Obama Watch: Week of March 15

Obama gets ready for St. Patty's Day; the First Lady promotes her initiative. Plus more!

Touting Health Care Reform - In an effort to trump up support for health care reform, President Obama traveled to Strongsville, Ohio, Monday to speak in front of a crowd at the Walter F. Ehrnfelt Recreation and Senior Center. Strongsville is where Natoma Canfield, a cancer patient who wrote to President Obama, lives. In her letter, Canfield said she was forced to give up her health insurance after it rose to $8,500 a year. The president returned to D.C. the same day and met with senior advisors in the Oval Office.

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Touting Health Care Reform - In an effort to trump up support for health care reform, President Obama traveled to Strongsville, Ohio, Monday to speak in front of a crowd at the Walter F. Ehrnfelt Recreation and Senior Center. Strongsville is where Natoma Canfield, a cancer patient who wrote to President Obama, lives. In her letter, Canfield said she was forced to give up her health insurance after it rose to $8,500 a year. The president returned to D.C. the same day and met with senior advisors in the Oval Office.

White House Meetings - On Thursday and Friday the president will attend meeting at the White House.

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Meetings - President Obama will attend meetings in the White House on Tuesday.

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration - On Wednesday, St. Patrick’s Day, the president will welcome Irish Prime Minister Taoiseach Brian Cowen to the White House. Obama will later attend a St. Patrick’s Day luncheon hosted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the Capitol, and in the evening, he and the first lady will host the Irish leader and his wife at the annual St. Patrick’s Day reception in the East Room. At the event, both leaders will deliver remarks and participate in a traditional Shamrock Ceremony.

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St. Patrick’s Day Celebration - On Wednesday, St. Patrick’s Day, the president will welcome Irish Prime Minister Taoiseach Brian Cowen to the White House. Obama will later attend a St. Patrick’s Day luncheon hosted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the Capitol, and in the evening, he and the first lady will host the Irish leader and his wife at the annual St. Patrick’s Day reception in the East Room. At the event, both leaders will deliver remarks and participate in a traditional Shamrock Ceremony.

Correspondents Dinner - Later on Wednesday, after the Irish celebrations, the President will attend the Radio and Television Correspondents dinner to be held at the Washington Convention Center. Vice President Joe Biden will serve as a guest speaker at the annual event.

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Correspondents Dinner - Later on Wednesday, after the Irish celebrations, the President will attend the Radio and Television Correspondents dinner to be held at the Washington Convention Center. Vice President Joe Biden will serve as a guest speaker at the annual event.

Sharing the Prize - Last week, the president announced the charities that will be receiving a slice of his $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize award. They include: the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund ($200,000), the College Summit ($125,000), the United Negro College Fund ($125,000), the Posse Foundation ($125,000), the Hispanic Scholarship Fund ($125,000) and AfriCare ($100,000). “These organizations do extraordinary work in the United States and abroad helping students, veterans and countless others in need,” Obama said.

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Sharing the Prize - Last week, the president announced the charities that will be receiving a slice of his $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize award. They include: the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund ($200,000), the College Summit ($125,000), the United Negro College Fund ($125,000), the Posse Foundation ($125,000), the Hispanic Scholarship Fund ($125,000) and AfriCare ($100,000). “These organizations do extraordinary work in the United States and abroad helping students, veterans and countless others in need,” Obama said.

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Criticism from Muslims - As the president gets ready for a trip to Indonesia, the nation that has the world’s largest Muslim population, some Muslims in the U.S. are speaking out. They say President Obama hasn’t lived up to the promise he made last year in Egypt to “seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world.” Obama “raised a lot of expectations with his very positive rhetorical outreach in the early months of his presidency,” spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Ibra

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Criticism from Muslims - As the president gets ready for a trip to Indonesia, the nation that has the world’s largest Muslim population, some Muslims in the U.S. are speaking out. They say President Obama hasn’t lived up to the promise he made last year in Egypt to “seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world.” Obama “raised a lot of expectations with his very positive rhetorical outreach in the early months of his presidency,” spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Ibra

Childhood Obesity - Later that day the First Lady, along with administration officials and Childhood Obesity Task Force members, will meet to discuss ways to fight the growing epidemic of childhood obesity. After launching Mrs. Obama’s Let’s Move campaign, the president created the Task Force to help put together an interagency coordinated plan to fight childhood obesity.

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In First Lady News… - First Lady Michelle Obama will speak in front of the Grocery Manufacturers Association Science Forum on Tuesday morning at D.C.’s Grand Hyatt hotel. During her remarks, Mrs. Obama will urge leaders to join her in the fight against childhood obesity by offering healthier food options.

Senate Spouses Lunch - Later in the day, Mrs. Obama will host an annual lunch for Senate spouses at the United States Botanic Garden.

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Let’s Move! Campaign - The First Lady will continue promoting her Let’s Move initiative Wednesday by taking part in Newsweek Magazine’s Executive Forum on childhood obesity called “Challenges and Ways to Promote Health and Wellness in America’s Communities.” She will participate in a question and answer session with Newsweek’s Editor, Jon Meacham at the Newseum in D.C.

Celebrating Mothers - Friday afternoon the first lady will host a Mother’s Day event in the White House’s East Room. The distinguished guests include former First Lady Rosalynn Carter and her granddaughter Sarah Carter, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Anne Eisenhower. In addition, spouses and mothers of troops and young women from Mrs. Obama’s mentoring program will attend with the notable women in their lives.

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Trip to Mexico - Mrs. Obama will travel to Mexico on her first official trip as First Lady without the president next month. According to the White House, the goal of the visit is to advance the professional interests of the neighboring nations. The short visit will take place from April 13 to April 15.

Upcoming Commencement Speeches - This upcoming Sunday, Mrs. Obama will give the commencement address at The George Washington University at their graduation ceremonies in D.C. Earlier this year, the First Lady said she would come and speak at the school provided the students and staff complete 100,000 hours of community service during the course of the school year. Mrs. Obama will also speak at the Anacostia Senior High School Commencement, a D.C. public school, on June 11.

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Graduation Speeches - The First Lady has been tapped to give three commencement addresses at ceremonies within the coming months. They include speeches at the historically Black University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff on May 8, George Washington University on May 16, and D.C.’s Anacostia Senior High School on June 11. Back in September, Mrs. Obama challenged George Washington’s students, faculty and staff to complete 100,000 hours of community service during the school year in exchange for her commencement address.