A Great Wall: Obama tours China's iconic site

The Associated Press (hosted on Google) ^ | November 18, 2009 | Charles Hutzler

[myknowledge]

BEIJING — President Barack Obama absorbed history's expanse Wednesday from atop the Great Wall of China, a manmade wonder of such enormity that Obama found himself putting daily life in perspective.

"It's magical," Obama said, walking down a ramp alone, his hands in his pockets. "It reminds you of the sweep of history and our time here on earth is not that long. We better make the best of it."

A must-see for presidents from President Richard Nixon on, the Great Wall was one of Obama's major sightseeing stops during his diplomatic tour of Asia.

Dressed in a winter jacket against a biting wind, Obama led a knot of people for a half-hour jaunt up the crenelated wall toward a watchtower, a restored section originally built 500 years ago.

Obama walked down the last ramp by himself in a choreographed moment for photographers. White House aides were exultant afterward that "the shot" they had planned turned out perfectly.

[myknowledge]

Obama is fascinated by the Great Wall, isn't he?

[IbJensen]

I wish he lived there.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

In another failed attempt to emulate President Reagan, Obama gave an impromptu speech.

The highlight of his speech came as, reading from his teleprompter, he pleaded,

“Mr. Hu, tear down this wall!”

[Never on my watch]

Inspired and exicted by the majesty of this product of total dictatorial power, slave labor and countless lives, Obama begins to levitate.

[sphinx]

Obama walked down the last ramp by himself in a choreographed moment for photographers. White House aides were exultant afterward that "the shot" they had planned turned out perfectly.

Huh? This is a triviality, but WH aides were "exultant" that a photo op came off as planned? And AP finds that newsworthy?

Why would a reporter waste space on the staging of a presidential photo op when he has the Great Wall to write about?

Oh well. Bookmarking for my daughter, to see if she remembers that part of the wall. It looks like the restored section north of Beijing, which is on the standard tourist circuit. Well worth visiting.

[myknowledge]

And what would you think of the Great Wall of China if you visited it?

[AmericanInTokyo]

A Photo Shop wizard’s PARADISE of a pic.

[IbJensen]

If I visited the wall I would think of how glad I was there at a different time than Obummer.

You would have taken his picture, wouldn't you? Admit it.

[WVKayaker]

BY HIMSELF!

[Condor51]

"It's magical," Obama said, walking down a ramp alone, his hands in his pockets. "It reminds you of the sweep of history and our time here on earth is not that long. We better make the best of it."

You're right Barry. Our time 'here' is short.

And it was really short for the millions of Chinese Peasants who were conscripted by the numerous Emperors who wanted that wall be built and continued on.
(Many died on the spot on were buried in it. (Its not all brick and mortar))

btw Barry, that wall was built by non union labor. Better get a hold of SEIU's Andy Stern. Maybe he'll want to set up a picket.

[sphinx]

And what would you think of the Great Wall of China if you visited it?

I've been there. Visited the restored section north of Beijing; the area where foreign dignitaries and most tourists visit, and presumably the area Obama saw. Very impressive and I'd love to go back.

The astonishing thing is that most of it is still standing. Think of the hundreds of cities and towns across Europe that tore down their ancient and medieval remains. I'd bet most of them wish they had them back, just as I'd imagine the Chinese now regret the mass destruction of antiquities during the Mao era.

Not that we do any better. We may not have medieval walls, but we do have Civil War battlefields, with local developers and governments hell-bent to put WalMarts on most of them.

[potlatch]