UPDATE - My story on President Bush's press conference here in Ghana is up and can be read here.
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ACCRA, Ghana — I was able to make a quick trip this morning to Makola Market in Accra, where President Bush is spending the day today.
This short video gives you a pretty good feel for the bustle and noise, and maybe the heat, of this west African nation's capital.
Two things stood out to me while we were out and about: the way that many people are able to balance huge loads of material on top of their heads, and the large number of young woman and girls sleeping in the oddest of places, but usually in the large buckets they use to carry things.
— Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times
Comments (2)
Jon,
You have performed a bit of a miracle by being able to escape the "bubble" of a Presidential entourage, and give us all a glimpse of the "real" Africa throughout this trip
thank you
ward brehm
Posted by ward brehm | February 20, 2008 1:30 PM
There is a proverb about walking a mile in another man's shoes. The trouble with affluence is that you view everything from its perspective. Reality is what you pay for something, not necessarily the effort that goes into it. One thing that the President has discovered is that faith based organizations have a perspective of reality that is involved, not paid. This is life for these people, the reason they get up in the morning, their drive toward hope that each day will bring something better and their thoughts before they rest at night. Money doesn't help if you just throw it at them. It needs to be channeled toward their hopes, toward their hopes. That can only be done by people they trust, which in most cases is NOT the politicians. Walking in the other persons shoes is the best way to gain their trust.
Posted by Larry Stone | February 21, 2008 3:08 AM