Tag: White House

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6 Years Ago Today: Marriage Equality Becomes The Law Of The Land

Six years ago today the United States Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal across the nation

Six years ago today, the United States took a huge leap forward in equal rights for all when the Supreme Court ruled that marriage equality was a constitutional right.

And just like that, my marriage was valid and equal to all.

Easily one of the most impactful, emotional days of my life. I will never be able to articulate the emotions that came over me in the minutes, hours, days after the news was announced.

And then, just to put the cherry on top of the sundae, the White House celebrated the occasion awash in the colors of the LGBT rainbow.

Still so far to go, but it’s important to slow down for a second and remember the good days.

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Biden Hosts LGBTQ Leaders: ‘Pride Is Back At The White House’

President Biden celebrates the passage of his $1 trillion infrastructure bill
President Biden hosted leaders from the LGBTQ community at the White House in honor of Pride Month
President Joe Biden (screen capture)

It was an LGBTQ kind of day at the White House today as President Biden hosted a reception for LGBTQ leaders in honor of Pride Month.

From the Washington Blade:

President Biden commemorated Pride Month for first his year in office on Friday with a reception at the White House, detailing the initiatives his administration has made on behalf of the LGBTQ community and declaring “Pride is Back at the White House.”

“We’re also making progress, but I know we still have a long way to go, a lot of work to do,” Biden said. “We must protect the gains we’ve made and fend off the cruel and unconscionable attacks that we’re seeing now to ensure the full promise of dignity and equal protection.”

Joining Biden on stage for the reception in the East Room was first lady Jill Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who could claim historic status of participating in the event as the first openly gay official to obtain Senate confirmation for a Cabinet-level role.

Biden was introduced by Ashton Mota, a 16-year-old transgender advocate from Lowell, Mass., and a leader with the GenderCool Project.

During his remarks, Biden’s made note of the recent spate of state laws targeting transgender youth, including restricting their access to transition-related health care and schools sports. Biden called the bills “nothing but bullying disguised as legislation.”

Biden also named Jessica Stern, currently executive director of OutRight Action International, as a special diplomatic envoy at the State Department for LGBTQ rights. Her responsibilities will include ensuring that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect LGBTQ rights around the world.

Additionally, Biden signed into law a congressional resolution designating the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, as a national memorial. On June 12, 2016, the club was the site of the deadliest attack on the LGBTQ community in U.S. history when Omar Mateen opened fire on club goers killing 49 people and wounding 53 more.

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Newsmax Criticizes First Dog Champ As “Rough” & “Unpresidential”

Newsmax anchor Greg Kelly calls First Dog Champ "rough" and "junkyard"

Newsmax anchor Greg Kelly calls First Dog Champ "rough" and "junkyard"

Newsmax host Greg Kelly and a guest on his show on Friday criticized the appearance of First Dog, Champ, prompting a wave of criticism and ridicule on Twitter. Kelly said that Champ, a German Shepherd, looks like he’s “from the junkyard.”

“This dog looks like, I’m sorry, like it’s from the junkyard,” Kelly said.

He even had presidential historian Craig Shirley on during the segment who remarked Champ looks “dirty and disheveled” and “unlike a presidential dog.”

This is what they spend time on at Newsmax?

For the record, Champ is a 12-year-old German Shepard the Biden’s adopted when Joe was Vice President. I’m a dog guy, and Champ looks pretty fantastic for a 12-year-old.

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Melania Dragged For Maskless White House Christmas Tour

First Lady Melania Trump with children wearing face masks at the White House

First Lady Melania Trump is probably very happy to be done with her last Christmas in the White House.

Yesterday, her official Twitter account shared a short video showing her showing the White House decorations to young children (all wearing face masks) while she didn’t bother to wear a mask even though that’s the official position of the CDC.

That, plus the leaked audio of a conversation with a former aide where she complained about having to oversee the holiday decor of the White House (“Who gives a f*ck about Christmas stuff and decoration…?”), is probably the most transparent perspective we’ll have of the soon-to-be-former First Lady.

Twitter wasn’t amused.

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Trump Threatens To Not Leave White House On Inauguration Day

Donald Trump
Donald Trump (photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr – CC License)

With the Electoral College affirming the results of the 2020 presidential election this week, followed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell recognizing President-elect Joe Biden as the winner, one might think Donald Trump would begin to accept the reality that his time in the White House is coming to an end.

But…no.

From CNN:

Yet even amid the intractable movement of the transition and the hurried lame-duck activity — some of which he is participating in himself — Trump is steadfastly refusing to acknowledge that he lost.

In his moments of deepest denial, Trump has told some advisers that he will refuse to leave the White House on Inauguration Day, only to be walked down from that ledge. The possibility has alarmed some aides, but few believe Trump will actually follow through.

“He’s throwing a f***ing temper tantrum,” an adviser said. “He’s going to leave. He’s just lashing out.”

The White House declined to comment for this report.

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White House To Be ‘Sanitized’ After Trump’s Departure

(photo via Flickr/WhiteHouse)

Acting in response to the dozens of coronavirus infections that have occurred in the Trump administration, Team Biden plans on a heavy-duty scrub-down of the White House before taking up residency.

From Politico:

The team only plans to have a skeleton staff working on campus at first, with most continuing to work remotely from home. They also plan to have the building — which has seen numerous virus outbreaks among staffers and top officials this year — meticulously sanitized.

That includes plans to “thoroughly clean and disinfect” all furniture, doorknobs, handrails and light switches, before Biden and his team move in. Additionally, a private contractor will provide “disinfectant misting services” to clear the air of lingering droplets.

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Melania Trolled For Lackluster Renovation Of WH Rose Garden

(images via the official Twitter account of the First Lady)

First Lady Melania Trump proudly tweeted photos of the White House Rose Garden today.

From NBC News:

The White House Rose Garden has been spruced up in time for its moment in the campaign spotlight. First lady Melania Trump will deliver her Republican National Convention speech Tuesday night from the garden, famous for its close proximity to the Oval Office.

The three weeks of work on the garden, which was done in the spirit of its original 1962 design, were showcased to reporters on Saturday. White House officials said the renovations were paid for by private donations. They declined to reveal the cost of the work.

The location of the first lady’s speech will be just one of the ways that the Republican National Convention will break with political norms.

Many folks on Twitter were aghast that the First Lady ripped out all of the color and 12 mature crabapple trees that were planted by First Lady Jackie Kennedy.

I’m not one to attack presidential spouses, but the results are less than “better.”

In addition to the first lady’s convention speech, Donald Trump will deliver his address Thursday night from the White House’s South Lawn, where a stage was being constructed over the weekend.

Federal rules prohibit the White House from being the setting for expressly political events, but when did Trump ever care about “rules?”

NBC News reports that the trees that were removed will, thankfully, be replanted elsewhere.