U.S. PRESIDENT ON THE WAY TO SOUTH AFRICA
Mandela is so important for Obama
He would like to meet him, but Nelson Mandela's health is not good. How close is the U.S. President to the South African Idol?
He was his hero, that Barack Obama had said about Nelson Mandela. He could meet him only once so far: 2005 in Washington
South Africa prays for Nelson Mandela.
For days, the citizens of the country fearing for their icon Nelson Mandela (94), is in hospital in Pretoria.
Before the clinic persevere trailer. At the bedside of the South African national heroes always find a family member, even senior politicians come to visit.
Well hope to germinate: Mandela's condition was now much better than it was a few days ago, says ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
"I'm not a doctor, but I can say that compared to how he was a few days ago, there has been a significant improvement," she told reporters before Mandela's former home in Soweto. The two were married from 1958 to 1996.
Last Mandela's condition was critical. Only machines keep the former president, who on 8 June was hospitalized with severe pneumonia, alive.
CRITICAL CONDITION
South Africa prepares for Mandela's death
Source: Reuters
Mandela's struggle with the death overshadows first visit to South Africa of U.S. President Barack Obama (51).
In the evening, the U.S. president arrives in a country for which his visit was not the main event.
Obama will visit Mandela?
20.10 clock to Air Force One landing at the Waterkloof Air Base in Centurion (12 km from Pretoria). Originally not an official visit to Mandela was provided during the three-day tour of South Africa. But maybe everything else soon.
"We completely fit the needs of the Mandela family," said Obama adviser Ben Rhodes before U.S. reporters in Dakar (Senegal). It sounded like one: "We would like to, but we do not know if it works."
"God alone knows when the bell tolls"
Nelson Mandela's condition is deteriorating. His daughter Makaziwe said it was very critical.
more ...
SOUTH AFRICA Only machines keep Mandela alive
MANDELA DAUGHTER "Father has found his peace"
ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL Nelson Mandela - Ambulance mishap!
Mandela is Obama's hero
It is a very special bond between Obama and Mandela - the first black U.S. president and the first black president of South Africa, one by his racial conflicts deeply divided country.
Obama's closest advisers say that you can not imagine how important the figure of Nelson Mandela for the U.S. president is to write the "New York Times". Mandela, or better ideas would have helped Obama in his worst moments.
The paper describes a scene that took place in 2005. Barack Obama was still Senator from Illinois, is on the U.S. talk show icon Oprah Winfrey (59) were asked to compose a message to Nelson Mandela. Winfrey wanted to take her interview with.
After half an hour, Obama is still not finished with his memo, his spokesman casts a nervous glance in the room where the senator breeds. "You have to give me a little more time here," said Obama. "I can not just scribble something for Nelson Mandela."
2010, the first black U.S. president wrote the foreword for Nelson Mandela's book "Confessions", it describes the force that gave him Mandela's struggle against the regime in South Africa and the impact it had on Obama's own political career.
Increase
2005 at the Four Seasons Georgetown, Washington: Barack Obama shakes the hand of Nelson Mandela. A great moment for the man, the President of the United States later
Photo: nelsonmandela.org
"His sacrifice was so great that it brought people everywhere to stand up for humanity," he writes there. "In the most humble way, I was one of those people who has tried to answer this call."
Obama has personally met Mandela so far only once: 2005 in Washington, more than expected by chance. Obama looked past the Four Seasons, where Mandela was just a guest. Not much time left, Obama was nevertheless deeply impressed.
2006 visited the Democrat even the cell in the prison on Robben Iceland rocks in the Nelson Mandela spent as a prisoner No. 466/64 a good 16 years of his life.
During his visit to Cape Town is hoping to once again there. He wants to show the cell his daughters Malia (14) and Sasha (12) ...
No comments:
Post a Comment