Harry Truman sunbathing on the presidential yacht during his vacation in Bermuda:

Harry Truman sightseeing while on his yacht during his Bermuda vacation:

Richard Nixon and Dwight Eisenhower sharing a moment at Camp David:

John F. Kennedy chilling on a boat off Cape Cod:

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Before:

Via: thisistwitchy.files.wordpress.com

After:

Via: @USTreasury

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Via:

Via: Evan Vucci / AP

Via: KEVIN LAMARQUE / Reuters

Via: KEVIN LAMARQUE / Reuters

Via: KEVIN LAMARQUE / Reuters

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Via:

In an interview Monday, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor of Virginia, E. W. Jackson, defended controversial comments he has made about gays and comparisons he drew between the Klu Klux Klan and Planned Parenthood.

"The main similarity, which I will continue to propound is that the moral dilema that both pose is very similar," Jackson told conservative talk radio host Bryan Fischer. "The justification for slavery is in a sense the same as the justification for unfettered abortion, which is, the victim is not a real person, he's not a human being and therefore has no rights that we are bound to respect."

Later, Jackson declined to back off his views of what Fischer said was "the normalization of homosexuality."

"Part of this is really an attempt to deny us our First Amendment rights of freedom of religion," Jackson said.

"Look, sure, people could debate about whether I've always said things as artfully as I might have. As a minister I say things to have an impact on people. To have them confront the truth which doesn't always work unfortunately in the political sphere but the truth is the truth," Jackson said.

Lyndon B. Johnson sings with his grandson and his dog Yuki:

Lyndon B. Johnson, his grandson, and Yuki swim in the White House swimming pool:

Richard Nixon's dogs King Timahoe, Vicky, and Pasha look out of a White House window:

Bill Clinton takes his cat Socks for a walk:

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Via:

Herbert Hoover with his son at a railroad station:

Via: arcweb.archives.gov

FDR and his family pose for a photo in the White House:

via The National Archives

Via: arcweb.archives.gov

Harry Truman with his daughter before a White House reception:

via The National Archives

Via: arcweb.archives.gov

Dwight Eisenhower and his family watch TV in the White House:

via The National Archives

Via: arcweb.archives.gov

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Here is Nadler's exchange with Mueller:

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h/t to CNET who orginally reported the exchange.

The statement that a single analyst can eavesdrop on domestic communications without proper legal authorization is incorrect and was not briefed to Congress. Members have been briefed on the implementation of Section 702, that it targets foreigners located overseas for a valid foreign intelligence purpose, and that it cannot be used to target Americans anywhere in the world.

Office of the Director of National Intelligence Public Affairs Office

Via: dni.gov

Via: Chris Wattie / Reuters

Former DNC chairman and Democratic Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe wrote in his 2007 book What A Party that former Palestinian National Authority president Yasser Arafat rubbed his leg awkwardly and kissed him on the lips at a dinner in 2000 hosted by his friend Hani Masri, a Palestinian-American businessman. McAuliffe describes being uncomfortable at the gestures.

The passage reads:

Hani invited Dorothy and me to join six other guests at the Prime Rib to meet Arafat and discuss issues. When Arafat arrived at the restaurant, Hani had him sit right next to me. We talked about what was happening in the Middle East and Arafat had all kinds of questions about U.S. politics and of course about Bill Clinton. The dinner soon became somehow comical for me. Arafat would get very animated when he spoke and every time he was making a point, he would lean over and rub my leg under the table. He'd be saying something to the whole table full of people and then would look right at me, emphasizing a point, and rub up and down my leg. That is not something men normally do to me when I sit down for dinner with them. I just couldn't visualize my friend ariel Sharon rubbing my leg when I talked to him.

Dorothy went the whole meal laughing at how uncomfortable I obviously was. She knew this was unique for me given my Irish Catholic heritage. What would the nuns at St. Anns think? As interested as I was in the conversation, after a while it started getting awkward having my leg rubbed so much and I looked forward to the end of the meal. Finally it was time to go and as we stood up to shake hands Arafat laid a big ole wet kiss right on my lips. I wasn't ready for that one.

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"The President of the United States has missed another opportunity to unify this nation instead of dividing. When he said to a reporter's question if I 'if I had a son he would look like Trayvon,' instead of saying 'Trayvon is an American. He has lost his life. This is a tragic incident and we don't know the facts, let's withhold judgement. But let's all come together to help all of our young people who are dying of suicide, drug addiction, gang violence. Let's come together for all of them regardless of their color. He used this as opportunity instead to divide us by race."

Via:

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Via:

"If you want know how the Obama Adminstation is trying to make us a secular country and ban all public attention to religion you can read my new book."

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Via:

Rove in the report:

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Via:

The whole report:

Source: youtube.com

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Via:

Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley, one of the harshest critics of the National Security Agency's domestic spying program, skipped a briefing with Obama administration officials on NSA's PRISM program, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Merkley has emerged as one of NSA's most vocal critics, joining Wyden and a handful of libertarian Republicans in vocally criticizing its sweeping domestic surveillance activities — and an alleged lack of transparency with Congress.

"We just have learned about called PRISM, I had no idea about, I don't know how many people knew about it in Congress, but I suspect a very small number on the intelligence committees," Merkley said during a recent appearance on Now With Alex Wagner. "And so when the President says all, I think he said all members of Congress, or full disclosure to all your members, well I think very small number of Senators and Congressman have full the details on these programs."

During another appearance on The Rachel Maddow Show last week Merkley said he had "I think very few ever heard of, I certainly never heard of it" adding later he had not been briefed on the program.

But Merkley could have been briefed — if he'd stayed in a November meeting.

According to a source close to the situation, the Nov. 27 briefing, arranged by Sens. Ron Wyden and Mark Udall, included then-Assistant Attorney General for National Security Lisa Monaco, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, DNI General Counsel Bob Litt, and NSA General Counsel Rajesh De.

The source said that while attendees waited for Merkley before beginning the meeting, the liberal Democrat made only a brief appearance before excusing himself and then going on MSNBC's Hardball.

Merkley's office acknowledged the lawmaker missed the meeting but insisted he remains deeply troubled with NSA's activities.

"Sen. Merkley is deeply concerned about the privacy of American citizens and the scope of government data collection, and has sought out various information in that regard," a spokesman for Merkely said. "In this case, Sen. Merkley thought the meeting would be on an area that he had already been briefed on, and when conflicts arose he missed the meeting."

Another aide familar with the meeting told BuzzFeed "there was no reason for the Senator to believe this was going to be a meeting about this new wide-ranging surveillance program."

"How was it that all of Congress was briefed if the only way Sen. Merkley could have known about it was a meeting held by special request?" the aide added.

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In a 2011 interview, Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe faulted Virginia for not bidding on his car company GreenTech Automative when he decided to build a plant for his company in Mississippi over Virginia.

"We don't bid on big car plants here and shame on us," McAuliffe said in response to a question about his company's plant being located in Mississippi. "You gotta incentivize. Mississippi gave me 200 free acres, they gave me tax incentives, they gave me the infrastructure to lead into the factory. This is what states do all over the country."

The comment stands in contrast with an April 2013 interview with Virginia NBC affiliate reporter Ryan Nobles, when McAuliffe was asked whether the state was in error for not offering an "incentive package" to build their plant there. "No, I never blamed Virginia," he said. "I live here, I want all future jobs here." NBC12 has done an extensive series on McAuliffe ties to GreenTech.

The independent fact-checking site Politifact said in a post in December "contrary to McAuliffe's claim, there is no evidence the state agency decided not to bid on the project."

McAuliffe's comment to NBC12 in April:

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Via:

Via: Cliff Owen / AP

Former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton may be keeping mum about the Obama administration's latest domestic spying scandal, but in the past the potential Democratic presidential candidate has taken vastly different positions on government's ability to monitor private citizens.

Throughout her career Clinton has found herself on both sides of the security fence: railing and voting against Bush-era spying efforts as a senator while working with those same programs as a member of Obama's inner circle.

For instance in August 2007, during the midst of presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton voted against the Protect America Act. That amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), lead to the NSA to begin their data collection program known as PRISM. Later, after Clinton had dropped out, she voted against the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 which allowed the NSA to collect phone records while giving immunity to cooperating telecom companies.

"I believe strongly that we must modernize our surveillance laws in order to provide intelligence professionals the tools needed to fight terrorism and make our country more secure," Clinton said in a statement on why she voted against the FISA Amendments Act. "However, any surveillance program must contain safeguards to protect the rights of Americans against abuse, and to preserve clear lines of oversight and accountability over this administration."

"Congress must vigorously check and balance the president even in the face of dangerous enemies and at a time of war," Clinton continued. "That is what sets us apart. And that is what is vital to ensuring that any tool designed to protect us is used and used within the law for that purpose and that purpose alone."

Clinton used the issue of mass surveillance as a fundraising tool during her presidential campaign as well, citing in one email "a secret program that spies on Americans!" to attack the Bush Administration.

Clinton, attacked the Bush Administration for warrantless surveillance and lack of Congressional oversight throughout her time in the Senate arguing in a 2006 speech that "the FISA courts have a proven track record of being able to protect our security and privacy simultaneously."

Clinton added that "the answer to this delicate security dilemma is neither blank checks nor blanket opposition; it is to use the judicial and legislative mechanisms we have to build a consensus about what is necessary, what is legal, and what is effective."

During her time in the Obama administration, however, Clinton oversaw the State Department's involvement in a host of intelligence programs, including PRISM.

The Washington Post reported Monday the FISA Court approves 99.97% of government's requests for warrants.

Belgium

Source: webmedia.newseum.org

Brazil

Source: webmedia.newseum.org

Canada

Source: webmedia.newseum.org

Iceland

Source: webmedia.newseum.org

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