The breakneck pace of this trip is enough to make you dizzy. Or maybe I’m just getting a little seasick.
Look at how we’ve been spinning just since we arrived in South Africa:
President Barack Obama on Sunday will announce a new initiative to double access to electric power in sub-Saharan Africa, part of his effort to build on the legacy of equality and opportunity forged by his personal hero, Nelson Mandela.
It is my understanding that in order to “build on the legacy of the equality and opportunity” of Nelson’s he intends to spread the wealth around by giving them the power that he’s eliminating back at home by regulating coal fired electrical generation plants out of existence.
Obama, who flew from Johannesburg to Cape Town Sunday, will pay tribute to the ailing 94-year-old Mandela throughout the day.
Obama met Saturday with members of Mandela's family, but did not visit the anti-apartheid icon in the hospital, a decision the White House said was in keeping with his family's wishes.
Having been waved off his personal photo op meeting with the ailing Nelson Mandela by family members who did not wish to disturb the gravely ill former president of South Africa, the Obama family opted for the next best photo op sightseeing thing: a visit to the prison that was once home to the future President of South Africa:
The president and his family will visit Robben Island, where the anti-apartheid leader spent 18 years confined to a tiny cell, including a stop of the lime quarry where Mandela toiled and developed the lung problems that are ailing him today.
Although, having reached age 94, they’ve probably functioned about as well as anyone could have hoped for out of set of lungs.
The president will also view the prison courtyard where Mandela planted grapevines that remain today, and where he and others in the dissident leadership would discuss politics, sneak notes to one another and hide writings.
Something else Big Guy has in common with his personal hero; love of the grape,
and a penchant for hiding his writings. Or at least he hid them up to the point that he decided to “write” his first autobiography, Dreams From My Father, in order to launch his very successful political career. Which, when you think about it, was a much smarter career path than spending 18 years in the hoosegow.
Still, even when he did choose to write for public purposes, BO, in solidarity with his hero, still kept some things hidden by creating “composite” characters in order to protect the identities of his “girlfriends”.
Following the tour, Obama will deliver what the White House has billed as the signature speech of his weeklong trip at the University of Cape Town, an address that will be infused with memories of Mandela.
As well as a few self-referential examples of how he was inspired by his personal hero to do great things himself as a community organizer.
During that speech, Obama will unveil the "Power Africa" initiative, which includes an initial $7 billion investment from the United States over the next five years. Private companies, including General Electric and Symbion Power, are making an additional $9 billion in commitments with the goal of providing power to millions of Africans crippled by a lack of electricity.
“Crippled by a lack of electricity?” Isn’t that exactly what BHO’s critics are charging will happen back here at home with our war on coal?
Obama will also highlight U.S. efforts to bolster access to food and health programs on the continent.
It is my understanding that in addition to our coal, Big Guy intends to ship to Africa all the tasty fatty, salty, sugary treats now banned from school vending programs by Lady M and Ag Secretary Vilsack.
Obama has visited Robben Island before as a U.S. senator. But since being elected as the first black American president, Obama has drawn inevitable comparisons to Mandela, making Sunday's visit particularly poignant.
How Mandela spent his youth. How Barry spent his youth.
The president said he's also eager to bring his family with him to the prison to teach them about Mandela's role in overcoming white racist rule, first as an activist and later as a president who forged a unity government with his former captors.
Former President Mandela with then President Clinton, America’s first nominal Black president.
He told reporters Saturday he (hoped) to "help them to understand not only how those lessons apply to their own lives but also to their responsibilities in the future as citizens of the world, that's a great privilege and a great honor."
Unlike being a citizen of the United States, which, as we all know, remains to this day a racist country. Not withstanding the fact that we have an African King and Queen:
Be sure to watch “Keeping Up With the Obamas” as we wrap up season 5! Running daily on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and Ms.NBC.
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Cross-Posted on Patriot Action Network
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