Wow The king of jordan drove obama to the airport personally.

[Egnever]

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2008-07-22T190432Z_01_L22896171_RTRUKOC_0_UK-PALESTINIANS-ISRAEL.xml

King Abdullah of Jordan, who later extended the U.S. presidential candidate the rare courtesy of driving him personally onto the airport grounds in his car.

How cool is that?

[BklynChick]

1. wow.

[Buzz Clik]

2. Abdullah is very pro-West.

but it's still uber cool.

[Egnever]

4. I remember reading a lot about him a few years ago

He seems like a very good guy.

[Eurobabe]

6. I was watching a show earlier about the King and Queen of Jordan

stunning couple, and beautiful family.

[Sequoia]

13. That young handsome man is the king?

Beautiful family with a cute baby. Him driving Obama to the airport says a lot about his character. Bet ole Grumps is mad as a hatter.

[elehhhhna]

15. Rania is probably the most beautiful woman in the world.

[depakid]

10. In fact, he was just in the West

whitewater rafting in Oregon!

http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2008/07/large_kingofjordan
Christopher Smith of Seventh Mountain River Co. took King Abdullah Hussein (right front) and his son Prince Hussein (left front) through the Big Eddy Thriller on the Upper Deschutes River on Monday. Members of the king's private security force and U.S. Secret Service are toward the back.

[slinkerwink]

12. he even has a tattoo!

[redwitch]

3. very cool.

I bet he'd make mcsame call for a cab. :-)

[tsuki]

5. He probably heard that Rice said that the embassy couldn't even

call him a cab.

[Egnever]

8. Somehow the pettiness of the bush admin never ceases to amaze me.

[tsuki]

11. Agreed.

:hi:

[ellacott]

7. He left his vacation, in the US early

He wanted to be in Jordan to personally welcome Obama to his country.

[Eurobabe]

18. Says alot.

His wife, Queen Rania is stunningly gorgeous. She was born in Kuwait in 1970.

[ellacott]

19. Oh Wow

Yes, she is stunning.

[Catherine Vincent]

22. Yes, she is very pretty.

But it all depends on her personality. If her personality is pretty then that King is one lucky dude.

[woolldog]

23. she's gorgeous.

It's good to be the King.

:rofl:

[woodsprite]

25. Thank goodness the piss-boy suggested this trip.

:)

(Don't jump on me. It's from Mel Brooks' "History of the World".)

[Egnever]

28. he seems to invite his own demise over and over

[truebrit71]

26. Wow....

Simply gorgeous...

[flpoljunkie]

9. Pretty cool.

[monmouth]

14. It is also a very telling and profound act of respect. The rest of the world is

watching this, especially the ME. I have goose bumps and it's 87 degrees right now.....

[elehhhhna]

16. Any day now the reeps will tell us that a vote for Obama just plays into

the hands of our allies.

[grantcart]

17. In Asia and the Middle East it is considered a sign of familial respect

to personally drive a relative or a friend to the airport. I experienced it and did it many times. There is something that bonds people together when you personally take them to the airport before a journey.

[Catherine Vincent]

20. If he didn't do that for Bush, someone is goanna be pissed!

LOL!

[undeterred]

21. I understand that means things are pretty serious between men.

At least that's what I learned watching Seinfeld. :hi:

[monmouth]

24. It's also a BIG FU to Condi.....Good stuff...n/t

[SoCalDem]

27. He used to disguise himself as a cab driver..to find out what the ordinary people were thinking

http://www.ccds.charlotte.nc.us/History/MidEast/03/choate/choate.htm

snip...

As a result of his extensive training gained through years of military service, King Abdullah II was beginning to recognize the need to grasp a better understanding of his people’s needs. Abdullah II creatively tried many ways to improve the condition of Jordan. One example is that, he camouflaged himself in old clothes as a cab driver and drove a taxi for a day while he talked to citizens about what they thought of Jordan today (King Abdullah Poses as Cabbie, Talks to Subjects, pg1). Since he wanted to remain inconspicuous, he insisted that a bodyguard did not accompany him (King Abdullah Poses as Cabbie, Talks to Subjects, pg1). Occasionally, he would ask a policeman for directions and then talk with him about what the police think about the traffic and the drivers on the road (King Abdullah Poses as Cabbie, Talks to Subjects, pg1). King Abdullah II even camouflaged himself as a television reporter and asked locals what they thought of the current state of Jordan (King Abdullah Poses as Cabbie, Talks to Subjects, pg2).

By listening to what the locals said, he has come up with many substantive ideas on how to improve the condition of Jordan. King Abdullah II would like to focus on Jordan's economy by making it his central goal (Delaney, pg2). Also, reducing the unemployment rate is another focus of his reign (Delaney, pg2). To accomplish this, he could rework the educational system. He could educate more citizens, and encourage those people to be teachers for young students. Abdullah II believes in privatization, thus reducing the need for extensive government ownership (Macleod, pg2). Previously, kings have avoided this topic as it could have be a bone of contention with government officials as well as the population (Macleod, pg2). He feels obligated to build onto what his father left (His Majesty King Abdullah bin Al-Hussein, pg1). Most locals would think that a King with a lot of power would not go out in public without bodyguards. Well, occasionally, the royal family will go out together to well known restaurants, such as Planet Hollywood without any bodyguards (Macleod, pg1). "It sends the right message: There they are, part of our society," (Time Magazine: Meet The New King 2) says Abdullah II.

snip