Anderson in Ghana: Obama and spider bites
Program Note: Watch Anderson's interview with President Obama on AC360° on Monday at 10 p.m. ET.
Anderson was bitten by something during the night. Here's his picture for proof.
Anderson Cooper | BIO
AC360° Anchor
@andersoncooper: just interviewed the President. We walked around Cape Coast Castle with him, it's a former dungeon for slaves heading to America.
@andersoncooper: we walked through the "door of no return," the portal thru which slaves were sent to the New World. Talked about the ...
@andersoncooper: ....impact of it on him and his family. Outside hundreds have gathered to get a glimpse of Obama....
@andersoncooper: playing endlessly, everywhere, is a ghana hi-life song "Bar-ack, Bar-ack. Bar-ack O-Bama." It's by a band "Black Rasta"..
@andersoncooper: ..its one of those songs that's catchy at first, but gradually drives you insane..like 99 Luftballoons. Remember that one?
@andersoncooper: forgot to mention. During the night I got bitten by something on my left eyelid.. Maybe a spider. When I awoke, my eyelid was ....
@andersoncooper: my eyelid had swollen nearly shut. Not the kind of thing you want to have happen before interviewing the President...
@andersoncooper: In my mind I looked like Sylvester Stallone in "Rocky". In reality i looked more like Mathew Broderick in the movie "Election."
@andersoncooper: luckily, by the time the President arrived it had gone down significantly. "Not so bad," he said to me as he sat down.
@andersoncooper: now its nearly back to normal..still a little swollen. I took a picture for the ac360.com blog. I'm about to go to bed.
@andersoncooper: I think I'm going to sleep with the lights on.
Follow all of Anderson's twitter updates @andersoncooper.
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Filed under: 360° Radar • Anderson Cooper • Ghana |
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Make sure you get checked by an eye doctor when you return.
ice always bring puffiness down quickly.
It didn't look that bad during the interview, might not have noticed if it wasn't mentioned.
be careful...lots of strange crawling things there.
AC that not a spider bite. Its a mosquitoe bite. I have had it ever since I was born in Africa. I am from Sierra Leone. So, its something normal. Your blood is normal thats why your eyes was swollen. It causes Malaria too... and it is also the fastest means of transporting HIV/AIDS from one medium to another, in africa.
Hey Anderson – Glad to see your ok. It actually doesn't look too bad – hopefully you got a good nights sleep and didn't have to sleep with the lights on....or had dreams of spiders crawling on you (which is actually what I would've done and been up all night...)
Enjoy the rest of your trip to Ghana and have safe travels back!
Taunya
Glad you eye is getting better .... Could you imagine what those poor slaves went through living in those dungeons ... Get well soon ...
Hellooo Anderson!!!!
Wow! That is so scary I saw you bitten by spider!!!! I have once bitten spider before, I hate this!!!! Be careful and look out for spider, I am really exciting forward see you will interview our Pres. Obama in Ghana. Thanks for tweeting me for updates, I am really praying for you come home safety to NYC! Take care Anderson! Good luck!
Your interview with Mr.Obama showed he is getting grey hair.
A, I hate spiders that bite my favorite guy in the media. Your show is great.
Rub that Avon Skin so Soft lotion all over yourself and the bugs and spiders will stay away. They can't advertise it as bug repellent but it's well known that it works.
I was bit by a black widow. I survived.
Stick a Sponge-Bob bandaid on it for your next telecast. Now that would be fun.
i bet it was a mosquito
I'm really enjoying all of the Tweets. I'm sorry that you were bitten by something though! That just sounds awful. I can't wait to see the interview with President Obama, I've been looking forward to it. Try not to get attacked by anything else!
It just hit me, did you tell the President of the United States Of America that you got a Boo Boo on your eye, ohh dear Mr .Copper.
ohh dear the ups and downs of life in the tropics.
The journalist's life is hard, but worth it when the news reaches the people, making them think.
Thanks!
I'm so sorry about your eye! I would be mortified.
Yep! It's an eight-legged world out there! I was biitten on my poor little leg last night.I was moving the furniture around, cleaning, at my service recipient's house and got the little, small things stired up. I'm a personal Assistant to an Easter Seals recipient. I think I need to call an exterminater for him! You know, maybe the room you stayed in should have been cleaned better.
Donna Wood
Lexington, Tennessee
Feel better, Anderson! Hope it wasn't painful and not too much of a drag. Btw, it doesn't look too bad... 😉
Anderson Cooper is running for "who got the scarriest face, after travelling to a tropical zone" !!! and the most sun burns !!!
Glad your eye is doing better! I'm looking forward to the interview and I hope you get home safely and soon. 🙂
Hi AC
Sounds like you are having some great experiences in Ghana, what does the place sound and smell like. My impressions are that it is a vibrant country.
Certainly some of Ghana's history and especially the link with the transportation of slaves to America and my own countries role, in this ghastly period in human history are certainly worthy of reflection on how far we have come.
I think you are referring to the 80's classic – 99 Red Balloons, yes I am old enough to remember that song, not a tune you really want back in your head – thanks Anderson !
You might want to try some salty water on that bite, might help keep it clean and should be safe to use on your eye area.
In a related story, FOX news crew were seen outside of a hotel in Ghana with what looked like an empty cage...
Blog TO: @andersoncooper on twitter July 12, 2009 AC 360 from NY to Ghana . This blog says, I love the digital animation of the CNN station announcement of your Monday night exclusive interview with President Obama, showing the little circle, designating the degree symbol of a full circle of 360 degrees. May God be with you Anderson, have a safe trip home to NYC.
you call that a bite? lol j/k
curious about whether or not keeping the lights on helped. 😛
Enjoyed your tweeting Anderson! Sorry to hear you got bitten. Hope sleeping with the lights on calmed your nerves some! Can't wait for your interview with President Obama. It's exciting to be interviewing the President and all but at the end of the day there's nothing like sleeping in your own bed, is there? There's no place like home...
Oh those Ghanaian spiders!
Anderson, Nice shot! So I guess you are now CNN's official "spider man." Try and resist the urge to climb the CNN building!
Hope your feeling better.
Anderson, Be careful with those bites. You had problems with your eye before. Hope you feel better.
Seriously? Can't see anything. Does Anderson need attention and pity that much? A CNN employee fell of a cliff and this is what the blog makes a bit deal out of?
Pathetic.
I should think you have a doctor traveling with you on a trip like that.It may be an allergic reaction to a different environment. We carry some insect spray when traveling. Better luck next time. When will you going to Africa again?
hey anderson -another post – do you think you may stop referring to the captured and enslaved africans as "slaves" – i always had a problem with that. how about africans, or humans, or people or men, women and children...how about that?
Oh dear! Sorry about the insect bite. It probably never seen such clear blue eyes. Almost all of us have brown eyes.
Hi Anderson
OMG that's horribble that you got bit by a spider yikes ! I hate spiders I'm glad the swelling went down before you went to Interview President Obama .i don't blame you about sleeping with the light on becareful and safe travel home .
Michelle D.
Oh dear. I hope it wasn't serious. The picture was good enough for me.
Hahaha! Yikes! Sorry, I know that isn't funny (maybe just a little). Did it itch or anything? Well, at least it's gone now! All of us are looking forward to the interview! Have a safe trip home.
Not to bad. Glad it wasn't worse.
hahaha, i got bitten by something in mexico on my lower lip, and it looked absolutely insane, like botox gone wrong. looking forward to watching the interview!
Well, it's not that bad! You still look better than the average newscaster.
Hi, Anderson!
Oh, by the way you twitted, I thought your eye was worse.
In the movie "Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban", there is a scene that the ginger boy, Harry Potter's friend has a nightmare where he is being attacked by spiders and he shouted that the spiders will make him dance... lol ... this must be the nightmare of Anderson too!
I wish your best and thank you for Behind the Scenes and for the twitts ...
PS.
@andersoncooper, do you can read the replies in Twitter?
It doesn't look so bad... I was expecting you to take a picture shouting "Adrien!" Thanks for everything you do!!
Anderson -
I have the utmost respect for your work. You bring all of us the story - from around the world to our backyard. KUDOS!
I have the utmost respect for your work.
I watched you on CNN drilling our President during the visit to Cape Castle in Ghana. You looked "MAHVELOUS" in your smartly tailored suit - seriously, you did! Our President was wearing a polo/golf shirt. Only a suggestion, dress down and you can still get your questions in.
Best regards and it was only a mosquito bite - not a spider bite! LOL
Gregory Herrera
Chiang Mai Thailand
Anderson the spider bites was not that bad come on!! Don't shatter my manly man super reporter image of you. Either way your adorable and more importantly a remarable reporter
Hey Anderson! You get bit by an African spider and your smiling?! What is up with that? oh yeah – it looks like you have another bite on the finger of which you're pointing to the spider bite on your eyelid. lol – time for you to come back home. Cheers
Eli
Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite has new meaning for you! 🙂
Anderson,
I hope you've fully recovered from the spider(?) bite. It's great you are able to post on TwitterBerry from Africa. It must have been incredible being at Cape Coast Castle with Pres. Obama. I'm looking forward to your interview. Stay safe!
Does not look bad at all.
Eye looks OK. It is not that bad...
Sorry about the spider bite. Question...Does the president keep his blackberry in his hand, looking down when he receives a call or message while you are doing the interview?
Sorry for laughing Coop but it is just too funny! Every time you all go anywhere one of you ALWAYS gets bitten! I guess it’s the hangin’ with Cooper curse and you got tagged this go round! LOL
Hope your eye feels better. But honestly I can’t tell the difference! LOL
Cindy..Ga.
What about ghana did you like? Besides the bite and all.