POLITICO, June 27, 2011--Hours before arriving back in the United States from a weeklong trip to Africa, first lady Michelle Obama on Sunday told ABC’s “This Week” of a “surreal” meeting with statesman Nelson Mandela and the trip’s effect on her two daughters.
Obama met Mandela without her husband, President Barack Obama, who did not travel to Africa, but was surrounded by the 92-year-old former South African president’s family, an environment she described as “surreal,” “powerful” and “sort of like Thanksgiving dinner.”
She and her daughters arrived back at Andrews Air Force Base on Sunday night.
Asked by ABC’s David Muir what she said to Mandela, who led South Africa from the yoke of racial apartheid to become its first black president, the first lady said: “I told him you cannot imagine how important your legacy is to who I am, to who my husband is, I just said thank you, thank you, thank you.”
During her tour of South Africa and Botswana, Obama spoke of empowering youth, women and community leaders, and told large audiences of America’s own civil rights struggle. She also talked of the U.S. role in the fight against AIDS, hunger and poverty across Africa.
She was warmly received in townships and by media outlets, frequently appearing on front pages, and perhaps not so warmly by an elephant the family saw on safari.
The interview showed footage of Sasha and Malia reading the Dr. Seuss book “The Cat In The Hat,” to African children.
Obama said: “It’s always still a balance between protecting them … and giving them experiences to travel. They’re here because it’s June and they’re not in school, their homework’s done, they’re not missing tests, and I want them to see the world.
“I also want them to do service, I want them to give back and to engage. They’re on the world stage here but they were also doing something for the kids at that center.
Posted By: Richard Kigel
Monday, June 27th 2011 at 12:58PM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
