Obama to honor visit Kennedy grave site

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton will visit the grave site of John F. Kennedy next week, to mark the 50th anniversary of his assassination.

The three Democratic Party champions, along with First Lady Michelle Obama, will lay a wreath close to the eternal flame that marks the resting place of the 35th US president at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington.

The poignant moment of remembrance will come two days before the November 22 half century anniversary of Kennedy being gunned down in an open top limousine in Dallas, in a crime which traumatized the world.

The White House said Obama would also give a speech on Wednesday evening honoring Kennedy's legacy of service at a dinner honoring awardees of the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

The annual award of the medals was initiated by Kennedy, and earlier on Wednesday Obama will present this year's honorees at a White House ceremony.

Former president Clinton, former Washington Post editor and Kennedy confidant Ben Bradlee and talk show host Oprah Winfrey are among those getting medals this year.

source: interaksyon.com

US probes Michelle Obama death threat from Washington cop

WASHINGTON - The US Secret Service said Thursday it was investigating a police officer in Washington after he allegedly made a death threat against First Lady Michelle Obama.

"We're aware of the incident, and we're going to take appropriate investigative steps," spokesman Edwin Donovan told AFP after The Washington Post newspaper first reported the incident.

According to the newspaper, the policeman, who worked as a motorcycle escort for official motorcades in the US capital, was overheard Wednesday declaring that he would shoot Obama, and showed an image on his cell phone of the weapon he said he intended to use.

The paper says Washington police moved the officer to administrative duty and reported the incident to the Secret Service, which is charged with protecting the US president and his family.

"We received an allegation that inappropriate comments were made. We are currently investigating the nature of those comments," police spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump told The Washington Post, without providing any further details.

The first lady's office did not immediately comment on the report. — AFP

source: gmanetwork.com