Michelle Obama At NASCAR Sprint Cup Finale: "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines"...

Homestead Speedway: First Lady, Dr. Biden serve as Grand Marshals, host barbecue for military families, announce new job commitments for vets & military spouses...
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden will visit Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida today, serving as Grand Marshals for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup finale, the Ford 400. The race is the biggest prize in American motor sports, and Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden's appearance is part of the Joining Forces campaign to support and honor families.

Before the race, Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden "will recognize service members and military families from the local community at a special BBQ lunch," the White House said. They will also invite a military family to join them as they lead lead the pre-race ceremony and speak what the White House bills as " the most famous words in racing"--“Gentlemen, start your engines.”

Carl Edwards of Missouri is the #1 ranked driver today. Edwards, 32, is the only NASCAR driver who is a member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, and has worked with Mrs. Obama on the Let's Move! campaign.

The Miami visit will also "highlight new commitments by American companies to hire and train veterans and military spouses," the White House said. Representatives from companies committing to hiring 10,000 veterans and military spouses by the end of 2013 will volunteer at the barbecue, which will be at the Speedway’s Nationwide Garage.



Walmart, Mrs. Obama's largest private-sector partner for the Let's Move! campaign, has also partnered with the First Lady for Joining Forces. The company created the video, above, featuring racing stars encouraging Americans to support America's uniformed heroes. The video includes Edwards.

The hiring commitments, per the White House:
Representatives from the following companies who have pledged support for the hiring initiative will be at the barbecue: The Beacon Council, G4S Secure Solutions (USA), Ryder System, Inc., Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc., Google, The National Military Family Association, The Boeing Company, Raytheon, Inventis Group Ltd. and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.

"This employment commitment includes a first-of-its-kind dedicated local employment effort in South Florida led by the Beacon Council, Miami-Dade County’s economic development leader, to hire veterans and military spouses," the White House said.

*The Beacon Council and their 274 companies will strive to hire 4,000 veterans by the end of 2013;

*G4S Secure Solutions (USA) whose workforce is 21% veterans already will hire 3,000 veterans by 2013;

*Ryder System, Inc. whose workforce is 10% veterans already expects to hire more than 550 veterans in 2011 and 1,000 additional veterans by the end of 2013; and

*BAE Systems, Inc. which already employs more than 3,000 veterans is committed to employing wounded warriors and veterans through their Warrior Integration services.

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2011 APEC: Walmart Touts Let's Move! Partnership, Local Farm Sourcing

White House-Walmart partnership is "delivering results," says CEO...
Global grocery giant Walmart, First Lady Michelle Obama's largest private sector partner for the Let's Move! campaign, put out a press release from the APEC summit in Honolulu, touting its partnership with the White House. CEO Scott Price attended the APEC CEO Summit, and the press release highlights two of the commitments Walmart has made to the Let's Move! campaign: Sourcing from local farmers and dropping prices for healthier foods. Price notes the two initiatives in the press release. (Above: Mrs. Obama toured an organic farm during her visit to Hawaii)

"In the U.S., in partnership with First Lady Michelle Obama's 'Let's Move' campaign, Walmart efforts to make food healthier and healthier food more affordable are delivering results," Price said. "It will save customers approximately $1 billion per year on fresh fruits and vegetables."

"Walmart's Direct Farm program procures directly from over 800,000 farmers, offering higher incomes for farmers and lower prices for customers," noted the release.

Mrs. Obama spotlighted Let's Move! and local sourcing during her visit to Hawaii, with a tour of MA'O Organic Farms, and a farm-to-table luncheon for APEC Leaders' spouses at Kualoa Ranch.

Walmart's drop in prices for consumers due to its Let's Move! commitment has not yet been tracked. The company has also pledged to build 275-300 stores in food deserts by 2016, to help Mrs. Obama reach the Let's Move! goal of eradicating all US food deserts by 2017.

The full press release:

HONOLULU, Nov. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Walmart Asia CEO Scott Price today reiterated Walmart's focus on contributing to the communities in which the Company does business in APEC economies. Price made the comments during the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit held in Honolulu, USA, Nov 11-14, 2011.

Price said, "Walmart is a strong contributor globally to the communities in which we operate and this is especially true in APEC economies. These include great examples in the U.S., China, Japan, Mexico and Chile. In the U.S., we announced a $2 billion commitment through 2015 to help end hunger in America. In China, we are working closely with the China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF) on poverty alleviation for women. Walmart's Direct Farm program procures directly from over 800,000 farmers, offering higher incomes for farmers and lower prices for customers."

Price continued, "In Japan we are committed to helping with the recovery efforts of the earthquake-affected region. We've committed well over $5 million to these efforts. We have just announced two new programs. One, in partnership with Save the Children to get children back into school, and the other with Mercy Corps to support women engaged in the harvesting of Wakame seaweed. We were also very active after the earthquake in Chile through a $1.9 million donation to provide emergency housing in different regions as well as to rebuild small businesses. In Canada, Walmart donated over CA$8 million as a key sponsor of the Children's Miracle Network that raises funds for children's hospitals across Canada. Finally, in Mexico, our Indigenous Product Commercialization Program, which offers training and funding to boost production processes of marginalized communities and indigenous groups living in isolated regions to improve their income and quality of life, was recognized by the United Nations Development Programme with its World Business and Development Award."

According to Price, these programs and their impact were possible only because of the collaboration between governments, the private sector and social sector.

"In most instances, high impact is possible because there is a strong alignment between the priorities of that government and the private sector. Both the U.S. and China have strong examples of this. In China, we have really benefitted from working closely with the China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF) on a key national priority – poverty alleviation of women," Price said. "The program is now in full execution and is making a big difference in the three pilot provinces in which we are working. In the U.S., in partnership with First Lady Michelle Obama's 'Let's Move' campaign, Walmart efforts to make food healthier and healthier food more affordable are delivering results. It will save customers approximately $1 billion per year on fresh fruits and vegetables."

"We want to be a part of the solution to a better life for the communities in which we operate. We want to work with governments and the social sector to ensure that," concluded Price.

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*Pool photo

Pollan in Forbes: First Lady Michelle Obama Is "World's Most Powerful Foodie"

Two critical White House partners are also on the list...
Bestselling author and sustainable food advocate Michael Pollan has created a list of "The Word's 7 Most Powerful Foodies" for Forbes magazine, and First Lady Michelle Obama takes the top spot in a field of acclaimed contenders. According to Pollan, the individuals are the "most powerful voices" in the "movement to reform the American food system." Two of the other powerful foodies on Pollan's list have close ties to the White House: Urban farmer Will Allen is #4, and Jack Sinclair, Head of Grocery for megagiant Walmart is #5. (Above: The photo of Mrs. Obama that appears on the list)

Pollan names the First Lady the World's Most Powerful Foodie because "her Let's Move campaign has moved the food issue to the top of the national agenda, shining a bright light on the links between childhood obesity and America's fast food diet."

Last April, Mrs. Obama was named to the Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world for the Let's Move! campaign.

Walmart's Sinclair, who does all the purchasing for the corporation, is a crucial partner for Mrs. Obama. Walmart has made the largest private-sector commitment to the Let's Move! campaign, pledging to build markets in food deserts, re-formulate its private-label foods to reduce calories, sodium and fat, and drop prices on "healthy foods."

Allen, a MacArthur "genius," is also crucial to Mrs. Obama's goal of eradicating all US food deserts by 2017. He's the founder and CEO of Growing Power, an urban agriculture non-profit and land trust headquartered in Milwaukee that teaches impoverished communities to grow food. He's been involved with the Let's Move! campaign from the beginning, and spoke at the February 2010 White House launch event. In September, Allen was awarded a $1 million grant by the Walmart Foundation to expand his work to fifteen states. Two weeks ago, Mrs. Obama toured Growing Power's Chicago headquarters, Iron Street Urban Farm, with Allen, during the first-ever food desert summit. (Above: Allen speaking at the Let's Move! launch)

Given that Pollan's list is so short, it's telling that two of his food-world power brokers are in the First Lady's immediate orbit, and crucial to the success of her campaign. But in two different interviews in the last few weeks, Pollan said he is concerned that the First Lady has been "co-opted" by Walmart, a sentiment shared by many in the sustainable food movement; click here for Pollan's interview with Michael Ruhlman and click here for a longer, more detailed interview with Washington Post's Tim Carman. Walmart's million-dollar donation to Growing Power also caused an outcry among sustainable "foodies." A critique by Andy Fisher, Executive Director and co-founder of the Community Food Security Coalition is here; Allen's general response to this kind of criticism is in this post on Growing Power's blog.

It's also worth noting that Pollan names Dr. Marion Nestle as #2 on his list. A nutritionist and the Paulette Goddard Professor at New York University, Nestle is an outspoken critic of both major food corporations and government agriculture and nutrition policy. She is recognized on the list as "an indispensable voice on the problems of the American diet and their roots in industry marketing and government policy."*

Forbes last week named President Obama the most powerful person in the world.

The full list of Power Foodies:

#1 Michelle Obama, First Lady, U.S.

#2 Marion Nestle, Paulette Goddard Professor, New York University

#3 Josh Viertel, President, Slow Food USA

#4 Will Allen, Urban Farmer

#5 Jack Sinclair, Head of Grocery, Walmart

#6 Ken Cook, Executive Director, Environmental Working Group

#7 Mark Bittman, Columnist, The New York Times

*Ed. note: Nestle has frequently offered commentary on Obama food initiatives here on Obama Foodorama; most recently, she commented on the Let's Move! commitment from Darden Restaurants, Inc., America's largest chain restaurant corporation, to revamp its menus and child-centric advertising practices. Read here.

*Photos: At top of post, Mrs. Obama is at Vhuthilo Community Center in Soweto township in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she worked with volunteers in the community garden last June. By Charles Dharapak/AFP/Getty. Allen photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/ObamaFoodorama.com

Michelle Obama Shops At Target

UPDATE: More details on First Lady's visit is in this post
First Lady Obama was photographed today shopping at a Target store in Alexandria, Virginia. The shots were taken by AP photographer Charles Dharapak, who regularly covers the White House. Mrs. Obama, "incognito" in sunglasses and a baseball cap with a Nike logo, was snapped standing in the checkout line with an aide, as well as pushing a grocery cart while carrying plastic Target bags.

Secret Service agents scoped out the Target store, located on Rt. 1 about 20 minutes from the White House, about a half hour ahead of Mrs. Obama's visit, reported AP. The First Lady's Director of Communications, Kristina Schake, declined to confirm if photographer Dharapak had been tipped off about Mrs. Obama's citizen outing, which lasted between 30-40 minutes as she browsed the aisles.

"It is not uncommon for the First Lady to slip out to run an errand, eat at a local restaurant or otherwise enjoy the city outside the White House gates," Schake told CBS News.

One of Mrs. Obama's more notable "slip outs" was to DC's BLT Steak restaurant in April, when she ran into hockey dynamo Alex Ovechkin. The puckish superstar tweeted a photo of himself with his arm around the First Lady. (Above: Mrs. Obama checking out)

Target also tweeted Mrs. Obama's visit to their store.

"First Lady Michelle Obama may be incognito but there is no denying those signature @Target red carts!" was tweeted from the @Bullseyeview account. @Target retweeted it.

Mrs. Obama has a historic public private partnership for the Let's Move! campaign with Walmart, Target's biggest competitor. Walmart has pledged to trim fat, sugar, and salt from its private label food products, as well as build markets in "food deserts." Target has made no such commitment.

One of the photos of Mrs. Obama at Target wound up above the banner on Drudge Report for much of the afternoon, with the odd headline "A Woman's World." The Target shopping shots are in contrast to Dharapak's photos of Mrs. Obama snapped on Monday at the White House, when she made an announcement about womens' STEM career issues. (Above, Mrs. Obama entering the East Room for her announcement)

*Updated

*Photos by Charles Dharapak/AP

Michelle Obama Lauds Darden Restaurants For Major Commitment To Let's Move! Campaign

America's largest dining chain joins the childhood obesity battle, pledging across-the-board menu changes while preserving "craveability"...
"This is a breakthrough moment in the restaurant industry," First Lady Michelle Obama declared on Thursday morning as she joined Darden Restaurants, Inc. CEO Clarence Otis, Jr. to announce a major new commitment to support the Let's Move! campaign. Standing in the wood paneled dining room of an Olive Garden restaurant in Hyattsville, Maryland, filled with parents and kids seated at dinner tables, Mrs. Obama hailed Darden's plan as visionary. (Above: Mrs. Obama during her remarks)

"I believe the changes that Darden will make could impact the health and well-being of an entire generation of young people," Mrs. Obama said.

The company, parent to iconic restaurant brands including Olive Garden and Red Lobster, has pledged to revamp its menu offerings, reducing its calorie and sodium "footprints" by 10% over the next five years, with a goal of a 20% reduction in the next decade. Darden's four restaurants, including LongHorn Steakhouse and Bahama Breeze, will also participate.

Healthier kids' menus will have fruit and vegetables as default sides, and 1% milk will be the default option, with free refills. "Carbonated beverages"--soda and other sugary drinks--will not be promoted, Otis said. Vegetables will be spotlighted on illustrations for the kids' menus, rather than less healthy offerings. Want fries? They have to be requested. The kids' menu changes begin immediately, and will be fully in place by July of 2012.

"Darden is doing what no restaurant company has done before," Mrs. Obama said. "They’re looking at all the food they serve, and they’re asking themselves one simple question: How can we improve the health of American families? And it’s that vision and commitment that brought me here today. I don’t just come out."

Darden serves about 400 million meals annually in 49 states and Puerto Rico, and the initiative is the largest private sector commitment from the restaurant industry for the Let's Move! campaign. It's a big effort from a company that, among other strategies, promotes "A Never Ending Pasta Bowl" for $8.95 at Olive Garden, and all-you-can-eat buffets at Red Lobster.

"This is a massive commitment and it will impact millions of Americans," said Dr. James Gavin, chairman of the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), the foundation created to further the goals of the Let's Move! campaign.

It is equivalent to Mrs. Obama's Let's Move! partnership with grocery giant Walmart, which serves about 146 million customers weekly. The First Lady now has the two largest corporate entities from both sides of the food coin, so to speak, backing her campaign.

Exactly a year ago, during an address to the National Restaurant Association, Mrs. Obama called on America's food service professionals to make the kinds of changes that Darden is promising. That's because half of all food dollars are spent at restaurants, Mrs. Obama said, and one third of all meals are consumed in restaurants: Families eat out a lot.

"Focusing attention on food provided at restaurants is really critical if we're going to reach our goal of ending childhood obesity within a generation," said Melody Barnes, Chair of the White House Domestic Policy Council.

She called Darden's efforts "a full-throated endorsement" of the changes Mrs. Obama has asked the restaurant industry to make, to achieve the ultimate Let's Move! goal of dropping childhood obesity to 5% by 2030. Barnes chaired the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity, and Darden's pledges all meet specific recommendations in the Report issued by the Task Force in May of 2010.

Darden's commitment is largely about choices for families, Mrs. Obama said.

"Parents need to feel confident that enjoying a meal at a restaurant doesn’t mean sacrificing their children’s health," Mrs. Obama said. "It’s about giving parents choices -- choices that will make it easier for them to give their children the healthiest possible alternatives."

And the commitment is serious business, noted Gavin.

"It is one thing to make a public statement but something entirely different to sign a binding legal commitment, and Darden has done just that," Gavin said. Darden signed a Memo of Understanding with PHA, and its progress in the initiative will be reported annually. Walmart and other grocers also signed Memos of Understanding with PHA for their pledges to locate markets in food deserts.

First Lady defends Americans' right to splurge...
The First Lady, during the course of her campaign, has often been criticized for what misguided observers believe is an effort to "ban" unhealthy foods. Today, photos of her from the event have been above the banner on Drudge Report, first with the headline "No Fries For You!" and later with the headline "Adult Supervision For Fries!" But during her remarks, Mrs. Obama spoke glowingly about all Americans' right to indulge.

"There is nothing wrong with occasionally splurging on treats and desserts, right?" Mrs. Obama said. "I mean, that’s the fun of being a kid. And quite frankly, it’s the fun of being human. And I certainly have done my share of splurging...it’s a good thing."

Bob McAdam, Senior Vice President, Government & Community Affairs for Darden Restaurants, also stressed the splurge angle during a conference call with reporters after the announcement. Darden is not eliminating guests' favorite foods, he said, but rather "reformulizing" the recipes to cut calories and sodium, in addition to adding more healthy choices to menus.

Is the commitment a game changer? Dr. Marion Nestle weighs in...
Will Americans opt more regularly for the healthier choices, when faced with "splurge-worthy" menu items that are lower in calories? And can the changes in kids' meals have a major impact on obesity rates?

Dr. Marion Nestle, Paulette Goddard Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, is one of America's foremost nutritionists and author of five books on food and nutrition policy. Darden's commitment is "a step in the right direction," Nestle told Obama Foodorama, but said she thought the company should have done more.

Darden could have offered a more aggressive, faster approach to revamping childrens' meals, Nestle said. Darden's pledge, specifically, is to "improve the nutritional content of one or more children’s menu items to provide equal or less than 600 calories, 30% of total calories from fat, 10% of total calories from saturated fat and 600 mg of sodium."

That's still a high sodium level, according to Nestle. And all items offered on kids' menus should be healthy, she believes, in order to really impact the prevalence of childhood obesity, pegged at about 17 percent of all children, with higher rates for non-white populations.

"They have a longer way to go," Nestle said. "But to me, it's a recognition that they [Darden] are part of the problem of childhood obesity and they are taking responsibility to try to fix it."

Not promoting soda--what Darden is referring to as "carbonated beverages"--is key, Nestle said.

"The real concern for kids with obesity is calories, so getting the sodas out of there is very important," Nestle said.

All the same, "I could certainly argue that these are bandaids," Nestle said. "The White House view of how you work with the food industry is that you look for increments, and do it in steps, but that's not how I would do it."

The long time frame for changing the sodium and calorie "footprints" is because new recipes have to be developed, according to Darden's McAdam.

"It takes a long time to produce foods that have the same 'craveability,'" McAdam said. "Our real focus is getting the food that we know is good for people to be the food they love."

None of the new menu items even exist yet, McAdam said. And each different restaurant brand will have its own project in doing the "reformulizing." As part of its pledge to support Let's Move!, Walmart also vowed to reduce sodium, fat and calories in its private label foods. The time frame for these changes is similarly long term, and also credited to a need to preserve taste.

Mrs. Obama and her team routinely promote the value of many, many small steps--whether personally or on a corporate level-- as the way to change eating habits and reduce obesity rates. Swap soda for water, Mrs. Obama suggests. Pack fruit instead of cookies. For a corporate entity the size of Darden restaurants, which reaches millions of families, the changes can add up to a significant impact.

Will others in the industry follow Darden's lead?
The White House has worked with all kinds of corporate stakeholders in the food industry that are interested in supporting the campaign, Barnes said. But the First Lady has shown up for few announcements from companies that have unveiled initiatives they say are inspired by Let's Move!. For instance, when McDonald's announced changes to its Happy Meals in July, Mrs. Obama was not on hand to cheer executives on. Instead, she issued a decidedly tepid statement.

The First Lady showing up for Darden's announcement is a terrific incentive for other restaurateurs to follow suit and make changes, Nestle said.

"You hope that there will be lots more steps from Darden's competitors," Nestle said.

Mrs. Obama explicitly expressed this wish.

"I hope that the people who are watching this announcement, particularly restaurants and other companies across the country, will see this and step up in the coming months in the same way that Darden has," Mrs. Obama said. "Even the tiniest mom and pop diner or family-owned restaurant can be a part of this movement."

Mrs. Obama also called on parents to make sure that Darden and other businesses offering healthy choices don't lose customers.

"These restaurants can only keep making these offerings and making these choices and making these business sacrifices if people actually buy them. Right?" Mrs. Obama said. "So parents, we literally have to put our money where our mouths are, so that they keep doing it."

To reinforce this critical point, Mrs. Obama was introduced before her remarks by Cami Morrison, a mother of two who is married to a Coast Guard officer. Morrison offered words of thanks to Darden and the First Lady for making it easier for her to dine out, since she's essentially a single mom when her husband is deployed.

The First Lady's paradigm shift...
Nestle told Obama Foodorama a personal story that highlights just how much Mrs. Obama has shifted America's food paradigm. In 2005, Nestle was invited to Amelia Island, Florida, to give a talk to the CEO’s of major restaurant chains, and among them among was Darden CEO Otis. Nestle was specifically asked to discuss what restaurant chains could do to lessen the impact of childhood obesity. She recommended exactly what Darden is now doing: Offering fruit and vegetables as the default side with kids' meals. Nestle also advised the executives to make all their kids' meals healthier, and to offer smaller portion sizes of entrees at a reduced price point, as well as to cut fat, salt, and calories on menu items.

"I got screamed at," Nestle said. "They told me I wanted to put them out of business, and they said it could never work. Screamed at." It was one of the lower points in her long career, she said, "just terrible."

"It's taken Michelle Obama to make people willing to change," Nestle said.

Mrs. Obama is the only presidential spouse in US history to have such major voluntary commitments from the private sector for a "First Lady" campaign.

After her remarks, Mrs. Obama walked around the Olive Garden dining room, where the families on hand to witness the announcement were happily eating a lunch of Venetian apricot chicken (400 calories). Pasta was also being served, and one boy barely looked up from his spaghetti as Mrs. Obama stood beside him and chatted at length with his mother. She greeted each family at each table before departing. (Above: Mrs. Obama and one of the Darden chefs greet a family in the dining room)

For the record, Darden spent $550,000 lobbying the federal government so far this year, according to the Senate Office of Public Records. Darden is also one of the companies that has received a waiver for the Affordable Care Act, reports the Orlando Sentinel, the corporation's "hometown" paper: "Darden has a health insurance plan for its employees. And, according to the company's statement to the paper, "the waiver allows [the company] to continue to do that as the various phases of the health care law are implemented." Darden's waiver would "apply to 34,000 employees, or about 20 percent of its 174,000-person workforce. Most of Darden's employees work in its restaurants such as Olive Garden, Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouse."

The Obama Administration has essentially ended the waiver program, announcing in June that all applications for new waivers and renewals of existing ones have to be in by Sept. 22.

*The transcript of Mrs. Obama's remarks is here. The White House press release is here.

The specifics of the pledge:

*Guarantee a fruit or vegetable will be the default side for every kids’ menu item at those restaurants offering a default side on the children’s menu: Bahama Breeze, LongHorn Steakhouse and Red Lobster.

*1% milk will be the default beverage, provided automatically if no alternate beverage is requested. Milk will be prominently promoted on the menu and made available with free refills.

*Food illustrations on the menu will promote the healthy choices for meals and drinks.

*Healthier menu options will be more prominently displayed when possible.
Carbonated beverages will not be displayed on children’s menus.

*Improve the nutritional content of one or more children’s menu items to provide equal or less than 600 calories, 30% of total calories from fat, 10% of total calories from saturated fat and 600 mg of sodium.

Calories/Sodium Footprint Reduction – changes to be implemented by 2016 and 2021

* By 2016, reduce calories by 10% and over a ten-year period by 20%.
*By 2016, reduce sodium by 10% and over a ten-year period by 20%.

*Top photo by Chuck Kennedy/White House; second by Lawrence Jackson/White House

Does Walmart Support Obama's Jobs Plan?

White House sends reporters more than fifty e-mails from lawmakers, political leaders, business CEOS and groups supporting President's American Jobs Act, but the country's largest grocer is missing in action...
The White House rained forty-three e-mails into reporters' in boxes over the course of an hour and a half on Thursday night following President Obama's address to a Joint Session of Congress to unveil the American Jobs Act. The storm of e-mails--all in support of the President's plan--began anew this morning, at 6:51 AM, starting with a message from Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. By late afternoon, there were thirteen new statements of support. But there's one major voice missing from all these e-mails: Grocery giant Walmart. The company is both the largest grocery chain in the US, and the largest private employer in America, with more than 1.1 million workers. It has also created a huge partnership with the White House for First Lady Obama's Let's Move! campaign. (Above: Mrs. Obama speaking at the event unveiling the partnership)

The e-mails sent from the White house all laud the President's $450 billion measure, and include missives from Members of Congress, Governors, Mayors, interest groups like the Center for American Progress, organized labor (the AFL-CIO; the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, SEIU, to name three); educational groups, construction groups. The high-profile business CEOs who were invited to sit with Mrs. Obama to watch the President speak also issued statements, including General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt; American Express CEO & Chair Kenneth Chenault; and Steve Case, CEO of Revolution and co-founder of AOL.

But no one from the Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart has said a word about the President's jobs plan, though CEO Mike Duke has met with the President numerous times at the White House. Leslie Dach, Executive VP of Corporate Affairs, joined Mrs. Obama at an event at the White House in July to unveil a pledge to build up to 300 Walmart stores in areas identified as "food deserts." Walmart President Bill Simon joined Mrs. Obama in Washington to first announce the company's partnership with the Let's Move! campaign.

Obama Foodorama queried Walmart this morning on the corporate position on the President's plan, but has not received a response. The company has posted no statement on its website, either.

Many of the President's proposals--for payroll taxcuts and other job-creating initiatives--would have an impact on Walmart and its employees. The company is non-Union--or aggressively anti-Union, if you believe its critics--and organized labor is highly enthusiastic about the President's new plan. What's Walmart's position on the American Jobs Act? It's ridiculous to even guess.

But the First Lady has realistically pointed out that the White House Walmart partnership will be a big business economic booster for America's largest grocery chain.

"This is a business move for them and we know it. They said more of their customers are coming and looking for healthier options because fortunately demand is changing," Mrs. Obama told her print reporters during a luncheon in Feburary.

Perhaps the American Jobs Act is one "partnership" Walmart is not interested in.

Above: A screenshot of just some of the emails sent on Thursday night.

*Photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama