Sunday, November 13, 2011

In High Places

When you think about it, it must really be a warm experience for any US leader to host an international event as prominent as APEC in the town that he grew up in as President Obama is doing. I bet that hasn't happened too many times in history. Of course, the fact that Honolulu was selected to host the APEC had a lot to do with Obama pulling strings. Whether you agree or not that Obama coulda done a better job in office, we sure gonna miss him when he's not da president anymore. There's no argument on that.

In his live press briefing today, Obama was quick to thank and acknowledge the local community for tolerating the nightmare traffic congestion brought on by the APEC motorcades shutting down the streets and the freeways, the overpasses, the underpasses. However, Obama's apology, if you can call it that, was rather thoughtful to the people of his home state. APEC stands as the most important international event that Honolulu has ever hosted with 20 leaders from pacific rim nations in the same room. Other than that, I have absolutely no idea what the goal of the meeting was. If it was a discussion on economic issues, some of the attendees shouldn't have even been invited. What the heck role do their impoverished third world nations play in the overall scheme of world economics? Zilch. Then again, their economies must be in better shape than the US economy as we speak. But that's just a wild guess.

6 comments:

Hattie said...

Flying into Honolulu yesterday, we had to circle the entire island of Oahu before we could land. And a backup "Airforce I" is parked at Hilo Airport, as it was last time he was in the Islands.

Kay said...

Thank goodness everything went happily and safely. I hope a lot got done. It'll be nice to be able to go to town again if we want to.

RONW said...

Hattie- darn, I'm so glad you had to mention the fly by. I doubt and residents here have had that experience.

Kay- with 19 world leaders, whew. While I was passing under a freeway overpass today, I kinda understood why they shut those down for the motorcades.

Cloudia said...

I got and will post a great shot of Airforce 1 over Waikiki, Ron!


Nice post


Cool about backup plane in Hilo!

Aloha from Honolulu

Comfort Spiral

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Anonymous said...

Ha, ha, ha --- good use of innuendo. .......we will miss him.

RONW said...

Cloudia- the standing rule .... 'no pics, it didn't happen.' I will make it a point to visit your blog.

Anonymous- I'm not certain about the tenor of your 'innuendo.' Hawaii has never had a president from here, so that's more of what I meant.