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President Obama made a surprise visit to Baghdad this morning, where he was greeted by a thunderous audience of GIs.
Here now, for your viewing pleasure, the visits highlights.
UPDATE: Event Video - Big Hat Tip to Kitty
TRANSCRIPT:
NBC: At times, the room looked frenzied, excited, like a rock concert. Hundreds of US troops clamored to take photographs of their commander in chief in the rotunda of what had been Saddam Hussein's favorite palace.
Offscreen Voice: We love you!
Pres. Obama: I love you back.
NBC: But the biggest cheers came when President Obama said, six years after the US invasion, Iraqis must now take over.
Pres. Obama: It is time for us to transition to the Iraqis. They--they need to take responsibility for their country and for their sovereignty.
NBC: He awarded 10 Medals of Valor and promised to stick to a plan to pull out combat forces by Au-gust 2011.
Pres. Obama: We have not forgotten what you have already done. We are grateful for what you will do. And as long as I'm in the White House, you are going to get the support that you need.
NBC: But the surprise visit wasn't without complications. Because of a sandstorm, President Obama wasn't able to fly to central Baghdad to see Iraq's prime minister, so Mr. Nouri al-Maliki visited the president on a US military base. Obama's message: the Iraqi government must reconcile between Sunnis and Shiites.
Across Baghdad, at barbershops and bakeries, President Obama was warmly welcomed.
Iraqi Shop Keeper: `He's the first American president who supports Islam,' he said. Reaching out to Mus-lims was one of President Obama's main themes. He arrived in Baghdad from Istanbul, Turkey, once capital of the Muslim world.
Pres. Obama: Thank you.
NBC: In a town hall with Turkish students, the president said he is personally committed to engagement with the Muslim world.
Pres. Obama: We can't afford to talk past one another, to focus only on our differences.
NBC: Asked how he was different from President Bush, Mr. Obama said steering the US is like piloting a big tanker.
Pres. Obama: They're not like speed boats. You can't just whip them around and go in a new direction. In-stead, you've got to slowly move it, and then eventually you end up in a very different place.
NBC: In Baghdad, President Obama stayed just four hours, but he left a lasting impression. Tonight Air Force One took off with its lights turned off, apparently out of security concerns, as President Obama began the 12-hour trip back to Washington
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► Air Force One touches down and is saluted by commanding General Ray Odierno
► A beaming Rahm Emanuel with the troops.
► The troops flipped out when the Command-in-Chief entered the hall.
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► Even before today, this shop keeper renamed his store after President Obama. I'll give 1000 to 1 odds, there are no stores named after Bush or Cheney in Iraq.
► Wow! This poll has to kill the 5% of Democrats who want to impeach President Obama.
But you wanna hear the funniest part. The wingnuts are saying... wait for it... this poll is GREAT NEWS for the Republicans!
BWHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAAHA!
No, I'm not kidding. They say it great news because the President only has 30 percent support among Republicans. AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA! Stop it! Stop it! The laughter is killing me!
Bad Mutherfucker
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Bonus Coverage:
This just in: Teddy throwing out the first pitch to Hall of Famer Jim Rice at Fenway's home opener!!! As a life long Yankee fan (like Joe Biden), I heartily say WOOOO HOOOO!!!