Deseret News | A view of Obama's visit to Ghana

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A view of Obama's visit to Ghana

Michelle's Trip to London | 5:24 a.m. July 15, 2009

On Sunday, President Obama flew back to the United States on Air Force One. His wife, two daughters and her mother did a bit of shopping in Paris before taking their own Boeing 757 (C-32) over to London to do some sightseeing.
We all remember Obama’s admonishment to corporate CEO’s in February: <
“You can’t get corporate jets, you can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers dime.”
Apparently that doesn’t apply to his wife.
The London Times opened its description of Michelle’s visit this way:
Motorcycle outriders, armored Chevrolets and bullet-headed men in raincoats criss-crossed London yesterday as Michelle Obama and her daughters spent a second day on an unofficial visit to the capital.
The Times went on to describe that when Michelle and the girls arrived at Westminster Abbey, the building was closed to tourists with people already in told to “wait against the wall.” An American visiting the Abbey said “Right then I knew it was probably someone from our ‘royal family’

Susan M | 6:23 a.m. July 15, 2009

Anyone who is offering billions would be a welcome site in any country. How can we do this when we are borrowing from other countries? We should be generous when we can, but we shouldn't give what we don't have.

Colleen | 6:40 a.m. July 15, 2009

Demagogues do what demo-gogues do!

Comments continue below

Anonymous | 7:23 a.m. July 15, 2009

Obama does what all great leaders do: inspire the people. Reagan did the same thing.

Ray is there on Church business and commenting on political matters. Is there a connection? Informal, yes.

Finally, tying the foreign aid issue to Obama specifically is sheer nonsense on a number of levels.

Good Idea | 7:36 a.m. July 15, 2009

I think Obama should run for president of
Ghana

c almond | 8:10 a.m. July 15, 2009

re: Michelle's Trip to London

Are you criticizing the fact that our first lady had security on her trip? Or that our first lady would visit another country? You really think these things are inappropriate?

MT Girl | 8:23 a.m. July 15, 2009

I think Ray should run for president!

Anonymous | 8:33 a.m. July 15, 2009

I would be most happy if the Obamanation would move to Ghana....

Simon F | 8:47 a.m. July 15, 2009

Obama, "Yes we can, Yes I can" Funny story, while visiting last week with family, our precocious 21/2 year old granddaughter was going around saying I'm Barack Obama, to which my two teenagers told her to add "Yes, I can". The teenagers recorded on their cell phones and my son used the 2 year olds "I'm Barack Obama, Yes, I Can" as his cell phone ring tone for several days. It was cute at first, but it became annoying after several days.

Barack is still trying to please everyone rather than finding and working to real and practical solutions.

Johny Fairplay | 9:23 a.m. July 15, 2009

mmmm spoon fed Benson pabulum for breakfast.

OMR | 9:35 a.m. July 15, 2009

Funny how Republicans didn't questions anything, except the patrotism and obediece of war protestors, when it came to "nation building" by bombing Bagdad. Just where do you think the money comes from for all those patiot missiles? Reading the Deseret News, or listening to KSL radio (Hannity), and considering the heard mentality of those patrons is scary. You have a brain, so stop the contradictory reasoning. Just because your side makes a claim (Demo or Repube) does not make it true. Read everything. Question everything. Don't follow along just because you're fat and lazy.

xscribe | 9:47 a.m. July 15, 2009

Did he mention he was Republican!

Lynette | 10:07 a.m. July 15, 2009

The money that President Obama has spent in order to stimulate our economy is staggering...and we the tax payers (and our children) will pay for it. If his wife wants to visit other countries, she should wait until after his term in office is over. At least those of us who wish we could go on vacation won't have to pay for her vacation.

CraigE | 10:33 a.m. July 15, 2009

Glad to hear Ray is doing well on assignment in Africa and hasn't lost his caustic edge. While I am genuinely happy that Obama has sparked excitement and hope among blacks throughout the world, I fear that his orgy of bailouts and pork spending will become his legacy of pain for all of us.

Clifton | 12:36 p.m. July 15, 2009

Obama has a funy effect on people, and just like Chris Mathews, everytime they hear the word Obama get a tingling feeling running up and down gheir legs, or in this case in their brains. Not of the Obama-ites here seem to have no problem with Barrack and Michelle in true Liberal style spending money that does not belong to them. For those of you who fall into this category, open up your check book and pay our share of taxes, and leave mine alone. For those of you have a problem with spending money to protect this country and the likes of you, consider the millions that was spent on these two charlatans for their protection, their whims and self adoration. What these tow have done is fair to the rest of us who pay our own plane tickets?

Grimble | 1:17 p.m. July 15, 2009

There must be something wrong with my computer -- most of the comments here appear to be written in Whinese.

The president is doing his job. He's done wonders for our image abroad. He, like every other president, has to have a certain level of security. That's just the way it is.

Or are presidential trips only okay when brush clearing is involved.

What a bunch of pouty children Republicans have become.

Of no substance | 1:29 p.m. July 15, 2009

The only thing I got from this story is that Ray is a shallow cynic.

I am curious though, what legal problems the church has in Ghana that Ray is helping to straighten out. That would make a better story.

Anonymous | 2:30 p.m. July 15, 2009

"The president is doing his job." What's that? Giving our money away? What's Michelle's job that she gets extravagant transportation for yet another trip to Paris and London? Spending more of our money? The "whinese" in these posts is justified indignation over the excesses of the Obamas with taxpayer money during dire economic times.

Further, Obama has not made the world like us better. His insipid apologizies on every trip has enboldened dictators abroad and undermined people seeking to overthrow those dictators. Russia, Arabia, Iran, and North Korea have much less respect for us.

Obama is a failure in foreign affairs and in domestic affairs. I don't wish him on the good people of Ghana much less on Americans.

Bryce | 4:03 p.m. July 15, 2009

Go Ray! I know it sounds just peachy keen to hear we're going to help the poor. The problem is, it doesn't work that way. Plenty of Economists (William Easterly for one) have shown us that it doesn't matter how much money we dump on the poor in any country, it won't help their situations. They need an increase in technology growth. Their culture has to be willing to accept that growth and their governments have to be willing to allow it.

Oliver (Ireland) | 3:36 a.m. July 16, 2009

Be democrat, be republican, but on a mission for the church, be a missionary. As someone has said it would be far more interesting to hear how the work in going and how missionaries such as Ray are helping.

Nigerian Missionary | 1:07 p.m. July 16, 2009

What we really need to do is send one of our Czars over to help them develop their wonderful resources into businesses to help the people be self-supporting. They are wonderful people that deserve more than money that will never provide a service.

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