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President Obama is honored to be back in #India to celebrate Republic Day and to begin a new chapter in the US-India partnership. Jai Hind!
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@NSCPress (@NSCPress) January 25, 2015****
President Barack Obama inspects a guard of honor during his welcoming ceremony
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Wing commander Puja Thakur of the Indian Air Force leads the guard of honor
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First Post: Wing Commander Puja Thakur Leads Guard Of Honour for Obama, Scores A Win For Modi Govt
US President Barack Obama’s visit to India for the Republic Day parade is on the path of turning out to be a gigantic public relations success for the Narendra Modi government. Just two days after the Prime Minister launched the government’s ambitious ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign, the country witnessed the first guard of honour in the country’s history led by a woman officer. Wing commander Puja Thakur of the Indian Air Force led the guard of honour in the Raj Bhavan in what is being hailed as a inspiring move by the Modi government.
NDTV reported: “President Obama was given a 21-gun salute at the forecourt of the majestic presidential palace, after which Wing Commander Thakur walked him for the inspection of the Guard of Honour. She is the first woman officer to lead a tri-services Guard of Honour.” Thakur told NDTV that while she was proud of the fact that she was allowed to lead the guard of honour, she really hoped that the incident inspired more women to join the armed forces in the country.
More here
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President Barack Obama pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat
President Barack Obama folds his hands in a traditional Indian greeting gesture, as Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi laugh during a ceremonial reception at the Indian presidential Palace in New Delhi
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President Barack Obama bows as he participates in a tree planting ceremony at the Raj Ghat Mahatma Gandhi Memorial
President Barack Obama participates in a wreath laying ceremony at the Raj Ghat Mahatma Gandhi Memorial
President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have coffee and tea in the gardens of the Hyderabad House
President Barack Obama smiles during a meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee at India’s presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi
President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi wave ahead of their meeting at Hyderabad House
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Al Jazeera America: Obama And Modi Announce Nuclear ‘Breakthrough’ During India Visit
U.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a deal on Sunday aimed at unlocking billions of dollars in nuclear trade, a step that both sides hope will help establish an enduring strategic partnership. The two countries reached an understanding on two issues that, despite a groundbreaking 2006 agreement, had stopped U.S. companies from setting up reactors in India and became one of the major irritants in bilateral ties. “We are committed to moving towards full implementation,” Obama told a joint news conference with Modi after he arrived in New Delhi. “This is an important step that shows how we can work together to elevate our relationship.”
The new deal resolved differences over the liability of suppliers to India in the event of a nuclear accident and U.S. demands on tracking the whereabouts of material supplied to the country, U.S. ambassador to India Richard Verma told reporters. Signaling his determination to take ties to a higher level, Modi broke with protocol to meet and bear-hug Obama as he landed in New Delhi earlier in the day. They agreed to a number of financing initiatives aimed at helping India increase its use of renewable energy. On Monday, Obama will be the first U.S. president to attend India’s Republic Day parade, an annual show of military might long associated with the anti-Americanism of the Cold War, and will host a radio show with Modi.
More here
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President Barack Obama answers a question during a press conference
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President Barack Obama delivers a toast a State Dinner hosted by Indian President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace, in New Delhi, India. President Obama’s arrival Sunday morning in the bustling capital of New Delhi marked the first time an American leader has visited India twice during his presidency. President Obama is also the first to be invited to attend India’s Republic Day festivities, which commence Monday and mark the anniversary of the enactment of the country’s democratic constitution
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Shaking hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
President Barack Obama receives a scarf from a member of parliament
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama laugh with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi as she goes through the receiving line
with actor Kal Penn
First Lady Michelle Obama chats with President Pranab Mukherjee
Performers are seen on stage during a cultural performance for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama
The Obama Diary 
Afternoon lovelies.
Congratssssssssssssssssssss ⭐
Thanks pf58
Look at you all shiny and firstie! Congrats! 😀
Firstie is easy. Keeping this site going is the real challenge. Loved your postings last night. You’re all terrific !
Congrats vetivera 🙂
Lovely, comprehensive recounting of the President & First Lady’s Sunday in India, NW. Thank you!!
Thanks, Bob.
Congrats on first vetivera!!
Thanks Betsy
Congrats and good afternoon!
Beautiful journaling Nerdy.
Thanks, Vetivera24.
FANTASTIC post NW. What would we do without you and Chips, I wonder??? Thanks so much for the great pictures, too. You are amazing. 🙂
Thanks, Betsy.
good morning! did i miss anything? 🙂
Thank you ,,…thank you so much …NW….
thank you so much for the ever loving work that you do for us here in the Village…without you and Ms chips we would be in the dark… whenever i am away from or that i cannot access the computer…i feel so disconnected..i want to know not just what the President and first lady are doing but clarity on the issues of concern….
i cannot being to tell you how grateful i am …how blessed i feel to be a member of the TOD Village…along with hf, df, bob, amk, viki, vc, 99, don, japa and countless others.
bless you, NW
Thank you so very much, PF.
I love this post! the pictures are spectacular. I didn’t know that Nancy Pelosi went on the trip.
Thanks!
A goooooooooorgeous round-up of the day Nerdy, thank yooooooou Legend!
Thanks so much, Chiparooo.
I am loving FLOTUS Dress….she looks beautiful! i have always love that style of skirt…alas i am too hippy for that amount of volume….
Been busy for most of the weekend and just checking in to enjoy India with the Obamas. Thanks so much Chips for once again being the best tour guide ever.
rw/professional left…..2 sides of the same coin
I have never, ever envied the First Lady’s clothing. I lust after every one of Michelle Obama’s outfits. Every.Single.One.
THIS!
Of course, I would need her figure too. Which I actually don’t have at this moment. Also, I wouldn’t mind her husband either, as long as I’m borrowing. 😀
oh you speak for so many of us 🙂
The painter is a Leftie too 😉
breaking news!! i found an article about pbo’s work in india on a usa news website!
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/01/25/379711749/president-obama-welcomed-to-india-with-a-significant-hug
Susanne, you just found a needle in a haystack!!! 🙂
But wait, there’s more. Scroll down! 🙂
Chips! If it weren’t for you and TOD, we’d be in the dark – not to mention a haystack! Thank you, beauty.
Good for you, Susanne. I think you deserve a prize for finding that rare gem.
i belatedly accept
thank you. thank you very much. 🙂
BREAKING NEWS…USA covered PBO trip to India on their online site in hopes no one would know..someone named “Susanne” on a OBOT website The Obama Diary alerted it’s almost 30 million readers…the MSM is doomed. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Thank you Chips, Nerdy, Dudette and all
others for bringing us PBO and FLOTUS historic trip and I thank the Indian press and
people for giving our president the respect he
hardly gets at home. I don’t even bother to
watch teevee news and L.A. Times is always
a day or two behind TOD in covering the news.
Thanks, Jojo.
🙂
I want to hold onto him forever too, I want him to be my President until the last breath I breathe. I feel safe with President Obama at the helm no matter the world situation.
THIS! THIS! THISSSSSSSSSSSS!
And congratulations, vetivera!
Thanks! We are all blessed to have TOD.
As always, great coverage, Nerdy.
Afternoon, all.
Thanks, LL.
I have a serious question.
Do PBO’s trips to Europe get more coverage in US media than his trips to, shall we say, browner parts of the world?
Good questions, epsecially since 85% of the world is brown.
Only if the MSM can sneak in a war-related question.
IIRC very little press coverage of PBO’s trips anywhere except to whine about Israel, Iraq, Iran, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Al-Qaeda, ISIS, etc.
This trip seems particularly egregious because I heard Major Garrett’s report from India on CBS network news which claimed “no major accomplishments.” Will have more to say on this topic later today.
OTOH, heard that 60 Minutes is interviewing the Cleveland PD chief tonight, so finally the lazy MSM is catching up on domestic events.
Just checking in, been busy all morning. Thank you Chips and Nerdy for this marvelous coverage. I have to say, I would love to see Michelle’s dinner dress in person, to get the full effect of that beautiful fabric. It looks like silk. The large pattern looks so elegant on her tall graceful body. I bet the colors are glorious in person.
So glad we have had PBO for six years. He has had so much work to do, both domestically and internationally. Like someone said, he is cleaning up the messes from Reagan onwards. I think we northern European types need to accept that the majority of the world does not look like us. POTUS and FLOTUS fit in with more of the world than people like me do. That is a very good thing for us. What other president would ever learn Hindi for a trip to India???!!!! He is grace and class personified.
Carolyn, you’ll appreciate PBO’s toast to PM Modi today:
PBO’s toast is well worth the 5 minutes it takes to view:
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/at-banquet-obama-talks-of-dosti-and-modi-kurta/353985?hp&video-featured
LOL! Too cute! 🙂
Oh, Dudette, I wish we could keep him for a third or fourth term. President Barack Obama is the best thing that ever happened to this country.
Me too, me too, me too…..
me 3. I cannot imagine a world in which he is not President. It’s just not possible.
It really is unfathomable.
I know right? [sigh]
I ❤ My President!
…..And Canada also too.
Riiiight, riiight! 😀
Brava! Brava! Brava! 🙂 Sweet Post, NW. Brava!
Au ⭐ to Vetiveria24.
Now back to catching up….
I just saw this and it reminded me the number of comments by Amk
On Monkeys 😉
🙂
Nena, I have a slightly different take on that ABC report …
Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
😆 🙄 😆
The MSM Historical Coverage Pattern is no doubt, Questionable. In_Deed, Doc 😉
Thanks, Nena.
nyt has a front page article:
‘ President Obama swept aside past friction with India on Sunday to report progress on climate change and civilian nuclear power cooperation as he sought to transform a fraught relationship marked by suspicion into an enduring partnership linking the world’s oldest and largest democracies.
Kicking off a three-day visit rich in symbolism and pageantry, Mr. Obama emerged from hours of discussions with his counterpart, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with what he called “a breakthrough understanding” to finally overcome years of deadlock that have prevented American firms from building nuclear reactors here, a key goal of the trip. ‘
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/26/world/asia/obama-lands-in-india-with-aim-of-improving-ties.html
Hey you losers! Reuters gave the President 50 seconds. So shut-up ya bunch of whiny babies! 😀
Soooo nuclear deal, climate change… meh. But THEY GOT THIS…
….then had to drive back because they forgot the fries 🙂 🙂 🙂 don’t you just hate when that happens!
Thanks to Jim Avala for exposing details about PBO’s security in this video. Do not understand why that was necessary.
Secret Service needs to put a stop to that crap. The other day somebody published a detailed infographic in a news article listing all of The Beast’s security measures. WTF? Seriously.
The actual capacity of the BEAST is classified. On the day of the 2009 inauguration, I contacted the secret service when I noticed on the CSPAN website someone had posted an interview of one of the shop owners along PBO’s post inauguration route specifying the specific time PBO would be at a very specific location, which included a graphic. When I checked back 15 minutes later, it was gone.
Wonderful recap NW!
How it is playing in India:
Thanks, LP.
First Bill Nye, now this.
The Upside: Maybe all the noise about deflated balls and the ensuing investigation will inspire some young scientists! 😀
SUPER round-up, Nerdy! You’ve shown us in great detail what a sensational trip this has been.
TODers should definitely have WH press credentials. Especially when I read that The Daily Beast was credentialed for this trip.
TODville does a MUCH better job of informing and illuminating. But we already knew that.
Thanks, Meta.
If I miss a day, I know I can get caught up here.
Thanks, Chips and NW for the excellent reporting on PBO’s India trip.
Thanks, Africa.
NW, thanks so very much for this lovely post! Would never have known Nancy Pelosi was with the President, were it not for you! So glad to see her, all of the colorful traditional dress in the photos, the respect shown by both leaders to each other, the tribute to Gandhi, and – obviously – our gorgeous President and First Lady representing us in India! And everything I didn’t list.
Thanks, Ms. J’OB.
Delicious round-up, Nerdy. Thank you.
Is there a list of who accompanied The President and First Lady to India? Yesterday I saw that Kal Penn is along and today i see Nancy Pelosi in the photo up top.
Thanks, Vicki.
Lovely and quite an accomplishment for a 4 yrs old.
On Tuesday, Fareed Zakaria(sp) is interviewing POTUS in India.
CNN would have it on New Day.
Yay!
All kinds of badass!
YES! Thank you Dudette. When they broke into the Star Spangled Banner, my eyes welled up. High joy to see the vibrant expressions of respect and paying of tribute, richly deserved, to our President, and to see their eagerness to welcome him and FLOTUS, to show honor and hospitality with heart and dignity. And BADASS is right, for WIng Commander Thakur!
I welled up through out the whole thing as if she were my little sister. My sister served on Honor Guard for the U.S. Air Force during her 26 yrs in service. I’m so proud of her. Proud of Wing Commander Thakur. Proud of how wonderfully our President and First Lady represent us. What a great day it’s been watch them. I’m so grateful to share the experience of following them with our TOD family.
This is SO SO SO all kinds of WONDROUS. Wow.
2 things…the obvious swag of our President…. smilin….
and where was the Mr Baldy of the Secret service…i did not like the President standing there by himself…i know he was near…but i always feel better when i see him near our President
Same here. He hasn’t been very visible on this trip after the deplaning. I know the highest top security has been implemented but still.
Yeah, I’ve have been reading on the internets about Modi and it’s interesting; he’s described as a right wing extremist who was banned for 10 years from visiting the U.S. by the State Department for his alleged complicity in ethnic riots in 2002 that left thousands of Muslims dead in his home state. It sounds like he is a bit like a republican Bill Clinton; charismatic, smart and calculating and willing to compromise his values where it feeds his ego.
I think POTUS sees him as maleable and therefore will be trying to get him to support his foreign policy initatives during his term as PM.
not sure why this showed up here. It was supposed to be down in the discussion of PM Modi’s handshake with POTUS.
Stellar, breathtaking reporting on POTUS/FLOTUS magnificent visit to the gracious, warm-hearted, beautiful nation of India, NerdyWonka. We are so blessed to have you on The Beat. The only “White House Press Corps” doing the actual job (and doing it brilliantly) : NW, CHIPS, TOD!
Thanks, Nancie.
She’s not even going to touch that Pretty Foot.
hmmmmm…
i read the transcript of that interview with the COS…now where does he say that the President is angry at Netanyahu…try as they did to put words in his mouth…yet they persist on saying that the wh is angry
CNN, with no airplane tragedy to report on 24/7, is now questioning the fact that (they say) “although no U.S. President has ever attended an Auschwitz anniversary,” in a tan suit or not, it appears President Obama isn’t attending because he’d either rather go to Saudi Arabia or he’s punishing Bibi. False equivalency prevails. There are no words.
When this gibberish starts from the media, they’ve either not gotten their latest GOP talking points or decided to make up little fairy tales all on their own. The are hopeless, JOB, and about as informative as howling monkeys.
Sometimes I switch to CNN on weekends, if they’re not doing a cooking show or a re-run of a crime show, to see if there is ANYTHING they’d be reporting on actual, insightful “news.” I am ALWAYS disappointed. So thankful God invented HGTV!
be sure to click on ‘CC’ 🙂
But aren’t Tsipras’ hands tied as well? Greece needs capital to fix their economic woes. Where does he get it if he decides to leave the eurozone. If he stays he still has Merkel, Germany and the troika to deal with. Like his predecessor he doesn’t really have much leverage to get them to change their minds.
I’m just trying to sort thru this and I’m really not sure what his other options are. Samaras was by and large saying a lot of the same things in 2012. Two years later he couldn’t get Merkel to budge. Like it or not she’s the one running this austerity show.
His only leverage, DerBingle, are the Greek people, and others throughout the Eurozone, who resonate with his message of restoration of democracy, anti-oligarcy, redistribution of wealth, and a focus on human dignity. He is not advocating leaving the Eurozone, but radically changing it.
In any event, it’s going to be most interesting to follow.
That’s pretty powerful stuff I grant you that but how does he use it to break the Merkel stranglehold particularly since he doesn’t want to leave the eurozone? Is it a matter of building a coalition with other countries to force her hand? It does seem as if he has some built in allies in this fight.
Bobfr thank you for the video below I’m going thru it now.
That’s what I’m wondering. She’s going to be there until 12/31/17.
Merkel and the banker oligarchs cannot risk a default in Greece because it would trigger likely defaults in Spain, Portugal, ….. So, if Tsipras can organize massive mobilization behind specific reforms, not the least of which is reformation of privatization that has undermined the Greek economy, he could establish a basis for negotiation to establish what the legitimate debt of the country is and a mechanism for settling the debt.
Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal … going to be a lot of interesting times ahead for Europe especially since Merkel, Cameron, & Hollande now have the opportunity to nurture relations with reasonable folk in those countries rather than the ultra-right, flat out Nazi, fascists that Putin is nurturing in each of those countries as well as in Germany, France, Italy, … everywhere in Europe.
Demos!
A bit of perspective …
I just keep reading this and smiling 😀
“A great showman, Mr. Modi broke protocol and welcomed Mr. Obama as he stepped off Air Force One in New Delhi Sunday with a hearty handshake, a big hug and another handshake. Then he got ahold of the U.S. president’s right hand with his left and held on for an unusually long time…
… As the handholding dragged on, Mr. Obama tried to counter by putting his other hand over the hand he had lost to Mr. Modi and give it a good solid “this is the last shake” shake, but the enthusiastic Mr. Modi did not let go for close to 30 seconds….
…After the shot of the Obamas and Mr. Modi waving to the crowd and more of your standard hand shaking, Mr. Modi got ahold of Mr. Obama’s right hand again, but this time for only around 10 seconds….
…Unless he wants to distance himself from Mr. Modi, President Obama should not be worried, anyone that has good friends in India knows that a bit of lingering hand holding is just a way to show affection, not unlike grabbing someone’s shoulder after a handshake and shaking it to demonstrate you are particularly happy to see them…
..Mr. Modi and Mr. Obama still have two full days to build on their bromance. We’ll see how the United States responds.”
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2015/01/25/modi-shakes-obamas-hand-and-doesnt-let-go/
I’m still wondering where PM Modi lines up with POTUS on economic and social issues as I thought (though not sure) that amk was not pleased he won the election.
I totally noticed that PM Modi seemed to want to hold hands with POTUS indefinitely.
Thanks Nerdy for such a fantastic post! 🙂 Between you and Chips, we have such excellent, unparalleled coverage of our President’s trip abroad. I won’t ever take this for granted!
Thanks, HF.
If you’re in the path of this storm, please be prepared and take care!
Bring it on!!! Wait a minute what am I saying? Just kidding monster storm (gulp).
Don’t mess with Mother Nature. Mama don’t play.
Tell her I didn’t mean it. Tell her I’m not getting enough zinc in my diet so it causes these unintentional outbursts.
🙂
lolol
Posted this earlier — this article ends this way (something to look forward to in a couple of weeks — not):
“Following the blizzard, a dangerously cold Arctic outbreak waits in the wings, with wind chills forecast to plunge to as low as minus-30 degrees Fahrenheit in New Jersey during the first week of February.”
Forgot the tweet with the link to the article. 😳
Holy Popsicles, Batman! That’s deadly cold! 😯
wowwww
This sounds disastrous. PLEASE be safe all East Coast TODers in its path.
That’s such great news!! Now I just hope our right wing stockbrokers don’t over react and screw up the market.
Gah! s/b overreact.
David Cameron Very Unhappy.
Iglesias from Podemus in Spain will be the next left victory.
New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/01/25/a-tweet-or-two-218/
Tiny distraction
Thank you NW and Chips for your always extraordinary coverage of the President when he goes overseas. Your coverage of this Indian trip has been superb. I no longer bother to go to any other source for news. I know I will find it here.
Oh, thank YOOOOOOOOOOOU sjterrid!!!
Thank you so very much, Sjterrid.
Chips, and NerdyW., you both give me so much joy when I come into the TOD Village. I feel like I am present with our brilliant President and First Lady in their ceremonies and travels. {{{{{{{{{{{ Lots of loving hugs for always to both of you who give all of us these great journeys filled with so many beautiful photos, lovely headlines, and great space for excellent and respectful interactions with our comments. Thank you, Chips and Nerdy W. I love you both dearly. My special angels. My heart is full of thankfulness for all that you do. HZ
{{HZ}}