Obama in Prague
I was at the Czech Inn this afternoon, having just finished teaching at the Czech Office of the Government, when on the TV I noticed footage of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama getting on Air Force One to depart for the G20 Summit in London.
A buzz went through me, and the bartender Pat looked up.
'So he'll be here -- when?' Pat asked, while tending the till.
'Saturday,' I answered. We exchanged an anticipatory nod.
We went over details, all of which have been in the Czech news for days (along with the current collapse of the Czech government, right in the middle of the Czechs' turn at the rotating EU presidency, more on that later). After the London summit, Obama will arrive in Prague Saturday evening, when he'll meet with President Vaclav Klaus, address EU leaders on issues ranging from the economic crisis to nuclear weapons proliferation, and will depart for Turkey Sunday evening after a meeting with 1989 Velvet Revolution hero and first Czech Republic president Vaclav Havel.
What will Obama's reception be like? Never mind that conservative Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, who last week saw his coalition collapse with a surprise 'no-confidence' vote in Parliament, recently called Obama's proposed stimulus package 'the way to hell.' Czechs have, after their usual characteristic reserve, caught on to the Obama enthusiasm pervasive throughout the Continent, especially since he's visiting Prague and the historically put upon and isolated Czechs, with the EU presidency, are feeling justly at the center of world affairs -- despite the current government crisis, which elicits the expected collective snorts and groans.
Forget all that for the time being. The big question the past few days has been:: Where will Obama give his public address?
There's been speculation in the press for weeks. Ideally, Obama indicated he wanted to give a public speech with the Prague Castle in the background. The best spot would have been Letna Park on a high hill above the city with the prerequisite regal view; however, that site is out of commission at the moment because of ongoing construction on a road tunnel connecting to the center. Other spots considered included in front of the Rudolfinium and Old Town Square. As an aside, personally I thought Wenceslas Square, where Havel famously gave his speech and thousands of Czechs symbolically jingled keys signaling the end of the Communist era in 1989. I imagined Obama saying something like, 'In the past, you've gathered here to ... Today together we stand here together ...' Actually, my good Czech friend Tomas, also a teacher, dismissed that idea.
'Too quiche?' I asked.
'Not quiche,' he said after a moment. 'Just too -- I don't know -- god-like.'
Anyway, the Czech press reported today that Obama is scheduled to give a public speech at the gates outside Prague Castle at 10 am Sunday morning. Security of course will be extremely tight. Some 4,000 Czech police alone will be on hand at points throughout the Golden City, saying nothing of the president's entourage. The bartender at the Czech Inn, Pat, says he was up at Ruzne Airport in Prague, where Air Force One will land on Saturday and said already security is beefing up. I'm sure it will be, security speaking, similar to former President Bush's visit here in June 2007, when all day long helicopters roared across the skyline and along the main thoroughfares greater numbers of police in great visibility patrolled intersections and blocked off roads to allow for the motorcade as it went about its official business. During Bush's visit, the main item on the menu was the U.S. proposed missile defense shield for Europe, the radar which would be located in a base an hour outside Prague. Polls then and now show most Czechs don't want the radar.
It's not clear, at least according to press reports, how much, if at all, Obama will talk about the radar. One news report indicated his speech would focus on the need to prevent 'nuclear proliferation.' It's possible the president will keep his remarks general and brief in part because of the Czechs' current government crisis, but also to avoid rubbing the populace the wrong way. Incidentally, I was at Charles University the other day, just out of curiosity, and noticed a poster for an anti-radar demonstration planned by students at Wenceslas Square on Sunday afternoon, so I may drop by there, though I don't expect to hear anything new or different from a similar demonstration I attended on the square last summer. But don't trust me on that: There could be thousands -- last summer's demonstration attacted a relatively modest but highly vocal 2,000, and with Obama in the city adding a sense of history and moment, well ...
I plan to get up early Sunday and go up to the castle to hear Obama's speech, though I'm not sure how close I'll be able to get (thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, are expected); and of course presidential plans are made to be changed. I've also invited my flat mate Islam, the guy from Bangladesh, along. He's also interested. Together we've had many late night discussions about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, Obama, etc.
'So Obama will be here?' Islam asked.
'Let's go to the speech Sunday,' I said.
'OK,' Islam said. Then he laughed. 'But James,' he said. 'I am Muslim! The security will think I am bid Laden's brother!'
In mock fashion, I searched him for explosives, and said we'd go together and let the security think what they want. We'll have to get there early, I'm sure. I'd like to get a few Czech friends to come along, although they may want to go with other people. At any rate, I hope to have something from on the ground.