2012 Presidential Election

President Obama likes to say that our organization wasn’t hatched in the halls of Washington, but in living rooms and backyards here in Iowa. Four years ago, Barack Obama won our first-in-the-nation caucus, making history and setting him on his path to the presidency.

If you’re not from Iowa, or have never attended a caucus before, the process might be a bit confusing. Essentially, a caucus is a local group of party members and active citizens who pick a representative from their community to go to the state convention on behalf of a Presidential candidate. Because we know we’ll be working to re-elect President Obama, our work is more straightforward—we’re getting organized for the coming general election.

The 2012 Iowa caucuses will be held on January 3rd, 64 days from now. For much of the country, the caucuses will mark the first major electoral event of the 2012 campaign—the point where many Americans start paying attention to the race for the presidency for the first time. And it’s the point where, as a campaign, we’ll be shifting gears. Using the work we’re doing now as a foundation, we’ll be reaching out to even more voters, making even more phone calls, and knocking on even more doors.

Here in Iowa, we’re already building a strong grassroots campaign, and we’re counting on volunteers to come out and help shape the direction of the 2012 election.

Between now and caucus day, we’re keeping folks looped in on important dates and locations and other ways you can help out in the coming months. If you’re in Iowa, sign up here—and wherever are, you can keep up to date with what we’re doing on the ground by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.

Make sure you’re part of this campaign in your community: sign up to volunteer.

President Barack Obama talks with the media before signing an Executive Order directing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take action to help further prevent and reduce prescription drug shortages, protect consumers and prevent price gouging, in the Oval Office, Oct. 31, 2011. From left: pharmacy manager Bonnie Frawley from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Mass.; Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius; cancer patient Jay Cuetara from San Francisco, Calif.; and FDA Commissioner Peggy Hamburg. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Sometimes the most important component of a patient’s treatment is the type of medication they receive and the consistency at which they receive it. For some Americans, a change in their treatment regimen or a substitution of a medication can seriously threaten their ability to get better.

Between 2005 and 2010, the number of prescription drug shortages nearly tripled. While the FDA successfully prevented 137 drug shortages between January 1, 2010 and September 26, 2011, prescription drug shortages continue to threaten the health and safety of the American people. Today, too many people are waiting for their prescription to become available. Some are forced to switch from the medication they prefer, while others go without their medicine altogether. In some cases, drug shortages can even force people to stop a course of treatment before it finishes.

We cannot control the factors that cause these drug shortages. But we are committed to doing our part to counteract them. Which is why President Obama signed an Executive Order today that will lead to earlier FDA notification of any impending shortages for certain prescription drugs. Early notification can help prevent a shortage from becoming a crisis by allowing hospitals, doctors and manufacturers to take action to ensure medications remain available.

In addition, the President’s Executive Order will call on FDA to work with the Justice Department to examine whether “gray market” profiteers are responding to potential drug shortages either by hoarding medications or charging exorbitant prices. In recent months, we’ve heard reports of enormous markups such as a blood pressure medicine usually priced at $26 being sold for $1,200.  And under this Executive Order, the Justice Department will watch the market closely to make sure companies are not exploiting drug shortages to raise their profits at the expense of patients.

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Oval Office

12:50 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you all for being here.

The United States, I think rightly, takes pride on having the most innovative and most successful drug industry in the world, and as a consequence the health of a lot of people, both here in the United States and around the world, is actively promoted. But as we also know, occasionally there are problems in our manufacture and distribution of drugs and how accessible they are to people.

And recently, we have seen how the potential of drug shortages for vital drugs, including some cancers, can really have a adverse impact on patients and those who are caring for patients. Sometimes we run out of or run low on certain types of drugs, and that drives up prices and it increases patient risk.

And I've got a couple of people here beside me who have had to navigate this problem. Jay Cuetara knows what it's like. In August, the center where he was receiving chemotherapy ran out of the drug being used to treat his cancer. And when that happens, you have pharmacy managers like Bonnie Frawley who have to scramble to make sure that their patients can somehow find the lifesaving medications that are necessary.

So over the last five years, the number of these drug shortages has nearly tripled. And even though the FDA has successfully prevented an actual crisis, this is one of those slow-rolling problems that could end up resulting in disaster for patients and health care facilities all across the country.

Congress has been trying since February to do something about this. It has not yet been able to get it done. And it is the belief of this administration, as well as folks like Bonnie and Jay, that we can't wait for action on the Hill — we've got to go ahead and move forward.

So, as a consequence, I'm going to be signing an executive order today that directs the FDA to step up work to reduce the drug shortages and protect consumers. We'll still be calling on Congress to pass a bipartisan bill that will provide additional tools to the FDA and others that can make a difference. But until they act, we will go ahead and move.

As part of this, we're going to require that drug companies let us know earlier about the potential for drug shortages so that we can respond successfully. We're going to make sure that if we find out that prices are being driven up because shortages are being made worse by manipulations of companies or distributors, that we are making sure that we stop those practices. We're going to further empower the FDA and the Department of Justice to investigate any kinds of abuses that would lead to drug shortages.

So there's a combination of tools that are going to be contained in this executive order that can make sure that lifesaving drugs are available, and if we start seeing shortages, that we're able to catch those ahead of time so that Bonnie doesn't have to try to scramble as a pharmacy manager, and Jay, obviously, doesn't have to scramble as a patient.

This is something that needs to be done. I want to thank the leadership of both our FDA Administrator and our Health and Human Services Secretary for having done outstanding work in preparing this executive order. And again, I still urge Congress to move forward and build on this executive order so that we can provide even more tools for our agencies. And I want to thank Bonnie and Jay for being here and for helping inspire us to get this done.

All right. With that I'm going to sign this bill — or this executive order — excuse me.

(The executive order is signed.)

There you go. Thank you very much, everybody. Appreciate it.

Q Tony Blair — can you tell us anything about the meeting with Tony Blair this morning?

THE PRESIDENT: I enjoyed our meeting with Tony Blair.

Thank you, guys.

END
12:55 P.M. EDT

Last night, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcome area students and the children of military families to the White House for trick-or-treating.

Check out the video of the President and First Lady handing out cookies, White House M&M's and dried fruit mix to trick-or-treaters at the North Portico of the White House.

Click here to see the video.

The White House and the surrounding grounds are decorated in celebration of Halloween. As the trick-or-treaters made their way across the North Lawn to the North Portico they were entertained by the Marine Band playing Halloween music and spooked by in-costume actors from Washington-area theatres, brought together by theatreWashington.

Check out the White House Halloween recipes below.

The White House Sweet Dough Butter Cookie Recipe

1 lb Sugar                                                      1 tsp Vanilla
2 lbs Butter                                                    1 tsp Salt
3 Eggs                                                            3 lbs All Purpose Flour
                                                                       
Mix the butter and sugar till soft and well beaten. Then add eggs, vanilla, salt and half the flour. Beat on slow speed till mixed, then add the rest of the flour and mix until incorporated.

Push flat onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate overnight. Roll out to one quarter inch thick and cut out cookie shapes with cookie cutter.

Bake at 350F for 14 minutes and then allow to cool. 

Make Your Own Dried Fruit Mix

Dried Apples                                                             Dried Pineapple
Dried Apricots                                                           Dried Papayas
Dried Pears                                                              Dried Cherries
Dried Blueberries                                                    Banana Chips

Combine ingredients and serve.

National Security Advisor Tom Donilon hosted Iraqi National Security Advisor Falah al-Fayyadh at the White House today.  They held discussions to follow up on the productive Secure Video Teleconference last week between President Obama and Prime Minister Maliki.  The two national security advisors reaffirmed the common vision of a broad, deep strategic partnership between the United States and Iraq as embodied in the Strategic Framework Agreement.  The two held a far-reaching discussion of the elements of a fully normalized relationship between Iraq and the United States, including education, investment, and security.  And they committed to develop additional mechanisms to establish a continuous strategic dialogue between the United States and Iraq.

President Obama says that we can’t wait for Congress to take action to grow the economy and create jobs — and highlights actions he took to help families refinance their mortgages, put veterans to work, and lower the cost of student loans.

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WASHINGTON—In this week’s address, President Obama told the American people that we can’t wait for Congress to take action to grow the economy and create jobs, and highlighted the executive actions he took this week to help families save thousands of dollars by refinancing their mortgages, put veterans to work, and lower the cost of student loans.  The President continued to urge Congress to do its part and pass the American Jobs Act now, which will put more money in the pockets of middle class families, create jobs and strengthen our economy right away.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
Saturday, October 29, 2011

This week, a new economic report confirmed what most Americans already believe to be true: over the past three decades, the middle class has lost ground while the wealthiest few have become even wealthier.  In fact, the average income for the top one percent of Americans has risen almost seven times faster than the income of the average middle class family.  And this has happened during a period where the cost of everything from health care to college has skyrocketed.

Now, in this country, we don’t begrudge anyone wealth or success – we encourage it.  We celebrate it.  But America is better off when everyone has had the chance to get ahead – not just those at the top of the income scale.  The more Americans who prosper, the more America prospers.

Rebuilding an economy where everyone has the chance to succeed will take time.  Our economic problems were decades in the making, and they won’t be solved overnight.  But there are steps we can take right now to put people back to work and restore some of the security that middle-class Americans have lost over the last few decades.

Right now, Congress can pass a set of common-sense jobs proposals that independent economists tell us will boost the economy right away.  Proposals that will put more teachers, veterans, construction workers and first responders back on the job.  Proposals that will cut taxes for virtually every middle class family and small business in America. These are the same kinds of proposals that both Democrats and Republicans have supported in the past.  And they should stop playing politics and act on them now.

These jobs proposals are also paid for by asking folks who are making more than a million dollars a year to contribute a little more in taxes.  These are the same folks who have seen their incomes go up so much, and I believe this is a contribution they’re willing to make.  One survey found that nearly 7 in 10 millionaires are willing to step up and pay a little more in order to help the economy.

Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress aren’t paying attention.  They’re not getting the message.  Over and over, they have refused to even debate the same kind of jobs proposals that Republicans have supported in the past – proposals that today are supported, not just by Democrats, but by Independents and Republicans all across America.  And yet, somehow, they found time this week to debate things like whether or not we should mint coins to celebrate the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Meanwhile, they’re only scheduled to work three more weeks between now and the end of the year.

The truth is, we can no longer wait for Congress to do its job.  The middle-class families who’ve been struggling for years are tired of waiting.  They need help now.  So where Congress won’t act, I will.

This week, we announced a new policy that will help families whose home values have fallen refinance their mortgages and save thousands of dollars.  We’re making it easier for veterans to get jobs putting their skills to work in hospitals and community health centers.  We reformed the student loan process so more young people can get out of debt faster.  And we’re going to keep announcing more changes like these on a regular basis.

These steps will make a difference.  But they won’t take the place of the bold action we need from Congress to get this economy moving again.  That’s why I need all of you to make your voices heard.  Tell Congress to stop playing politics and start taking action on jobs.  If we want to rebuild an economy where every American has the chance to get ahead, we need every American to get involved.  That’s how real change has always happened, and that’s how it’ll happen today.

Thank you.

Our economy is struggling. Our infrastructure is failing. Millions of Americans are out of work, many of them for longer than six months.

That’s why President Obama introduced the American Jobs Act.

The proposal includes funds to retain and hire teachers and keep first responders on the job. It invests $50 billion in infrastructure projects to modernize our roads, railways, and airports, which will create hundreds of thousands of jobs. It offers tax breaks to small businesses to encourage hiring, and payroll tax cuts for 98 percent of businesses to put more money in everyone’s pockets. It will help connect unemployed workers with pathways back to work.

We’ve created an interactive state-by-state map to show how the American Jobs Act will affect your state, including how many teaching jobs it will create, how much money will be invested in infrastructure projects, and the number of unemployed workers who will be connected with jobs. Check it out and see why we can’t wait to pass the American Jobs Act.

The deadline to apply for a spring internship at our Chicago headquarters is right around the corner. As you put the finishing touches on your application, here’s what a few of our current HQ interns had to say about their experiences working with the campaign:

“I’m so humbled to be able to contribute to a movement that is bigger than myself. Every day I walk into the office and I am energized by the passion that each person has to re-elect this President.”

—Chris

“Seeing pieces come together from so many departments is a pretty unique experience. Interning at HQ is a great opportunity to learn from the best in modern campaigning and understand everything that goes in to producing such a huge nationwide field program.”

—Janice

“I love just being here. I get to wake up every morning, come in and not only observe a professional operation and a groundbreaking grassroots-fueled campaign, but I get to take part in it. I get to work with these great minds, these brilliant writers, and these incredible organizers.”

—Aaron

“If you’ve ever wanted to make a difference in the world, this internship will give you that opportunity. Every task and project you work on in our campaign HQ is in some way, shape, or form related to re-electing the President, which to me is the most important work in the world.”

—Nico

Interested in joining us? Get your application in by November 1st and you could be advising future interns this time next semester.

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by Tropical Storm Lee during the period of September 1-5, 2011.

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Tropical Storm Lee in the parishes of East Feliciana, Jefferson, Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, Terrebonne, and West Feliciana. 

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. 

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named William J. Doran III as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. 

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT:  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@DHS.GOV