YOKOHAMA, Japan — When you’re in the Far East talking to a colleague from Down Under, if you’re not careful, it can be a case of thanks, but no thanks.
President Barack Obama found that out Saturday, as he met with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. After a picture-taking session, as photographers and reporters were being ushered out, an Australian journalist turned to Obama and said, “Thank you, Mr. President.”
It didn’t take long for Obama to understand who had piped up. “I knew it must have been an Australian because my folks never say thank you.”
Which the U.S. contingent took as a challenge. In unison, and with perhaps a dash of sarcasm, they, too, pronounced, “Thank you, Mr. President.”
The incident threatened to become a theme of the day. As reporters and photographers were ushered from the summit’s opening meeting with Obama and other leaders, a White House reporter and photographer leaned in to thank the U.S. president.
Then, from a distance, came another photographer’s shout: “Thank You, Mr. President.” To which Obama replied: “Now, don’t overdo it.”
The Associated Press
