Obama Talks About Overseas Childhood, Tickle Fights In Indonesian TV Interview

video

by Drew Grant | 8:53 pm, March 23rd, 2010

» 8 comments

Since he couldn’t make his planned trip to Indonesia this week, President Barack Obama sat down with Putra Nababan from Indonesian news network RCTI and answered some questions about foreign policy, his time growing up in the country, and breaking a kid’s arm in a tickle fight.

It may concern some viewers to hear Obama speak of his love for (what sounds like) Mohamed Atta‘s stories when he was a child. (Atta was an influential ringleader behind the 9/11 attacks and was the hijacker who flew Flight 11 into the first tower.) Do not be alarmed: Obama is talking about Mahabharata, which along with the Rāmāyaṇa make up the Sanskrit epics of ancient Indonesia, from which the foundation of Hinduism sprung. So depending (once again) on your political stance this video will either be viewed as confirmation that our president is a well-traveled multi-lingual diplomat, or a great evil come from another country to destroy ours.

barack obama, Putra Nababan, RCTI

http://www.facebook.com/people/Geoff-Hines/1663431000 Geoff Hines

“So depending (once again) on your political stance this video will either be viewed as confirmation that our president is a well-traveled multi-lingual diplomat, or a great evil come from another country to destroy ours.”

i love how you don’t give your readers more than 2 choices and how you limit yourself as a writer. how about a 3rd choice which could be it’s just our President giving an interview to a member of the foreign press w/o any R’s and D’s included? see how easy that is? sorry to screw up your narrative.
felixw

Ah, as is well known, the tea parties denounce the pernicious influence of the Mahabharata at every gathering. And Fox News denounces it at least once per evening.
http://www.anonymousfinch.com AnonymousFinch

“So depending (once again) on your political stance this video will either be viewed as confirmation that our president is a well-traveled multi-lingual diplomat, or a great evil come from another country to destroy ours.”

I’ve just about had it with this site because of asinine statements like this. It’s increasing a little enclave of snarky liberals who think they are SO well-informed. I’d gladly debate any of you (or all of you at the same time) in a public forum.
SWWT

I’m sorry Finch, but that statement above is pretty much valid for any discussion on this site. I’ve seen it over and over, the liberals on this site will take the liberal side and be against anything conservative and vice versa.
felixw

Of course, the left would not be so quick to defend the Mahabharata, if they knew that it was a Hindu holy book. The Left only defends religions when they are embraced by high profile terrorists, and the Hindus don’t really deliver the goods on that score. Then again, it’s tough for the Left to walk away from any opportunity to say something scornful about the Right, even it is just poppycock. So go ahead and beat up on the Right because of its well known antipathy for Hinduism.
tigerprez

The part that Obama failed to mention was how he then miraculously healed the child whose arm he broke, after which he made little birds out of clay that came to life. Such a modest man. We should worship him.
Big Sir

Is he Muslim or Christian or both? I guess it depends on who he’s talking to.
Even Rev. Sharp stated yesterday that anyone who voted for Obama was voting for socialism.
Big Sir

Sorry a typo, I meant the Rev. Al Sharpton