War On Christmas

Biden On START Treaty Vote: Don't Talk To Me About Christmas (VIDEO)

Rachel Slajda | December 16, 2010, 4:01PM

Vice President Joe Biden chimed in today after two Republican senators balked at the idea of having votes on the START treaty and other legislation either right before or after Christmas.

"Don't tell me about Christmas. I understand Christmas," Biden said in an interview today with Andrea Mitchell. "There's 10 days between now and Christmas. I hope I don't get in the way of your Christmas shopping, but this is the nation's business. National security's at stake. Act."

Watch:

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War On Christmas

Reid Responds To Kyl: 'I Don't Need To Hear Sanctimonious Lectures' About Meaning Of X-Mas (VIDEO)

Rachel Slajda | December 15, 2010, 2:45PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

After Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) accused Majority Leader Harry Reid of grinchery for suggesting that the Senate work the week after Christmas, Reid blamed Kyl's party for the delay that may push votes past the holiday.

"As a Christian, no one has to remind me of the importance of Christmas for all of the Christian faith, for all their families, all across America," he said. "I don't need to hear the sanctimonious lectures of Sen. Kyl and [Sen. Jim] DeMint to remind me of what Christmas means."

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War On Christmas

Inhofe: I Would Expect 'Holiday' Parade In Other States -- But Not Oklahoma (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | December 6, 2010, 1:31PM

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK)

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) appeared today on Fox & Friends, to elaborate on his decision to not attend the local "Holiday Parade Of Lights" in Tulsa, on the grounds that the organizers had officially removed "Christmas" from the table.

"But you know, this is a bigger picture," said Inhofe. "You look around the country, you see the atheist billboards, you see the New York school board saying you can't have a nativity scene but you can have a Muslim star, the North Carolina school board taking Christmas off the calendar.

"You know, I would expect it some other places, but not here in Oklahoma. So my decision was a personal decision. I'm not really boycotting it -- I'm just not gonna be there. To me, last time I checked, Gretchen, Christmas meant the birth of Jesus Christ, and that's what we're celebrating, that's what I'm celebrating, that's what my 20 kids and grandkids are celebrating."

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War On Christmas

Inhofe Won't March In 'Holiday Parade' Unless They Add 'Christmas' To Name

Jillian Rayfield | December 1, 2010, 12:14PM

Jim Inhofe

Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe (R) says he won't participate in Tulsa's annual Holiday Parade Of Lights until the "forces of political correctness" put "Christmas" back in the title. "I'm not going to ride in a Christmas parade that doesn't recognize Christmas," he said.

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Christmas

A Very Political Holiday

Christina Bellantoni | December 24, 2009, 4:45PM

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) offers family photos for Christmas.

Who wouldn't want Franni Franken's recipe for butternut squash?

Politicians have long sent out holiday cards fraught with meaning or smacking of reelection desires.

But with technology getting better every year, the offerings have improved to be a bit zanier, and a lot more personal.

From the Franken family's list of Thanksgiving favorites to posed photos, TPMDC collected a random sample of the funniest, wackiest and sweetest political holiday greetings we've seen so far and we're sharing them with you below.

If you've seen some we've missed, let us know and we'll post them this week.

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Roland Burris

Sen. Burris Blasts GOP In His Own Christmas Rhyme On Senate Floor

Christina Bellantoni | December 22, 2009, 12:04PM

Looks like Sen. Kit Bond isn't the only United States senator who likes to riff on "Twas the night before Christmas."

Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) had a bit of fun on the Senate floor today with his own version of the holiday rhyme, taking aim at Republicans and saying that a "good bill" would emerge from the health care debate.

We clipped the moment. Watch:

Christmas

Sen. Bond Makes Christmas Song In Honor Of CBO Score And 'Harry's Health Care Folly'

Christina Bellantoni | December 18, 2009, 5:44PM

Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO)

Sen. Kit Bond, retiring at the end of next year, tries out a Christmas limerick with an ode to "new taxes, levies and fees" and President Obama's "minions" in the Senate Democratic caucus.

Bond (R-MO) does his tune set to 'Twas the Night Before Christmas with such verse as "When out of the CBO there arose such a clatter/We knew the media would never ask what's the matter."

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White House

Obama's Favorite Gift Revealed In Oprah's Christmas Special, First Family Says Bo Obama Gets A Stocking

Christina Bellantoni | December 11, 2009, 11:50AM

President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Oprah Winfrey

"Christmas at the White House: An Oprah Primetime Special" will be light on news, but heavy on holiday cuteness, if the excerpts are any indication.

Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Productions just released a few choice bits of her exclusive interview.

She tells viewers in a preview:

"The President gave himself a grade. This was not about grilling the President, this was really about me wanting to come and experience Christmas at the White House - their first Christmas with them. So I wasn't here to grill him, I was curious as to what he thought he had done, what kind of job he thought he had done and ask him for his grade. You'll see what the grade is. The grade might surprise you."

(Obama graded himself as "passing" after he hit his first 100 days mark.)

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White House

A White House Christmas: 'Reflect, Rejoice, Renew'

Christina Bellantoni | December 2, 2009, 12:59PM

First Lady Michelle Obama

The theme of this year's White House Christmas is "Reflect, rejoice, and renew" and it's reflected in the refurbished ornaments festooned on the 18-foot tall White House Christmas tree.

First Lady Michelle Obama introduced the holiday decorations, which were inspired by the White House's "residential, warm atmosphere," her office said.

The 800 ornaments on display throughout the house and on the Christmas tree are from past administrations. They were sent out to communities to be personalized - with decopage and beading to reflect local landmarks and flavor.

The first lady said her favorite depicted Chicago's Lincoln Park zoo. The decorations included "natural materials" such as flowers, berries and dried roots from the White House kitchen garden.

Obama also announced a new "Feed a neighbor" initiative via Serve.gov to help fight hunger across the country.

The program would allow citizens to volunteer to help homebound seniors and start community gardens.

Obama encouraged giving to Toys for Tots and said she would personally deliver the toys collected at the White House to Quantico later this month.

She thanked the volunteers who put in more than 3,000 hours to flock the home, saying their work "has really transformed the White House." She noted that more than 50,000 visitors would take tours this season.