President Obama arrived in at the Royal airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at around 2:20pm local time today. The visit to Saudi Arabia was a last minute addition to the schedule, ahead of his heavily anticipated speech in Cairo. Obama received a formal military welcome. Drums played as he disembarked Air Force One, and a 21 gun salute could be heard in the distance. Saudi King Abdullah greeted Obama with a light embrace and the two leaders touched cheeks on either side. 

After listening to the national anthems and sharing a cup of Arabic coffee in the palatial, marble floored terminal, the two leaders left for what the White House is calling a the King's "farm". That's hardly an apt description of this lush, sprawling estate. A veritable oasis amid a vacant stretch of arid land, the ornate complex is decorated with chandeliers, elaborately carved ceilings, gold plated chairs and plush carpets. The King stables his stallions here, and we saw a dozen or more of them as guards bearing American and Saudi flags lined the entrance drive on horseback.

The two men are currently holding a bilateral meeting. They'll likely discuss several pressing issues: energy, violence in Pakistan, Iran and Middle East peace. The relationship is an important one for both men. President Bush came under fire from the left at times for perhaps being too close the Saudis, but, lacking Bush's commercial background, Obama is unlikely to face the same critique. That said, good relations with King Abdullah are critical to his message of reconfiguring relations between the United States and the Muslim world. Obama made this clear in brief remarks to reporters prior to the meeting, saying he'd come to "seek His Majesty's counsel" and stressing the importance of visiting the birthplace of Islam ahead of the Cairo speech. "This is my first visit to Saudi Arabia, but I've had several conversations with His Majesty.  And I've been struck by his wisdom and his graciousness.  Obviously the United States and Saudi Arabia have a long history of friendship, we have a strategic relationship," Obama said, just after receiving a large gold medallion from the Saudi King. (President Bush received a similar medallion on his last visit here.) Obama appeared pleasantly taken aback by the impressive looking, glittery medallion. "Goodness gracious. That's something there," he said, striking a decidedly Romney-esque tone with that particular expression. 

King Abdullah returned the President's kind words, calling Obama "a distinguished man who deserves to be in this position." He also invoked the historic nature of the relationship, referencing the 1945 between FDR and King Abdul Aziz, founder of the modern Saudi Empire.

** UPDATE ** Reporters were just informed that the medallion given to the president is the King Abdul Aziz Collar, considered the highest honor in the Kingdom.

In a lengthy message posted on his Web site today, Newt Gingrich apologizes for calling Judge Sonia Sotomayor a “racist" over her comment that a "wise Latina woman" could reach a better decision than "a white male who hasn't lived that life." Here’s Gingrich:

My initial reaction was strong and direct -- perhaps too strong and too direct.  The sentiment struck me as racist and I said so. Since then, some who want to have an open and honest consideration of Judge Sotomayor’s fitness to serve on the nation’s highest court have been critical of my word choice. With these critics who want to have an honest conversation, I agree.  The word “racist” should not have been applied to Judge Sotomayor as a person, even if her words themselves are unacceptable (a fact which both President Obama and his Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, have since admitted).

That's not to say the former House Speaker is suddenly on the Sotomayor bandwagon. In the message, Gingrich cites the Sotomayor's ruling against the New Haven firefighters as a case where "equal justice for Americans" did not prevail. In other words, Gingrich is not callling her a "racist" but he's suggesting race played a role in her decision-making. He defends his believe that Sotomayor is a "radical" based on her various speeches and writings that she's delivered off the bench in recent years. However, Gingrich concedes, “many of her rulings as a court of appeals judge do not match the radicalism of her speeches and statements.  She has shown more caution and moderation in her rulings than in her words.”

All of this comes days after many Republicans were critical of Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh for using incendiary language about President Obama's Supreme Court nominee. Here's what your Gaggler is wondering: Did someone lean on Gingrich to dial back his words?

Our favorites this morning from around the web:

Hamming it up for the French
During a 10-minute long interview in France (on his way to the Middle East) Obama gushes about America's love for "all things French." As Obama cited "the food...Paris, we got the south of France, Provence, the wine," it's probably safe to assume that America's freedom fries days are a thing of the past. (AP)

Even the SecTreas feels the strain
Tim Geithner may sit in the marble tower of the U.S. Treasury by day, but in his personal time, the man behind Obama's biggest economic policies has trouble selling one of his spare houses, forced to rent instead. (Denver Post Wire)

The view from where Obama will speak
The process of selecting a venue for Obama's speech to the Muslim world has been a delicate and deliberate choice. Shying away from settings too religious and controversial (like the 1,000-year-old al-Azhar mosque) while also avoiding the diluted and secular (American University in Cairo, where Condi has spoken) the White House settled on the secular but Egyptian Cairo University, offering the campus a unique moment in the international sun. (Foreign Policy)

Sacrifice? White House forgoes new choppers
Not long after the new president took office, John McCain chided Obama publicly for plans to spend millions of taxpayer dollars on a new fleet of executive helicopters. As of this week (and perhaps a sign of McCain's sturdy influence) the project to replace Marine One was officially killed. (The Atlantic)

Former FLOTUS apparently really enjoyed fancy White House evenings
Former first lady and exhibitor of class Nancy Reagan made a rare visit to the White House this week, offering the president some unexpected advice. According to an upcoming interview, Reagan urged Obama to host as many state dinners as possible. (WSJ)