Obama invokes JFK and his own Irish roots at White House bash

I note that the President specificaly states that they plant the shamrock rather than having it destroyed by the on security grounds. I still think they should roll it up into joints and hae a good blast. Like Pres. Clinton before him, he could then claim to have smoked but not inhaled.

I understand the logic it's the political realities that worry me. As long as governments are moral then you have little to fear, what happens when everyone is on these programs and the government entity wishes to change the rules. In a free society where the individual chooses their own products they have more control and ultimately more protection. Social security started as a safety net, a supplement for the elderly in their last few years of life. Where is it today, My parents got theirs back, I'll see little, my children will get to pay and get nothing. You hate insurance companies because they are big and unfeeling, Governments are bigger with more layers of red tape, don't pay your insurance and they cancel service, don't pay the government you end up in prison.

Searlit.... A belated "Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig" to you and yours. Its sad how some continue to stay in their echo chamber while so many have no healthcare or even worse after a lifetime of work lose it when they become sick. Then you have the Ryan plan which is a total joke and just delivers more old and fragile people to the will of the insurance industry.

BrianO....All industrialized nations, with the exception of the United States, implement some form of universal health care. Even Pope Benedict XVI called on world governments, at his international papal conference at the Vatican, to insure universal access to health care, which he described as an "inalienable right”. If it weren’t for the overt power and control of the insurance and financial lobbies in America all Americans would have had “universal Healthcare” decades ago.

You said it so well McNamara31!The trolls are made of clay with nothing to back up their depserately fabricated lies.

Can you imagine an 80 year old buying insurance? yes. I can also imagine a government controlled health care scheme denying an 80 year old any care, some bureaucrat will make the correct cold decision, by the numbers, go ahead trust the state. But remember you will be getting old too.

emal7717 states: (Obama) "hes a bloody god hating antichristian muslim".... and you are a "bearing false witness" Christian who loses all credibility when you post such trash. I would take another look at the existing GOP platform and see what they want to do with continued deregulation Wall St, revisions to Medicare and social programs which protect the elderly and tell me again that they're looking out for the middle class. They are looking out for the "very" wealthy and corporate interests as always. How about that voucher program they want to push on seniors that gives them apx $6000. to cover their medical costs in old age. Can you imagine an 80 year old cancer stricken retiree going from insurance co. to insurance co. trying to buy insurance with their GOP (Ryan Plan) sponsored voucher. That's the vision the GOP has for the middle class. So keep getting distracted by the Muslims type smears the GOP machine sends out all the while they’re stealing the future security of America’s middle class.

JFK was what today we would call a Libertarian. The one in the white house is the lowest of low when it comes to politics. In 2008 he said and I quote "If I put an apostrophe in my name does that make me Irish?" At that point he lost any respect that he may have had with me or my family. 1. He's not catholic and has done everything to hurt / injure / destroy the Catholic Church just like the Orangeman he is - but wait, hes not an orangeman, hes a bloody god hating antichristian muslim. 2. He is about as Irish as my brit ex-wife (bishop granted me an annulment thank god as she was one of those methodists who support lesbien priests). and 3. He didnt come to the continental US until he was in University. McNamara31 your full of it! the GOP isnt trying to destroy the middle class...its actually made up of you and me! regular people and just as the DNC has been co-opted so has the GOP. In reality there is little difference between rank and file Dems and Reps like us, its the politicians that need us at each others throats so that they cna remain in office giving big money to thier friends. Lets look at some simple issues...we can agree that welfare should not be for life, nor should it be gov. induced slavery...Regan created welfare to work that was embraced by both sides, 2 years of the dole, but durring that time you go to school and learn a trade (Anything wrong with that?) The gop is not "To hell with you" just more realistic by saying that we want a person to rise up and not be a slave for some politicianns political agenda! We are willing to help all we can to those who wish to get out of the welfare cycle! but with Socialist Democrat politicians who view that the only way to remain in power is to enslave the poor! this is a sick situation...

Fran Connor.. You just made JFK and the entire family turn in their graves. JFK and his ancestors would never consider themselves "Republican" style politicians of today. Today's GOP has a mentality that would have disgusted true Irishmen of his generation because true Irishmen had a belief in social justice for all. Your statement couldn't be further from the truth. The GOP/Conservative mindset of today is much aligned to that of the Nativist view that JFK's grandparents would encounter and they (Nativists) were hated by the Irish immigrants and their future generation. The first Irish immigrants built churches, schools and "yes" hospitals to provide healthcare for the poor. The first great Irish millionaires like John William Mackay in Virginia City treated his employees extremely well gave out 9 million in charity during his lifetime and created a pension style system for the elderly who had worked in the mines. Our Irish ancestors were in no way the "I've got mine" the hell with you, type of GOP politician destroying the middle class today. It’s a dishonor to their memory to say so.

Wasn't it JFK who said "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country"? He'd be a republican of libertarian today. This community organizer never worked a day in his life (until his present job), and he's still trying to vote "present" to this day. What an empty suit.

Hey hollabackgurl what does meanolgrouch mean by teabagger, seems like a slur about someones personal tendencies, but I guess hate speech is ok if aimed at dissenters. The ends justify the means right.

As a member of the GOP perhaps you could write to your party leader irishpjk and ask them to stop bringing their small government into people's bedrooms, sex lives and marriage agencies.

JFK would flip over knowing that Obama is turning this country into, this is not the Democrated Party of yesterday

Obama would claim a relationship with Jesus Christ if he thought he could get away with it.

Kennedy never blamed others for things that went wrong like Obama routinely. I heard today that he blames the Solyndra mess on the Republicans. Does this guy have any shame.