UPDATE: White House Lock Down Not Confirmed After Man Throws Firecracker Over Fence

UPDATE2: A man lit a firecracker and throws it over the white house fence. Can't confirm lock down.

UPDATE: No shooting at White House. Bystanders say a man threw a lit firecracker over the fence and was tackled.

**BREAKING NEWS**

According to reports the White House has been put in lock down after two loud pops and a man tackled.

The President's Schedule Today

President Barack Obama waits as he is introduced for an event honoring the recipients of the 2011 National Medal of Science and National Medal of Technology and Innovation, in the Blue Room of the White House, Feb. 1, 2013. A bust of Christopher Columbus is seen at right. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

7:00 AM	The Vice President will meet with French President François Hollande Local Event Time:  1:00 PM
10:15 AM	The President departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews South Lawn
10:30 AM	The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route Minneapolis, Minnesota Joint Base Andrews
11:15 AM	The Vice President and Dr. Biden arrive in London at London Stansted Airport Local Event Time:  4:15 PM London Stansted Airport
1:00 PM	The President arrives Minneapolis, Minnesota Local Event Time:  12:00 PM CST Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
1:30 PM	The President participates in a discussion with local leaders and law enforcement officials Local Event Time:  12:30 PM CST Minneapolis Police Department Special Operations Center
2:30 PM	The President delivers remarks on a comprehensive set of commonsense ideas to reduce gun violence Local Event Time:  1:30 PM CST Minneapolis Police Department Special Operations Center
3:35 PM	The President departs Minneapolis, Minnesota Local Event Time:  2:35 PM CST Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
5:45 PM	The President arrives Joint Base Andrews
6:00 PM	The President arrives the White House South Lawn

President's Schedule For Today

April 24, 2012

"We were backstage at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill for the President's appearance on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.' The President let out a big laugh as he was being briefed by the producers and Mr. Fallon on the 'Slow Jam the News' segment." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

10:30 AM	The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing Oval Office
11:45 AM	The Vice President meets with advocates for sportsmen and women and wildlife interest groups as part of the Administration’s effort to develop policy proposals in response to the tragedy in Newtown Eisenhower Executive Office Building
1:30 PM	The President makes a personnel announcement East Room
1:45 PM	The Vice President meets with representatives from gun owners’ groups
6:00 PM	The Vice President meets with representatives from the entertainment industry

President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney

President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney talk in the Oval Office following their lunch, Nov. 29, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Bo Inspects the 2012 White House Holiday Decorations

First Lady Michelle Obama Receives the 2012 White House Christmas Tree

The official White House Christmas tree, a 19-foot Fraser Fir, arrives in a horse-drawn carriage at the North Portico of the White House, Nov. 23, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

On November 23rd, First Lady Michelle Obama greeted the official White House Christmas Tree, which arrived via horse-drawn carriage. Daughters Sasha and Malia and First Dog Bo also helped welcome the tree. 

This year’s official tree is a 19-foot Fraser Fir that was selected in early October and harvested this month at Peak Farms in Jefferson, North Carolina. It will be displayed throughout the holiday season in the Blue Room. Members of the National Christmas Tree Association have presented the official White House Christmas Tree for display in the Blue Room each year since 1966.

First Lady Michelle Obama, with daughters Sasha and Malia, and the family dog Bo, receives the official White House Christmas tree at the North Portico of the White House, Nov. 23, 2012. The tree, a 19-foot Fraser Fir from Jefferson, N.C., arrived in a horse-drawn carriage. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Presidential Proclamation -- Thanksgiving Day, 2012

(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

THANKSGIVING DAY, 2012

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

On Thanksgiving Day, Americans everywhere gather with family and friends to recount the joys and blessings of the past year. This day is a time to take stock of the fortune we have known and the kindnesses we have shared, grateful for the God-given bounty that enriches our lives. As many pause to lend a hand to those in need, we are also reminded of the indelible spirit of compassion and mutual responsibility that has distinguished our Nation since its earliest days.

Many Thanksgivings have offered opportunities to celebrate community during times of hardship. When the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony gave thanks for a bountiful harvest nearly four centuries ago, they enjoyed the fruits of their labor with the Wampanoag tribe -- a people who had shared vital knowledge of the land in the difficult months before. When President George Washington marked our democracy's first Thanksgiving, he prayed to our Creator for peace, union, and plenty through the trials that would surely come. And when our Nation was torn by bitterness and civil war, President Abraham Lincoln reminded us that we were, at heart, one Nation, sharing a bond as Americans that could bend but would not break. Those expressions of unity still echo today, whether in the contributions that generations of Native Americans have made to our country, the Union our forebears fought so hard to preserve, or the providence that draws our families together this season.

As we reflect on our proud heritage, let us also give thanks to those who honor it by giving back. This Thanksgiving, thousands of our men and women in uniform will sit down for a meal far from their loved ones and the comforts of home. We honor their service and sacrifice. We also show our appreciation to Americans who are serving in their communities, ensuring their neighbors have a hot meal and a place to stay. Their actions reflect our age-old belief that we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, and they affirm once more that we are a people who draw our deepest strength not from might or wealth, but from our bonds to each other.

On Thanksgiving Day, individuals from all walks of life come together to celebrate this most American tradition, grateful for the blessings of family, community, and country. Let us spend this day by lifting up those we love, mindful of the grace bestowed upon us by God and by all who have made our lives richer with their presence.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 22, 2012, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage the people of the United States to join together -- whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place of fellowship for friends and neighbors -- and give thanks for all we have received in the past year, express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own, and share our bounty with others.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

Remarks by President Obama at the University of Yangon

Rangoon, Burma

2:39 P.M. MMT

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Myanmar Naingan, Mingalaba!  (Laughter and applause.)  I am very honored to be here at this university and to be the first President of the United States of America to visit your country.

I came here because of the importance of your country.  You live at the crossroads of East and South Asia.  You border the most populated nations on the planet.  You have a history that reaches back thousands of years, and the ability to help determine the destiny of the fastest growing region of the world.

I came here because of the beauty and diversity of your country.  I have seen just earlier today the golden stupa of Shwedagon, and have been moved by the timeless idea of metta -- the belief that our time on this Earth can be defined by tolerance and by love.  And I know this land reaches from the crowded neighborhoods of this old city to the homes of more than 60,000 villages; from the peaks of the Himalayas, the forests of Karen State, to the banks of the Irrawady River.

I came here because of my respect for this university.  It was here at this school where opposition to colonial rule first took hold.  It was here that Aung San edited a magazine before leading an independence movement.  It was here that U Thant learned the ways of the world before guiding it at the United Nations.  Here, scholarship thrived during the last century and students demanded their basic human rights.  Now, your Parliament has at last passed a resolution to revitalize this university and it must reclaim its greatness, because the future of this country will be determined by the education of its youth.

I came here because of the history between our two countries.  A century ago, American traders, merchants and missionaries came here to build bonds of faith and commerce and friendship.  And from within these borders in World War II, our pilots flew into China and many of our troops gave their lives.  Both of our nations emerged from the British Empire, and the United States was among the first countries to recognize an independent Union of Burma.  We were proud to found an American Center in Rangoon and to build exchanges with schools like this one.  And through decades of differences, Americans have been united in their affection for this country and its people.

Remarks by President Obama and President Thein Sein of Burma After Bilateral Meeting

Parliament Building
Rangoon, Burma

11:12 A.M. MMT

PRESIDENT SEIN:  (As interpreted.)  First of all, the entire people of Myanmar, including myself, join me in welcoming here Excellencies -- Mr. President, the first ever visit of a U.S. President to Myanmar.  And it is in Myanmar -- our bilateral relationship.

In fact, Myanmar established diplomatic relations with the United States since -- in the year 1947, a year before our -- the year before our independence.  The United States was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Myanmar, and our countries have long history and have maintained friendly relations.

For the first 20 years, there were some difficulties and obstacles in our bilateral relations.  But, however, when President Obama took office in the United States, and because of the visions -- a reengagement policy of the President as well as the efforts of the Secretary of State and the contributions of the ambassadors -- our bilateral relations have been progressing steadily.  And then, in this regard, I would like to reiterate our commitment to continue cooperation to strengthen our bilateral relations in the years to come.

In this regard, we would like to reiterate that based on mutual respect, understanding and cooperation, we will move forward to further strengthen and promote our bilateral relations with the United States.

Remarks by President Obama and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi Residence
Rangoon, Burma

1:05 P.M. MMT

DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI:  I would like to say how happy I am to receive President Obama in my country and in my house.  The friendship between our two countries is of long standing.  The United States has been staunch in its support of the democracy movement in Burma, and we are confident that this support will continue through the difficult years that lie ahead.  I say difficult because the most difficult time in any transition is when we think that success is in sight.  Then we have to be very careful that we are not lured by a mirage of success and that we are working to a genuine success for our people and for the friendship between our two countries.

I believe that we have been able to discuss our various concerns openly, and that as a result of the President’s visit to this country, the relations between our countries can only progress in the right direction.

I intend fully to keep in touch with the United States government as far as possible, and to make sure that we always liaise one another on the most important matters.

McKayla Maroney and President Obama Not Impressed (Photo)

Washington D.C - The fierce five McKayla Maroney shares her famous not impressed look with President Obama.

Here is an earlier article we posted about the fierce five visiting the White House.

2012 Olympians visit White House

Washington, D.C – Ten members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team for gymnastics, including The Fierce Five, got a special treat before the Washington, D.C., performance of the 2012 Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions – a visit to the White House. They met President Barack Obama in the Oval Office and visited some areas of the White House.

The Olympians who attended are Jake Dalton, Gabrielle Douglas, Steven Gluckstein, Jonathan Horton, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross, Savannah Vinsant, Jordyn Wieber and Julie Zetlin. USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny accompanied the team.

The gymnastics delegation brought several gifts for the First Family: leotards signed by Fierce Five for Sasha and Malia Obama; USA Gymnastics-branded workout attire and a hooded sweatshirt for the First Lady Michelle Obama; and an executive pen from the 2012 Olympic Games in London for the President.

The 10 gymnasts were unable to attend the official appearance hosted by the U.S. Olympic Committee because of the Kellogg’s Tour performance schedule. Men’s team member Sam Mikulak, who is in school at the University of Michigan, participated on Sept. 14. John Orozco was unable to attend today due to travel restrictions following surgery.