Then we had to take our places for the first of three news conferences, this one with Mexican President Calderon.

The auditorium was packed as the President shared with the world the key elements of the Leaders´Declaration and took questions in both Spanish and English.

After his comments concluded, many in the auditorium departed. Our White House staffer suggested that we move from our spot to the front row for a better vantage point. Within seconds, Jacqueline and I, along with a crew from German media, had a front row seat for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

I can tell you that Putin definitely lived up to his billing. He has that firm resolve that so many have come to notice in their dealings with him over the years. He also has a dry sense of humor, a fact that I think left the translator struggling to find the right words at time to describe what she was hearing. The term, ´lost in translation´is certainly one that happened here a few times.

Putin took questions for several minutes– and even tactfully admonished an aide who urged him to conclude.

After his comments ended, more in the crowd departed, so that when President Obama arrived, the crowd of assembled media was noticably smaller.

The President even had a chance to make a passing reference to those of us in Ohio. Here is what he said:

Now, all this affects the United States.  Europe as a whole is our largest trading partner.  And if fewer folks are buying stuff in Paris or Berlin, that means that we’re selling less stuff made in Pittsburgh or Cleveland.  But I think there are a couple of things that we’ve already done that help.  The financial regulatory reforms that we passed means that our banks are better capitalized.  It means that our supervision and our mechanisms for looking at trouble spots in our financial system are superior to what they were back in 2008.  That’s an important difference.  But there’s still some more things we can do.

More things we can do. A good way to remember what was discussed and the ideas that were generated here in Los Cabos.

Now, it is time to see if the words can be turned into actions. But there is a definite mood here that it is time to stop ´kicking the can down the road´and work to make a real difference. The first step is next week´s European Summit in Brussels. If the progress made here at the G20 can be continued there, there could be some very real change on the way for folks in both Los Cabos and in Liberty Center.

Heading to the airport now for the return flight to the United States. Thanks for reading… and I’ll ‘see’you down the road!

Anthony

Our journey to this early evening news conference began a little before 1pm– or about six hours before the actual event. We boarded at the press hotel and waited.. and waited… and waited.

After about 40 minutes, we were on the move to the International Press Center or the next hotel over.

We waited there for another half hour.

Then we were on the move again. But after about 100 yards we were told to hold. So, hold we did.

We finally arrived at the Convention Center, site of the summit a little more than two hours after our journey began. In a way, I am glad we had to wait. It shows just how seriously everyone takes security in this uncertain age.

More on the President´s address in a moment.

11. Against the background of renewed market tensions, Euro Area members of the G20 will take all necessary measures to safeguard the integrity and stability of the area, improve the functioning of financial markets and break the feedback loop between sovereigns and banks. We welcome the significant actions taken since the last summit by the Euro Area to support growth, ensure financial stability and promote fiscal responsibility as a contribution to the G20 framework for strong, sustainable and balanced growth. In this context, we welcome Spain’s plan to recapitalize its banking system and the Eurogroup’s announcement of support for Spain’s financial restructuring authority. The adoption of the Fiscal Compact and its ongoing implementation, together with growth-enhancing policies and structural reform and financial stability measures, are important steps towards greater fiscal and economic integration that lead to sustainable borrowing costs. The imminent establishment of the European Stability Mechanism is a substantial strengthening of the European firewalls. We fully support the actions of the Euro Area in moving forward with the completion of the Economic and Monetary Union. Towards that end, we support the intention to consider concrete steps towards a more integrated financial architecture, encompassing banking supervision, resolution and recapitalization, and deposit insurance. Euro Area members will foster intra Euro Area adjustment through structural reforms to strengthen competitiveness in deficit countries and to promote demand and growth in surplus countries. The European Union members of the G20 are determined to move forward expeditiously on measures to support growth including through completing the European Single Market and making better use of European financial means, such as the European Investment Bank (EIB), pilot project bonds, and structural and cohesion funds, for more targeted investment, employment, growth and competitiveness, while maintaining the firm commitment to implement fiscal consolidation to be assessed on a structural basis. We look forward to the Euro Area working in partnership with the next Greek government to ensure they remain on the path to reform and sustainability within the Euro Area.

More to come!

More to come.

As the President prepares to take the podium tonight, there is already talk that this summit focused the world’s attention  on the crisis in Europe. The economic problems in the Eurozone are having a direct impact on the rest of the planet and the prospects for growth going forward.

But leaders are hopeful that when more and more countries realize that we are all in this together, there can be a path forward to finding a solution that helps as many as possible. And that’s true for both the short-term and the long-term.

Now, there is the chance to put the ideas discussed here into action around the world. That’s both the real challenge and the real lesson of Los Cabos.

More to come.

We are now in the media room of the convention center where Mexico’s President will soon take the podium. Later, President Obama will speak.

More to come.

Today, as we waited for a shuttle to take us to our next stop, we found this spot.

In the background, you can see the famous El Arco or Land’s End, the natural stone arch that is a UNESCO Heritage site.

So our intrepid photojournalist Kevin Beining pulled out his camera and got to work.

Now, we are off to the G20 Convention Center where we will await the President’s news conference later tonight. Because of security reasons and other logistical concerns, the pool is leaving early to get in position. Look for the comments from the President tonight at 11 and look for our story from Cabo San Lucas later this afternoon.

More to come.

So, of course, we had to find a way to illustrate that. That’s where this guy comes in.

For a few bucks, we had the chance to do part of the report on horseback. After a half-hour on the beach, it was back to the press center to put the story (our 7th of the day) together.

More to come!

For sale on the beach.

There is concern here and around the world about the future of the global economy. Even Sunday’s vote in Greece that kept that nation on an austerity path is doing little to calm the nerves of economists and other experts around the world. It is that concern, that the problem may be getting too big to handle, that is quickly lowering expectations of a major breakthrough at the G20.

It is also another reason why, at today’s White House press briefing, that much of the attention was focused, not on the economy, but on the meeting between President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 The two leaders spent a lot of time on Syria and the violence there. The Syrian question was not even on the Summit agenda, but is threatening to overshadow the “economic” story of the G20.

The world leaders are now off to a working dinner. It is closed to those of us in the press, but it will be interesting to learn hear what each government will say when it’s over.

More to come.