In February it was announced that President Obama, accompanied by his family, would make a trip to Indonesia in March to “reach out to the Muslim world.”
Washington – US President Barack Obama will travel to Indonesia in March to broaden relations as part of his plan to reach out to the Muslim world, the White House said Monday. Obama plans to visit the Southeast Asian nation with the world’s largest Muslim population in the second half of March. He will also travel to Australia to celebrate 70 years of formal diplomatic relations.
He will be accompanied by wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
He was to leave on March 18th but the trip is postponed for three days in order for Obama to “focus like a laser’s beam on jobs.” Oops. I mean focus like a laser’s beam on ramming health care reform down the throats of the American people.
I guess he thinks he can get that done by next Sunday.
And apparently the family can’t make the trip.
Robert Gibbs “twitters” the confirmation.
Here is Gibbs’s confirmation of the delay on Twitter:
The President will delay leaving for Indonesia and Australia — will now leave Sunday — the First Lady and the girls will not be on the trip.
He may be, once again, “reaching out,” but I just don’t know about this response.
A Muslim student kicks a banner of President Barack Obama during a protest against his planned visit in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Friday, March 12, 2010.
A student holds a poster of U.S President Barack Obama as she protests against Obama’s plans to visit Indonesia, outside the U.S. consulate in Medan, Indonesia’s North Sumatra province March 12, 2010.
Posted: 03.12.10