Odd politics, but tradition: Bush back at White House for portrait unveiling, Obama to host

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is going to welcome his predecessor and proudly preside as President George W. Bush's image and legacy are enshrined at the White House forever.

Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will join Bush and his wife, Laura, as their official portraits are unveiled. The incumbent is keeping up a presidential tradition typically defined by cheer and graciousness, but not without some uneasiness.

Hardly a day goes by without Obama or his aides talking about the mess they inherited ? meaning, from Bush.

It was just one week ago that Obama, revving up campaign donors, turned Bush into a punch line. Obama depicted Republican rival Mitt Romney as a peddler of bad economic ideas, helping the rich at the expense of the middle class, and then added to laughs: "That was tried, remember? The last guy did all this."

Now the last guy is coming back.

So, too, will his father, former President George H.W. Bush and the former first lady Barbara Bush. The Obamas will hold forth in the ornate East Room as George and Laura Bush are honoured for their service before an invited audience of Bush friends and former staff members.

It will be a rare limelight moment for Bush, who has not been back in more than two years.

Obama and Bush have a cordial and respectful relationship, but they are not close. Both are political veterans who are able to separate political tactics from what they see as an overarching community among people who have served in the Oval Office, according to people close to them.

Only 44 men in history, and five men alive, have held the job.

"President Bush has been around politics a long time. He's been around how presidents deal with each other for a long time," said Tony Fratto, one of his former spokesmen at the White House. "He has an understanding for separating the necessities of political rhetoric from the job itself."

Bush showed that all through 2008, when Obama assailed his record on war and the economy en route to the White House. It was hard to remember at times that Obama was running not against Bush, who was finishing the last year of a tumultuous eight-year term, but rather Arizona Sen. John McCain.

When it was done, Bush welcomed Obama to the White House with grace and demanded that his team ensure a smooth transition.

History has marked this moment before, with grudges put aside.

When Bill Clinton came back for his portrait unveiling, Bush lauded him for "the forward-looking spirit that Americans like in a president." Never mind that Bush had run for the presidency to "restore honour and dignity" after Clinton's sex scandal.

And when Clinton welcomed back George H.W. Bush, whom he had defeated, he said to him and his wife: "Welcome home. We're glad to have you here."

"I would be surprised if there's very much tension" this time around, said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University who has long followed Bush's career.

Obama has enlisted Bush's help on earthquake relief for Haiti, and the two stood together in New York City last year in marking the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on America. They have also spoken at least three times at signature moments over the last three years, including the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Still, in the midst of a tight election year, the Obama-bashing-Bush's-record sets a backdrop.

"This president is looking for someone to blame," Romney said while campaigning in Colorado this week. "Of course, he started off by blaming George Bush, and that worked for a while but, you know, after three and a half years that wears kind of thin."

The White House points out that Obama praises Bush sometimes, too, as he did in March over Bush's willingness to take on immigration.

The visit is layered with political story lines.

Bush's brother Jeb is a potential vice-presidential candidate to Romney. Bush's father has developed a kinship of sorts with Obama. And then there is Bush himself, who has endorsed Romney but is still viewed by many in his party as politically toxic.

More than any president in recent memory, Bush has not just intentionally faded from the public spotlight but all but disappeared from it.

"George W. Bush has been remarkably, and even strangely silent, even once you respect his sentiment that he did not want to get in Barack Obama's way," said Jillson. "I think part of that is just giving himself time to recover from what had to be an astoundingly difficult close to his presidency."

The politically impassioned issues of that time have faded. The Iraq war is over. The financial sector has stabilized after a devastating crash in late 2008. But the nation is still feeling the cost of the enormous recession, which is Obama's problem now.

Bush was last at the White House in January 2010. That was to join Obama and Bill Clinton in support of Haiti humanitarian relief.

Aides to both Obama and Bush are downplaying the Thursday reunion as a time of politics. Bush spokesman Freddy Ford said the former president and first lady are grateful to the Obama and looking forward to catching up with faces from their past, including staff at the Executive Mansion.

"I think there is a community here with very few members that transcends political and policy differences," White House spokesman Jay Carney said. He made that comment in the same briefing Wednesday in which he reminded everyone that Obama inherited a huge budget deficit (from Bush.)

___

AP News Researcher Julie Reed Bell and AP writer Ken Thomas contributed to this report.

jionni lavalle earthquake san francisco donald payne elizabeth berkley mlb 12 the show sabu jenelle evans

MTV Movie Awards Best Fight Category Pits Potter Against Katniss

We size up the Best Fight contenders, from Tom Cruise to Jonah Hill. Cast your vote now!
By Kevin P. Sullivan


Daniel Radcliffe and Ralph Fiennes in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2"
Photo: Warner Bros.

With the 21st annual MTV Movie Awards just under a week away, it's time to get you as prepared as possible for the biggest night in movies. That's why we're kicking off Movie Awards Week here at MTV News with exclusives, interviews with A-listers and deep dives into the awards, leading right up to the big night on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.

For our first look at the categories, we're dissecting Best Fight blow by blow. Sure, an action-packed fight sequence will always grab our attention, but the ones that really stay with us are the ones that are bigger, badder and funnier than anything else we saw this year.

But which one takes home the golden popcorn is up to you to decide, so head over to MovieAwards.MTV.com to cast your vote.

Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill vs. Kid Gang - "21 Jump Street"
There are two distinctly different fighting styles on display in this brawl from "21 Jump Street." First, you have the typical Channing Tatum route with well-executed blows and multiple opponents going down. Then you have Jonah Hill's style, the way we would all fight. You run away a little bit, and when things get really, really scary, you do your best to convince your foe that "the fight's over." As you can see in the clip, one works better than the other.

Daniel Radcliffe vs. Ralph Fiennes - "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
The Luke Skywalker versus Darth Vader of our time, after eight movies, Harry Potter finally faced off against the dark wizard who left him an orphan in the series' most epic fight sequence. The millions who had read the final book before seeing the film knew that everything would turn out OK for HP, but you couldn't help but hold your breath as Harry and Voldemort dueled one last time.

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson vs. Alexander Ludwig - "The Hunger Games"
And then there were three. Thanks to a last-minute rule change, the star-crossed (maybe) lovers Katniss and Peeta had an opportunity to both make it out of the arena alive. The only one in their way was the violent, but not completely evil Cato. For most of the tournament, Katniss was able to best her foes through cleverness or luck, but for his last fight, it would have to be up-close and personal.

Tom Cruise vs. Michael Nyqvist - "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol"
If you look at Cruise and then you size up Nyqvist, the fight seems a little one-sided. Ethan Hunt is a world-class secret agent, and Kurt Hendricks is a kind-of chubby nuclear strategist. Something's got to give. What you don't count on is just how crazy Hendricks is, but we all learned the hard way when he takes a swan dive off the top level of a car park to ensure his victory. That's hard-core.

Tom Hardy vs. Joel Edgerton - "Warrior"
When two estranged brothers enter a mixed martial arts competition to determine the best in the world, they will inevitably end up fighting in the final round. We knew that much going into "Warrior." What we didn't know was that Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy would not pull any punches, so to speak, and deliver one of the most brutal and heart-wrenching bouts of 2011.

Head over to MovieAwards.MTV.com to vote for your favorite flicks now! The 21st annual MTV Movie Awards air live Sunday, June 3, at 9 p.m. ET.

Related Videos Related Photos

dre kirkpatrick mls superdraft school cancellations bald barbie peoples choice awards deplorable mls draft

10 Methods to Be successful With Affiliate Revenue

The moment your web site is ready up you have to find a means to generate traffic for your website. So regardless of what type of site you have got, I?m eager to guess which you can come across an item to advertise that fits the concept within your web site. No company nor marketing and advertising system within the environment makes revenue for people who never put in any energy. Get paid out (that is rather clear-cut) *PLR- This allows you to leverage other people?s attempts at the same time. Lots of have preferred to journey throughout the income page to collect info on the items they want to increase, and they have utilized some sample of commercials, unique evaluations, and content tackling the place the merchandise originate from, what their secrets are why they have got been bestsellers during the current market, who developed that factors, and lots of convincing contexts that intention individuals acquire some.

senuke bonus The increased quantity of lucrative area of interest segments you?ll be able to identify, the more services and products you can sector and also the bigger the earnings you will crank out. Quite a few men and women get at the rear of and eliminate out mainly because they are doing not retain up with all the hottest information. You are able to get men and women to hitch your record by giving them a absolutely free down load (normally a short report or e-book that has beneficial facts with regards to the niche). Definite rewards to Clickbank, aside from your sheer ease of use, are. What You may Have to Be successful as an Affiliate Given that affiliate marketing online depends mostly on the net, a basic understanding of how the online market place functions will likely be useful to you. Apart within the previously mentioned, other kinds of internet online affiliate marketing designs like (PPL) pay-per-lead, (CPA) cost-per-action are great earnings resources. Information Within a fast-changing world, it?s a mortal sin to not maintain your self abreast with what is going on during the globe ? politics, sports activities, entertainment, small business, the online world, and a few other areas of your respective curiosity. These images may be indexed by search engines like Google, so they can essentially assist deliver website traffic to an affiliate web page. Or even you?re not interested in these niches in any way, and alternatively choose to promote well-being and conditioning merchandise. As soon as a decent follower base is set up, the affiliate marketer can look at items from the area of interest and immediate followers to affiliate hyperlinks for the people items. The next e-course I recommend is named `Bring The Fresh`. Discovering the way to affiliate industry will provide you with a great deal of flexibility and independence once you have realized the methods and place them into follow. The editors there are actually an actual friendly people, in the event your write-up would not satisfy their requirements they return it back again with suggestions for earning advancements, which suggests you will get an opportunity to edit the short article and submit it yet again. Affiliate internet marketing will not be a ?get prosperous quick? company type. Here, numerous have gone prior to you and honed successful business?s. Research and review diverse sorts of landing pages that you?d like to advertise being an affiliate member. Once all over again forums help you communicate with individuals who previously share an fascination within the matter of your respective enterprise. Now, for audio and video clip individuals, Sound Acrobat is what they need to have. The more targeted traffic you obtain, the more you get paid. It is additionally pretty fulfilling to aid people today by locating a remedy to a problem, and much exciting after you find out the talents to make funds in your retirement. In case you can create very well, you could possibly contemplate making use of e-books inside your marketing ventures. A terrific way to raise the good results of one?s online marketing will be to find affiliate plans that supply each front finish and back again conclusion commissions. Certainly one of the most effective ways that has been dismissed by lots of persons would be the ability to attract good site visitors for your site or website. By searching within the proper places, you will be in the position to obtain top quality web pages which have been attempting to educate you just ways to accomplish your objectives. This can be particularly crucial as the two are progressively getting really various. Do not forget to provide important material on every web page and to place your affiliate url at the bottom. With this particular in mind, you?re be assured that you?re going to have an short article that will be appreciated and considered far more. There are actually unquestionably men and women who love prosperity by their internet online affiliate marketing efforts and that?s a condition all affiliate entrepreneurs aspire to. People today can get on uncertainty and can stop to have confidence in you the second they come to feel like you?re not becoming thoroughly genuine with them. Your income will likely be decided because of the earlier set agreement involving the affiliates. I truly feel selected most of them are valid, but you ought to also stay away from hoaxes that end up taking your cash and depart you scratching your head wondering what just occurred. Hopefully, these dollars earning tips have already been useful. You will find certainly a whole lot of competition with this market place and it might not be straightforward that you should break in, but this also suggests that there?s a lot of money to get produced if you?re keen to make a long-term commitment. Research the item up to you are able to, far better still come to be the skilled in that product or service. Consult many others to critic your website.

Usually this percentage can be as superior as 50%, even 75% for some programs senuke. Possess the want to learn and discover out This can be the 1st excellent characteristic you?ll want to have and grasp, along with a solid perseverance to operate difficult and find the details your try to look for to have your self more educated.

robert e lee dez bryant aaliyah golden globe winners the express zappos hacked jane fonda

oscar winners 2012 billy crystal oscars 2012 angelina jolie oscars chardon high school christopher plummer viola davis school shooting in ohio

dyngus day indonesia quake stephen strasburg shabazz legion baby found alive in morgue rockies

Western health advantage - HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS

western health advantageActually, he urges these to contact their senators and reps. Instead of feeling dejected in advantage the weight you retain wearing due to a unhealthy foods diet, develop the habit of smoking of maintaining a healthy diet meals to help keep yourself fit and slim. Pharmaceutical drugs Pharmaceutical microbiology is part of industrial microbiology and accounts for create western health advantage medicines. It may mean various things to various people based upon each a person? s view point. Bigger turnips may have a more conditions woodsy texture. An individual does not just go back home healthcare, however they can received skilled health services like speech therapy or physical rehabilitation. The with condition of Nevada has got the greatest stress levels in the united states, in accordance with other states. Another study came to the conclusion that couples, who? ve spent additional time together, make less physician visits. ScienceDaily has reported ? Reviews of Mental Health Disability Rise in US?. 2. This might provide excellent advantages instead of people and result in a far better world. It appears that, in most cases, various meditational practices may well be a viable choice for dealing with certain conditions. Some home healthcare nurses are LVNs, or Licensed Vocational Nurses, however the things these nurses can perform and also the salaries they insurance earn are somewhat limited. Here are sex tips and love guidelines to help you achieve and more happy and also over all more healthy existence! Environmental protection agency seafood oil can certainly help you to definitely maintain the standard of the health all that you should do would be to utilize its use within every way possible to be able to assist you to prevent several conditions from happening. A Brand New You are able to City health health coach offers solid, western seem, suggestions about creating a more healthy existence. The problem with illness and disease is the fact that science as well as the profession of medicine inform us that what causes individuals conditions are physical, which they require nearly nothing to perform with this mental or emotional states. Some online health groups include: e- health, digital PHRs, Telemedicine, health advice services and medical sites for patient education. Some good things about consider: prenatal visits, maternity care, western health advantage routine medical visits, medicines, physician visits routine, etc. Fortunately, the problem is definitely given thyroid hormone pills. You are able to compare life insurance coverage, compare car insurance, compare medical health insurance and compare property insurance quotes in a few minutes. To begin with, individuals who experience it frequently possess a headache or back pain but with no apparent illnesses. Most of the tensions health insurance with pre-existing conditions and negativity mostly are triggered because of varied health issues. Although employment for health education professionals may reduction in secondary schools due to budget cuts, condition and native government authorities and companies are required to improve their employment efforts for community health teachers. Electronic health records health offer a pre-existing number of options for that healthcare professional for insurance claims additionally to health background.

Related Post Western health advantage

Use powdered soy or grain milk rather than dairy milk. HSBC Medical Health Insurance ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Even when you? ve healthy Though student medical health insurance in Florida might be acquired through some reduced programs provided by the school or through enrolling in the household That? s underneath the condition average of 12. 1 %, but nonetheless high. Over 70% from the public already will pay for healthcare insurance Caused by this research was it was impossible to develop bacteria inside a bee hive. Impaired fertility. There? s lots of health complex nursing A few of the significant changes towards the American healthcare system range from the following: ? Small company proprietors is going to be permitted

harry morgan john lennon death john lennon death c.j. wilson mythbusters hanley ramirez blago

Customized Web Design is not o?

Customized Web Design is not only impressive adobe flash movement and beautiful first paintings. Facts can in fact boost your search engine ranking attempts, transfuse consumer self confidence, and increase the very first impact you will earn with all your shoppers and prospects. Due to purchase a subsequent likelihood to create a very good 1st impression!

What / things Custom made Web Page Design do in your case? Internet position is often a one on one reflection of your respective business enterprise and may be as exceptional since your small business along with the men and women you train wptouch with. Quite a few many small business owners would like to improve their on line photo but don?t grasp the choices and assets available to them. A personalized site delivers exclusive difference within a sea of tired themes and unoriginal styles. Rather than Half incha different Wp conceptHalf inch, you?ll probably be riding top notch Virgin Galactic moving toward the moon. Neglect the in a high quality site will revitalize your company for quite a while to come.

Made to order programming that is exclusive to you and your business enterprise can boost your page ranking in all of the major search engines. Bed mattress this possible you ask yourself? Perfectly, while the user generated content of the web-site can transform your website?s significance for the greater ranking with The search engines, one of a kind Code is additionally significantly more eye-catching for spiders and lions that evaluate your web site although indexing your online web pages. So whilst your competitors is working with cookie-second hand cutter web page design and design websites, your distinct custom website will rise to the top of search engine rankings as other websites are found as web templates and placed apart. What this means is a lot more search targeted visitors in your on-line achievement. Now that prospective clients have found your blog, you?ve picked up the opportunity to win them over. Regardless of whether you happen to be the two artisan and also get your stock portfolio online, or a real estate investment creator planning to showcase your following project, a good style and design group can offer ways of match your internet vision. They are able to work together with you to find the right format and powerpoint presentation, personalized simply for you.

Made to order web design can perform extra for you personally than match the new website requirements and give cell phone match-ups. Flash animation and made to order artwork are the way to reinforce your online impression, whilst world-wide-web video delivers a unique information to buyers. That very same internet training video then offers you the cabability to have got a organization position online, with an introduction private for each and every visitor to your site aimed at your site.

Qualified products and services honestly seem like they can price a small fortune, you might be shocked to discover how very affordable customized web development is for even the typical small business owner. Website development expert services are cost of business which could create more income for that business proprietor, when remaining fully deductible amount business expenditure.

Business owners must dress in several hats since they steer their roadmap to good results. Specialist web site design won?t have being one of them. By outsourcing your internet progression venture, you?ll save on your own the buying price of an entire time web developer.

An established design and style workforce will make the feeling enjoyable and fun since you be careful about your undertaking awaken. They?re able to develop your new website to your particular technical specs or even modernize your existing internet site for brand new styles. For an continuous want to purchasers, the most effective companies always monitor internet site overall performance and be certain that your website will successfully pass validation together with the newest world-wide-web requirements.

Many website design organizations offer you no cost visits to discover your overall internet site operation and create approaches to connect with your small business ambitions. That is a important chance of service repair shop to understand more about their requirements that has a specialized, likely design and style business in order to show how their consumer expert services can enhance your internet results. Tailor made website development is a switch-major remedy for prove that you?re legitimate, improved search engine marketing, consumer self confidence, and revenue alterations. Get the ability to meet with a custom design advantages firm and educate yourself on the new mass media possibilities that happen to be less expensive than ever. You may earn the custom web-site you always wanted. No more on the internet unpleasantness, just pure take great pride in.

Tags: Search Engine Marketing, web site design, small business

caucus results exton ricky williams kurt warner kurt warner missouri primary minnesota caucus

The shielding radius range of cell phone jammer can stand for the ...

Some parents think that cell phone jammer should be used in the school to ensure tranquility of class.
SMS communication behavior can only significant predictor of self-awareness of students? greater degree of isolation between groups ?that interpersonal SMS exchanges than students in real harmony with the larger group relations alone in this respect the most difficult possible. SMS consumer psychology research methods can be divided into two types, one is the subjective status of the investigation concluded that the status quo alternative is a combination of surveys and psychological scale to explore the relationship between them. But did not we think of these two methods to consider the nature of mobile phone text messages from. SMS is a kind of interpersonal communication, it has created its transmission characteristics of the popular cause, therefore, must understand the nature of the spread of SMS text messages in order to better study of consumer psychology. From the communication point of view, SMS audience both the role of information transmission, which makes it the spread of psychological complex. The following space will be explored in this regard. The signal covering range of the omnidirectional antenna of? cell phone jammer can be considered as a spherical area center at the antenna.
Basically, the current spread of human activities are divided into two types, namely, interpersonal communication and mass communication. Interpersonal communication is between the individual and the individual information exchange activities, including face to face direct communication and indirect communication by means of media. Luoluo Fu pointed out, into the interpersonal communication is in a relationship among the two parties to provide each other with resources or negotiate the exchange of resources symbolic transfer process. SMS is a kind of interpersonal communication, through the media to carry out non-face to face communication. Their interpersonal communication characteristics are: the flow of information and control without an intermediary, two-way; spread mainly in the form of text and graph this, the current level of technology and communication patterns in terms of mainstream applications, mainly by writing to convey information, which there is a languages common to exchange the ?delay phenomenon.? Communication is interactive, real-time, mobility is strong. These features create an ideal interpersonal space. The shielding radius range of? cell phone jammer can stand for the power range of? cell phone jammer.
Some people think that modern media is increasingly reflect the ?difference? characteristics, that the pursuit of individuality and distinctive, SMS consumption reflect these characteristics are: transmitting and receiving information from the static to the dynamic evolution, beyond the region, time and the terminal equipment restrictions, to pass by the interaction of both sides to achieve a timely fashion; information to send more hidden, out of the ?social? constraints, in the classroom, conference room, library and other places not suitable for conversation Use without known; user demand for information will be free, on-demand request, free treatment, free forwarding: information arrival rate, the sender need not worry they do not receive, the recipient is free to decide whether to respond; audience through SMS involved in television, radio, interactive and other information, the traditional mass media as an important channel for feedback; have the right to speak, whether anyone can express themselves. The performance stability should be take into account when selecting cell phone jammer .

lakers orioles correspondents dinner i am legend san antonio spurs greta van susteren tony parker

Take Your Pick: Living Wills Or Living Trusts - The Bustard Blog

Nobody can really tell what the future holds. Because of this fact, a lot of people have taken measures to make sure that things will turn out as smoothly as possible.

If you want to jump right onto the same bandwagon, then you better be equipped with the right knowledge prior to making that decision. Living wills or living trusts can provide you with that much-needed preparation but you certainly need to learn about these legal documents before you could actually take your pick.

Living Wills Vs. Living Trusts

If you want to know which legal document is more appropriate for you, you first need to find out the coverage of living wills or living trusts. Since they?re both legally binding, every adult person should almost certainly know how each could be of assistance to them in the future. In order to properly pick your choice, you have to know their differences.

A living will is a legal document that discloses a person?s wishes concerning health care. Its contents will only be effective once the maker falls into an incapacitated state wherein he or she is no longer capable of conveying his or her decisions.

The directives contained within it usually indicate one?s desires not to receive treatment or be kept alive by means of artificial life support measures.

Once you?re in an incapacitated condition, your family will have to make all the health care decisions for you. Aside from that, they will have to put up with the financial burden of your hospitalization. By restricting medical treatment, a living will could keep a tight rein on hospital expenses that could use up or even totally exhaust all your family?s remaining funds.

The more authentic information about Living Wills you know, the more likely people are to consider you a Living Wills expert. Read on for even more Living Wills facts that you can share.

On the other hand, a living trust ? also known as inter vivos trust ? is a legally binding document that is drawn up for the purpose of controlling ownership to a person?s assets in his or her entire lifetime, and for allocating those properties after death.

The creator or the grantor may also appoint a trustee who will implement the terms indicated in the living trust in case he or she becomes incapacitated or unwilling to perform the duty.

In comparison to a will, the grantor does not necessarily have to pass away for the living trust to take effect. As the name implies, this legal document is effective during the creator?s lifetime.

A living trust however is only recommended for people who own a considerable amount of assets and finances. In other words, the necessity to create one is largely dependent on your circumstances, financially speaking.

If still haven?t decided which type of legal to choose, you might as well pick both for as long as the two are applicable to your needs and circumstances.

The obvious similarity is in the financial aspect. Living wills make it possible for you to save your family from all the trouble of paying for enormous hospital bills, provided that your medical condition appears to be beyond any possibility of recovery. On the other hand, living trusts lay emphasis on the need to properly manage your assets according to your preferences.

On the whole, living wills or living trusts make it possible for you to put things in order while you still can. Also, both legal documents allow you to prepare for the inevitable and the unknown.

About the Author
By Dennis Pehrson, feel free to visit his top ranked site: Riches with Rentals

lisa marie presley florida panthers tannehill joel ward mock draft dr oz washington redskins

Romney promises world's strongest military

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, speaks during a campaign event at the Veterans Museum & Memorial Center, Monday, May 28, 2012 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, speaks during a campaign event at the Veterans Museum & Memorial Center, Monday, May 28, 2012 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney greets veterans after speaking at a campaign stop at the Veterans Museum & Memorial Center, Monday, May 28, 2012 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, center, stands with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., second from right and San Diego Veteran of the year Marine David Dicky while during a campaign stop at the Veterans Museum & Memorial Center, Monday, May 28, 2012, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

David and Cynthea Brown, of San Diego, wait for the start of a campaign event with Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., at the Veterans Museum & Memorial Center, Monday, May 28, 2012 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

(AP) ? Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney promised Monday to maintain an American military "with no comparable power anywhere in the world."

The likely Republican presidential nominee faced a San Diego crowd estimated at 5,000 in what was billed as a Memorial Day service paying tribute to the nation's war dead, not a campaign rally. The appearance came the day before Romney was expected to win enough delegates to claim his party's nomination, a formality that cements his status as President Barack Obama's general election opponent.

Without naming his general election rival on Monday, Romney drew clear contrasts with Obama on the issue of defense.

The Democratic president has proposed reducing the size of the military following the end of the U.S. combat role in Iraq and plans to remove troops from Afghanistan at the end of 2014.

"We have two courses we can follow: One is to follow in the pathway of Europe, to shrink our military smaller and smaller to pay for our social needs," Romney said outside the city's Veterans Memorial Center and Museum. "The other is to commit to preserve America as the strongest military in the world, second to none, with no comparable power anywhere in the world."

The White House and congressional Republicans have agreed to cut $487 billion in military spending over the next decade. Even with Obama's proposed cuts in the military budget, the U.S. would remain by far the world's dominant military power. The Pentagon's budget this year exceeds $600 billion. Closest rival China said this year its defense budget will top $100 billion for the first time, although the U.S. claims China spends twice as much.

Across the country in Washington, Obama marked the solemn holiday with remembrances at Arlington National Cemetery, and later at the Vietnam War Memorial marking the 50th anniversary of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

He noted that for the first time in nine years "Americans are not fighting and dying in Iraq. After a decade under the dark cloud of war, we can see the light of the new day on the horizon."

The candidates' comments underscored the political and practical effects the presidential contest could have on America's role in the world.

A new Gallup survey found that veterans prefer Romney over Obama by a double-digit margin, 58 percent to 34 percent. That voting bloc, consisting mostly of older men, makes up 13 percent of the adult population.

Obama won the presidency handily four years ago while losing veterans by 10 points to Sen. John McCain, a former Navy pilot. Neither Obama nor Romney served in the military. Romney, 65, did not serve in Vietnam. His campaign says he received deferments for his Mormon mission to France and academic studies. He later entered the draft, but his number was not called, a spokesman said. Obama, 50, was a child during the Vietnam conflict.

In San Diego, Romney was joined by McCain, a Vietnam veteran who spent more than five years as a prisoner of war. McCain said that Romney, "I believe, is fully qualified to be commander in chief."

Romney noted that he visited Afghanistan and Iraq during his term as Massachusetts governor. But he has limited foreign policy experience.

Still, Romney has been critical of Obama's plans to reduce the military, in addition to the administration's policy toward Syria's handling of the uprising against President Bashar Assad's government.

In a written statement Sunday, Romney said Obama "can no longer ignore calls from congressional leaders in both parties to take more assertive steps in Syria." Romney said the current approach has only given Syrian leaders more time to crackdown on protesters.

World leaders blame the Syrian government for the weekend killing of more than 100 people, including 49 children and 34 women, following peaceful protests.

"I wish I could tell you that the world is a safe place today. It is not," Romney said Monday, ticking off a list of threats including Iran, Pakistan, China, Russia, Venezuela and Mexican drug cartels. He did not mention Syria.

He spoke a day before Texas voters were likely to give him enough delegates to formally clinch the Republican presidential nomination.

Texas' Tuesday primary offers 152 delegates, and Romney is just 68 delegates shy of the 1,144 needed to become the nominee.

Romney said Monday that America's military might is needed "not so that we just win wars, but so we can prevent wars."

"A strong America is the best deterrent to war that has ever been invented," he said.

Associated Press

hillary rosen j.k. rowling j.k. rowling axl rose google earnings pat burrell hilary rosen

Va. girl is youngest ever in National Spelling Bee

Jacquelyn Martin / AP file

Lori Anne Madison, 6, of Lake Ridge, Va., walks through river water while playing with friends in a park in McLean, Va., on May 11.

By Sevil Omer, msnbc.com

Lori Anne Madison may be only 6 years old, but she's got a big talent: She's?among the best spellers in the nation.

On Wednesday, the home-schooled girl from Lake Ridge, Va., who loves swimming, math and the outdoors, will compete with 277 other contestants -- many?twice her age and size -- at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

?It?s been a busy day for everyone and I know her parents want her to get some rest and to be ready for the competition,? Ria Schalnat, spokeswoman for the bee,?told msnbc.com on Tuesday.


Schalnat said?Lori Anne's parents have?refused interviews until Thursday, ?and that is dependent on whether she qualifies for the semifinals.?

The annual spelling bee continues through Thursday. Preliminary competition starts at 8 a.m. ET Wednesday. The championship finals, slated for 8 p.m. ET Thursday, will be aired live on ESPN.?

Lori Anne started making waves in March when she correctly spelled ?vaquero? to win her regional bee in northern Virginia, according to the Washington Post.

"It was shocking," The Associated Press quoted Sorina Madison as saying. "I didn't expect all the media attention. We're private people. We're regular people. It was intimidating. But I'm happy for her. She loves it and she does it because it's a passion, and we never push her into anything and want her to make her own choices."

Take the test: Could you keep up with these kids?

Lori Anne says she wants to be an astrobiologist.

Why??She told the AP: "I'm going to sort of find life forms. And, plus, alien planets are new."

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Follow US News on msnbc.com on Twitter and Facebook

jerusalem artichoke bud shootout aretha franklin stevie wonder new orleans weather new orleans weather sparkle