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November 14, 2009
Obama's Asia Agenda and His American Apology and Submission Tour
This video was made before he left but it shows the places he will be going. I thought you might like to see it.
CHINA
Chinese greet 'Oba Mao' with flaming statue, fakes
BEIJING (AP) - The Chinese have learned English from his speeches and celebrated the way he rolls up his sleeves. Now President Barack Obama is finally coming, and he's being greeted with "Oba Mao" T-shirts and a statue of him that bursts into flames.
Sunday's arrival of a U.S. president admired for his charisma is already a source of profit and brief fame for some Chinese.
Strangest is the burning Obama, tucked away in a Beijing warehouse. Artist Liu Bolin hopes Obama can take time from his visit to drop by.
"He's so hot right now, so I wanted to translate that through my work," said Liu, who was inspired by the idea of the first black U.S. president.
The bronze Obama bust is modeled on Time magazine's "Man of the Year" cover and is speckled with holes for gas that ignites every couple of minutes.
It's a positive work, Liu said.
"Yes, setting something on fire can have negative connotations, but this piece represents energy and life that Obama has given to the world," said the 38-year-old, who made a similar piece for former revolutionary leader Mao Zedong.
"We're eager to see what he can do for China and U.S. relations."
One Beijing shop owner wanted to see what Obama could do for sales. Liu Mingjie created "Oba Mao" T-shirts, with the president wearing the uniform of the Red Guards, who caused chaos during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s.
"It's just kind of avant garde," Liu said of the images, saying they were no longer political, just fashion.
He sold hundreds of the shirts, to both foreigners and Chinese, until authorities told shops selling the shirts to stop.
"They're not allowed to sell these things because there are images of Obama wearing the uniform of the Red Army," a woman answering the phone at the Dongcheng district Administration for Commerce and Industry said Thursday.
Other inspired salesmen have used Obama for product "endorsements." One was for a knockoff handheld called the BlockBerry. Although the photo of the president showed his American flag lapel pin on backward.
Obama will have no trouble being recognized in China. He's been the top-ranked foreigner in searches on Baidu, China's leading search engine—No. 22 as of Thursday morning.
But it will take more than making United States history and winning a Nobel Peace Prize to make him a superstar.
"He's special for the Americans, but definitely not for the Chinese," said Shen Dingli, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. "On the contrary, we are always influenced by the tone of government-monitored media."
That media, so far, has not played up Obama's visit with the breathlessness of U.S. media—or of Chinese media whenever President Hu Jintao leaves the country.
"He's coming?" asked one clerk at a state-run Xinhua Bookstore, which displayed biographies of Obama and his wife, Michelle, as well as collections of his speeches.
At newsstands in the past week, Obama could be found on the cover of just one magazine: Men's Health.
At Beijing's epicenter of kitsch, the Silk Street market, shop girls giggled at requests for Obama products.
"Obama! She wants Obama!"
"I'm Chinese, I only pay attention to Chinese."
"I don't know him."
"No one have," a young man in a T-shirt stall said in English, before switching to Chinese. "Mao sells better."
Barack Obama bows as he is greeted by Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko as he arrives at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009
JAPAN
Full text: Barack Obama’s speech in Tokyo
It is wonderful to be back in Japan. When I was a young boy, my mother brought me to Kamakura, where I looked up at that centuries-old symbol of peace and tranquility – the great bronze Amida Buddha. As a child, I was more focused on the matcha ice cream. But I have never forgotten the warmth and hospitality that the Japanese people showed a young American far from home.
I feel that same spirit on this visit. In the gracious welcome of Prime Minister Hatoyama. In the honor of meeting with Their Imperial Majesties, the Emperor and Empress on the 20th anniversary of his accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne. In the hospitality shown by the Japanese people. And of course, I could not come here without sending greetings and my gratitude to the citizens of Obama, Japan.
I am beginning my journey here for a simple reason. Since taking office, I have worked to renew American leadership and pursue a new era of engagement with the world based on mutual interests and mutual respect.
The rest of his self serving BS speech HERE
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Wild Thing's comment.......
Oba-Mao says it all.
A Japanese reporter put him on the spot by asking him if he wanted to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki while in office, and asked him if he thought the dropping of the bombs "was the right decision."
Obama said he would find it "meaningful" to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but that he has no immediate travel plans. The reporter tried to ask the "was it right" question again, and instead Obama brushed it off and answered a question about North Korea instead.
Regarding his speech in Japan. This speech is amazing. It is all about Obama, how wonderful he is, and how terrible has been the U.S. until he showed up.
And what the heck is this ......obama japan???? Well there is town named Obama in Japan. Of course the Doofus in Chief had to stick that in a speech.
The photo of him in Japan is a weird picture. The problem is that Akahito is NOT bowing back even a little as is the custom in Japan.Nor is the Empress. They do not respect Obama enough to bow even a little.This is done with feeling in Japan, and is spontaneous.It is a thing involving a type of perception very different to Westernern cultural ettiquette. A genuine bow can actually be felt in the heart. And Akihito knows this bow is all show.No heart. That is likely why he does not return Obama's bow, even a little.Nor does the Empress. Obama , intent on being the skillful inter cultural president, shows here that he knows nothing of Japanese culture.Before one bows there is a brief glance at the eyes of the person to whom one bows, a spark. This is what Obama is missing, or they both would be bowing back.
Obama should have bowed before he shook hands, in the proper way, with his hands on his upper thigh, and he should not have bowed so deeply, because he is not a Japanese subject... a slow respectful bow of 45 to 50 degrees would have been required in his case, if Obama knew the correct protocol, which he obviously does not. So it is a false submissive bow of a man who has little honor in the way of Japanese thinking. A man who wants something. A man not to be trusted.
Obama did not fool the Imperial couple even one little bit, and they are strained to remain polite, humoring Obama as it were. Patronizing conduct gets one no where fast in Japan. Generally Japanese folks know a genuine bow from a false one by the way it feels, a form of perception which few Westerners experience, but still some do.
Obama has idiots for protocol officers, or alteratively, he did not listen to what they had to say about it.
Obama would have been much better off simply shaking hands, instead of this empty, false bow, completely off in its lack of genuiness. The bow of a snake.
Here is a photo of a REAL President, President Ronald Reagan.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at November 14, 2009 04:45 AM
Comments
OLD GLORY never is dipped in formation for any other national flag(s) but Barack Hussein Obama bows before the Japs and Sheiks, eh? This photo tells us of what we are up against Bear Nation!
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at November 14, 2009 08:11 AM
I can only imagine what the leaders of all the foreign countries think after they talk to obama. Most must recognize him for the fool and phony he is. Putin caught on fast and it cost us. Japan has been a good ally and they must be worried as probably the South Koreans will.
I thnk a good deal of these travels are just so obama can enjoy the monstrous entourage and headlines. The man is sly and cunning, but also very childish.
Posted by: TomR at November 14, 2009 12:29 PM
I don't know what he's up to, but I can assure you it's not good. Japan and Korea will be dog and pony shows. What happens in China is what this is all about. Copenhagen next month. It has to have something to do with that.
Posted by: Jim at November 14, 2009 02:39 PM
oba-Mao wants to show the whole world that he is subservient to the whole damn world. He probably trying to sell Nevada to the Chinese, boy won't Harry Reid be happy.
These leftist/Marxists/communists are all alike the Suck and will get us into a war much bigger than what we got now.
Posted by: Mark at November 14, 2009 05:11 PM
I just saw obama dressed in one of those drab, grey, typical chinese suits, only thing he was missing was a "Que" and the Mao hat. obama finally found his elemenr. In the middle of din of chi-coms.
Posted by: Mark at November 14, 2009 10:01 PM
LOL how funny, I can just imagine
what he looks like.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 15, 2009 01:10 AM