Clintons, Oprah Lead Star Studded Tribute to Senile, Communist Mandela (Photos)

Reuters ^ | July 19, 2003 | nwrep

[nwrep]

Clintons, Oprah Lead Star Studded Tribute to Senile, Communist Mandela

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former U.S. president Bill Clinton (news - web sites) led a host of glittering stars and world luminaries in celebrating the 85th birthday of former South African leader Nelson Mandela on Saturday.

Reuters Photo

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Irish rock star Bono and U.S. talk show host Oprah Winfrey were among international guests celebrating the anti-apartheid hero, who turned 85 on Friday, at a banquet for 1,600 people.

Mandela's South African invitations spanned the range of his many years of political activity, stretching from fellow struggle hero and Nobel peace laureate Tutu to apartheid South Africa's last president, F.W. de Klerk.

"We thank God for you Madiba, for teaching us to forgive," said Tutu of the man who led South Africa down the road to democracy, peace and reconciliation, seemingly against all odds.

"We thank you Madiba for making our country a beacon of hope for the rest of the world," he added, using the clan name "Madiba" by which Mandela is fondly known in his home country.

Bringing an Irish theme to the event, rock star Bono joined Irish band the Corrs on stage and Clinton quoted verses by Irish Nobel literature laureate Seamus Heaney in praise of Mandela.

"You have made hope and history thrive. You have made beautiful music in all our lives. I hope our birthday present to you will be a lifetime of service, to make Africa all it can be, and to make the world the village your life deserves," he said.

The banquet was Mandela's biggest party since his 80th birthday celebrations, when he married his third wife, former Mozambican first lady Graca Machel.

Sweeping into the highly guarded event in a plush northern suburb of Johannesburg, guests poured adulation on Africa's revered elder statesman. "I have deep, deep love for him," said Winfrey. "Madiba is an inspiration for all of our hearts."

Clinton arrived fresh from delivering the first in a series of annual lectures inaugurated in Mandela's honor, at which he had called for more debt relief for Africa.

The former U.S. President and his family received a warm welcome in contrast to the relatively cold shoulder presented to George W. Bush by the South African public when the current U.S. president made a short state visit earlier this month.

[kitkat]

***kitkat, you are so right. Here is a picture from that event, and you can see Hitlery wearing the same gown: ***

You got it! That's the picture. Also, there was one on the Dose from that same affair which shows Hitlery (after all her preparation to pose just so) with the big O mouth and her eyes popping out in stunned surprise, as though she is saying, "Oh, you actually want MY picture?"

This woman is her own false idol!

[jla]

Based on her? posts, she would seem to be a paranoid-schizo Bill-the-Cat on acid!

I'm sure a lawdude would have first hand knowledge of this.

But thoroughly conservative!

Nothing escapes your keen eye, does it.