Obama Thanks Himself, Irish PM Repeats Speech in Teleprompter Meltdown - First 100 Days of Presidency - Politics FOXNews.com
“Not all Americans are Irish, but all Americans support those who stand on the side of peace and peace will prevail,” Obama told Prime Minister Brian Cowen in the Oval Office, praising the two countries’ deep ties.
On tap for the evening’s festivities — which Obama described as “rambunctious” to East Room guests — was green sparkling wine from a California vineyard.
The White House cocktail reception featured Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon from Northern Ireland and Maggie McCarthy, a traditional Irish dancer and musician from Cork, and the vocal group Celtic Thunder. The Shannon Rovers, the official pipe band of Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day festival, also were set to perform.
Obama joked about the free-flowing bar and warned his guests not to wear lampshades on their heads in front of the cameras. He later went off his remarks to get laughs about Ireland’s popular stout.
“Guinness tastes very different in Ireland,” Obama said. “It is much better. You guys are keeping the good stuff for yourselves.”
