The Final State of the Union
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Summary:
This week, something happened that hasn't happened since 1997 (hint: it's about jobs), the Vice President participated in #ThrowbackThursday, the Press Secretary surprised a few folks by inviting them to dinner with the President, and the President strolled down Main Street, grabbing some iced tea, touring an antique watch shop, and chatting with local residents along the way. Check out what else you may have missed in this week's wrap up.
This week, something happened that hasn't happened since 1997 (hint: it's about jobs); the Vice President participated in #ThrowbackThursday; the Press Secretary surprised a few folks by inviting them to dinner with the President; and the President strolled down Main Street, grabbing some iced tea, touring an antique watch shop, and chatting with local residents along the way.
Check out what else you may have missed in this week's wrap up.
53 Straight Months of Job Growth
It's the first Friday of the month, so you know what that means. (Or you might not -- that's ok, too.) It's Jobs Day, and we saw another month of encouraging trends in the labor market.
In July, the private sector gained 198,000 jobs, and total job growth has exceeded 200,000 jobs for six straight months -- the first time that has happened since 1997. And we've seen 53 straight months of job growth, which is the longest streak on record.
VP at 26
You might have seen #Bornin88 on Twitter these past few days and wondered what it all means. Well, if you were born in 1988 and are no longer on your parents' health insurance, you might be eligible for the Special Enrollment Period through HealthCare.gov.
The Vice President got in on the fun, with a #TBT to when he was 26.
BBQ, Iced Tea, and the Economy
President Obama just got back from Kansas City, Missouri, where he grabbed BBQ with some letter writers, picked up an iced tea at Parkville Coffee, and chatted with employees at Peddlers Wagon, a quilt and gift shop.
At Arthur Bryants: "He's so handsome, oh my God!" a woman exclaimed. "I'm paying for her food," Pres Obama said. pic.twitter.com/B1f1EtYrvm
— petesouza (@petesouza) July 30, 2014
As the President took a walk down Main Street (literally), visiting storefronts and chatting with local residents, we got it all on video -- we think you'll want to see this:
And in the middle of meeting with everyday folks and chowing down on BBQ, the President spoke to a fired-up crowd about the progress our economy has made since he took office and how Republican obstructionism in Congress is hurting hard-working Americans.
"Come on and help out a little bit," the President said. "Stop being mad all the time. Stop just hatin' all the time…Let’s get some work done together."
Dinner with the President?
Ahead of the President's trip to Kansas City this week, White House Press Secretary and Kansas City native Josh Earnest picked up the phone, called a few people in the area, and invited them to dinner with the President.
The reactions of both the Press Secretary and the folks he was calling are pretty great -- you'll want to check this one out:
Africa's Next Generation of Leaders
On Monday, President Obama hosted a town hall with 500 of Africa's most inspirational and promising young leaders. The participants are in the Washington Fellowship program, which is part of the President Obama's Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), created by the President in 2010. These young leaders came from all over Africa to the United States to gain new skills, expand their networks, and strengthen the connections between the United States and Africa.
Despite the challenges that Africa faces, the President told the crowd that they should be optimistic about the trajectory of their countries: "The great thing about being young is you are not bound by the past, and you can shape the future."
