Senator Obama Received Warmly in Kenya (NYT)

[Omaha Steve]

FULL story: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/25/world/africa/25cnd-kenya.html?ex=1157169600&en=c305e85012f07c65&ei=5043&partner=EXCITE

Senator Obama Received Warmly in Kenya



By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN
Published: August 25, 2006

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug. 25 — If Senator Barack Obama is ever thinking of running for president — or changing careers to rock star — he got excellent practice in Nairobi today.

Thousands of people lined the streets here, waiting hours in the intense sunshine just for a glimpse of him.

Local newspapers overflowed with breathless coverage, including the headline, “Village beats the drums for returning son.”

Everywhere he went, he had to part a sea of shutter-snapping journalists and starry-eyed fans.


Senator Barack Obama in Nairobi today during a visit to the memorial to the 248 people killed in the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy.


A riot nearly broke out when he slipped past his bodyguards at a downtown event and simply smiled at the neck-craning crowd.

[skipos]

1. Interesting. I wonder how they would greet Bush?

Hmm....

[951-Riverside]

2. Bush doesnt like black people it won't happen

Whenever someone calls him out on it he hides behind Condi or TD Jakes.

[pitohui]

3. bush is not liked in africa to my knowledge

clinton is liked and remembered in kenya, at least when i visited, many people would make friendly comments about him

[JI7]

4. Bush would wonder why Obama is in Kenya

since he always thought Obama's father was from "the country of" Africa.

[951-Riverside]

7. Didnt they trample each other to see Clinton? n/t

[Rose Siding]

5. It's wonderful to see an American received so warmly

It's easy to forget that it's possible. The Chicago paper's coverage it thorough. Lots of pics-

"Obama in Africa"
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/chi-obamaafrica-htmlstory,1,4757085.special?coll=chi-news-hed

"So even as thousands of Kenyans lined the streets, stood on parking rooftops and peered through the open windows of nearby office buildings to catch a glimpse of Obama, others wept."

[Monkeyman]

6. The nut cases replugs at home in IL.

Are hitting him hard in letters to the editors. Or at the swamp in the Chicago Tribune. They are very afraid that he will run in 2008 even after he said no

[aaronbees]

8. That's wonderful.....

It would nice to have a U.S. president again someday who could go overseas and receive that kind of adulation.