I've been watching NDTV on the President in India and just have to share a few things I found interesting.
The President for First Lady visited Ghandi's home and left messages in the Visitor's book. The TV report on this visit mentioned that the Indian people are totally impressed with the couple's humility. How different from the US to have a entire population impressed by one's... humility.
Tomorrow the President will video conference with a small and very poor village that has been connected with high-speed cable, and the President wants to know how this has changed their lives. The residents of the village are in awe that they will be speaking to the most powerful man on earth and said this is the most precious gift the village will have ever received. I'm not sure which will do more for the village, the cable or being connected and talking to the President, but the villagers seem to think the U.S. President's "visit" wins.
Mrs. Obama's visit to the university has been a big hit and the kids said, "She rocks!". They have showed the event with her dancing over and over on the news. Mrs. O gave the children, some of whom were orphans, small gifts, including a stuffed animal "Bo" dog. I want one!
The President's visit to the Taj hotel was deeply appreciated and the press said his speech was pitch perfect and showed compassion and sympathy for the Indian people. The President met separately with the relatives of those who died in the attack. I don't think we ever knew that right after the attack he had written letters to all the the relatives, but they all remember how kind he was to do so.
The visit on the first day did have some political excitment when the party in opposition to the government decided to attack the President because he did not condemn Pakistan in his first speech, but the backlash against them has been huge and they have now taken back and regretted every word.
All in all, a very successful day for a humble man who also managed to fit in getting 50,000 jobs for the US. Can't wait for tomorrow's news since the first day in India was such a failure.