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Former President Barack Obama will be in Berlin on Thursday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and two young adults with ties to Chicago at the first international event of his Obama Foundation, as it happens, the same day President Donald Trump attends a NATO Summit in Brussels.

Obamas first post-presidential Foundation public event was the May 3 unveiling of the model of his Obama Center campus, to be built in Jackson Park.

The complex is projected to open in 2022, and Obama has been making the point that his Foundation is developing programs and events and is not waiting for the buildings to be constructed to get started. Empowering young leaders in various walks of life, not just politics or government, will be a central part of the Obama Foundation mission.

Merkel invited Obama to Germanys Kirchentag a festival marking the 500 years since the German Protestant Reformation before the November election, with the celebration to include other world leaders.

With Trump in Brussels at his first NATO Summit, and Obama in Berlin at the first international public event of his post-presidency, the split-screen potential on Thursday highlighting the contrast is almost certain.

On Thursday, Obama and Merkel will focus on civic engagement with two men and two women all in their 20s outdoors, at Berlins famed Brandenburg Gate, with the Foundation co-hosting the conversation titled, Being Involved in Democracy: Taking on Responsibility Locally and Globally.

This event is a way to make clear to the world that the Foundation plans to be very active internationally, the Obama Foundations Bernadette Meehan told me on Sunday.

And by bringing in the four young people, we really were trying to signal that the priority initially for the President and Mrs. Obama is to really try to get young people involved and give them a voice . . . and make them feel they are going to be a focus of the work the Foundation is doing, Meehan said.

In 2013, Obama became the fourth U.S. president to speak near the citys famous landmark, coming after Presidents John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.

However, in 2008, when then-Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., wanted to deliver a campaign speech from Brandenburg Gate, Merkel was cool to the notion of his using it for electioneering. Instead, he attracted a crowd of about 200,000 at the nearby Tiergarten, a major park in Berlin.

On Thursday, Obama and Merkel will discuss faith and government with the upcoming generation of young adults who include:

Sierra Sims, 24, a Dolton resident who teaches Social Studies to seventh- and eight-graders on Chicagos South Side at Providence Englewood Charter School while working on a masters degree from DePaul University in Educational Leadership.

Sims is a congregant at Trinity United Church of Christ, the church Obama and his family attended before quitting during the 2008 presidential campaign because of inflammatory comments from its then leader, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

Imani Abernathy, 26, is a musician and singer who volunteers with Chicagos HHW Vocal Arts Ensemble, an after-school program she participated in as a youth. Now employed at SMS Assist, she debuted recently at the ETA Creative Arts Foundation center on Chicagos South Side.

The two Germans are from Mannheim. One of them, Johannes Benedikt Wichtlhuber, 21, this fall will be a student at Northeastern Illinois University, 5500 N. St. Louis on the citys North Side.

The Foundation is headquartered in Hyde Park, and its international work will run out of its Washington branch office, steered mainly by Meehan, a former Foreign Service Officer who was a spokeswoman for Obamas National Security Council, and Ben Rhodes, who was Obamas deputy national security adviser.

A foundation source told me when it comes to Trump and Obama in Brussels and Berlin on Thursday, the only thing we told the Kirchentag was were looking to put on a pro-active positive agenda on behalf of the Foundation and talking about (Obamas) vision for what he and Mrs. Obama can do in the world.

Our only request was the conversation can go where it will, the source said, with the point being this was not set up as an event related to Donald Trump. We have our own message to talk about. Obama has been pretty clear he is not going to go around commenting on every single thing.

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Obama with Merkel in Berlin: Foundation's first international progam - Chicago Sun-Times

Its taken a while, but investigators from Freedom Watch have at last tabulated a final travel bill for former President Barack Obama, who made much use of Americas ultimate ride the magnificent, but pricey Air Force One. Through persistent efforts over the years, the watchdog group has done the math and figured the total cost for Mr. Obamas travel when in office. Its just short of $100 million.

We have carefully tracked the travel costs President Obama incurred, and we have an update. We have obtained records from the Secret Service and the Air Force in response to Freedom of Information Act requests that show Obama family travel cost taxpayers a grand total of $99,714,527, reports director Tom Fitton. Our nation has granted its presidents exquisite transport because we need for our leaders to be efficient and safe. However, we dont need for them to luxuriate on our tax dollars.

He is a precise investigator. The actual amount down to the last penny is $99,714,527 and 82 cents.

The bill is based primarily on the cost to operate Air Force One somewhere around $206,000 per hour, along with rental car fees, accommodations for personnel and other factors. Mr. Fitton has a few more information requests pending, primarily for Secret Service costs related to Mr. Obamas travel after he left office and ventured to California and then a private resort in French Polynesia for a month.

With that, the tab can be closed out.

For eight long years, the Obamas spent our tax dollars for a lavish jet-setting lifestyle. Many in the media only focus on President Trumps travel, but Barack Obama continues to cost taxpayers with his luxury travel, and we aim to document it. Of course, we are also actively tracking the travel expenses of President Trump, Mr. Fitton notes.

THE REAL REASON FOR EXTENDED TRUMP HATE

Several prominent columnists have already warned the liberal media and the Democratic Party to cut back on endless, negative news coverage about President Trump. Its simply unsustainable. And boring. Critics run out of insulting adjectives, scandals dry up, voters get weary. Enough already.

So why does the caterwaul continue, even as Mr. Trump approaches his sixth month in office? Its about money and momentum.

Lots of people on the Left are making money, buoyed by a level of anger and discontent among the Democrat base that has not been seen since the election of Abraham Lincoln, points out Thomas Lifson, founder of American Thinker.

Along with money and enthusiasm, the Blame Russia Strategy has created soaring expectations among the voter base that President Trump will be removed from office because the evidence of treason so far lacking just must be there, simply because they desire it so deeply. They see daily revelations in the mainstream media that have created an artificial atmosphere of certainty, Mr. Lifson continues.

The media they see never backtrack and apologize for their exaggerations and falsehoods. The drumbeat continues unabated, and the animal spirits of the mob exceed the ability of norms to moderate them.

MONEY WOES FADING

Americans are less worried about eight specific financial issues than they were last year, with concerns about some issues falling to their lowest levels in a decade or more, reports Justin McCarthy, a Gallup analyst.

U.S. adults are most concerned about not having enough money for retirement and not being able to pay medical costs of a serious illness or accident, with 54 percent saying they are very or moderately worried about each. These two concerns have typically been the most worrisome issues for Americans since Gallup began asking about the collection of eight financial worries in 2001.

Forty percent fret about maintaining their standard of living, down from 51 percent last year. Thirty one percent are concerned about paying normal bills, down from 41 percent, 26 percent worry about paying the rent or mortgage, down from 34 percent and 17 percent worry about credit card bills, down from 21 percent.

There are marked partisan perceptions, however. Republicans appear afloat with optimism, Democrats in the doldrums. See the numbers in the Poll du Jour at columns end.

THE GOP TREASURE CHEST

The Grand Old Party is a little grander this year. The Republicans National Committee has raised a tidy $51 million in 2017 thus far, plus there is zero debt and a healthy $41.4 million on hand following a few disbursements. Party leaders say the implications are positive, even dramatic.

The unprecedented fundraising by the RNC is due to one simple fact. Americans at every income level believe that the Trump administration, Republican House and Senate represents the single greatest moment in modern history to improve the lives of our citizens, said finance chairman Steve Wynn.

FOXIFIED

Fox News Channels chief political anchor Bret Baier has already been reporting live from Saudi Arabia this weekend to cover President Trumps first foreign trip, which has been spectacular so far.

On Monday in particular, Mr. Baier will anchor live from Riyadh, set to interview members of the Saudi Royal Family, key members of the Trump administration and Muslim leaders. Their reactions to Mr. Trumps presence in their nation should be interesting. And speaking of spectacular, first lady Melania Trump at home on the global stage has already garnered much positive press on her own.

POLL DU JOUR

45 percent of Republicans worry about having enough money for retirement; 58 percent of Democrats agree.

44 percent of Republicans worry about serious medical costs; 61 percent of Democrats agree.

34 percent of Republicans worry about normal health care costs; 42 percent of Democrats agree.

30 percent of Republicans worry about maintaining their standard of living; 48 percent of Democrats agree.

27 percent of Republicans worry about paying normal monthly bills; 34 percent of Democrats agree.

22 percent of Republicans worry about paying for their childrens college; 38 percent of Democrats agree.

Source: A Gallup poll of 1,019 U.S. adults conducted April 5-9 and released Friday.

Polite applause, chipper observations to jharper@washigntontimes.com

The rest is here:
Inside the Beltway: The final Obama travel tab on Air Force One reaches $100 million - Washington Times

Newsweek

Israelis worry Trump's changing stands look more and more like Obama's News & Observer Adler says he doesn't think Trump and his deal-maker reputation will prove any more effective than Obama was in bringing a resolution to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian standoff. For one, western logic simply won't change the minds of very ... White House: 'Look at the smiles' as Israel shakes off eight years of ObamaWashington Examiner Trump Brings Hope of Peace and Security For Israel Where Obama Couldn'tNewsweek all 959 news articles »

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Israelis worry Trump's changing stands look more and more like Obama's - News & Observer

Charlotte Observer (blog)

If Obama was king, what does that make Trump? Charlotte Observer (blog) His STOP resolution Stop This Over-Reaching President Act had 120 co-sponsors and charged President Obama with overstepping his bounds on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, immigration and welfare. It was too radical for then-Speaker ... Remember When Conservatives Were Mad About Obama Bowing to Saudi King? Well...Mediaite Partisans bend to label Trump's 'bow'CNN Saudis Rejoice Over 'Death' of Obama's PoliciesIsrael Today all 9 news articles »

Continued here:
If Obama was king, what does that make Trump? - Charlotte Observer (blog)

Former President Barack Obama seen in an image handcuffed before a judge and charged with illegal wiretapping President Donald Trump is fake and has been used in many fake news articles. The leaked photograph depicting Obama in handcuffs and facing charges of wiretapping Trump is a fake image that is being recirculated on social media to falsely claim Obama is being charged with Trumps allegations of wiretapping.

Trumps most striking claims to date are a series of tweets, accusing Obama of wire-tapping Trump Tower during the election. They were not backed up by any evidence. Where did this fake image originate this time?

On May 16, 2017, Daily USA Update published an article featuring a supposed leaked photograph depicting Obama handcuffed before a judge and facing charges that he wiretapped Trump. You can read the fake story below.

BREAKING: LEAKED PICTURE OF OBAMA BEING DRAGGED BEFORE A JUDGE IN HANDCUFFS FOR WIRETAPPING TRUMP

After Trump made it clear that Obama had illegally tapped the phones at Trump Tower, the FBI issued a warrant for his arrest. Since then, little has been heard from the former president other than a denial.

This morning, Obama was stopped at a checkpoint at Toronto International Airport, where he was trying to fly to an unknown destination under the alias Bruce Wilekenmeyer. The CRMP officer who stopped him recognized him beneath a fake mustache, took him into custody and turned him over to the US Embassy.

After a short transport back to Washington, Obama was brought before a special session of US District Court where he could be formally charged and ordered not to leave the country before being released into his attorneys custody.

A court reporter who also moonlights for Breitbart took great personal risk to snap this photo since there are no photographs, video recording or any other recording devices allowed in federal courtrooms unless specifically ordered by a judge.

Here are some examples of people sharing the fake image and news on social media.

Neither the image nor the claim were new in May 2017, according to Snopes. They were originally published in March 2017 by the fake news site Last Line of Defense, whose disclaimer reads as follows:

DISCLAIMER: Americas Last Line of Defense is a satirical publication that uses the imagination of liberals to expose the extreme bigotry and hate and subsequent blind gullibility that festers in right-wing nutjobs. We present fiction as fact and our sources dont actually exist. Names that represent actual people and places are purely coincidental and all images should be considered altered and do not in any way depict reality.

What did you think of the fake news about Obamas illegal wiretapping charges? Did you believe it or see people sharing it falsely on social media? Let us know in the comments section.

Photo Credit: Source

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Barack Obama Seen In Handcuffs For Charges Of Illegal Wiretapping Of Donald Trump Is Fake - Business 2 Community