Many ways to follow speech
U.S. President Barack Obama's much-anticipated speech to the Muslim
world was delivered in a packed auditorium at Cairo University.
Greeted
by cheers and applause, Mr. Obama spoke to the thousands in attendance,
and the millions of others expected to hear the speech around the
world. The White House is posting the speech on popular Internet sites
YouTube, Facebook and MySpace, as well as on Twitter accounts.
Guests were invited by the U.S. embassy, the White House and the Egyptian government.
Was Muslim Brotherhood invited?
Journalists
asked White House official Denis McDonough about media reports that
members of the banned Egyptian opposition group the Muslim Brotherhood
were invited. The official did not say either way, but noted that the
White House wanted to make sure the president had an opportunity to
speak to the "full range of political representation in Egypt" and the
Muslim world.
Excitement ahead of visit
There was excitement in Cairo ahead of the visit,
with the public university and the area undertaking a major clean-up
that included fresh paint, newly planted flowers and spruced up
landscaping.
Security, as it is for any presidential visit, was
extremely tight, with streets closed, a security perimeter set up, and
many police patrolling the area.
