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Obama "Extraordinarily Relieved" At Safe Return Of Laura Ling, Euna Lee (VIDEO)

First Posted: 09/05/09 06:12 AM ET Updated: 05/25/11 02:45 PM ET

President Obama said he is "extraordinarily relieved" at the news that U.S. journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee have safely returned to the country after Bill Clinton's successful trip negotiating their release from North Korea.

Watch his remarks below.

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President Obama said he is "extraordinarily relieved" at the news that U.S. journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee have safely returned to the country after Bill Clinton's successful trip negotiating the...
President Obama said he is "extraordinarily relieved" at the news that U.S. journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee have safely returned to the country after Bill Clinton's successful trip negotiating the...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
William Young
Liberal from Texas!!
07:57 PM on 08/05/2009
I'm relieved as well, it scares me if this was John Insane and Failing Palin in office right now, they would have bombed North Korea and we would be starting WWIII. Obama, the Clinton's, Al Gore, and everybody on Obama's staff keep up the good work.
01:48 AM on 08/06/2009
they won't start WWIII, that's so wrong, they'll just nuke North Korea. jk
07:26 PM on 08/05/2009
Now media sources are trying to create a rift between President Obama and Clinton. Don't know what is their problem. Sensationalism, if you ask me.

Even though I must say, I still do not trust Clinton one iota. He likes the spotlight and will do anything to get it.

Obama still need to be careful.

The media need to also assert he fact the administration played an exceptional leadership role in this as negotiations have continued by the administration the very day those young women were taken captive. Clinton travelled with the permission of the White House, and no doubt they were involved in the negotiations and detail planning of this. But it is great to see that Obama knows that its not just his work, but the work of everyone, and the praise belongs to everyone. It shows a very humble person. The media is trying to focus on Al Gore and Clinton as the heros, but I don't think it was all them.
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HUFFPOST PUNDIT
KillgoreTrout43
10:32 PM on 08/05/2009
Oh, by all means, don't dare give Clinton any credit. To say he would do anything to stay in the spotlight is simply not true.
06:13 PM on 08/05/2009
Get'er done....what a great thing to see.

Everybodys debating the personalities involved. I for one think its pretty cool that people came together and just did it. No BS, they just did it.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Stephanie Watts
Don't Take the Bait
05:07 PM on 08/05/2009
A Glimmer of Hope Shines Again!!
05:01 PM on 08/05/2009
What's up with all the censorship today? Has this become the used to be old democrats propaganda aggrandisement channel? just sayin...
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PWM
Eisenhower Rep. The 1% started class warfare.
06:12 PM on 08/05/2009
You are a troll cutting and pasting exactly the same thing over and over again. We don' t need to read your insults against these nonwhite women over and over again.

We get it, you feel bad they were released.
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morefromLA
A fighting liberal and proud of it
04:38 PM on 08/05/2009
Where are the tr0lls? Tr0lling for all tr0lls! Where are they when you have a brickbat of facts to greet them with? Tr0lls? Tr0lls? Where are they? Oh, you say this week's checks are being passed out at healthcare public hearings?
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morefromLA
A fighting liberal and proud of it
04:28 PM on 08/05/2009
Change we voted for. Change we can believe in.
04:11 PM on 08/05/2009
It is simply amazing to me that either Euna or Laura is bright enough to make it across a street without getting hit by a bus after this stunt. Anyone noting how any posting of the stupidity of this story get censored out? anyone...?
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PWM
Eisenhower Rep. The 1% started class warfare.
06:11 PM on 08/05/2009
Is this all you can do? You have cut and pasted exactly the same thing in several threads.
08:35 PM on 08/05/2009
Snap out of IT!
04:04 PM on 08/05/2009
A leader who values diplomacy over violence. Two well respected former leaders working together to negotiate the release of Americans. A President who knows how to use the talents and reputations of people who are not even on his staff to accomplish something as sensitive as an agreement with Kim Jong Il.
This is what the USA WAS and once again CAN BE.
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judesuper
Turning AZ blue, one vote at a time!
02:53 PM on 08/05/2009
You know your President is a true leader when he let's others have the spotlight to achieve results. Our President Obama is a true leader. A great man. I am so proud to have him as our President.

PRESIDENT OBAMA YOU ROCK! Thanks to you and President Clinton. Job well done.

WELCOME HOME LARA AND LUNA!! What a great day!
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
wmary82
03:20 PM on 08/05/2009
Amen!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
William Young
Liberal from Texas!!
07:45 PM on 08/05/2009
you took the words right out of my mouth! I co-sign on this 100%
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02:50 PM on 08/05/2009
It is a heart felt day in America

BUT, Bush would have handled it better.

...just kidding
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str8fwd
Realistic Idealism for an Ideal Reality
01:59 PM on 08/05/2009
Then President ELECT Obama said that Bill Clinton would act as an U.S. envoy in International matters that warranted it. .

This was a well orchestrated, intelligent, rational, humanitarian way to avoid a more serious international incident and resolve it without a negative exchange. Hillary wasn't "upstaged", she just wasn't the best person for the job THIS time... and she has her own international dealings to focus on.

North Korea isn't the only U.S. problem in the World ya know. It's about "multi-tasking" a COMPETENT TEAM for the common good... and NO ONE does it better that PRESIDENT Obama.

So undersatnd THIS Rethugs and lemming-like Obama haters... the Obama Administration Tree has more branches and is more aware of the REAL problems this country faces domestic AND abroad than you'll ever know or ever thought possible.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Carmichael
I try always to see the best in people.
03:06 PM on 08/05/2009
I support you whole heartedly in everything that you have said. Remarkable job by the former president and vice president. And Obama once again has shown his strengths as you have said, allowing others to take the spotlight. He's a wonderful president and without a doubt one of the best ever in time.
01:55 AM on 08/06/2009
Obama always talk about letting go the ego to get the job done.
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HUFFPOST PUNDIT
KillgoreTrout43
10:41 PM on 08/05/2009
Hillary has successfully gathered 4 nations to work together to uphold sanctions against NK for their nuke program. She has successfully told the NK what is expected of them on the world stage. She is doing a great job as SOS.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Damaven
01:54 PM on 08/05/2009
This is the way government should work! Thank you one and all, Democrats!
01:27 PM on 08/05/2009
Bill Upstages Hillary Once Again? What an absolutely asinine headline! This affair was obviously set up in advance and coordinated through the State Dept., and involved many people - including Al Gore - not just Bill. He would be the first to say this.
01:37 PM on 08/05/2009
agreed - a very disappointing, and more to the point, unnecessary headline. I thought hp had more integrity. I was wrong.
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HUFFPOST PUNDIT
KillgoreTrout43
10:44 PM on 08/05/2009
Try reading the headline again. It doesn't even mention the Clintons.
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02:06 PM on 08/05/2009
I agree. I love HuffPost, but sometimes the headlines make me ashamed to click on the story!
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Weirdwriter
01:24 PM on 08/05/2009
Excellent work, President Barack Hussein Obama, Secretary of State of State Hillary Clinton and former VP Al Gore -- President Bill Clinton was the right man to clinch the deal, but getting him there was most of the real work.

This is how the government should work -- people putting aside past differences for the good of the country. Too bad, the Republican leadership has forgotten this.
02:39 PM on 08/05/2009
Well said!
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judesuper
Turning AZ blue, one vote at a time!
02:48 PM on 08/05/2009
Agreed!