Barack Obama

Straight Shootin': The firepower at the NRA convention is incredible, just like the rhetoric

Birther Bill Gains Initial Approval in Missouri House -- Are You Shitting Me?

​Representative Lyle Rowland (R-Cedarcreek) successfully moved his "birther" bill through its initial reading in the Missouri House of Representatives yesterday. The bill (HB1046, read it here)  would require any presidential or vice presidential candidate to prove via birth certificate and a ... More >>

Senate to Vote on Roy Blunt's Opt-Out Bill for Contraception Coverage

It's nearly March, just six months before the G.O.P. convention, which sounds like a perfect time to celebrate our quadrennial political tradition: culture wars. In Michigan, Republican presidential nominee Rick Santorum is telling folks there shouldn't necessarily be a complete separation of churc ... More >>

As Obama Attacks Congress, McCaskill Becomes Vulnerable

An interesting political article in today's New York Times pinpoints incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill as a potential casualty this November if President Obama continues to campaign on an anti-Congress platform. Experts say the oft-deadlocked Congress of last year is a fair target for President Obama ... More >>

Obama's War on Weed

In a strange about-face, the president tries to hack medical marijuana off at the knees

Wentzville Students Outraged Over Condiment Limits

​Wentzville Holt High School got national exposure this week when Fox & Friends highlighted a student boycott over the district's school lunches. As student Hannah Lucas explained to the show's host Gretchen Carlson (video below), the school got rid of ketchup and mustard dispensers this year ... More >>

Obama "Stop the Pipeline" Protesters: Here's What They Want

The Keystone XL Pipeline is not the kind of "new energy" that President Obama's former fans at Wash. U. were looking for.​As the P-D's Jake Wagman reports this morning, a protester interrupted President Barack Obama's fundraiser in downtown St. Louis last night to interject "Stop the Pipeline!"Wri ... More >>

President Obama's Jobs Plan -- Voices from Barrister's

Albert Samaha"Stimulus has become a bad word," says Lasky (left).​Last Monday in his jobs speech, President Barack Obama made a serious effort to wrest control of the Narrative away from the Republicans.For months Democrats have complained about how they kept ending up negotiating on Republicans' ... More >>

The Downgrade -- Voices from The Royale

Somebody clearly messed up. But who will take the blame?​After S.& P. downgraded America's credit rating from AAA to AA , the political strategy on both sides of the aisle was clear: Blame the other guys.The irony of the situation, of course, is that Monday's stock market dip, partially sparke ... More >>

Video: McCaskill says McConnell "Has Lost His Mind"

​Remember that scene in "Almost Famous" when the plane seems like it's about to crash, so everybody starts making all these outrageous confessions? I once hit a man in Dearborn, Michigan... If I took an extra dollar or two it's 'cause I knew I'd earned it... I slept with Marta... I'm Gay! Pe ... More >>

Obama Won't Release Death Photo of Osama bin Laden

President Barack Obama says "we don't need to spike the football" in explaining why his administration won't release photos of Osama bin Laden showing the al-Qaida leader after he was fatally shot in the head. Conspiracy theorists, start your engines...

Wanna Be on the Presidential Ballot in Missouri? We Need to See Your Birth Certificate, Please

Can we just lay the rumors to rest that Barack Obama is not an American citizen? He was born in Hawaii in 1961 -- two years after it became a state. Not Kenya. Hawaii. Even Glenn Beck has shut up about this, maybe because the claims are so ridiculous the Supreme Court doesn't want to waste its time. ... More >>

Video: Obama Impersonator Crushed by Giant Fish Sandwich

What else is there to say about this KFC ad from China except that it features a (pretty good) Obama impersonator being crushed by a giant fish sandwich? Enjoy it for the surreal humor or for the political commentary, implied or projected.Honestly, this sort of thing is what I missed most while I wa ... More >>

Slay Joins Chorus of DNC-Hopeful Mayors Praising Obama's Tax Deal

​Readers of Mayor Francis Slay's blog may have wondered last week why St. Louis' top elected official was so quick to praise President Barack Obama over the contentious tax bill he's working out with Republicans. On Sunday, the New York Times provided an explanation. Slay had to keep up with the m ... More >>

Missouri Likely To Favor Any Republican Candidate Except Palin in 2012

​A Public Policy Poll released yesterday indicates that all but one of a handful of Republican presidential candidates would win Missouri in 2012. That exception is Sarah Palin.The poll found that former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee would be the strongest candidate for Missouri's 11 electoral v ... More >>

Even Obama Loves Jonathan Franzen

image viaDon't look so grumpy, Jon.​We already know that everyone loves St. Louis local-boy-made-hella-famous-author Jonathan Franzen, but we didn't know that "everybody" extended even to el presidente, Barack Obama. Obama is currently on a ten-day vacation in Martha's Vineyard with the First ... More >>

Newsflash: Gay People on Government Payroll

image viaKathleen's little black book.​In a daring act of citizen-journalism, Kathleen Branson of Pacific has published a letter to the editor of the Washington Missourian purporting to out all the gays who work in President Obama's administration. "The following names are people who now have ... More >>

Tasteless Marketing Tweet of the Day, Courtesy of Barnes-Jewish Hospital

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Obama Signs House Bill, Now Health Care Reform Heads to Senate for Debate

cnn.comObama signs health care reform today in the presence of, Gary Coleman???​President Obama moments ago signed the House version of health care reform. At a signing ceremony this afternoon Obama stated: "It's been easy at times to doubt our ability to do such a big thing, such a complicated th ... More >>

Ass Clown of the Week: Radical Right-Wing Edition!

Which ass gets the hat?​Perhaps it was the presence in the Show-Me State this week of that good-fer-nothin', socialist Barack Obama, or maybe it was just that their haldol injections were wearing off. Whatever the case, Missouri's right-wing extremists were tripping over themselves this week for r ... More >>

Obama Visits St. Louis, Wishes it Were 2008 All Over Again

Claiming a burning need to get out of politics-obsessed Washington, President Obama visited St. Louis yesterday for a nice, relaxing chat about health care. After delivering his speech at St. Charles High School, the president dropped in at the Renaissance Grand Hotel downtown for a benefit for his ... More >>

At $50,000 for Seat to Obama's St. Louis Visit, Maybe There is a Way to Pay for Health Care

Will there be surf at fancy dinner? Will there be turf?​Barack Obama is headed to town next week for a March 10 fundraiser for Senator Claire McCaskill and ticket prices are all over the map to see the president.According to the AP, less affluent supporters can get a standing-room only ticket to a ... More >>

The Dive Bomber Cops Out at Area IV Station

I know nothing about cop culture. When I saw the name Area IV on the awning, my first thought was sci-fi dive. With enough alcohol the badges covering the wall above the bar might pass for something space-age.Really, they're just police badges from around the country, protected by little plastic sl ... More >>

The Ten Most Important St. Louis Restaurant Openings of the Aughts #10: Pi (2008)

​Pi (2008)Forget for a moment that then-Senator Obama declared Pi's pizza the best he'd ever eaten. Forget too that President Obama invited Pi owner Chris Sommers and staff to cook at the White House. Consider that in only two years, Pi's cornmeal crust recipe, though imported from San Francisco, ... More >>

About Those Terrorists Moving In Next Door

So you may have heard that Missouri will soon be getting some new neighbors. Yesterday, Illinois governor Pat Quinn received a letter from President Obama informing him that the terrorism suspects currently detained in Guantanamo Bay will be moved to a largely unused prison in Thomson Illinois, a fe ... More >>

Obama's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech (Graphic)

President Barack Obama was briefly in Oslo, Norway today to accept his Nobel Peace Prize. He gave a speech (transcript here). Below is an infographic that gives prominence to the words he used the most during his remarks.​After the jump is the same graphic, only comprised of the president's Decemb ... More >>

David Plouffe on the Audacious Presidential Campaign of 2008

​ ​During a flight leg in April, [campaign press secretary Robert] Gibbs tried to have a heart-to-heart with Obama. "Are you having any fun at all?" he asked him. "None," Obama flatly replied. "Do you see any way we can make it more fun?" Gibbs replied. "No." So writes President Obama' ... More >>

No Justice: We've bailed out the banks. When do we go after the crooks behind our financial collapse?

​ ​During a flight leg in April, [campaign press secretary Robert] Gibbs tried to have a heart-to-heart with Obama. "Are you having any fun at all?" he asked him. "None," Obama flatly replied. "Do you see any way we can make it more fun?" Gibbs replied. "No." So writes President Obama' ... More >>

Lawsuit Brought by Missouri "Birthers" Hinges on Kenyan Newspaper Article

A lawsuit brought on by Missouri state representatives Cynthia Davis (R-O'Fallon), Tim Jones (R-Eureka) and other "birthers" who believe President Barrack Obama was born overseas, hinges on an obscure Kenyan news report from 2004. As Fired Up! Missouri recounts today, the article appeared online in ... More >>

Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

​Socialist. Nazi. Fascist. President Barack Obama has another title to add to his resume: Nobel Peace Prize winner. Yes, this morning the Nobel Committee in Oslo, Norway, announced the selection of Obama "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between p ... More >>

WTF? Obama Wins NHL's Lady Byng Trophy, Too?

flickr.com/photos/brj_bringin_the_shit_up_in_here_bitchesThe Lady Byng Memorial Trophy would look swell on Unreal's desk, n'est-ce pas?​Unreal thinks we are just as worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize as President Obama. We have just as frequently expressed our support for world peace, though it's tru ... More >>

Pi Fight!

​RFT scribe Kristen Hinman has an interesting article on our food blog Gut Check about an ownership squabble at the popular Pi Restaurant -- a.k.a. Barack Obama's favorite pizzeria.Check out the details of the "Pi fight" here. 

The Morning Brew: Thursday, 9.10

​ President Obama endorses higher taxes on soda to help fund food stamps. (Kansas City Star)New FDA rule and reporting systems aims for contaminated food to be reported faster. (The Boston Globe)September 21 issue of The Nation focuses on food, with writings by Alice Waters and Michael Pollan ... More >>

Measured Thoughts on Obama's Health Care Speech

cnn.com​Did you watch President Barack Obama's speech last night to Congress? If not, you can view the entire 48-minute address here. Overall, I thought the president's plan seemed to make sense as well as address some of the sticking points conservatives have with the bill. But then, what do I kn ... More >>

Whoops! Four of the President's Men Burned by the Internet

Following a speech yesterday billed as an effort to brainwash the youth of this nation, but turned out to be nothing more than a harmless pep talk (how shocking!), President Barack Obama took time to answer questions from high school students in Arlington, Virginia. One of those questions came from ... More >>

Laura Bush Defends Obama's Right to Speak to School Children

Former First Lady Laura Bush sat down yesterday with CNN to discuss her husband's presidency and to comment on the first nine months of the Obama administration. Asked about all the fuss over the President Barack Obama's televised speech today to school children, Bush told CNN: "I think there i ... More >>

St. Louisan Looking for Cheap Health Care Ends Up In Mexico

toddalbert.comChina may be cheaper, but Mexico is closer...​Ahh, it's a beautiful sunny day and all is well and good in the anti-health-care heartland that is St. Louis. It seems like just yesterday that a few ass clowns were inciting a near-riot at a town hall meeting on health care and today com ... More >>

It's Official: Obama to Drink Bud Light at Today's Beer Summit

​Earlier this week we speculated on which brew President Barack Obama would enjoy at today's "Beer Summit" called to diffuse the tiff between Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cambridge police officer James Crowley.Gates is said to be partial to the Jamaican beer Red Stripe. While Crowley prefers microbre ... More >>

Obama Responds ... to the Daily RFT?

Last week we posted a short article asking readers their opinion on which of President Barack Obama's fashion statements was worse at the All-Star Game: his White Sox jacket or his creased, obamama jeans? Did the POTUS catch wind of our blog post? Perhaps. This week, Obama told an NBC reporter "I he ... More >>

I Blame the Demicrats!

So apparently we can all blame Barack Obama for the crappy non-tribute to Stan the Man. Due to the increased scheduling pressure Obama's appearance to throw out the first pitch put on everyone, it simply wasn't possible to fit in anything better for Musial. I've said it before, and I'll say it ... More >>

Which Obama Fashion Statement is Worse? His White Sox Jacket or His Creased Jeans?

You make the call! More photos of Obama's denim here.

All-Star Game Opening Ceremony Highlights for the ADD-Addled

Did the sweeping music of the All-Star game's opening ceremonies lull you to sleep? Did the "All-Stars Among Us" video bore you to tears, or just cause you to change the channel? Did all that talking by MC Joe Buck aggravate you? If so -- but you still want to catch up on a bit o' baseball history t ... More >>

There's No Crying in Baseball -- Just Try Telling that to the St. Louis Tea Party

Because they just haven't fussed enough this year, the St. Louis Tea Party -- the folks who brought you a rally at the Arch in February, an April protest at Kiener Plaza and the picketing of President Barack Obama's "100 Day" speech in Arnold -- now plan to bring their tear parade to the All-Star Ga ... More >>

President Obama to Throw Out First Pitch at All-Star Game

strictlyfitteds.comWe know who President Obama will be pulling for -- the American League. This just in from Major League Baseball: PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TO THROW OUT FIRST PITCH AT MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ALL-STAR GAMEObama to Become the Fourth U.S. President to Throw Out First Pitch at MLB All-Star ... More >>

The Morning Brew: Friday, 5.8

Margaret Hamburg, the Obama administration's nominee to head the FDA, has a positive reception before a Senate committee. (New York Times) The number of people facing hunger in the world will number one billion this year, according to a new report. (Bloomberg) KFC suspends its free chicken pro ... More >>

Live Blogging Obama's 100 Day Meeting at Fox High School

10:25: Hello everybody! Have a seat10:26: It's good to be out of Washington and back in the Midwest! Yes. I love you, too!10:27: Obama gives shouts out to Senator Claire McCaskill, Governor Jay Nixon, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, State Auditor Susan Montee, and everyone at Fox High School. Th ... More >>

Tea Party Organizers Plan to Crash Obama's "100th Day" Speech at Fox High School

Seriously. I'm dying for some tea. They're back!!!! So said the little girl in Poltergeist II.And just like ghosts, it seems these days you just can't keep conservative malcontents down. The St. Louis Tea Party Coalition, the group that organized a rally earlier this month in downtown's Kiener Plaza ... More >>

St. Louis' Afroworld Gets the CNN Treatment

Obama: Never out of fashion at Afroworld. CNN's John King visits North County's Afroworld hair and fashion boutique in an article on the network's Web site today. CNN reports that Afroworld owner Sheila Forrest continues to see a spike in business thanks to the sundry Barack Obama merchandise she ha ... More >>

Wednesday, March 25: Morning's Newz

They're back! Representatives with the St. Louis Cardinals and developer Cordish Co. were in Jefferson City yesterday pitching their latest proposal for Ballpark Village to the Missouri Development Finance Board. Last week the team unveiled temporary plans to turn the site into a softball field. But ... More >>

The Morning Brew: Thursday, 3.12

The Obama administration has selected former New York City health comissioner Margaret A. Hamburg to lead the FDA. (Washington Post)Why do we love salt? A new study suggests a new reason: It's an antidepressant. (BBC News)London renowned Fat Duck reopens after a mystery illness sickened 400 diners. ... More >>