by Mark Silva
President Barack Obama, who spent four years as a child in Indonesia, says he is looking forward to a helping of bakso (pronounced bah-so), a meatball soup, when he returns to Jakarta -- a trip now delayed until June by the healthcare fight at home.
Obama, who lately has attempted to place more focus on employment in the aftermath of a damaging recession, also has called that healthcare legislation in an interview with Indonesian television "the most important domestic priority in the U.S.'' He will make one final public push for it today at a college campus rally in Virginia.
Obama is "as disappointed as anybody'' that he had to postpone Sunday's planned trip, already delayed by three days by the White House's interest in pressing for a House vote on the healthcare bill, he said in the interview. That vote now is expected Sunday.
"Passage of health insurance reform is of paramount importance,'' the White House said Thursday in a statement announcing the trip's delay, "and the president is determined to see this battle through
In the interview that aired today in Indonesia on RCTI, the nation's largest commercial television network, the president assured Indonesians that he is looking forward to this trip and regrets the postponement. Moving the trip to June will also enable a less hectic schedule there, the president told RCTI's Putra Nababan on Thursday.
"Please let them know Im just as disappointed as anybody," said Obama, who attended school in Jakarta for four years after his divorced mother married an Indonesian -- a statue of the young Obama (pictured here) first erected in a public park in the Jakarta neighborhood where he lived has been moved to the school that he attended after some protested that an Indonesian should be honored in the park.
"The only reason we delayed this is because the most important domestic priority here in the U.S. is going to be voted on this weekend or early next week and I have to be there,'' the president inaugurated as Barack Hussein Obama, a Christian who has reached out to the Muslim world with an address from Cairo, explained to a TV audience today in the largest Muslim nation.
The healthcare legislation that he's been long seeking is "about to come to a vote, and we've been debating this for a whole year and many of those votes were delayed,'' Obama said in the interview. "We contacted the Indonesian government in consultation and I think we agreed that it'd make more sense for me to delay the trip until the summer, until sometime in June. So that I'm not rushed.''
He apologized to Indonesians, particularly students of his one-time elementary school, who had prepared performances to welcome the American president.
In Jakarta, Indonesian officials said they understand and are not disappointed by Obama's decision. Obama also was scheduled to make a brief stop in Australia, where leaders also said they understand the situation. Obama was supposed to arrive Tuesday in Jakarta and then was to fly to Canberra, Australia, for a quick one-day visit.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said his government "fully understands" the reason behind the delay and was "not disappointed.. Even though we've been prepared for the visit,''' he said, (the delay is) not the end of the world.''
As the House nears expected action on the healthcare bill Sunday, the president will make his final public pitch for the legislation at a rally this morning -- 11:35 am EDT -- at the Patriot Center arena at George Mason University in nearby Fairfax, Va. The White House has arranged an open-door rally, with no tickets required.
The Associated Press and The Jakarta Globe contributed to this report.
Comments
We greatly appreciate the dedication to Healthcare Reform, that our President has shown, to the extent of putting off his trip to one of his childhood homes. President Obama has set an example of leadership, the likes of which, our White House hasn't seen in many, many years. Win or lose, I hope, win, of course, but you have begun your first term with style, intelligence and above all, honesty. Three attributes that have been AWOL from our White House for, at least, the last 8 years. So, keep up the good work, if you don't mind my saying so, you and your Vice-President Biden. I am sure the American electorate will continue to support you. Don't be surprised if their support increases and strengthens, for, in my opinion, that is how well and how diligently, you are trying to do your jobs. Thanks, again, Mr. President and Mr. Vice-President.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | March 19, 2010 10:26 AM
I see that the Brainwashed Don Fitzgerald has been smoking the hokem again. Honesty? Don, on Monday, your god said that if this so-called health reform bill passes, employers will see their health care premiums drop by 3,000 percent! 3,000 percent, Don!
That is just ONE of the MANY lies Obimbo has been pedaling.
I do love this puff piece from Obimbo's Protector, though. Very sweet and touching!
Posted by: John D | March 19, 2010 10:51 AM
CBO: Obamacare Would Cost Over $2 Trillion
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/cbo-obamacare-would-cost-over-2-trillion
Posted by: Bobby Mobbie | March 19, 2010 10:53 AM
The additional $100M in health care costs that Caterpiller faces under the HC "reform" shows exactly how much this incompetent cares about the economy and unemployment. Annoyed that his union payoffs and corrupt state bailouts has done squat for unemployment what does the fool do? Cram through health care with more bribes, payoffs and Chicago style arm twisting.
Go back to your Muslim homeland you traitor to freedom and stay there.
Posted by: Hans | March 19, 2010 11:04 AM
Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Vote, Don't Debate
Democrats are ready to abandon a promise to allow lawmakers 72 hours to read and evaluate the heath-care bill before a vote.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704207504575129812729080380.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_MIDDLESecond
Posted by: Bobby Mobbie | March 19, 2010 11:07 AM
Obama in hisinfinite wisdom and arrogance, has just shown the world what an incompetent boob he is. How many world leaders cancel trips for a piece of legislation? I'm guessing, not too many. It just goes to show you it was a vacation for his children, instead of anything substantive.
Posted by: Beth | March 19, 2010 11:19 AM
The Deem-o-crats’ Towering Deception
Nancy Pelosi says she loves numbers because they’re so “precise,” but “precise” does not mean “accurate.”
http://article.nationalreview.com/428505/the-deem-o-crats-towering-deception/michelle-malkin
Posted by: Bobby Mobbie | March 19, 2010 11:30 AM
Well, " Beth", or is it John D, I think I can safely assume that none of your family members have suffered due to no healthcare or insufficient healthcare !! Your compassion is underwhelming, while your callousness is Unamerican. I sincerely hope and pray that you don't get shafted the way millions of Americans are, by these Greedy Corporations !! What's that, " Beth ", or John D, you got yours and that's all that really matters !! For you, it is ".me.... First, not " America First"!! What a great bunch of Americans, you boys and girls of the Republican-Libertarian-T.Baggers, failed to become !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | March 19, 2010 11:38 AM
Wow..you guys obviously never been out of the US to give such shallow comments especially Hans and Beth. Go outside the US and tell me what you see. Don't talk cock and bull before you see the world. Do you think you can be a better President than Obama? Don't judge using your big head, small brain!
Posted by: JE | March 19, 2010 12:00 PM
Donnie, I do not post under any other names. Get that straight, Brainwashed Donnie.
Hmm, let's see in a family that nears 80, sorry, not one of them has been shafted on their health care. Don't know of any friends shafted by greedy health care corporations either. I'm sure a few in this country have been. But I can guarantee more people have been shafted by greedy governments than they have greedy corporations, health care or otherwise.
Posted by: John D | March 19, 2010 2:36 PM
I'm disappointed too, I was hoping he would look for some real estate while he was there. So he could go back to his "Roots" and stay there.
Posted by: Paul | March 21, 2010 1:43 PM