the answers to all of your medical questions. thanks for watching. i'm dr. sanjay gupta. more news on cnn starts right now. and from the cnn center in atlanta, georgia, this is "cnn saturday morning" for july 11th. i'm t.j. holmes. >> i'm betty nguyen. thanks for starting your day with us. it is 8:00 a.m. in atlanta and noon in ghana where poeb has arrived for a meeting with the country's president john atta mills. president obama is expected to speak in about 40 minutes and when he does we will bring it to you live. and we also have filmmaker spike lee in the house today. it's the 20th anniversary of "do the right thing." can you believe it's been 20 years already? this ground-breaking movie addressed racial stereo types and forced a conversation on

race relations across the country. spike will be here to discuss the film and his friend, the late michael jackson. >> we want to start with the president on his trip to began na, set to speak over there in just about 40 minutes what we're told. >> our white house correspondent suzanne malveaux and nkepile mabuse joining us from ghana's capita that being accra. let's begin with you suzanne na, a lot lined up for the president. >> there's a lot of enthusiasm and excitement. want to show you some of the headlines, local papers, the great son of africa and america arrives. you see him with the first lady michelle. here the whole family it's akwaa bhshgs a, it's welcome here, the local paper, and today's the day ghana's world. you see michelle obama there and we think it's photo shop, but you get the idea they feel a sense of kinship with the first family, this is something that people are very proud of. a welcoming home if you will. what we're seeing earlier today,

we saw president obama with the president of ghana, that being john atta mills, and both of them making statements, talking about the importance of the alliance and why ghana, the big question, of course, because barack obama's father was from kenya, but barack obama is here to really demonstrate and highlight the importance of this country's democracy, of good governance, stability of this country. it is a favorite of previous u.s. presidents having been here twice before with president bush as well as president clinton, and one of the underlying themes that he is going to bring before parliament and he said it earlier today, he said africa is not separate from world affairs. that is why he came from the g-8 summit, from russia, here to ghana, to really kind of integrate the idea that african countries are a part of world affairs when you talk about the economy, when you talk about peace, when you talk about oil and trade, those type of things, that is one of the things he's going to be emphasizing later today when he speaks to the ga

na ghanaian people, a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of excitement around this trip and the first family. >> no doubt. as the president says, africa is a part of world affairs. ghana is a part of world affairs. do you expect to hear anything in the way of any policy change in his speech today? >> well, not so much policy change, but really a different approach if you will, really trying to integrate ghana and other key countries inside the continent of africa. one of the things we heard from the president yesterday, it's a very simple statement, it's the obvious, he says africa is a continent, not a country, that there are many different facets of different people and their needs and so it vary also it's trade with south africa, whether it's oil in nigeria, whether it's security in the middle east and egypt, that all of these things should be integrated with the kind of world affairs and the kind of things that the

president talks about when he goes to the g-8, when he goes to europe, when he goes to russia. in that sense, betty, it really is a different message to the american people and to the rest of the world that these are real folks that are players on the world stage, betty. >> cnn's suzanne malveaux, traveling a lot lately, joining us this morning from accra, ghana. thank you so much for that. >> our nkepile mabuse is there and keeping up with all the going on surrounding the president's visit. a lot of excitement there. hello to you, nkepile. >> a little while ago, t.j., a motorcade went past this road behind me that people here believe was president barack obama and there was just an outburst of jubilation, people waving the american flags and waving their ghanaian flags and screaming "we love you" to obama. people here are extremely excited. many of them are wearing their

obama gear. they're wearing t-shirts with president obama's face on them and traditional cloths that have also been made with president obama's face on them. flags and all sorts of things. really, really exciting for ghana at this moment. the spotlight is on this country and, of course, president barack obama wants the spotlight on ghana because of its good governance and its good record of peaceful transfers of power and, of course, economic growth as well, t.j. >> all right. nkepile mabuse in accra for us as well, thank you so much. we'll be checking back in with all of our correspondents there and hearing from the president shortly. our anderson cooper in ghana this morning, he will be sitting down with the president later on for an exclusive interview. >> and they'll talk about the reception the president is getting, but they're also going to be discussing ghana's painful past. >> betty and t.j., the president arrived in ghana on friday evening. he was welcomed at the airport.

the entire first family was welcomed. the country of ghana is excited about the presidential arrival. drive down the streets there are posters, bill boards, people wearing t-shirts with president obama's picture on it. the fact that the president of the united states has chosen ghana as his first trip to subsaharan africa as president has honored and thrilled a lot of people here. there are other countries he could have picked, kenya, where his father is from and he picked before, but he picked ghana because this administration considers the system here a thriving democracy. they've had successful elections, seen economic growth, they've seen development policies that seems to be working and they see this as a model for what they want to see in the rest of africa and that's the message the president wants to bring to this country here in west africa. on saturday, he's going to be visiting cape coast where there's a series of for tresses which were used by slave masters to hold slaves before they were

sent to the new world, before they were sent to europe and to the americas. and the president and his family will visit one of those castles. i was there yesterday on friday. i'll be there again with him today on saturday, interviewing him exclusively. i got to tell you it is a hauntihaunt ing sight to be in these castles, the holding pins, no windows, stone walls where hundreds of slaves were crammed in. many of them died in these rooms, suffocated to death. it is a haunting place to be. the president will be there. i'll be talking to him not only about the way he sees the u.s. economy and other world issues, but about his experiences here and on this trip to africa and what it's like to be in a place with such history. >> no doubt going to be looking forward to seeing that. but in the meantime the president is expected to speak at this hour and we will bring you his remarks live. also this morning, our josh levs joins us with an explainer on ghana. hey, josh.

>> ghana's economy and its religious breakdown are significant for the president's trip. we will hear directly from him as he explains as how made this choice. >> this is the man talking. doctor. >> come on, what? >> always do the right thing. >> that's it? >> that's it. >> i got it. i'm gone. >> you got it. that's it. do the right thing. that was the name of the movie 20 years ago. can you believe it is 20 years old. still ahead, spike lee going to be joining us live in the studio talking about his groundbreaking movie about race relations, get his take on the film, if it became what he wanted it to become at the time. >> you can stay connected with us every weekend, check us out, i-report, facebook, twitter, weigh in today because as we said, spike lee is in the house. we're going to be asking him a lot of questions regarding "do the right thing" and i know you have your questions as well, so send them in. we'll ask spike lee. reach out to us on facebook and twitter. we'll be right back.

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all right. some new video just in to cnn, live from ghana, and we are seeing people getting prepared as the president arrives there. he's going to be speaking today around 8:30 eastern time this morning at the accra international conference center. this video just coming in to cnn. don't have any exact details of what we know. this is a ceremony about to take place as the president arrives

and that speech, when it does happen, we will bring it to you live right here on cnn. >> we were talking about ghana this morning but doesn't get a whole lot of attention but today the world is focused on this small african country. >> josh levs is here to tell us about it and why president obama has, indeed, selected ghana over many of the other countries he could have chosen but he chose ghana. >> let's just get right to this map. want to give everyone the big picture. do this google earth animation and zoom in and see where it is in the western section of ghana, subsa hair yan, but as we zoom in our two key places to know about, one we've been showing you video from the slave site, anderson cooper was talking about it minutes ago on the cape coast, and the other one you saw was accra. now video of what it looks like. i want you to learn some of the basics as well. start off with the population which is 24 million. one thing that surprises people, the religious breakdown there, this country is majority

christian, 69% christian. there is a substantial muslim population as well. as we know that is significant as well for president obama any time he travels. 16% muslim there. now take a look at the next one, the poverty line. it's big, 29% below the poverty line but for africa it's actually not that big and i was looking at some of the human poverty indexes and the things that rank these countries, compared to other african nations that's not that bad. still, obviously, there's tremendous poverty in ghana and that is something we expect him to address as well. a couple more here. this next one, very important to understand, that this country is very heavily dependent on the international assistance. while its economy is doing well, the u.s. plays a major role in why its economy is doing well. trade, including with the u.s., hugely important. one thing to note about the history of ghana that i just learned, i find very interesting, the first nation in all the continents of sahara that got its own independence,

that happened back in 1957. when you take a look at that, it lays the groundwork for president obama coming in today and giving this information and saying, speaking directly to this population, you know, some things that are shared in common with the united states and some things that depend on the united states, but at the same time in some ways also an example of the things that continue to plague africa. betty and t.j. >> no doubt. thank you for that. that explainer is really good information. >> want to switch to weather right now because boy, is it hot down south. especially in places like texas. reynolds wolf joins us with a look at that. hey reynoldings. >> triple digit heat. we have three big weather stories to share, kind of one, two, three, starting first and foremost, not with the heat but storms beginning to heat up near st. louis moving to the south. some scattered showers and storms, nothing severe right now, but there's the potential in a few locations, especially the west of bowling green and just the northwest of nashville, we could see some scattered

showers near cape gir regardo that could produce not only heavy rain but flash flooding. the reason is pretty simple. we got this frontal boundary tong sag it ways into the ohio valley. scattered showers and storms can be expected not only along this boundary but into portions of the central plains and the front range of the rockies could get storms here later in the day and what betty was talking about, the heat, yeah, plenty of it in texas. look at these numbers you can see that it's going to be another excruciating day for you in dallas. sick of the heat, heart goes out to you. 101 degrees expected for your high, 95 for houston, 92 in memphis by beale street, 86 in denver, 59 in san francisco, and back out a little more to the east, boston and new york, temperatures mainly into the 70s. now if you're hoping to get a break from the heat or just a break from the work week, you the weekend, i'm sure many of you may have a few questions as to what to do for this weekend with your family. well, look no farther, a few ideas for you on this weekend's weekend getaway.

when you're ready to step away from the neon lights of vegas, head three hours north to zion national park in utah. >> the landscape looks like there's enormous sand castles set atop these towering desert canyons. >> reporter: entrance fees are inexpensive. a full car load costs just $25 and passes are good for the week. >> zion canyon is just a really unique canyon. we're surrounded by these red rock walls and all summer long, the sky is just this brilliant deep blue. it's fantastic. >> reporter: camping is considered a great way to enjoy the park. look for a spot right along the virgin river. >> we get a lot of visitors here and one of the words i hear a lot is, intimate. this is a little canyon. it's a kind canyon. and when you're in it, you feel good about being here. >> all right. well, we do appreciate that.

we're getting new information right now, the speech has been changing a bit in the time in which it's going to be delivered. we're talking about the president speaking in ghana and we're hearing he will be speaking in about two minutes. although we're also being warned there might be a few audio problems. but you're looking right now at some tape that was shot just a little bit earlier. >> and the president, of course, not an exact science with the time sometimes but for the most part has been on the time on this trip, making a trip over to the international conference center where it is in accra to speak. they moved to this larger place. he was planning to speaks to the parliament in ghana, but also moved to a larger place so they can accommodate more people. all this excitement about this president, not his first trip to africa as president but first subsahara africa going to ghana to make a speech there, highlight the democracy, a beacon of democracy there on a continent where a lot of countries we see violence sometimes surrounding so many of

the elections that happen in many other countries. again, we were told a couple minutes, we are standing by. if the president starts speaking you will not miss a moment of it. stay here with us. cnn, an soon as we get something we'll have it. take a kwquick break. >> and be right back. the signal is back up as you see right there, president obama stepping on stage in accra, ghana. he is going to be giving a speech today. you know, there was a lot of talk, t.j., about why ghana, why did the president pick ghana. he summed it up in two words, or three words, commitment to democracy.

pausing for the national anthem. i can't hear which one that is. >> we're getting -- >> the audio is sketchy. the president as betty was saying were wondering if they would go to kenya. kenya, necessarily, not a beacon of democracy as ghana would be. there's been violence surrounding the elections there, zimbabwe now. this is the american national anthem being played now. we're trying to get, you can see, a little sketchy with the feed, with this the audio. we're going to try to get this worked out. the president walking in the room and taking stage at this international conference center in front of the parliament there, a wider shot you can make out, they wanted other people to be able to come in as well. so much excitement around this president even though he is from kenya, has kenyon roots, the entire continent claims them as one of their own. >> people have been pouring into

the streets not only with welcome signs and bill boards, but shirts have been made and really, welcoming the president and mrs. obama with open arms. we're going to take a listen as the national anthem plays. ♪ ore the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ ♪

♪ >> so we are listening to the national anthem, i assume there, in ghana. this speech very important as the president has been traveling, making several trips over the past few days. this one specifically dealing with democracy. democracy in africa. and he's made that a very important point as he's choosing ghana as a site for today's speech. following the speech he's going to be traveling down to cape coast where those fortreses, castles many will call it, are still standing today, places where thousands of slaves were put down into dungeons, many did not survive, those who did were put on boats and sent to countries around the world, america included. let's take a listen now as we see them being seated, getting prepared for the president's speech.

all right. we might be having more audio difficulties. >> we want to remind our viewers, that we are working out the audio issues here, not the cleanest audio feed we have had, but we still are getting this thing worked out and want to make sure you don't miss a minute of the president's speech expected in a matter of minutes. you are looking at a live picture. we have been able to get the picture again. kind of some satellite issue, not the best picture either, but we are working through some of the technical issues to bring you this event. a significant event. many saying a historic event. the president, his first trip to subsa hair yan africa making a speech there, doing what a lot of people are hoping many other countries around the continent of africa can do, which is to have a thriving democracy, a

peaceful democracy, and this is one he chose to highlight there in ghana, the parliament, the crowd you're seeing is made up of parliament memberers there in ghana but also other members of the public. see if we got it. >> the president of the united states of america, president barack hussein obama. and his family, are in the country for a two-day visit. may i on behalf of leadership and members of this house, say akwaaba. a welcome to the first family of the united states of america. it is my hope that they will have a wonderful stay in ghana, enjoy the alluring charms of

accra and cape coast, and also the [ inaudible ]. honorable members, we have in our midst this morning the historic president of the united states of america. who is to deliver a message to this house. it is, therefore, my pleasure and privilege to for malley welcome into the house. honorable members, our guest is accompanied to this house by our own president, john atta mills. and the vice president, mr. john

drnama. i also recognize in the house, the chief justice of the republic of ghana. and his excellency, blythe rashard john rolly. and the president from the republic of ghana. honorable members, ghana has played host to three consecutive

sitting presidents of the united states of america, since 1998. the uniqueness of this occasion is formed by the fact that this is the first time a sitting president of the united states of america is addressing this house. equally worth noting, is ghana being the first country south of the sahara to play host to such an illustrious [ inaudible ] whose [ inaudible ] of change, yes, we can -- beyond the

borders of the united states of america and the slumber and despair out of many people around the world. permit me to say on a lighter note, but significant to ga -- ghanas ghanasens, africans and all people of african descent of this memorable visit of the 44th president of the united states of america, and his family, is a special reunion to ancestral [ inaudible ]. many of us sit right in his presidency as the first black

american president of the united states of america. indeed, we have seen in our lifetime the true realization of the human equality as proved by the declaration of american independence invoked by abraham lincoln's address on november 19th, 1863, at gettysburg, pennsylvania. we note with great appreciation, that the united states of america is undoubtedly of freedom, liberty and democracy for the world. today, we [ inaudible ] with the

united states of america, a renuned bond of friendship committed after deepening go governance -- >> we are going to break away for a moment for the speaker of parliament in accra, ghana, keep that picture up for you because it's quite a historic one and bring in charles could be, a visiting professor, brown university, also a diplomatic correspondent for all africa.com and joins us live. charles, let me ask you this, as we were seeing that picture just moments ago of president obama sitting there on that stage, charles, can you hear me? >> yes, i can. >> great. sitting on that stage, this is truly a historic moment, not only for the people of ghana, but for the people of subsaharaen africa. >> for certain. this is as much an african treatment as a ghanaian trip. it is important to the entire continent, i would argue. >> do you expect us to hear any

kind of policy change? i know there's been a lot of talk, especially from the president, saying that he's chosen ghana because of its commitment to democracy and that is part of the world order, but at the same time, we know that much of ghana is funded by international aid, despite its own natural resources and an abundance of natural resources. do you expect to see any kind of policy change that will not only help ghana, but africa on the whole? >> no. this trip essentially lays down a marker around governance. if there is any change -- not so much a change of policy but a shift of emphasis, greater emphasis, on governance. that's why he came to ghana, to lay down that particular marker. >> charles, t.j. here, along with betty in atlanta. do something -- i don't know if you are able to see the picture of the president this morning on air here with us, but if you can, or -- >> i cannot. >> you cannot.

so i want you to put it in perspective, at least, i know you can envision, this president, an african-american president, sitting in that room full of leaders of the parliament, political leaders, president of ghana, but i guess just put that picture into terms for us if you will, just to have this black american president with the kenyon background sitting in that room on the african continent with those leaders. >> well, you have this particular president sitting in a country that was a major slave port 400 years ago, sitting there as president of the united states with his wife and his daughters, descendents of slaves, makes this a extraordinarily historic moment, not just in terms of politics but in terms of history itself. >> later today, we know he is going to be traveling down to cape coast to visit that slave port there and there's been, you know, so much talk about the

door of no return and how it is such an emotional and even chilling experience. what do you expect us to see and hear from the president after he takes that journey? >> i suppose he will offer some thoughts on slavery. what i'm interested in is how he speaks to his wife and children about this particular experience at cape coast. >> why do you say that? >> because in a slightly different kind of way, i mean, the wife, michelle, and the two children, sasha and malia, descend, perhaps, from people who exited that door of no return. it's got to be an emotional moment for them. and i'm interested in how he will talk to that moment to his children. >> and despite the history that is there in ghana, as well as cape coast, do you think this was a smart move on the president's part to make his

stop in sub-saharan africa, and ghana being that destination of choice given his kenyon background? >> i think the kenyan background is irrelevant to his choice to stop in ghana, except that it kind of underlines his concern about governance in the sense that he chose ghana over kenya, his father's home country. yes, it was a smart choice, i think, to emphasize governance. it certainly was the correct choice to pick ghana as the place to, as i said earlier, lay down that marker about governance, and as he told us last week in the interview that we did, he wants to connect africa in particular to the mainstream of economic discussion, such as those that took place at the g-8 in italy.

so coming to ghana immediately after the g-8 -- >> we're watching right now the president of ghana speaking live on our air. and then you, in fact, charles, visited ghana several times over the years. how, indeed, has it changed, specifically when it comes to its commitment to democracy? >> well, we see a clear evolution in ghana. you had, it was, of course, the first african subsaharan african nation to become independent and then that is overthrown by a military coup. for years you had military dictatorship and then that military dictatorship ends and for the last 15 to 20 years, you've seen the steady growth in implantation of democracy in ghana and, of course, coming in and out of there, i've watched all of this evolve, including the celebrations of ghana's 50th anniversary a couple years ago. >> we'll continue to remind our

viewers, we are awaiting to hear from president obama shortly. he is in that room. the president of ghana speaking right now. this is the last stop on president obama's trip overseas, took him to italy, moscow, one more stop in ghana, he will be speaking after we understand after the president of ghana there that they're seeing. charles, to bring you back in here, talking about some of the policy changes and pushes toward democracy that president obama might be calling for, does he or is he more equipped to get things done than presidents past, whether from his mindset or whether from the fact he just has that personal connection to that continent? >> while the personal connection is important, i mean the big difference between president obama and past presidents is that he actually knows something about africa. and that's a tremendous tool in his discussions about africa and with african leaders. i should say right here, i

suspect that the critical conversation or discussion that obama had is not so much this public speech that is about to take place, but the breakfast discussion he had with president mills earlier this morning. >> what do you imagine that conversation was about? >> i think there are a number of regional concerns that the united states has that barack obama has, as president. oil, instability, the good governance. i think that conversation probably -- and i'm guessing. i'm not in ghana. i suspect that conversation had to do as much with what the region needed from the united states, as much as it had to do with what ghana needed from the nooifts united states. >> charles, but in comparison to past presidents who have gone to africa and spoken in africa, how does president obama's vision differ from previous administrations?

>> well, as i said, one, he knows -- he may be the first president of the united states who actually has a substantial knowledge about the african contine continent. i think the last administration -- of course, the bush administration placed a greater emphasis on security issues. the obama administration seems, although we're early into the obama administration, seems to be emphasizing governance, which is a big difference policy wise between the two administrations. and, of course, obama has a cache in africa, unlike any other president that visited that continental, jimmy carter, bill clinton, and george bush. >> have we seen this president, president obama, capitalizing on that cache as you just put it? >> i think so. i think so. i think that's part of what's going on both in his private discussions as well as his public statements.

>> now where else -- you talked about the private conversations, public statements, but that cache, you said he's going to capitalize on it but have we seen anything else publicly you can point to? he's only been in office a short time. >> exactly. he's been in office six months, so that's a question that may be more appropriate two to three years from now. >> do you think because there is so much excitement on the continent about president obama being there and speaking today in ghana, but as you look at the realities of it, once he has come and gone, is there a sense of people thinking too much is going to come from it? overexpectations? >> yeah. you know, ghanaians said and some have been quoted in the newspapers in the last day or so, bill clinton came here, so did i think jimmy carter came here, not a lot changed in our life, so while on the one hand there's high expectations,

there's enough experience, perhaps, for at least some part of the population to also lower their expectations, despite the excitement around barack obama's presence. >> could he -- >> i think the excitement around obama in some ways is separate from what he does or does not do policy wise. >> but realistically, could president obama ever live up to these expectations? because they are extremely high. not only in ghana, but throughout africa. >> no, he can't. and he himself acknowledged that in the interview. he said that what he hopes his legacy will be, will be to help africa get started on this path that he wants them to follow. >> yeah. speaking of interviews, you interviewed the president not too long before he left for this g-8 trip. what was the most important thing that you got from that interview? >> i think it made clear to us how much he was going to be

emphasizing governance during his administration. we suspected that, but the interview confirmed that. the other thing that struck me in the interview was his determination to, for lack of a better phrase, integrate africa into the larger global discussion. in a sense, he wants an africa policy. a u.s. policy has really when it comes to africa, has not been continental in scope but directed at individual countries. >> all right. once again here, chatting with charles cobb, diplomatic correspondent for allafrica.com. thank you and stand byp we're going to try to listen back in again, happening in accra, ghana, the president of the united states sitting with the president of ghana. expected to speak shortly. let's listen to the speaker of the parliament in ghana. >> pleasure, privilege to invite

the president of the united states of america to deliver his message. mr. president. ♪ >> i like this. ♪ >> thank you! thank you! i think congress needs one of those horns. that sounds pretty good.

sounds like louis armstrong back there. good afternoon, everybody. it is a great honor for me to be in accra and to speaks to the representatives of the people of ghana. i am deeply grateful for the welcome that i've received as are michelle and malia and sasha obama. ghana's history is rich, the ties between our two countries are strong, and i am proud this is my first visit to subsaharan africa as president of the united states of america. i want to thank madam speaker and all the members of the house of representatives for hosting us today. i want to thank president mills

for his outstanding leadership to the former presidents, jerry rollins, former president ofur, vice president justice, thanks to all of you for your extraordinary hospitality and the wonderful institutions that you've built here in ghana. i'm speaking to you at the end of a long trip. i began in russia for a summit between two great powers. i traveled to italy for a meeting of the world's leading economies. i've come here to ghana for a simple reason, the 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in rome or moscow or washington, but by what happens in accra as well.

this is the simple truth of a time when the boundaries between people are overwhelmed by our connections. your prosperity can expand america's prosperity. your health and security can contribute to the world's health and security. and the strength of your democracy can help advance human rights for people everywhere. so i do not see the countries and peoples of africa as a world apart. i see africa as a fundamental part of our interconnected world, as partners with america, a path of the future we want for all of our children. that partnership must be grounded in mutual responsibility and mutual respect, and that is what i want to speak with you about today.

let's start from the simple premise that africa's future is up to africans. i say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world. after all, i have the blood of africa within me and my family is -- my family's story encompasses both the tragedies and triumphs of the larger african story. some of you know my grandfather was a cook in kenya and a respected elder in his village, he was called boy much of his life. he was on the proliferation of keny kenyon's struggles. in his life colonialism wasn't simply the creation of unnatural borders or fair terms of trade,

it was something experienced personally. day after day, year after year. my father grew up herding goats in a tiny village. a possible distance away from the american universities he would come to get an education. he came of age at a moment of extraordinary promise for africa. the struggles of his own father's generation were giving birth to new nations, beginning right here in ghana. africans were educating and asserting themselves in new ways, and history was on the move. but despite the progress that has been made -- and there has been considerable progress in many parts of africa -- we also know that much of that promise has yet to be fulfilled.

countries like kenya had a per capita larger than south korea's when i was born. they have badly been outpaced. disease and conflict have ravaged parts of the african continent. in many places, the hope of my father's generation gave way to cynicism and despair. now it's easy to point fingers and to pin the blame of these problems on others. yes, a colonial map that made no sense helped to breed conflict. the west has often approached africa as a patron or a source of resources, rather than a partner, but the west isn't responsible for the destruction of the zimbabwen economy.

[ inaudible ] wars in which children are listed as combatants. in my father's life it was partly trib ballism and patriotism and nepotism in kenya that for a long stretch derailed his [ inaudible ]. and we know that this kind of corruption is still a daily fact of life for far too many. now we know that's also not the whole story. here in ghana, you show us a face to africa that is too often overlooked by a world that sees only tragedy or a need for charity. the people of ghana have worked hard to put democracy on firmer footing with repeated peaceful transfers of power even in the wake of closely contested elections.

and can i say that for that, the minority deserves as much credit as the majority. and with improved governance an emerging civil society, ghana's economy has shown impressive growth. this progress may lack the drama of 20th century struggles, but make no mistake, it will ultimately be more significant for just as it is important to emerge from the control of other nations. it is even more important to build from one's own nation. so i believe that this moment is just as promising for ghana and for africa as the moment when my father came of age and new nations were being born. this is a new moment of great

promise. only this time, we've learned that it will not be giants like kenyatta who will determine africa's future. instead it will be you. the men and women in ghana's parliament, the people you represent. it will be young people, brimming with talent and energy and hope who can frame the future that so many in previous generations never realized. now to realize that promise, we must first recognize the truth that you have given life to in ghana. development depends on governance. that is -- that is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places for far too long. that's the change that can unlock africa's potential. and that is a responsibility that can only be met by africans.

as for america and the west, our commitment is measured by more than just the dollars we spend. i pledge substantial increases in our foreign assistance, which is in africa's interest and america's interest, but the true sign of success is not whether we are a source of perpetual aid that helps people scrape by, it's whether we are partners in building the capacity for informational change. this mutual responsibility must be the foundation of our partnership and today i will focus on four areas that are critical to the future of africa and the entire developing nation. democracy, opportunity, health, and the peaceful resolution of conflict.

first, we must support strong and sustainable democratic governance. as i -- as i said in cairo, each nation gives life to democracy in its own way and in line with its own traditions. but offers a clear verdict, governments that respect the will of their own people, that govern by consensus and not coercion, are more prosperous, they are more stable, and more successful than governments that do not. more than just holding elections, it's also about what happens between elections. now, it can take many forms and too many nations, even those that have elections, are plagued by problems that can put people into poverty. no country is going to create

wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves. or if police, police can be bought off by drug traffickers. no business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20% off the top or the head of the port authority is corrupt. no person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. this -- that is not democracy. that is terrorism, even if occasionally you sprinkle an election in there. and now is the time for that style of governance to end, in the 21st century, capable, reliable, and transparent institutions are the key to success. strong parlgmentes, honest

police forces, independent judges, an independent press, a private sector, a civil society, those are the things that give life to democracy because that is what matters to people's everyday lives. time and again, ga hanaians hav chosen constitutional rule and shown a spirit that allows your people to break through. we see na in leaders who accept [ inaudible ], the fact that president mills were standing beside him last night to greet me when i came off the plane spoke volumes about ghana. to resist calls to weald power

against the opposition in unfair ways. we see that spirit in journalists. [ speaking foreign la inin inii life to report the truth. see in those who helped prosecute the first human trafficker in ghana. we see it in the young people who are speaking out against patronage and participating in the political process. we've seen countless examples of people taking control of their destiny and making change from the bottom up. we saw it in kenya, where a civil society and business came together to stop post election violence. we saw it in south africa, where over three quarters of the country voted in the recent election. the fourth since the end of apartheid. we saw it in zimbabwe where the election support network braved

brutal repression to stand up for the principle that a person votes is their sacred right. make no mistake history is on the side of these brave africans. not with those who use coups or change constitutions to stay in power. africa -- africa doesn't need strong men. it needs strong institutions. now, america will not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation. the essential truth of democracy is that each nation determines its own destiny. but what america will do is increase assistance of responsible individuals and responsible institutions with the focus on supporting good

governance, on parliaments which ensure that opposition voices are heard, on the rule of law which ensures the equal administration of justice, on civic participation so young people get involved, and on concrete solution to corruption, forensic accounting and automating services, strengthening hot lines, protecting whistle blowers to advance transparency and accountability, and we provide the support. i have directed my administration to give greater attention to corruption in our human rights reports. people everywhere should have the power to start a business or get an education without paying a bribe. we have a responsibility to support those who act responsibly and to isolate those who don't. and that is exactly what americans do. this leads to our second area of partnership. supporting development that provides opportunity for more people.

with better governance i have no doubt that africa holds the promise of a broader-based prosperity. witness the extraordinary success of africans in my country, america. they're doing very well. they've got the entrepreneurial spirit. the question is, how do we make sure they're succeeds here in their home countries? the continent is rich in natural resources and from cell phone entrepreneurs to small farmers, africans have shown the capacity and commitment to create their own opportunities. old habits must also be broken. dependence on commodities or a single export has a tendency to concentrate wealth in the hands of the few and leaves people too vulnerable to downturns. so ghana, for instance, oil brings great opportunities and you have been very responsible

in preparing for new revenue, but so many ghanaians know, oil cannot become the new cocoa. from south korea, singapore, history shows the countries thrive when they invest in people and in their infrastructure, when when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled work force, and have space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs. as africans reach for this promise, america will be more responsible in extending our hand. cutting costs that go to western consultants and administration, we want to put more resources in the hands of those who need it, while training people to do more for themselves. that's why our $3.5 billion

security initiative is focused on new methods and technologies for farmers, not simply sending american producers or goods to africa. aid is not an end in itself. the purpose of foreign assistance should be creating the conditions where it's no longer needed. i want to see ghanaians not only self-sufficient, i want to see you exporting food to other countries and earning money. you can do that. now america can also do more to promote trade and investment. wealthy nations must open our doors to goods and services from africa in a meaningful way. that will be a commitment of my administration. and where there is good [ inaudible ] we can broaden prosperity through public/private partnerships that invests in electricity, capacity building the people for business, financial services that reach not just cities but

also the poor and rural areas. this is also in our own interests. for a people lifted out of poverty and wealth created in africa, guess what, new markets will open up for our own goods. so it's good for both. one area that holds out both undeniable peril and extraordinary promise is energy. africa gives off less greenhouse gas than any other part of the world, but it is the most threatened by climate change. a warming planet will spread disease, shrink water resources, and deplete crops. creating conditions that produce more famine and more conflict. all of us, particularly [ inaudible ] of this world, have a responsibility to slow these trends through mitigation and by changing the way that we use energy. but we can also work with africans to turn this crisis into opportunity.

together we can partner on behalf of our planet and prosperity and help countries increase access to power while leapfrogging the dirtier phase of development. think about it, across africa there is bountiful wind and solar power, geothermal energy and bio fuel, from the rift valley to the north african deserts, to the western coast to south african's crop, africans can generate its own power while [ inaudible ] clean energy abroad. these steps are about more than growth numbers on a balance sheet. they're about whether a young person with an education can get a job that supports a family. a farmer can transfer their goods to market, an entrepreneurial with a good idea can start a business, it's about the dignity of work, it's about opportunity that must exist for

africans in the 21st century. now just as governance is vital to opportunity, it's also critical to the third area i want to talk about. strengthening public health. in recent years, enormous progress has been made in parts of africa. more and more people are living productively with hiv/aids and getting the drugs they need. i just saw a wonderful clinic and hospital that is focused particularly on maternal health but too many still die from diseases. when children are being killed because of a mosquito, and mothers are dying in child birth, then we know that more progress must be made. yet, because of incentives provided by donor nations, many african doctors and nurses go overseas. or work for programs that focus on a single disease and this

creates gaps in primary care and basic prevention. meanwhile, individual africans have to make responsible choices to prevent the spread of diseases while promoting public health in their communities and countries. so across africa, we see examples of people tackling these problems. in nigeria, an interfaith effort of christians and muslims have set an example of corruption to confront malaria. here in ghana and across africa, we see ideas for filling gaps in care. for instance, through e-health initiatives that allow doctors in big cities to support those in small towns. america will support these efforts through a comprehensive global strategy because in the 21st century, we are called to act by our conscious, but also by our common interests. when a child dies of a preventable disease in accra,

that [ inaudible ] us everywhere. when disease goes unchecked in any corner of the world, we know that it can spread across oceans and continents and that's why my administration has [ inaudible ] $63 billion to meet these challenges. $63 billion. building on the strong efforts of president bush, we will carry forward the fight against hiv/aids. we will pursue the goal of ending deaths from malaria and we will work to eradicate po leo. polio. we will fight neglected tropical disease and confront illnesses in isolation, we will invest in public health systems that promote wellness and focus on the health of mothers and children. now, as we partner on behalf of

a healthier future, we must also stop the destruction that comes not from illness, but from human beings. and so the final area that i will address is conflict. let me be clear. africa is not the crude character rick tour of an economy at perpetual war but if we are honest for far too many africans, conflict is a part of life. constant as the sun. there are wars over land, wars over resources. and it's still far [ inaudible ] those without conscious to manipulate [ inaudible ]. these conflicts are a stone around africa's neck. we all have many identities of tribe and ethnicity and religion and nationality but defining one's self in opposition to

someone who belongs to a different tribe or worships a different prophet has no place in the 21st century. africa's diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division. we are all god's children. we all share common aspirations, to live and peace and security, to access education and opportunity, to love our families and our communities and our faith. that is our common humanity, that is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. it is never justified, never justifiable to target innocence in the name of [ inaudible ]. it is a death sentence of a society to force children to kill. it is the ultimate mark of criminality and [ inaudible ] to condemn women to relentless and systemic rape.

we must bear witness to the value of every in darfur and the dignity of every woman in the continent. no faith or culture should condone the outrages against them. must strive for the peace and security for progress. africans are standing up for this future. hereto in ghana, we are seeing you help point the way forward. that should take pride in your contributions to peacekeeping from liberia to lebanon. and your efforts to resist the scourge of the trade. we welcome the steps that are being taken by org zagszs like the african union to better resolve conflicts, to keep the peace and support those in need.

and we encourage the vision of a strong regional security architecture that can bring effective transnational force to bear when needed. america has the responsibility to work with you, as a partner, to advance this vision. not just with words but with support that strengthens africans. when there's a genocide in darfur or terrorist in somalia, these are not simply african problems, they are global challenges and they demand a global response. that's why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy and technical assistance and logistical support and we will stand behind efforts to hold criminals accountable. let me be clear, our africa command is not focused on establishing a foothold in the continent, but on confronting these common challenges to advance the security of america, africa, and the world.

in moscow, i spoke of the need for an international system where the universal rights of human beings are respected. that must include commitment to support those who resolve conflicts peacefully, to sanction and stop those who don't, and to help those who have suffered. but ultimately, it will be vibrant democracies like botswana and ghana which will win back the causes of conflict and advance peace and prosperity. as i said earlier, africa's future is up to africans. the people of africa are ready to claim that future. and in my country, african-americans, including so many recent immigrants, thrived in every sector of society, done so despite a difficult past and

we have drawn strength from our african heritage with institutions and a strong will, i know that africans can live their dream in nairobi and legos, ha rear ray and right here in accra. you know, 52 years ago, the eyes of the world were on ghana. and a young preacher named martin luther king traveled here to accra to watch [ inaudible ] and the ghanaian flag go up, before the march on washington or the success of the civil rights movement in my country. dr. king was asked how he felt while watching the birth of a nation and he said, it renews my

conviction and the ultimate triumph of justice. now that triumph must be won once more. and it must be won by you. and i am particularly speaking to the young people all across africa and right here in ghana, in places like ghana, young people make up over half of the population and here is what you must know. the world will be what you make of it. you have the power to hold your leaders accountable and to build institutions that serve the people. you can serve in your communities and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world, you can conquer disease and end conflicts and change from the bottom up, you can do that.

yes, you can. because in this moment, history is on the move, but these things can only be done if all of you take responsibility for your future and it won't be easy, it will take time and effort, there will be suffering and setbacks but i can promise you this, america will be with you every step of the way as a partner, as a friend. opportunity won't come from any other place, though. it must come from the decisions all of you make, the things that you do, the hope that you hold in your heart. ghana freedom is your inheritance. now it is the responsibility to build upon freedom's foundation and if you do, we will look back years from now to places like accra and say, this was the time when the promise was realized. this was a time when prosperity

was forged, when pain was overcome and a new era of progress began. this can be the time when we witness the triumph of justice once more. yes, we can. thank you very much. god bless you. thank you. >> and you've been listening to president obama speaking in ghana today. he took a lot specifically on the issue of democracy and not only what ghana has done, but what he hopes for the african continent. he went on to say that our commitment, meaning america, must be measured more than just by the dollars that we spend, but building on the capacity for transformational change, so again, he is continuing to push the need for some real change when it comes to many of the governments in the countries that make up africa and he spoke

a lot, too, about corruption. >> mr. president. >> let's take a listen as we hear the speaker of parliament. >> members of this house. i convey our utmost gratitude for your message. mr. president, the house wishes you good health after you leave our shores. mr. president, but come again soon. >> all right. the speaker of parliament thanking the president for his speech and asking him to come back again soon. we want to bring you now to our suzanne malveaux who is standing by. she is in accra, ghana, listened to this speech. what is your reaction from it, suzanne? >> well, i thought it was interesting that he really -- this is a tough love speech that he delivered. he talked about good governance and mutual responsibility as part of a new kind of partnership with the united states. he said that africa's future is up to africans. now, there is -- there are some

themes that we had heard before from president bush and president clinton who both visited ghana in the past, talking about the need for the ghanaian people to take more responsibility, but i think this message in particular has more credibility coming from this president. you talk to any number of ghanaians who refer to barack obama as their son, as a member of their family. they consider him one of their own. so he does carry a message that does have more weight and credibility. i think that the president is very much aware of that. the first line that got applause from this group was when he said, i have the blood of africa within me and he talks about the fact that he is really an example and a product of the tragedy and the triumph of africa and he talked about in a very personal way his grandfather who was a cook for the british, who was called boy,

that he was a respected elder in the villages, but simply disrespected back in the day. he talked about his own father who started off herding goats who turned to the united states to get a better education and a better future, who ultimately went back to kenya and died a lonely and broken man in part due to some own personal choices, but also, too, the system that broke him here in kenya back in his home country of kenya, and so the president i think acknowledges and recognizes that his message does carry weight and that people considered him to be one of the family, one of their own. so perhaps he can deliver that message of tough love a bit more, with a bit more seriousness and credibility. >> all right. our suzanne malveaux, appreciate you on the known accra. looking at the pictures of the

president wrapping up a speech and his time in ghana. not done just yet, making his way down to cape coast to check out a major slave fort there. we will continue to follow him and his speech and bring you more highlights from the speech as we go throughout the day. >> there is much more to come on "cnn saturday morning." when a tornado tore through holly, colorado, air life denver took to the air... their night-vision goggles keeping them safe on a perilous flight... and powering those precision goggles--- is the only battery air life trusts: duracell. broad daylight or the darkest night... it just has to work. duracell. trusted everywhere. hi, may i help you? yeah, i'm looking for car insurance that isn't going to break the bank. you're in the right place. only progressive gives you the option to name your price. here. a price gun? mm-hmm. so, i tell you what i want to pay.

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a philadelphia area swim club president is responding to claims of racism. his club turned away a group of children from a day care this week, sparking mass controversy. >> our susan candiotti spoke to the swim club's president and reports from hun tingdon, pennsylvania. >> reporter: kids whose parents belong to valley club were back in the water one day after controversy kept them away and youngsters who got to use the same pool for only a day got an apology from the swim club, but no invitation to return. >> it's just really unfortunate and we apologize deeply. we regret deeply this had to

happen. >> reporter: here's what happened. a day care center catering to mainly minority black and hispanic kids paid $1950 for the kids to use the pool once a week for an hour and a half. but after one visit, their check was returned and summer swim trips canceled. >> we severely underestimated the number of children and our capacity to handle these groups. we were not prepared for it and that's the only reason it was a safety issue and that's the only reason that the children we felt it was not safe for them to be here. >> reporter: the day care center calls that a lie. it claims the club pulled the plug because of racist complaints from some white members. >> the children came running down the hill saying miss wright those people are saying what are those black kids doing in the pool. >> it's kind of like sad that like people were still thinking like this, when i felt like these days was over. >> if someone said that, i don't know. i didn't hear it. people are going to say things,

but it's not our -- one person saying it is not the position of the club or the board. certainly not how we raise our children. >> reporter: the club flatly denies it discriminates and says two other day care centers were canceled after one visit. >> it's unfortunate that this had to turn into such a firestorm because this has been totally misrepresented in terms of our club and how welcoming we are. >> doesn't deserve this. >> he is a kind, tolerant person, that would do anything for anyone and teaches our children, teaches me, you know, that everything can be resolved with conversation. >> and our susan candiotti spoke to the swim's club president and reports from pennsylvania. so susan, it appears that the children aren't going to be allowed back in the pool after all this controversy? >> that's right. so far, anyway. the club keeps insisting this

was not about racism, it was a matter of space and safety issues. that explanation and apology is not being formally accepted by the day care center's director. she says i know what happened, the director of the pool knows what happened here, and as she put it a higher power knows what happened. it seems that conversation alone may not be enough to solve this and, perhaps, in part is why at this point, the pennsylvania human relations commission is investigating this. as a matter of fact, yesterday a group of parents went in and formally filed a complaint. so that could take some time to complete that investigation. and we've also learned that the justice department is also looking over the situation. they have not launched a formal investigation, but they are reviewing the matter. betty? >> all right. susan candiotti joining us live, thank you for that. still ahead, josh levs, cruising the streets going to talk about an electric car and then we've got this other issue that we've got the latest word on. well, there's the electric car

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i'm working. >> this is the mayor talking. >> all right. >> doctor. >> come on, what? >> always do the right thing. >> that's it? >> that's it. >> i got it. i'm gone. >> that's it. simple as that. do the right thing. spike lee. >> what's up? >> in the house with us. >> in the house. >> haven't seen a lot of you. >> atl. >> in the atl. >> 20 years. that's why you're here with us. that movie sparked a lot of conversation about race. did it do what you thought it was going to do at the time? when you were making that movie did you have that plan in mind? >> we had the plan but whether that was going to happen was another thing. we always had hope. we're here 20 years later still talking about it. >> can you believe that, 20 years later we're still talking about what this movie did? >> i think that's a testament to the power of the film and i'm glad it happened. 20 years went fast too. >> yeah.

>> time was merry, had two children. i never thought there would be an african-american president 20 years ago. i didn't think that three years ago. >> and on that point, i'm going to roll a clip in a second from the movie. you brought up the president there. what was it now, his first date or movie he had seen -- >> the first date. >> went to see your movie. >> michelle and barack. >> how does that feel? >> he told me that when he was running for the thing in illinois. i didn't know who he was. >> you know now, don't you? >> well i said -- it's great. >> take a quick look at one of the clips here. a lot of people will remember a lot of these. i'll chat with you after. >> brothers come to war. >> man, ask sal. >> hey, sal, how come no brothers on the war here. >> get your own place and do what you want to do. put your brothers and uncles and nieces and nephews, your stepfather, stepmother, whoever you want. this is my pizzeria.

american italians on the wall only. >> take it easy. >> and you. >> don't start with me today. >> what? >> yeah. might be fine, sal, but you own this. really do i see any american italians eating in here. all i see is black folkses. since we spend much money here we have a say. >> a lot of the characters you created and conversations you sparked, if that movie was released something similar today, would it play the same in 2009 as it did in '9 and why not? >> i don't know. i'm in a different place than i was. the world is dnifferent than it was back then. i steer away from the hypothetical what ifs. the film is still relevant today even with a black president, still relevant today. >> why do you say that? >> because i don't deal with this post-racial whatever that thing is. that's insane. it's not like this thing has