Highlights From Obama's Ghana Trip New Video

Here are some baseball photos for the heck of it:
Obama and Willie

Ghanaian Musicians Poet and Scenes

Poetry and scenes from Ghana:

Everyone in Ghana looks really strong.

Obama's Remarks on Visit to Cape Coast Castle

The Obamas tour the castle. Read about the castle's history here. Obama's remarks are at the end of the video:

It's astonishing that people once thought this was okay:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Obama Speaks at Farewell Ceremony in Ghana

photo by Charles Dharapak

Obama gave a shout out to Peace Corps volunteers and said Ghana was the first nation to host people from the Peace Corps. He honored President Mills for his "strong and thoughtful leadership" and said they both had a lot in common, including sports.

After his speech, he's mobbed. When they waved their final goodbye as they boarded Air Force One, the crowd cheered. This visit was so effective because Obama was enforcing something good, positive U.S. relations with Ghana and Africa.
See Obama's speech to Ghanaian Parliament here. See their visit to the Cape Coast Castle here.
Chuck Todd talks about Obama's speech to Parliament:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and Street scenes in Ghana: 

Welcome to Hotel Obama in Ghana

There's even a Joe Biden room and a Harvard and Chicago room. There's a boy in the video who looks just like Obama.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Akwaaba!

Obama to Speak in Ghana July 11

Update July 11: See Obama's speech in Ghana here.

What Awaits Obama in Ghana

Obama's travel schedule this coming week:
July 6-8: Obama will be in Russia meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
July 8-10: Obama will attend the G8 in Italy (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States).
July 10 The Obamas meet the Pope
July 10-11: Obama will visit Ghana
Read more on his Ghana trip here.

First Family Leaves for Moscow July 5

Obama's off to Camp David until Saturday. The White House will celebrate the Fourth. Fireworks on the south lawn! Obama will deliver brief remarks.
On Sunday, Gibbs says the first family leaves for Moscow until Wednesday, then off to Rome until Friday. (See Obama's travel plans, which includes a meeting with the Pope here). Obama will leave on Friday night to Ghana and return to DC on Saturday. Looks like Michelle, her mom and the the girls are tagging along:

First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia, along with her mother, Marian Robinson, will join President Obama when he travels to Russia, Italy and Ghana next week. The First Couple will meet with Pope Benedict XVI on July 10 at the Vatican.
The White House announced in May that Mrs. Obama would visit Ghana -- and only recently confirmed that she will be with the president for the entire swing. The president will deliver two major speeches during the trip -- in Moscow, on U.S.-Russia relations, and in Accra, before the Ghanaian parliament.

Not all details about Mrs. Obama's activities on this trip are out yet, but a Wednesday briefing at the White House revealed some of her plans.

This is Mrs. Obama's second overseas trip in less than a month; she, her mom and daughters flew to Paris and London in June, marking Sasha's eighth birthday in London. Malia turns 11 on July 4. The next day, the Obama family flies to Russia aboard Air Force One, landing in Moscow on Monday.
Politics Daily

Dmitry Medvedev said relations between the U.S. and Russia have declined but the Obama administration is ready to work with Russia and Russia is ready to work with the U.S. Russia and U.S. only have one road to follow -- the road of agreement, he said:

Obama To Visit Russia, Italy and Ghana in July

Obama practices his golf swing on the go
Update: Michelle and the girls will be going along on the trip. 

July 6-8: Obama will be in Russia meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
July 8-10: Obama will attend the G8 in Italy (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States).
July 10-11: Obama will visit Ghana

U.S. President Barack Obama will travel to Moscow for talks with Russian leaders, attend a Group of Eight summit in Italy and visit Ghana in a wide-ranging foreign tour in July, the White House said on Saturday.

Obama will also chair a meeting on energy and climate change with leaders of the world's top economies while attending the G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, from July 8-10.

It will be Obama's fourth major international trip since taking office in January pledging to repair the United States' image abroad after eight years under his predecessor, George W. Bush.

Obama, who has promised a "reset" in sometimes strained relations with Russia, will visit Moscow from July 6-8 at the invitation of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Reuters

Obama will visit Ghana's capital to strengthen U.S.-Ghana relations and highlight Ghana as a success story because it has become a stable democracy: 

Obama, along with his wife, Michelle, will visit Accra, Ghana, on July 10 and July 11, the White House said Saturday. It will follow Obama's trip to the G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, from July 8 to July 10.

Obama will address various bilateral and regional issues with Ghanaian President John Atta Mills, the White House said in a news statement. CNN

There's some fascinating Ghana history via a series of video clips here. Ghana's first president after it achieved independence in 1957 was Kwame Nkrumah, who was educated in the U.S. and England. He led as a dictator and was tossed and for a while the military ran the country. Ghana is the size of Oregon.
Atta Mills, who eked out a win in 2008, in action (April 2009):