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This was an embassy function, not a public event. (But these photos are mine,
not the embassy's, as are my opinions. I'm not employed by the embassy or the
government.) Presidents often
come up in conversations I have taking taxis around, so I know what the
taxistas think of Obama -- they seem to like him, although they don't know much
about him. However, they almost universally have two cemented opinions about
US presidents: that they love Hillary Clinton and would have voted for her (and
they liked her husband too), and that they have a strong dislike for Bush (both
of them). After we get that out of the way, they'll often ask about 9/11
conspiracies, which are oddly popular. |
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Heidi was working the door, so Piper and I took a taxi down. Here is her
sketch on the way down of what Barack Obama looks like. `Henry, I don't know
if he has black hair or brown hair. Do you? No? Well, I guess I'll have to check!' |
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And here's one of the White House! |
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That's Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama there. (We explained later that they
weren't married to each other and Hillary has her own house.) Interestingly,
Piper met Clinton a few weeks ago when she also visited Mexico City. I wasn't
there, since I was at a meteorites conference in Houston. |
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Here are some police hiding behind shields. |
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When in Mexico, the president stays at the Presidente hotel. How handy to
remember in case he gets lost. He and his group rented out the entire
building -- every single room -- no joke. |
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Piper dressed up in tap shoes, so she dances a bit before we get in line. |
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This security guard is -- I am serious -- fake! He is made of
plaster! However, there still was sufficient security, and since both the US
and Mexico claimed responsbility for the event, we got to go through two
metal detectors, two pat-downs, etc. |
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Piper's friend Mia. |
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There was a little kid zone. |
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But Alejandro preferred to stay with his parents. Here he looks a little like
a monkey. |
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And now they both look like cute anteaters. |
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The kids made a little poster for him. |
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This is what a group of 400 diplomats waiting for their boss looks like. He
was talking with Mexican President Felipe Calderon just before this, and took
two Blackhawk helicopters from
Calderon's house to the hotel (so says my non-embassy neighbor who saw it). |
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Woo-hoo! |
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He spoke for approximately two minutes. He said that "we're gonna thank our
kids, because they're cute!" and then talked to the kids, and then thanked the
diplomats for being diplomats, and said he was going to do his best (regarding
the world) "not to screw it up," and that was about it! Well, but he's so
good, and so smooth, that I was just as happy to listen to him for two minutes
as for 90. |
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This is what a room full of diplomats taking photos of their boss looks like. |
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Piper was right up front but I didn't get any photos of her. She has a purple
dress and if you look around you can find her to his right. |
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He walked around and shook hands for about 10 minutes -- 5 times longer than
his talk. |
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Books to sign! (No, he didn't...) |
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Photos are compared. |
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The camouflage makes this marksman nearly invisible next to that bush. How
sneaky! |
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We pick up our car, parked outside the Iglesia de Scientology (which oddly
enough bears a crucifix in Mexico). |
