Obama's European comedy of errors
There's an old Irish proverb, "the light heart lives long."
On a trip designed to strengthen the U.S.'s long-standing relationships with the United Kingdom and Ireland, President Obama has certainly enjoyed some lighter moments with the people -- everyone from school children to the Queen.
While visiting his Irish ancestors' home village, the president, accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama, toasted a "perfect pint" of Guinness. "It tastes so much better here than it does in the States," Mr. Obama said in the Moneygall pub.
Later in Dublin, the president joked he'd use a hurling stick, a gift from Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny, to give misbehaving members of Congress "a little paddle, a little hurl."
In London, Mr. Obama played ping-pong with Prime Minister David Cameron at a local school. "Don't laugh at your prime minister," he joked and high-fived with the Global Academy students. The Obama-Cameron duo again shared a laugh Wednesday, flipping burgers at a barbeque for American and British military and military families.
If Mr. Obama's European trip has been somewhat of a comedy, perhaps it's also a comedy of errors.
Arriving in Dublin, a presidential limo bottomed out and became stuck on a driveway. Signing a guest book at Westminster Abbey, Mr. Obama dated the entry 2008.
But the president's most awkward moment was at the state dinner hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
As Mr. Obama toasted the Queen and palace guests, the orchestra mistook a poignant pause for the end of his speech, striking up "God Save the Queen" early. The president continued over the music and lifted his glass, a gesture ignored by the Queen until the end of the song.
Mr. Obama president later joked with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg that the mishap was "out of the movies," a phrase that could be used to described much of the president's European adventures.
