Obama remembers Gandhi, and King, in Mumbai
U.S. President Barack Obama spent part of his first day in India visiting a museum dedicated to the memory of one of his heroes, Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, and walking in the footsteps of another, U.S. civil rights leader Martin Luther King, as he did so.
Obama and first lady Michelle Obama visited the Gandhi Museum in Mumbai on Saturday afternoon, located in a home where Gandhi stayed during his nonviolent campaign for India’s independence from the British.
The two Obamas were given a tour of the museum, stopping in the library in front of a bronze relief of Gandhi’s face to sign a guest book.
Obama wrote, “I am filled with hope and inspiration as I have the privilege to visit this testament to Gandhi. He is a hero not just to India, but to the world.” Mrs. Obama wrote: “This visit will be one that I will always remember. …” before signing it.
As he stopped to sign, Obama took note of another signature, from 1959, in another guest book. It was signed by King, who visited India in 1959, 11 years after Gandhi was slain, to draw lessons from the Indian leader’s nonviolent struggle to end 200 years of British rule.
Gandhi’s system of peaceful resistance was largely used by African-Americans as a model for the U.S. civil rights movement. King was shot and killed in 1968.
First Lady proposes coup as Obama family finishes Hawaii vacation
All good things must come to an end, including presidential vacations.
After several golf games, beach days and dinners out, President Barack Obama and his family are leaving Hawaii to head back to Washington and the waiting White House.
Unless First Lady Michelle Obama has anything to say about it, that is.
“I’m trying to mount a coup,” Mrs. Obama joked to reporters about staying in the sunny island state. “Are we all in?”
The president may wish that coup had succeeded when he gets back to Washington on Monday. A debate about U.S. national security in the wake of the attempted bombing of a U.S. airliner on Christmas Day awaits him upon his return.
The president spent about 11 days in Hawaii, the state where he grew up, mixing family time with work time.
se on hyvä että tässä ajassa aletaan ymmärtämään ilmaston muutoksista ja sen eteen tehdään töitä tv.make ranualta
Which Obama will be Gift Giver-in-Chief?
First lady Michelle Obama’s favorite childhood Christmas present was a dollhouse, a gift that may have presaged her current role as the nation’s tastemaker, admired and followed for her stylish clothing and the mark she is making on the White House.
“It was a metal dollhouse with plastic furniture,” she told U.S. talk show host Oprah Winfrey for her upcoming “Christmas at the White House” television special that airs on ABC at 10 p.m. Sunday. “… I remember I really didn’t know how to set up a house, so I had all the furniture lined up along the walls as opposed to nestled around the fireplace, but I loved that little dollhouse.”
President Barack Obama’s favorite present? A basketball given by his father, who was absent for most of his childhood, and which the president later realized probably had a lot to do with his lifelong love for the sport.
“I do remember the one time I met my father he was visiting during Christmas and he gave me a basketball and – the degree to which I came to love basketball – it wasn’t until much later in life that I realized, ‘Actually, he gave me that basketball’,” Obama said. “I think there was some cause and effect there in terms of the degree to which I just ended up taking up the sport as a kid who didn’t know his dad.”
But this year, the pressure is on the president, the first lady joked, after Winfrey asked whether Obama felt more pressure to give a better gift because of his new position. This holiday season is the couple’s first in the White House.
“You should feel pressure,” Michelle Obama said.
Mrs. Obama’s Neighborhood
First Lady Michelle Obama’s “new neighborhood tour” landed at a community health center a short distance from the White House on Tuesday.
She has stopped by a few federal agencies in the three weeks since Barack Obama became president. The nearly hour-long visit to Mary’s Center was Mrs. Obama’s first solo venture into a Washington neighborhood.
“Why did you want to come out and meet us?” asked one of the teens who sat with her.
“Barack is real busy right now so I figured I’ve got the time on my hands and while the kids are in school, I figured I would come out and hear about programs and meet students,” Obama said.
She also read to a group of 3-to-5-year-olds and wrapped up with a call for hugs. Most of the kids complied. “More, more, more, whatcha leaving me hanging?” Obama asked. “Oh delicious. Thank you.”
Photo credit: Reuters/Joshua Roberts ( Michelle Obama visits community center near White House)
Obama takes a break at Kennedy Center show
By Ayesha Rascoe
After a tough week of haggling over an economic stimulus package and cabinet nominee dramas, President Barack Obama took some time to unwind on Friday night and stepped out for a dance show with his family.
Obama, first lady Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia attended a 50th anniversary celebration performance by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.
The audience at the sold out show greeted the Obamas with raucous applause as the first family waved from a red VIP box decorated with the presidential seal.
The Ailey company is a celebrated predominantly African-American modern dance troop founded in 1958.
Eric. There you go again, talking about Bush. I guess when you have nothing, that’s the best you can do.
The economy grew under Bush regardless of what people want to believe. It is a fact for all to see.
In fact, the economy still grew 1.2 percent last year.
You can continue to fall back on Bush all you want, I am merely commenting on Obama and the “crisis” he keeps talking about and all the people are hurting, that he keeps talking about. In the here and now, it doesnt’ look good to live the high life if we are in such a crisis.
It just lends itself to being manufactured by Obama and the media. Since the economy is largely psychological, I am certain had they not talked it down the last two years, so he or Hillary would be elected (not to mention congress)it would be in good shape.
Obama isn’t doing too well with his “change”. It is turning out to be change we can’t believe in.
Mom wants them to make their beds, but…
The Obama girls had other ideas during their first visit to the White House since their father was elected the next president of the United States. Aided and abetted by President George W. Bush’s daughters, Barbara and Jenna, Malia and Sasha Obama did a little bed jumping during their visit.
First Lady Laura Bush told the story ABC’s Good Morning America on Wednesday.
“It wasn’t the Lincoln Bedroom,” she explained. “It was another bedroom with a very tall bed that we usually put a step out for people to step into when they stay in that room. But instead the little girls did the running jump, and Barbara and Jenna of course aided and abetted that jumping.”
There are other ways for Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, to have fun after they move into the White House.
Bush said that a ramp in the solarium is really good for sliding on your bottom.
In a separate interview with ABC’s Barbara Walters to air Wednesday night, Michelle Obama had some other ideas for her daughters after they move into the White House on January 20.
She has a few White House chores in mind.
Donald trump problems would be solved when chinese exports would cease bcaise of the liuidity problems of the USA. Donald Trump could also cosider opening more casinos across the US creating employment for the natives and attracting more tourists in the USA!
Rex Minor