Obama's C-SPAN Interview Video

Obama gives an example of "empathy" (one of the things Obama wants in a judge), citing the Lilly Ledbetter case.
In her case, Ledbetter was obviously wronged by Goodyear. For years she wasn't paid on par with her male counterparts.
But the judges ruled against her saying she didn't file a case soon enough. But since salaries were kept private, Ledbetter didn't know she was underpaid. Except for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and three others, the judges ruled against Ledbetter. Was justice done? Was the person who was wronged made whole? No. Ginsberg had enough empathy (as a woman) to know who was wronging who.

Even when unequal pay is discovered, she wrote, women may be reluctant to go to federal court over small amounts: "An employee like Ledbetter, trying to succeed in a male-dominated workplace, in a job filled only by men before she was hired, understandably may be anxious to avoid making waves."

Ginsburg's empathetic statement added that "the same denial of relief" would apply to those alleging discrimination based on race, religion, age, national origin or disability. WaPo

Ledbetter inspired Obama's equal pay bill.
Obama also says the Obamas think of themselves like any other family. The White House has been terrific for family life, he said. "We also happen to be blessed by two almost perfect children."

He calls the presidency a great privilege.

Getting a Good Seat at Obama's Speech to Congress

"There's something majestic about the President of the United States" (even though some can't stand his policies). Eliot Engel, a democrat who likes the president's policies, explains why congresspeople line up early to shake the president's hand. Obama will speak at 9 pm eastern.  Supreme Courters get reserved seating. Others getting good seats with Michelle Obama: 8th-grader Ty’Sheoma Bethea, Leonard Abess Jr., a banker in Miami who shared $60 million in profits with his employees, Geneva Lawson, one of Abess' employees, and Lilly Ledbetter.

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Robert Gibbs Press Briefing Jan. 29

The White House is posting all of Robert Gibbs press briefings. Here's the one from yesterday:

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
2:12 P.M. EST

MR. GIBBS: All right, sorry I'm both late and early, all at the same time. (Laughter.) And I --

Q Even the Clinton White House has never done that -- to be late and early. (Laughter.)

MR. GIBBS: Let me apologize in advance. My five-and-a-half-year-old has a cold; therefore, I have a cold. So if I sniff a little bit, it's because of that.

Just a couple of quick things, and we'll get into your questions. In addition to the calls that he made yesterday to foreign leaders, he also called last night Prime Minister Aso of Japan. Also, in addition to later last night, the President signed disaster declarations for both Arkansas and Kentucky and spoke with both of the governors of those two states to notify them of those signatures.

You all, I hope, were at the Lilly Ledbetter signing this morning, so you know a little bit about that.

And then -- and we'll try to conclude this at an appropriate time -- at 3:00 p.m., the President will take a group of you into a meeting with the President and Treasury Secretary Geithner. I know the President is anxious to make a few remarks there about some -- about stuff that's been in the news the last couple of days, and particularly stuff that was on the front page of our newspapers this morning relating to CEO bonuses, which he will get into at that -- at those remarks.

And with that, let me take a few questions. Jennifer.

Q News-of-the-day question -- the military judge's ruling in the USS Cole suspect case at Guantanamo. We'd like a comment on that, first of all, but also kind of the bigger picture. I mean, you guys have asked for a delay in all the trials there. Does this throw a kink into that? How does it affect the broader effort to step back and take a look at those detainees?

MR. GIBBS: Well, let me --

Q Repeat the question, because we can't hear with the --

MR. GIBBS: Oh, I'm sorry, with the new Zamboni? (Laughter.)

Q Repeat the question.

MR. GIBBS: Yes, the question related to -- come on in, guys. (Laughter.) All right. All right. No more -- the place is now sold out, so no more tickets.

This was -- Jennifer asked a question about the ruling that just came down, which did not grant a stay for the military commission in one case. We just learned of the ruling here, as you did, and we are consulting with the Pentagon and the Department of Justice to explore our options in that case. I believe that all the other trials were stayed, which I think continues to give us what we need to evaluate who is at Gitmo and make the decisions commensurate with the executive order that the President signed.

But we are -- we're working to get some consultation on that, and when we have some we'll certainly let you know about that.

Q Just to be clear, what you're saying is that this -- the action in this one case you don't believe throws a kink into the ability to evaluate the entire situation --

MR. GIBBS: No, not at all.

Q -- and the status of detainees there?

MR. GIBBS: Not at all.

Yes, sir. Read the rest here.

Obama Signs Lilly Ledbetter Inspired Bill

Lilly Ledbetter, who has fought for equal pay for women, was a regular during the campaign. Obama often talked about her struggle and Ledbetter made a commercial for Obama. She also went along on the Whistle Stop tour as Obama made his way to inauguration.
McCain opposed the fair pay for women. Don't ask me why.
Here's what Obama said:

It is fitting that with the very first bill I sign - the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act - we are upholding one of this nation's first principles: that we are all created equal and each deserve a chance to pursue our own version of happiness.

It is also fitting that we are joined today by the woman after whom this bill is named - someone Michelle and I have had the privilege of getting to know for ourselves. Lilly Ledbetter didn't set out to be a trailblazer or a household name. She was just a good hard worker who did her job - and did it well - for nearly two decades before discovering that for years, she was paid less than her male colleagues for the very same work. Over the course of her career, she lost more than $200,000 in salary, and even more in pension and Social Security benefits - losses she still feels today.

Now, Lilly could have accepted her lot and moved on. She could have decided that it wasn't worth the hassle and harassment that would inevitably come with speaking up for what she deserved. But instead, she decided that there was a principle at stake, something worth fighting for. So she set out on a journey that would take more than ten years, take her all the way to the Supreme Court, and lead to this bill which will help others get the justice she was denied.

Because while this bill bears her name, Lilly knows this story isn't just about her. It's the story of women across this country still earning just 78 cents for every dollar men earn - women of color even less - which means that today, in the year 2009, countless women are still losing thousands of dollars in salary, income and retirement savings over the course of a lifetime.

But equal pay is by no means just a women's issue - it's a family issue. It's about parents who find themselves with less money for tuition or child care; couples who wind up with less to retire on; households where, when one breadwinner is paid less than she deserves, that's the difference between affording the mortgage - or not; between keeping the heat on, or paying the doctor's bills - or not. And in this economy, when so many folks are already working harder for less and struggling to get by, the last thing they can afford is losing part of each month's paycheck to simple discrimination.

So in signing this bill today, I intend to send a clear message: That making our economy work means making sure it works for everyone. That there are no second class citizens in our workplaces, and that it's not just unfair and illegal - but bad for business - to pay someone less because of their gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion or disability. And that justice isn't about some abstract legal theory, or footnote in a casebook - it's about how our laws affect the daily realities of people's lives: their ability to make a living and care for their families and achieve their goals.

Ultimately, though, equal pay isn't just an economic issue for millions of Americans and their families, it's a question of who we are - and whether we're truly living up to our fundamental ideals. Whether we'll do our part, as generations before us, to ensure those words put to paper more than 200 years ago really mean something - to breathe new life into them with the more enlightened understandings of our time.

That is what Lilly Ledbetter challenged us to do. And today, I sign this bill not just in her honor, but in honor of those who came before her. Women like my grandmother who worked in a bank all her life, and even after she hit that glass ceiling, kept getting up and giving her best every day, without complaint, because she wanted something better for me and my sister.

And I sign this bill for my daughters, and all those who will come after us, because I want them to grow up in a nation that values their contributions, where there are no limits to their dreams and they have opportunities their mothers and grandmothers never could have imagined.

In the end, that's why Lilly stayed the course. She knew it was too late for her - that this bill wouldn't undo the years of injustice she faced or restore the earnings she was denied. But this grandmother from Alabama kept on fighting, because she was thinking about the next generation. It's what we've always done in America - set our sights high for ourselves, but even higher for our children and grandchildren.

Now it's up to us to continue this work. This bill is an important step - a simple fix to ensure fundamental fairness to American workers - and I want to thank this remarkable and bi-partisan group of legislators who worked so hard to get it passed. And this is only the beginning. I know that if we stay focused, as Lilly did - and keep standing for what's right, as Lilly did - we will close that pay gap and ensure that our daughters have the same rights, the same chances, and the same freedom to pursue their dreams as our sons.

Thank you.

Obama gives his signing pen to Lilly:

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Michelle and Lilly's remarks today:

Whistle Stop Events in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Wilmington

Updates 1-17:

See video of Baltimore speech

See video of Delaware speech

See video of Philadelphia speech. 

Update: See new events added below.
From a new PIC media guide, here are some details on the train trip that the Obamas and the Bidens will take:

Whistle Stop Tour: President-elect Obama, Vice President-elect Biden and their families will travel—via railroad—to Washington, DC on Saturday, January 17, hosting events along the way in Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore. The trip marks the final leg of a journey that began on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Illinois and will culminate on the steps of the United States Capitol.

In keeping with the theme of the 2009 Inauguration, “Renewing America’s Promise,” the President-elect and Vice President-elect will hold events in some of the cities instrumental to that promise: Philadelphia, where that promise was realized; Baltimore, where that promise was defended, then immortalized in our national anthem; and Washington, where Americans of all backgrounds will gather over four days, united in common purpose and resolved to renew that promise once more.

Throughout the trip, the Obamas and the Bidens will be joined by Americans from across the country who have been chosen to participate in the historic journey.

Philadelphia 30th Street Station

Where:
North Waiting Room, 30th Street Station, Philadelphia, PA

When:
Doors Open – TBA
Program Begins – 10:05 AM

Who:
President-elect Obama, Mrs. Michelle Obama and Malia and Sasha Obama, , Mark Dowell, Crestwood, KY; Matt Kuntz, Helena, MT; Jim and Alicia Girardeau, Kansas City, MO; Juliana Sanchez, Albuquerque, NM; Rosa Mendoza, Las Vegas, NV; Lisa Hazirjian, Cleveland, OH; Kirsten Meehan, Dover, NH; Roy Gross, Taylor, MI; Shandra Jackson, Arlington, TX; Quincy Lucas, Dover, DE; Patricia Stiles, Parker, CO; Gregg Weaver, Fairless Hills, PA; Tony Fischer, Cinncinati, OH; Lilly Ledbetter, Jacksonville, AL; Mike and Cheryl Fisher, Beech Grove, IN; and Randy Wehrman, LeClair, IA. 

Wilmington, DE

Where:
Back of Wilmington Train Station, 100 South French Street, Wilmington, DE

When:
Doors Open – 9:30 AM
Program Begins – 1:00 PM

Who:
President-elect Obama, Vice President-elect Biden and their families , Mark Dowell, Crestwood, KY; Matt Kuntz, Helena, MT; Jim and Alicia Girardeau, Kansas City, MO; Juliana Sanchez, Albuquerque, NM; Rosa Mendoza, Las Vegas, NV; Lisa Hazirjian, Cleveland, OH; Kirsten Meehan, Dover, NH; Roy Gross, Taylor, MI; Shandra Jackson, Arlington, TX; Quincy Lucas, Dover, DE; Patricia Stiles, Parker, CO; Gregg Weaver, Fairless Hills, PA; Tony Fischer, Cinncinati, OH; Lilly Ledbetter, Jacksonville, AL; Mike and Cheryl Fisher, Beech Grove, IN; and Randy Wehrman, LeClair, IA.

Baltimore, MD

Where:
War Memorial Plaza, 101 N. Gay St., Baltimore, MD

When:
Doors Open – 1:00 PM
Program Begins – 4:15 PM

Who:
President-elect Obama, Vice President-elect Biden and their families, Mark Dowell, Crestwood, KY; Matt Kuntz, Helena, MT; Jim and Alicia Girardeau, Kansas City, MO; Juliana Sanchez, Albuquerque, NM; Rosa Mendoza, Las Vegas, NV; Lisa Hazirjian, Cleveland, OH; Kirsten Meehan, Dover, NH; Roy Gross, Taylor, MI; Shandra Jackson, Arlington, TX; Quincy Lucas, Dover, DE; Patricia Stiles, Parker, CO; Gregg Weaver, Fairless Hills, PA; Tony Fischer, Cinncinati, OH; Lilly Ledbetter, Jacksonville, AL; Mike and Cheryl Fisher, Beech Grove, IN; and Randy Wehrman, LeClair, IA.

To see the complete guide for official events Jan. 17-21, go here.
The citizens joining the Obamas and the Bidens on the ride:
One of them is Lilly Ledbetter, who fought for equal pay at her job.

Appealing to the middle class and voters struggling against challenging economic circumstances was a central plank in President-elect Barack Obama ’s winning coalition. The Obama team continues to emphasize that theme with a carefully assembled group of passengers joining him and Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. on a ceremonial train ride from Philadelphia to the nation’s capital to kick off inauguration weekend.

The guests are drawn heavily from swing states in the Midwest and Mountain West that Obama carried in the election, such as Indiana, Ohio, Nevada and New Mexico. And they represent more than just the geographic diversity of Obama’s political coalition. There is an Army gunner, a lesbian, a single mom, a Mexican immigrant, a Teamsters Union member and a registered Republican, among others.

Nearly all were selected thanks to encounters they had with Obama or Biden on the campaign trail in 2008. The campaign used their stories in its outreach to voters, as it sought to demonstrate the ticket’s connection to everyday American experiences and temper Obama’s “rock star” image.

Notably absent: Anyone from traditional liberal bastions such as California, New York and Massachusetts, nor from other large population centers such as Florida or the president-elect’s home state of Illinois. CQ Politics

Obama's rail car:

The rail car President-elect Barack Obama will ride to Washington for his inauguration contains the trappings of a fine hotel or yacht, with painted walls, cherry wood, brass Pullman lamps and modern amenities for a comfortable ride.

The Georgia 300, a shiny blue car built in 1930, can hold six to eight people comfortably for Saturday's ride from Philadelphia. The leased car is plush and upholstered with a kitchen and two living areas as well as a bedroom and dinning room.

"It is modernized and upgraded, but it doesn't show that," said Jack Heard, who owns the rail car. "It still displays the grandeur of the 1930s."

The car was first built by Pullman Standard for the Southern Railway, when the car was known as the General Polk and used by railroad officials. P-I

Here's a video of the car:
Added events from PIC:

In addition to those stops, the train will also “slow roll” through Claymont, Delaware, and Edgewood, Maryland, so that more Americans will have the opportunity to witness the President-elect and Vice President-elect make their way to Washington, D.C. Typically, a “slow roll” means the train will slow significantly, but not come to a complete stop.

At the events in Wilmington and Baltimore, canned food drives will take place as part of President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden’s national service initiative. The PIC is asking those attending the Wilmington event to bring along a can of food, which will be delivered to a local food bank. In Baltimore, event attendees are asked to contribute canned goods at Camden Yards, in a receptacle at the corner of Baltimore Street and Calvert Street.

Philadelphia, PA (Event)

Who: President-elect Obama and his family, and everyday Americans traveling on the Whistle Stop Tour

Where: North Waiting Room, 30th Street Station, Philadelphia, PA

Event Begins: 10:15 AM

Public Access: Tickets are required to attend and have been distributed to the public

Public Entrance: 1 North 30th Street

Public Parking: Available on site for a fee

Restricted Items: Please see list of restricted items below



Claymont, DE (‘Slow Roll’)

Who: General public

Where: Entrance at Governor Printz Extension and Chapel Avenue

Public Access: Event is free and open to the public

Public Parking: Available next to the site and at Archmere Academy, 3600 Philadelphia Pike

Doors Open: 9:15 AM

Press Logistics:

- Press entrance is at Marion Avenue and Myrtle Avenue (there is no street address)
- Preset at 7:00 am. Site closed from 8:00 am until doors open at 9:15 am
- Satellite truck parking at entrance. Staff will be on site to direct where to go upon arrival
- Need 400 feet of running cable if need to go live

- Credentials issued on-site

Restricted Items: Please see list of restricted items below



Wilmington, DE (Event)

Who: President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden and their families, and everyday Americans traveling on the Whistle Stop Tour

Where: Back of Wilmington Train Station, 100 South French Street, Wilmington, DE

Doors Open: 10:30 AM

Program Begins: 1:00 PM

Public Access: Event is free and open to the public. Food and hot coffee will be provided.

Public Entrance: 100 S. French Street (Entrance at Market St. and MLK Blvd.)

Public Parking: Available in the surrounding area

Restricted Items: Please see list of restricted items below

The United Way and the Delaware Food Bank are organizing the food drive. Event attendees are suggested to bring canned food (only) to be dropped off at the following locations:

- Barclays Parking Lot

- Orange & 5th St. Parking Lot



Edgewood, MD (‘Slow Roll’)

Who: General public

Where: Entrance is at Old Edgewood Road (off of US Rt. 40, 2127)

Doors Open: 12:00 PM

Public Access: Event is free and open to the public

Public Parking: Parking is available next to the site and at Edgewood High School, 2415 Willoughby

Beach Road. Shuttle buses will be available to and from the high school beginning at 12:00 PM.

Press Logistics

- Press entrance is at Edgewood Station, 2127 Old Edgewood Road (off of US Route 40)
- Preset at 9:00 AM. Site closed from 10:00 AM until doors open at 12:00 PM
- Need 200 feet of running cable if need to go live
- Plenty of parking for press vans, trucks, etc.
- Credentials issued on-site

Restricted Items: Please see list of restricted items below



Baltimore, MD (Event)

Who: President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden and their families, and everyday Americans traveling on the Whistle Stop Tour

Where: War Memorial Plaza, 101 N. Gay St., Baltimore, MD

Doors Open: 1:00 PM

Event Begins: 4:15 PM

Public Access: This event is free and open to the public. Food and hot coffee will be provided

Public Entrance: 101 N. Gay Street

Public Parking: General Parking available at Camden Yards Sports Complex for $5.00. Transportation using Light Rail to Baltimore Street Station for a fee.

Note: Extremely cold weather is predicted. The Baltimore Heath Department has provided the public with tips to stay warm and safe: http://www.baltimorehealth.org.

Obama on the Cover of Ms. Magazine

Obama - the new feminism? Ms. Magazine, co-founded by Gloria Steinem, puts Obama on the cover of its special inaugural edition.
From the current issue of the magazine, Lilly Ledbetter's bill passes the House. Obama spoke of Ledbetter often during the campaign (he supported her original fair pay bill, McCain did not) and she will join Obama on the Whistle Stop Tour, the train ride to inauguration:

Ms.: In an outstanding victory for women's rights, the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act were the first bills to pass the House in the new legislative session. The Paycheck Fairness Act passed with a 256-163 vote and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act passed with a 247-171 vote.

The Paycheck Fairness Act passed the House in the last Congress, but was never sent to the Senate floor. It will deter wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act and by barring retaliation against workers who disclose their wages.
This Ledbetter Act passed the House in the previous Congress, but Republicans filibustered the bill and prevented a vote in the Senate. It corrects the Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire Rubber Co., Inc. Supreme Court decision (see PDF) that gutted the ability of women workers to sue for wage discrimination.

Ledbetter worked for Goodyear for 19 years before discovering that she was paid significantly less than her male counterparts with the same or less experience. The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the complaint had to be filed within 180 days of the initial salary decision even if the victim is unaware of the discrimination until much later.

Obama on Government Valuing Families

It starts with women, he said. Yes, it does.

Obama was a supporter of the fair pay Lilly Ledbetter restoration act for women. McCain was opposed to it. Obama said McCain said the problem with women is they need more education to earn fair pay. McCain said: the act "opens us up to lawsuits for all kinds of problems." Women earn 77 cents for every $1 that a man earns. In Lilly's case, she was getting significantly less pay than her male counterparts. The wage gap has nothing to do with a lack of education and everything to do with an old fashioned system that valued men as the breadwinners.