3.06.2009

LAME JOKE LOST IN TRANSLATION

BY CINCINNATUS

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in an attempt at levity and charm with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, presented him with what was supposed to be a "Reset" button today (see here). The gift was intended to symbolize the Obama administration's desire to start from scratch with the Russians rather than continue the relatively hard-line Bush policies of the past few years.

While an incredibly lame gesture not suited for diplomatic relations (particularly with Russia), it also turned out to be an embarrassment for Clinton, as the button bore the Russian word for "overcharged" rather than "reset." Clinton and Lavrov laughed it off after the Russian Foreign Minister told her flatly that she had "got it wrong."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Giving Russia a big red button to push seems a little misguided to say the least. But the symolism of the "overspend" gaffe is just to damn funny.