COWEN WHITE HOUSE SPEECH GAFFE; Taoiseach's autocue slip amuses Obama.

Byline: BY AINE HEGARTY

THE Taoiseach gave Barack Obama a fit of the giggles after an autocue mishap at the White House.

Brian Cowen appeared to steal the US President's speech after he started to read from a script just delivered by Mr Obama at the glitzy St Patrick's Day bash But a relaxed Mr Cowen took the blunder in his stride and had the room in stitches when he quipped: "Who said this was idiot proof?" Mr Obama laughed when the Taoiseach read three lines from the autocue, realised he had made an error and turned to the President saying: "That's your speech!"

In return, Mr Obama defused any hint of embarrassment for Mr Cowen by pretending to be the Taoiseach.

He said: "I'd like to say thank you to President Obama."

The error happened after the Obamas threw open the doors of the White House for a huge St Patrick's Day party on Wednesday night.

Crowds were so big, the party had to be divided between two rooms, the East Room and the State Dining Room which were decked out in green.

Guests sipped from green champagne and sampled Irish-themed treats including Dublin cobbler, Irish cheese scones, bacon and cabbage, potato pancakes with smoked salmon and a special "green on green" salad.

And First Lady Michelle Obama's attention to detail didn't stop with just the food. She kept the Irish theme by stepping out in a stunning emerald green dress.

Afterwards a relaxed Mr Cowen said the White House reception felt more like a "house-warming" than an official event. He added: "I do feel very at home here."

The US President was also in great form and joked that he wanted to come to Ireland for a pint because he had heard we keep "all the good stuff" for ourselves.

Quoting from his favourite poet WB Yeats, he said: "There are no strangers in this room, only friends we haven't met yet."

Who said this autocue was idiotproof?

CAPTION(S):

STATESMAN President Obama listens to Taoiseach