because they can’t afford it,” he said. “We are a better country than that, and we need to act like we’re a better country than that.”

As a current university student, I’m invested in seeing how Obama’s efforts will affect my college experience. What do you think about his education policy?

Michelle and Sasha tour Spain in style

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Shouts of “Obama” and “guapa,” or beautiful, welcomed Michelle Obama and Sasha Obama, 9, to Marbella, a resort city in southern Spain, Wednesday.

The mother and daughter are enjoying a four-day private stay with family friends at the luxurious five-star Hotel Villa Padierna on the Costa del Sol, where elegant villas blending ancient and modern Spanish style boast mountain views and rates range from $499 to $2,028 a night. On vacations such as these, the Obamas pay for personal expenses while government funds cover the costs of Secret Service agents and the round trip on Air Force Two.

According to news reports, Michelle and Sasha’s vacation includes a meeting with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia, a visit to the historic cathedral in Granada, a flamenco show and a traditional family trip to a local ice cream parlor.

With Michelle and Sasha en España and Malia away at summer camp, family dog Bo was the only one in town to help President Obama celebrate his birthday Wednesday. Watch a video of Bo boarding Air Force One to join the president on his trip to Chicago—so cute!

Wish Obama a happy birthday!

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President Obama will celebrate his 49th birthday this Wednesday, Aug. 4, and Michelle Obama is inviting the world to sign the president’s card.

The Democratic Party distributed the first lady’s message last week as a way to encourage more people to sign up to their mailing list.

It’s also a fun way for the family to wish Obama a happy birthday, Michelle Obama wrote in the email.

“This has been a big—and hectic—year for him. After signing the Affordable Care Act and Wall Street reform into law—and completing his first year as president—I think it’s safe to say we will remember it for a long time.

“And I know full well how much he credits this movement, and the work of supporters like you, for the change that we’ve accomplished.

“So I’m putting together a birthday card that I would like you to sign. Together with supporters—and me, Malia, Sasha, and Bo—we’ll wish him a happy birthday and let him know that we’re ready to take on the year ahead alongside him.”

What is your birthday message to Obama?

Inside “View” on Obama trivia

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In addition to addressing questions on healthcare, Afghanistan and race, President Obama shared a few fun facts with the hosts of “The View” Thursday:

- The best part of his last month was the family trip to Maine.
- His daughter Malia, 12, is experiencing sleep-away camp, considered by some an American girl rite of passage, for the first time.
- He doesn’t know who reality show “Jersey Shore” star Snooki is (but he does know actress Lindsay Lohan is in jail).
- He listens to Jay Z and Frank Sinatra on his iPod (but doesn’t have any Justin Bieber songs).

Check out the full interview here.

Obama takes the hot seat on talk show “The View”

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The daytime talk show hosts of ABC’s “The View” have a new guest today—the 44th president of the United States.

In the first interview of a sitting president in “The View’s” history, Obama faces the show’s women co-hosts, including renowned interviewer Barbara Walters, to discuss the administration’s accomplishments, jobs, the economy, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and family life inside the White House.

Obama has been on the show before, once in 2004 to promote his book, Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, and again in March 2008. Michelle Obama also made a guest appearance on the show in June 2008, where she was spotted fist-bumping with the co-hosts.

But how did a daytime talk show appearance get on the president’s busy schedule? Going on the show, which has a largely female audience, is a way for Obama to “talk to the people where they are,” Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a press briefing Tuesday.

Watch when the show, filmed Wednesday, airs at 11 a.m. EDT or check back later to watch the episode online.