ElBaradei is at Tahrir square, site of the main Cairo protests!!!!!!!

[originalpckelly]

Not sure whether or not he will address crowd. He definitely is there Al Jazeera has a source with him right now.

[grahamhgreen]

1. Vey cool - I like that guy!

[originalpckelly]

2. That ElBaradei is a smart worldly one.

If he really can maintain control, he's about the best guy for the job.

[montanacowboy]

3. He was on Fareed's show this morning

and stated he would act as a bridge between the people and a new government - this guy is very credible, remember he is the one who spit in little Bush's plate over the WMD that wasn't

[FirstLight]

4. so freaking dissapointed in the US coverage

msnbc and cnn suck!

[originalpckelly]

5. I know, just watch Al Jazeera, it's free over the internet:

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

It's great.

[Modern_Matthew]

11. Mhm.

The Internet brings a more personal and accurate view of world developments than corporate news will ever achieve.

[robdogbucky]

6. ElBaradei is about to address the crowd in the square

AJ survived the attempted shutdown and are interviewing a ME expert from London, with expectations on what ElBaradei will say. She acknowledges he has not been endorsed by the US, and that the crowds want him and not Mubarek. This expert notes the replacement choices appointed in the last couple of days are US trained Egyptian military goons. She also notes the stunt with jets and helicopters buzzing the square, and that the tanks were turned back in face of the military and government yesterday expressing solidarity and resolved to "protect," the country, which the expert asserts that the people can see through. The crowds were the ones arresting the government sponsored thugs sent out to sew chaos 3 days ago, and they have not been fooled or deterred to this point.

Should be an interesting night in Cairo.

[Pirate Smile]

9. If the US would try to hug El Baradei, they would hurt him. He certainly seems like a credible and

respectable leader. He needs to have space from the US to be seen that way. I think the Obama Administration is smart enough to not mess up El Baradei's acceptability to the Egyptian people.

edit to add - this is what I meant - from Max Fisher's blog:

12:13 a.m. EST / 8:13 p.m. Cairo Should the U.S. keep its distance from Mohamed ElBaradei, whom opposition groups are unifying behind to take over at interim president? The Obama administration would likely be very happy to see the liberal, internationally minded ElBaradei take over. But an official U.S. endorsement of ElBaradei for interim president, some U.S.-based analysts warn, could tar him for many Egyptians. Part of Mubarak's unpopularity comes from the Egyptian perception that he is an American puppet. A June 2010 Pew report finds a 17 percent favorability rating for the U.S. among Egyptians, down from 27 percent the year before.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/01/liveblogging-egypt-day-3/70483/

[bobbolink]

17. Thank you for taking the time to post this update. much appreciated!

:yourock:

[democrank]

7. K & R

[originalpckelly]

8. ElBaradei did speak to the protestors...

saw a crawler on Al Jazeera saying something approx:
"What we have begun cannot go back..."

[originalpckelly]

10. Al Jazeera is now playing video of ElBaradei there at the protests.

Doesn't look like many people could have heard him, unfortunately, because they didn't have audio. Looks like he was just there to give support to the crowd.

[xchrom]

12. Recommend

[robdogbucky]

13. Still waiting for him to speak

Live from AJ right now:

“We are beginning a new era in Egypt…” quote from ElBaradei

Still has not addressed the crowd in the square….they are interviewing experts in London and elsewhere and observers from outlying areas in Egypt and the national reaction to this night’s events in the square…

Reaction by people to his presence in the square still being discussed….ElBaradei still has not addressed the crowd.

The coalition is forming with ElBaradei, and as long as he is with the people on live TV for the world to see, making it hard for the government forces to control events and perception right now.

Report from Alexandria: Crowds in large numbers also defying the curfew, a lot more women and children present at protests with crowd chanting for the ouster in a more vehement way than previously. They are openly defying the government, with most of their signs in English and many directed to outside countries and the television audience worldwide. Being a stronghold for the Muslim Brotherhood, tonight for the first time they are appearing in public, leading the protests.

They note that internal media and communications within Egypt is very spotty, therefore it takes time for events in Cairo to be knownd in other cities like Alexandria, etc.


More as it unfolds and especially when ElBaradei addresses the crowd in the square.

[Oilwellian]

14. It looks official

It seems ElBaradei has been chosen by the Egyptian people to be their interim president. I suspect he'll run for the position and win overwhelmingly. Wow, what a piece of history this is going to be. I LOVE ElBaradei and have for years!

[robdogbucky]

15. He spoke to crowd, AJ interviewing members of crowd now...

Live from AJ right now:

Muslim Brotherhood calls for all opposition to unite and they endorse El Baradei, which the “international community,” finds ominous, according to ME expert Amani Soliman, and would be reluctant to accept and endorse them.

El Baradei speaking to crowd now: “We have key demand for the regime to step down….they must restore our freedom…as we mentioned before we have a key demand for the start of a new era...”

Expert Soliman asserts he is speaking for the crowd and it is a very clear message from El Baradei. She predicts the government will immediately try to discredit him and refuse to conduct dialogue and recognize him as rep for the people…People live in the square being asked what else El Baradei say to the crowd…

More as it unfolds.....

[Kingofalldems]

16. Over in freepland they hate this guy

and also claim Soros is somehow involved in this.