Pool Report: Obama Leaving Ghana

Pool report #7
Accra, Ghana
July 11, 2009

Potus left the hotel at 6:18 for the three-minute drive back to the
airport, where he was greeted by drums and dancers and the same
red-jacketed honor guard as at the arrival ceremony. A couple thousand
people seemed to be on hand. "We love you," one man shouted.

Back in a suit, Potus delivered remarks that echoed what he said
earlier. He did say that the trip was "particularly meaningful for me"
and that he would never forget the sight of his two daughters, the
children of Africans and African Americans, here in Ghana. Then the band
played the Star Spangled Banner, by our count at least the fifth time
he's heard it today.

Turns out that the helo that got stuck in the mud back at Cape Coast
couldn't take off to come back, so the WH staff who were on it were
loaded onto other helos for the trip back to Accra. Its load lightened,
the stuck helo later managed to take off and return to the airport.

One more quick correction from earlier pool report: we're told the
rifles carried by the Ghanaian honor guard are M-16s not Kalashnikovs.
More apologies.

At 6:40 p.m., Potus now making his way down red carpet to board AF1 for
takeoff home. Safe trip to everyone.