Obama Impresses State Dept. Staff With His Indonesian (VIDEO)

Barack Obama put on a bilingual display today while visiting the State Department. Obama, who lived in Indonesia from 1967 to 1971, until the age of ten, broke into Indonesian after being greeted by a State Dept. staffer in the language.

ABC News has more details:

As President Obama worked the rope-line at the State Department Thursday, a State Department staffer named Charles Silver, knowing the President once lived in Indonesia, shouted out, "good afternoon" in the local language.

Obama responded back in what Silver later told ABC News was "very good" Bahasa Indonesian. The two then chatted briefly about the neighborhood Obama once lived in.

Video via MSNBC:

Comments

[BIG JOHN]

AND W HAD A HARD TIME WITH BUSHISMS

[Oonagh]

But he was so good with brush.............

[QuietLightTraveler]

I don't know why everyone is so impressed. Certainly, Barack Obama is an impressive man. But let's
face it, for the top political job of leading the nation and having so much authority and power we should expect nothing less. But I realize, we have gotten much less in the past. I have always wondered why that is so when I noticed brilliant and impressive individuals in other realms of life. It was baffling why we had to put up with people like George W. Bush or even Ronald Reagen. And its also why I found the nomination of Sharah Palin for VP, um er, revolting. I guess the best people don't usually want to go into politics.

[laylahb]

.. and Michelle studied French while at Princeton. I don't know how fluent she is, but she probably has the ability to carry on a simple conversation.

[zukervati]

After eight years of sheer stupidity in the White House, it's refereshing to know that we all collectively erased the mistakes of the rest by electing Mr. Obama. It's refereshing to see a capable person minding our national/international affairs, for us and our generations to come. I can't imagine NOT having a beer with him, I might actually come out a better person - instead of learning how to be a pretender.

I am so proud of all of us!!!! Long live the POTUS.

[parunach]

I hope that enough kids learn multiple languages in US. This must be almost from the infancy if possible, not after coming to high school, as the brain does not adapt as much then. Studies have found superior cognitive skills in bilingual children, especially those who have learned multiple languages from infancy. The problem with US and UK is that people are so convinced that English is sufficient that it results in this problem.

[squander123]

Totally agree. I went to school in the UK, and have always regretted not having started French until the age of 11, which was already too late. Every time I visit France my French improves noticeably, but then it fades away again until the next visit. And since I only get to visit 2 or 3 times a year, I'm never really going to improve! If only I'd been taught it as an infant, it might have 'stuck' properly the first time!

[RationalDubSteppa]

What do Obama, Miles Davis and Steve McQueen have in common?

Cool..

[BIG JOHN]

YOU FORGOT QUINCY JONES

[Girlforaction]

I thought my Prez said he could only speak 1 language.

[Longbaugh]

Don't take your bras off yet fellow liberals... George W. Bush knows Spanish.

[politricking]

Well, is it better than his english?

[Candyx]

GEORGE BUSH mangles spanish at best

[marcelisa]

As in "Cerveza, por favor"?

[zukervati]

Oh I remember, him stating that he knew "Latin". LoL!

[eden4barack08]

Another time he called it "Mexican".

[Viper]

Well he certainly does not know english.

Regards

[scully09]

Our President so good , I think I'm in a dream, like the Matrix. and Bush was Smith.

[emily00011]

Impressive. Perhaps it will inspire more Americans to take up a second language. It builds up the brain reserve!

[RationalDubSteppa]

I hope so! It's pathetic that most Americans can only speak one language, wtf is up with that and our education system that seems to encourage things like this!

[toddag]

Most college-bound high school students take 2 years of a foreign language as part of their requirements, but I don't think that is early enough. By high school, the human brain doesn't learn other languages as easy as it does at a young age.

[flowerofhighrank]

The same thing happened to me!
I was walking neighborhoods for Obama in Nevada when I got the chance to see him at a rally. As he went by shaking hands, I said 'Selamat Pagi!'
He stopped, looked my in the eye, shook my hand and said:
"All right! Great to see some Indonesians up here!"

Wow. His brain works faster than light!
The post on my blog about this is at
http://potentialisamuscle.blogspot.com/2008/11/barack-obama-talked-to-me-we-shook.html

[ZimboChick]

so neat!

[GadoGado]

When referring to the language spoken in Spain, Mexico, Colombia, etc.:

In English, you'd say 'Spanish'.
In Spanish, you'd say 'español'.

Similarly, when referring to the language spoken in Indonesia:

In English, you'd say 'Indonesian'.
In Indonesian, you'd say 'Bahasa Indonesia'.

But NEVER say 'Bahasa IndonesiaN'. That's just "very bad".

[jingles32]

Thanks! Interesting and good to know!

(Proud of my President, in any language!) :)

[squander123]

Can I add another tale like that?

When refering to the indigenous language of Ireland:

In English, you'd say 'Irish'
In Irish, you'd say 'Gaeilge'.

But NEVER say 'Gaelic'. Only Americans say this, and it drives Irish people absolutely crazy.

[Kiabell04]

D@mn, we finally have brains AND brawn in the white house. This has got to be too good to be true! :)
Man, where can I find me a Barack?! I kid.....

[23]

And he's handsome too. The total package!

[Synthon]

I wonder who the last bilingual US President was?

[eden4barack08]

Try quadri-lingual.

[ZimboChick]

Yeah tri. I heard Bush was bi

[Longbaugh]

It was BUSH!

MY GOD! EVERYWHERE I LOOK I FIND PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST EMBARRASSINGLY MISINFORMED!!!

BUSH was the last bilingual President. George W. Bush.

[moreart4u]

Vicente Fox has said that President Bush had a grade school level of Spanish comprehension at best.

[jingles32]

A bit more impressive, being conversant in Bahasa Indonesia than Spanish, don't you think? Especially seeing as how Bush lived most of his adult life in Texas, governing a state with a huge Spanish speaking population.

[Synthon]

OK, so Bush spoke Spanish, but what else? ;-)

[eden4barack08]

ROFLMAO!!

[greylox]

**I don't think "stupid" qualifies as a language.

[KaLaPa111]

That was hot.

[Scalie]

No, it's not. How long will it be before it's said, he's speaking in code, and back to the FEAR FACTOR we go. Speak English Prez.

[celticsoul]

English is not the only language spoken on the planet. I personally speak 4 languages.... 3 I learned in high school. This is a brave new world my man! It's time for Americans to think globally and act responsibly. Yes we can. Yes I "drank the kool-ade" and I'm still here.

[greysells2]

Relax.

[KillBillV2]

Umm..only to fucktards.


It's hawt!