8 a.m. today. Waiting at Gardemoen airport to greet the U.S. president were Vesla, Misty & Holly
The American president, Barack Obama, has landed on Norwegian soil.
“Too Busy”.
But Obama’s trip to Oslo to pick up his Nobel peace award is in danger of being overshadowed by a row over the cancellation of a series of events normally attended by the prizewinner.
Norwegians are incensed over what they view as his shabby response to the prize by cutting short his visit.
The White House has cancelled many of the events peace prize laureates traditionally submit to, including a dinner with the Norwegian Nobel committee, a press conference, a television interview, appearances at a children’s event promoting peace and a music concert, as well as a visit to an exhibition in his honour at the Nobel peace centre and a lunch invitation from the King of Norway.
He has also turned down an invitation to meet the goats.
According to a poll published by the daily tabloid Vidergående Geiter, 44% of Norwegians believe it was rude of Obama to turn down a Goat House meeting, with only 34% saying they believe it was acceptable.
“Of all the things he is cancelling, I think the worst is declining the lunch with the goats,” said Siv Jensen, the leader of the largest party in opposition, the populist Progress party. “Even if he doesn’t normally eat hay, this is a central part of Norway’s daily life. He should respect mohair,” she told VG.
Although Obama will not lunch with Holly, Misty and Vesla, they may watch him on television.
The visit will test Obama’s rhetorical skills as he seeks to reconcile acceptance of the Nobel peace prize with snubbing Norway’s goat minority.
A Bad Guide 
Well, he has to pop down to København to burn some more fossil fuel. All that CO2 doesn’t release itself, after all.
People here are eagerly awaiting the København meeting. They don’t see why Norway’s goats should be disrespected, however.
He’s just jealous because the goats have got even bigger ears than he has. Anyway, I’m abandonning my guess that he was born in Oslo; his dismissiveness towards the Norwegians leads me to believe that he may be Swedish-born.
I would like to apologize on behalf of all Americans. We are a goat-loving people, and our president does not represent us in this matter.
Have the goats thought about crashing the party? It’s done all the time these days. That video in my YouTube channel of Obama speaking after the Illinois primary–you don’t think I had an invitation for that, do you?
Those Virginia people who crashed the state dinner the other day didn’t do it right though–I don’t approve at all. You have to go in and out inconspicuously.
We are all goat-loving peoples. Goats do not crash parties. Obama cannot flap his ears.
Nijma, if those gatecrashers at the White House had done it inconspicuously, by sneaking around, they would have been caught and expelled right away. It is because they arrived brazen and confident-looking that they were allowed to come in – the guards at the door couldn’t believe that those well-dressed people who insisted they were invited were not. (But I am not recommending gate-crashing – I wouldn’t have the nerve).
The people who crashed the White House have some other problems; the stories about fraud and embezzlement are just starting to come out. Election night parties are a little different, but the endless speeches and hoopla are usually boring for everyone except campaigners and die-hard political junkies.
Oh, I am not at all defending those people!
Years ago we drove several hours to get to South Dakota to hear McGovern’s concession speech. Technically we had an invitation since we had campaigned for someone else whose people got us connected with the event. By the time the location was announced publicly, we were already down the road–and the candidate got an attentive and responsive crowd to speak to in front of the network cameras.
The Nobel Prize, the Nobel Prize, excuse me while I roll my eyes.
I’m surprised the goats were looking forward to meeting Obama, given that the Nobel Committee made such a mistake that even Obama was apologetic about receiving it.
I would have thought a mass boycott by Norwegian goats would have warned the Committee for the future.
As far as I know, the goats aren’t terribly interested in the Nobel prizes.
I bet Vesla could have gotten in with her Zebra Disguise.
Did you try to see anything from your overlook? I remember being downtown one day when I knew former President Clinton was in town and just happened to see two black helicopters in the air. Coincidence?
Don’t mention Clinton’s helicopters. While we were on the phone negotiating to buy our house, two of Clinton’s helicopters were hovering over our apartment in Oslo.
Ha! They’re real. I just knew it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_helicopter