Barack Obama announced a change in deportation policy, but experts are doubtful.

​The Obama administration announced last week that it will review "low-priority" deportation cases and allow certain illegal immigrants to remain in the country with work permits.

Reporters across the country jumped on the news, with many news outlets breathlessly reporting that the Obama administration will stop all deportations of immigrants without criminal records.

But Minnesota immigration experts point out that the feds' announcement echoes old memos about "enforcement priorities" and probably won't lead to much change in practice.
More >>

Minnesotans kinda, sorta like this guy.

​Just a hair more than half of Minnesotans approved of Barack Obama's job as president as of last week, according to a new Star Tribune poll. That's the highest poll rating Obama's seen in Minnesota in more than a year.

More >>

​In April 2009, we told you about Dan Lacey, Minnesota's famed pancake painter who made a name for himself when Gawker took on his cause, posting his paintings featuring famous people with pancakes on their heads. More >>

​Our sister paper in New York has received a blessing from the Commander in Chief: President Obama quoted the Village Voice's headline about Scott Brown's election to make a political point.

"There was apparently a headline after the Massachusetts election. The Village Voice announced that Republicans win a 41-59 majority. It's worth thinking about. We still have to lead."

Obama was referring to this headline, which was selected as  "headline of the day" by the UK Guardian.

Hat tip to the folks at The Uptake: U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum's official Web site was among dozens hacked yesterday by a group or someone posting an anti-Obama screed: ""FUCK OBAMA!! Red Eye CREW !!!!! O RESTO E HACKER !!! by HADES; m4V3RiCk; T4ph0d4 -- FROM BRASIL."

The screenshot below, via The Uptake, appears taken from Louisiana Rep. Spencer Bachus's Web site. His, McCollum's and the others' affected all appear to be inaccessible this morning.

​

Photo by Willie Lunchmeat

​ When protester Josh Hendrickson left his home Saturday to head to President Obama's rally at the Target Center, he contemplated bringing his loaded guns along with him. The decision wasn't a tough one.

On a typical day when he leaves his house, "I grab my wallet, my keys and my gun," he told the Star Tribune.

Standing outside the arena where the nation's president was set to speak while protesters and counter protesters bickered over enormous signs, he shouldn't have been shocked when police and secret service spotted his two guns and asked him a couple questions.

More >>

Photo via

​When President Obama spoke at the Target Center in Minneapolis Saturday, one supporter in the crowd got one heck of a shoutout. Stuck in the middle of the crowd surrounding the president's podium, he was easy for Obama to spot and point out. Standing more than two feet taller than most people surrounding him, Igor Vovkovinskiy's face lit up when Obama called him out:

"The biggest Obama fan in the country is in the house -- I love this guy," Obama said as Vovkovinskiy pumped his fist and the crowd roared.

For people watching from home, it might not have been so obvious that Vovkovinskiy literally was the biggest fan in the house and one of the most inspiring. Standing 7 feet, 8 inches tall, Vovkovinskiy was hard to miss for anyone in the arena, sporting a "World's Biggest Obama Supporter" t-shirt.

This wasn't his first time meeting one of the Obamas. Vovkovinskiy proudly showed off his photo with First Lady Michelle Obama during a campaign stop in Rochester, where he currently lives.

"Michelle has a picture where she looks like Sasha next to this guy," Obama joked. "He's a great supporter and it's great to see you here."More >>

Photo by Nick Vlcek

​President Obama came to Minneapolis Saturday afternoon to fire up supporters on health care reform. Speaking to a nearly packed Target Center, he gave a more folksy version of his health care reform speech given to the joint session of Congress earlier this week.

Obama name-dropped Minnesota political notables (Mayors R.T. Rybak and Chric Coleman, Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, Auditor Rebecca Otto, and others) along with the University of Minnesota Gophers, and the Mayo Clinic. Obama's Biggest Fan at 7'8" tall, Igor, also got a big shout out and a handshake at the end. Unfortunately there were no Brett Favre jokes. Maybe next time.

More >>

If you don't want to bother getting in line at the Target Center at the crack of dawn, wouldn't dare be surrounded by psycho Minnesota liberals, or couldn't even make it to Minneapolis if you wanted to, TheUptake is here to help you out. The site will be broadcasting President Obama's lunchtime speech Saturday for the internet world to see.

Obama will speak at 12:30 p.m. CT, the live feed will start at noon. The UpTakers say they have good seats and a dependable internet connection for clear picture and sharp sound.

Come back to this post Saturday to start up the live feed below:

​ The White House has finally ended speculation and confirmed that President Obama will be speaking in a public rally Saturday at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Obama will speak at 12:30 p.m. at the rally, which is free and open to the public. Access is first come, first served.

More details below.

More >>