As President Obama glad-handed fellow world leaders at today’s G-20 summit, he took special note of Argentina President Cristina Kirchner — recently re-elected easily, without a runoff.
«So Nicolas, we all have to take lessons,» Obama told the G-20 host, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France.
Both Obama and Sarkozy face tough re-election bids next year.
Obama has had fun with Sarkozy throughout the day. Earlier, he cited the new baby girl of the French president and first lady, former model Carla Bruni.
«I informed Nicolas on the way in that I am confident that Giulia inherited her mother’s looks rather than her father’s, which I think is an excellent thing,» Obama said.
These summits are as much social as political.
Here’s a pool report on the «working lunch» that included the president of the United States (aka POTUS):
POTUS entered the room at 1:15 and took to his left, heading to Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy. They chatted for a few seconds before British Prime minister David Cameron joined them. Hard to understand what they were saying amid the cameras noise.
POTUS then took a stroll to Australian Premier Julia Gillard who got a hug as European president Herman van Rompuy, European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan were watching. Eventually the Europeans got a handshake but Erdogan got the hug treatment.
POTUS then walked all the way around after noticing that «people are really far away around there.» He stopped for quick handshakes and reached out to President Hu of China, telling him ‘ni hao’ (hello). They cordially shook hands and posed for photographers.
POTUS then went to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudohyono as Sarkozy was calling the room to order (and the journos to leave).
POTUS then greeted his Argentinian counterpart Cristina Kirchner who just got reelected without runoff. Angela Merkel was just congratulating her (in English). «So Nicolas, we all have to take lessons» of Kirchner’s victory, joked POTUS, who’s up for reelection in ’12, as Sarkozy is (next May).
The whole sequence lasted 6 minutes.
«So Nicolas, we all have to take lessons,» Obama told the G-20 host, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France.
Both Obama and Sarkozy face tough re-election bids next year.
Obama has had fun with Sarkozy throughout the day. Earlier, he cited the new baby girl of the French president and first lady, former model Carla Bruni.
«I informed Nicolas on the way in that I am confident that Giulia inherited her mother’s looks rather than her father’s, which I think is an excellent thing,» Obama said.
These summits are as much social as political.
Here’s a pool report on the «working lunch» that included the president of the United States (aka POTUS):
POTUS entered the room at 1:15 and took to his left, heading to Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy. They chatted for a few seconds before British Prime minister David Cameron joined them. Hard to understand what they were saying amid the cameras noise.
POTUS then took a stroll to Australian Premier Julia Gillard who got a hug as European president Herman van Rompuy, European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan were watching. Eventually the Europeans got a handshake but Erdogan got the hug treatment.
POTUS then walked all the way around after noticing that «people are really far away around there.» He stopped for quick handshakes and reached out to President Hu of China, telling him ‘ni hao’ (hello). They cordially shook hands and posed for photographers.
POTUS then went to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudohyono as Sarkozy was calling the room to order (and the journos to leave).
POTUS then greeted his Argentinian counterpart Cristina Kirchner who just got reelected without runoff. Angela Merkel was just congratulating her (in English). «So Nicolas, we all have to take lessons» of Kirchner’s victory, joked POTUS, who’s up for reelection in ’12, as Sarkozy is (next May).
The whole sequence lasted 6 minutes.
