Obama Makes History In Laos, Cancels Meeting With Duterte

President Barack Obama is the first sitting president to visit Laos. Speaking there today, he said the U.S. has a moral obligation to help the southeast Asian nation heal from its war wounds. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. conducted a covert bombing campaign in Laos and thousands of unexploded bombs still litter the countryside.

Obama also was scheduled to meet with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte today, but canceled that meeting after Duterte made a slur against Obama.

Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson speaks with De La Salle University professor Richard Heydarian about how people in the Philippines are reacting to the cancellation.

Richard Heydarian, professor of political science at De La Salle University in Manila. He tweets @richeydarian.