MADIBA

Obama Will Not Meet Mandela

Civil rights leader remains in critical condition.

Dashing hopes of a historic meeting between America's first black president and South Africa's first black president, Obama did not come face to face with Nelson Mandela Saturday. Instead—after meeting with the beloved civil rights leader's family—he spread words of love and appreciation for Madiba. Speaking to a crowd in Johannesberg, Obama expressed his hope that the critically ill Mandela is drawing comfort from loved ones. “Nelson Mandela showed what is possible...when a priority is placed on constitutions and rule of law and respect for human dignity," he said. "That’s a legacy that we must all honor in our own lives.”