By MARK S. SMITH, Associated Press Writer – 54 mins ago
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – From the moment Barack Obama stepped off Air ***** One, his first visit to Saudi Arabia as president was filled with, well, pomp and pageantry fit for a king.
His host was, after all, the monarch who presides over the oil-rich nation.
King Abdullah staged an elaborate welcome ceremony, showered Obama with compliments, put up the president at his lavish desert ***** **** and gave him a gift — a bulky gold necklace that the king says carries special meaning.
(Now that we have that out of the way).
