“waterboarding is torture …. that’s not who we are”

Press conference, Hawaii, November 13

a good hair day

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and President Barack Obama laugh as they brush their hair during a group photo during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Kapolei, Hawaii

hawaii hosts

Tim Mathieson, partner of Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, shows the First Lady his cowboy boots. The First Lady is hosting a luncheon, serving all organic food from MA’O organic farm, for spouses of the APEC leaders at Kualoa Ranch, Hawaii

 …. greeting Vietnam’s First Lady Mai Thi Hanh

…. greeting Indonesia’s first lady Kristiani Herawati

…. greeting Korean first lady Kim Yoon-ok

…. with Laureen Harper, spouse of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper

First Lady Michelle Obama with the Honolulu Boys Choir

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Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper walks with President Obama following the first plenary session of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Kapolei, Hawaii

afternoon all

President Obama arrives for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit leaders plenary session in Kapolei, Hawaii on Sunday, Nov. 13

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Today: The President delivers opening comments at the APEC Summit and attends sessions through the day; holds a press conference to wrap up the summit. In the evening meets with the Mexican President and the Canadian Prime Minister at the North American Leaders Summit. The First Lady hosts a luncheon with APEC leaders’ spouses at Kualoa Ranch.

Tomorrow: The President holds a fundraiser in the morning. That will be his only event for the day before he leaves on Tuesday morning for Canberra, Australia.

rise and shine

Star Advertiser: President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama welcomed the leaders and representatives from 20 other Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation nations with a luau, hula and a Hawaiian proverb at the Hale Koa Hotel….

…. “We have music. We have song. We have celebration and we have hula dancing,” Obama said. “Now, Michelle doesn’t think I’m a very good dancer so I will not be performing,” which drew laughter from the crowd.

… Obama talked about the lessons he had learned from his Hawaii upbringing, concepts he hoped will guide the work of APEC leaders. “We are 21 leaders from across the Asia-Pacific who represent close to 3 billion people … men and women of every faith, color and creed,” he said. “Whatever our differences, our citizens have sent us here with a common task: to bring our economies closer together, to cooperate, to create jobs and prosperity that our people deserve so they can provide for their families, so they can give their children a better future.

“And we’ve learned that we’re more likely to realize our aspirations when we pursue them together,” Obama said. “That’s the spirit of Hawaii. It’s what made me who I am. It’s what shapes my interactions with all of you. And it’s the spirit that I hope guides us in our work this weekend.”

Obama then raised a glass of water and proposed a toast in Hawaiian. “Aohe hana nui ke alu ia,” he said. “That means, ‘No task is too big when done together by all,'” Obama said. “Cheers. Salud.”

Full article here

… with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

…. with Linda, the wife of Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill

… with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and his wife Kim Yoon-Ok

…. with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Tim Mathieson

… with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen