So after President Barack Obama tried out an Irish phrase on St. Patrick’s Day, the Prime Minister of Ireland unwittingly ended the evening by speaking a little Obama.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen, in Washington to help celebrate the day when everyone is Irish and a touch of green goes a long way, ended up at the White House for an evening reception. 
Obama, whose great-great-great grandfather hailed from Ireland, pointed out that the White House was designed and built by an Irish architect. “Today serves, as well, as a solid reminder of just how deeply intertwined, how deeply woven the ties between our nations are,” the president said to guests in the state dining room.
But it was the Irish leader who ended up surprised by his own speech which started with: “We begin by welcoming today a strong friend of the United States.”
Turns out Cowen was reading Obama’s speech off the teleprompter. “Why don’t these things work for me?” he asked as the crowd laughed. “Who said these things were idiot proof?”
At the end, Obama stepped up to the microphone to add to the levity: “First, I’d like to say thank you to President Obama,” Obama said.
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Photo credit: Reuters/Jason Reed (Obama and Cowen leaving Capitol following lunch)
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5 comments so far
i always knew he was an idiot
- Posted by marcelBarack Obama is an incompetent idiot! he had to READ the entire welcoming speech for the Irish PM; he didn’t even get the joke at frist that was in his speech - what a Clown!
If the American people are not aware NOW that they have elected the world’s First Affirmative Action president, they are ASLEEP or UNCONSCIOUS.. Please spare us any more of TheGreatFraud’s embarrassments! He is stupid. He is tactless. He is ignorant of basic economics. He couldn’t LEAD HIMSELF out of a paper bag. He is ignorant of foreign policy and the global role of the US. He is anti-American. And….could someone please find him and his monster wife a Protocol Officer? Good grief! I am so disgusted with this man.
- Posted by gaelHmmm, it’s interesting how this story is being reported differently by different sources. Release the video and let the public decide who deserves credit for the levity, President Obama or President Teleprompter.
- Posted by George VaccaroSo where’s the video? Can you say censorship?
- Posted by RichThis morning I put the milk in the cupboard instead of the fridge. But I’m still good at what I do.
And it sounds like Obama was jesting when he said “First, I’d like to say thank you to President Obama.” in order to lighten an awkward situation. To me that is an intelligent move that shows a good sense of humor and consideration for Cowen.
Any hoo. It pales in idiocy compared to this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKgPY1adc 0A&feature=related
- Posted by steppo