643 Obama on the Nile (and just West of it)

Recently I visited Cairo and ate a sumptuous dinner by the Nile with some American-educated guys the government sent my way because they can “talk the talk,” and everyone knows the Americans eat that shit up. There was also a rich businessman with good political connections, likely a member of the American Chamber of Commerce. Knowing that I’m a columnist at a Democrat newspaper, they seemed excited at the prospect of an Obama presidency.

I met with an Embassy guy who privately liked Obama. He told me about many similar dinners with similar people, but I also met with our local bureau chief, who told me about an encounter he’d had with an ordinary person once. I talked to a few people who complained about Obama’s stance on Israel, on his casually asserting that Jerusalem is the “eternal, undivided” capital of Israel. They complained about America’s policy on Israel in general, but we won’t get in to that. What I really want to talk about is how we can all give ourselves a pat on the back for letting a black man get this far.

Come to think of it, this is boring. Let’s talk about Col. Muammar al-Qadhafi instead. He’s predictably zany and insulting. I’m just predictable.

If we’re going to talk about North African views on Obama, let’s hear from a (albeit eccentric) North African. According to Brother Leader, “our Kenyan brother’s” comments on Jerusalem were either a lie to help him get elected or stemmed from insecurity about the color of his skin.

“We tell him to be proud of himself as a black and to feel that all of Africa is behind him,” Brother Leader said.

I’m still chuckling. For the sake of harmony between nations, I hope Obama is too.

2 Comments »

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  1. Don’t remember Qadhafi’s theory that Mossad assassinated Kennedy. What did they have against JFK?

    Comment by Paul, Obama Blog — June 12, 2008 #

  2. Obama’s controversial pastor (the one he has now run a mile from) once visited Libya, out of Africanist solidarity, apparently. It was mentioned in that long NYT mag profile of him. Perhaps Brother Leader didn’t hear about the distancing and still thinks Obama is part of the tribe.

    Comment by SP — June 13, 2008 #

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