The Obama Diary

London Evening Standard: As a lesson in good natured statesmanship - if not to say simple manners - it was a masterclass.

For Michelle Obama cast aside stuffy protocol to join in the fun and games to celebrate today’s opening of the Olympic games with more than 1,000 children.

The First Lady met the children - most of them from U.S. military families - in the grounds of Winfield House, the official residence of the U.S. ambassador in London…..

Mrs Obama, who later tried out sports including tug-of-war and football alongside the children, offered a tribute to military families who had been invited to take part in the event….

…. It was a somewhat different story from another American visitor, presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who was forced to apologise for his comments about London’s readiness for the Games.

The gaffe-prone Republican told US channel NBC’s Today Show: “After being here a couple of days it looks to me like London is ready”.

His comments followed criticism from both David Cameron and Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt as well as worldwide condemnation from Twitter users who got #romneyshambles trending on the microblogging site.

More here

Thanks Terim

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Meanwhile, Londoners don’t know whether to laugh or growl when they spot the guy:

Grosvenor Place, London, July 27