In the remarks usually delivered on a Saturday, Obama said the first family will have the same kind of holiday experienced by millions of Americans -- filled with friends and relatives, good food and football.
"And just as folks have done in every Thanksgiving since the first, we'll spend some time taking stock of what we're thankful for: the God-given bounty of America and the blessings of one another," the president said.
He called for Americans to think about those less fortunate and saluted the "countless" Americans serving their country and communities, from soldiers on guard around the world to volunteers at local soup kitchens and food pantries.
On Wednesday, the first family spent an hour handing out Thanksgiving dinner packages to people at Martha's Table, a local aid organization.
Such service is "emblematic of what Americans have always done," Obama said in his weekly address.
"We come together and do what's required to make tomorrow better than today," he said. "That's who we are."
That means supporting the nation's soldiers and working together to help spur faster economic recovery from the recession, he said.
"But we won't do it as any one political party," he said. "We've got to do it as one people. And in the coming weeks and months, I hope that we can work together, Democrats and Republicans and independents alike, to make progress on these and other issues."
Noting his scheduled meeting on Tuesday with congressional leaders from both parties, Obama said it was time for "a real and honest discussion -- because I believe that if we stop talking at one another and start talking with one another, we can get a lot done."
"For what we are called to do again today isn't about Democrats or Republicans," he said. "It's not about left or right. It's about us. It's about what we know this country is capable of. It's about what we want America to be in this new century."
November 25, 2010The Case for Ratifying New Start
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bill clinton newt gingrich sarah palin al sharpton bill oreilly
A decorated flight nurse who had been dismissed under the "don't ask, don't tell" military policy, will be reinstated with the U.S. Air Force, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington announced Tuesday.
The ACLU of Washington represented Maj. Margaret Witt in a four-year-long lawsuit seeking her reinstatement.
In September, the U.S. District Court for Western Washington ordered the Air Force to reinstate Witt. The court found that Witt's sexual orientation does not negatively impact unit morale or cohesion. On Tuesday, the Justice Department filed an appeal of that ruling, but it is not seeking a stay of the order to reinstate Witt, clearing the way for her to rejoin the service.
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Debra Ginsberg isn't related to Allen, but the poet once told her she could call him her "uncle."
hillary clinton george w bush nancy pelosi harry reid john mccain
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in an interview on "The View" that Kim is generating these kinds of high-profile and dangerous confrontations to coincide with the ascension of his 27-year-old son to power.
Mullen said the United States is working with its South Korean and Japanese allies and also looking to China to exert its influence. The State Department said Wednesday that the administration wants China to restrain the North from further provocative acts. Spokesman P.J. Crowley, calling China "pivotal," said U.S. diplomats sent the message to Chinese officials in Washington and Beijing that the country has to make clear to Pyongyang that its actions are not acceptable.
The deadly strike on the tiny island came just six weeks after the North Korean leader unveiled his youngest son Kim Jong Un as his heir apparent. Analysts described the attack, which followed a claim that the country has a new uranium enrichment facility, as a cry for attention at a critical juncture.
Recent reports show the damage on the South Korean side to be worse than previously thought. Rescuers found the burned bodies Wednesday of two civilians. That was after two South Korean marines were killed and nearly 20 people were injured.
As South Korean troops remained on high alert and buildings continued to burn, a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group set off for Korean waters. President Obama called South Korean President Lee Myung-bak Tuesday night, saying the U.S. would work with the international community to strongly condemn the attack.
The White House said the two presidents agreed to hold combined military exercises and enhanced training in the days ahead to continue the close security cooperation between the two countries.
Obama described North Korea's attack as a "provocative" show of force that "needs to be dealt with."
"This is a -- just one more provocative incident in a series that we've seen over the last several months," Obama said in an interview with ABC, adding that he will be consulting with South Korea's president about their response. "We strongly condemn the attack, and we are rallying the international community to put pressure on North Korea."
He wouldn't comment on the likelihood of military action, but called it "a serious and ongoing threat that needs to be dealt with."
Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., ranking Republican on the House intelligence committee, said the strike and its timing raises "serious questions" about Kim's succession.
"Could the increase in high-profile attacks by North Korea in advance of Kim's expected succession by his son Kim Jong Un signal a period of increased hostility on the peninsula?" Hoekstra said in a statement. "Will there be more deadly, unprovoked attacks leading up to and following his ascension to power?"
That possibility had many leaders calling Tuesday for tough action against North Korea.
Hoekstra urged the United Nations Security Council, which is set to hold an emergency meeting, to "condemn this attack in the strongest terms."
South Korea's president called for "enormous retaliation" in the wake of the clash. While pushing for "peace and stability" in the region, the White House also vowed to stand by its ally and labeled North Korea's attack an "outrageous act."
The attack on the island of Yeonpyeong was the latest in a series of provocations from the Communist country. South Korean officials said the North launched the attack after warning the country to halt military drills in the area.
A senior U.S. military official told Fox News the attack was nevertheless "unprovoked."
"No one is interested in escalating this, but we are taking this very seriously," the official said.
It's unclear whether there were any casualties on the North Korean side. There are about 28,000 U.S. military personnel in South Korea.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
fox news hamid karzai barak obama hillary clinton george w bush
Continuing a decades-old White House tradition, President Obama issued pardons Wednesday to a gobbler named \"Apple\" and its alternate, \"Cider.\' The two 21-week-old, 45-pound turkeys were raised on a California farm.<\/p>', 'alt': 'Pardons Apple the Thanksgiving Turkey.jpg', 'source':'Fox News'} , {'title': 'Apple the Thanksgiving Turkey at the White House..jpg', 'media': {'m': 'http://a57.foxnews.com/static/managed/img/Politics/660/500/Apple the Thanksgiving Turkey at the White House..jpg', 'tm': 'http://a57.foxnews.com/static/managed/img/Politics/60/60/Apple the Thanksgiving Turkey at the White House..jpg'}, 'imgUrl': '/static/managed/img/Politics/Apple the Thanksgiving Turkey at the White House..jpg', 'orginalImg': {'width': '1022', 'height': '774'}, 'description': '
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