The definition of "too clever by half": Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R) hangs up on Obama

There's no fooling this keenly vigilant member of the House Foreign Relations Committee. Forget diplomacy -- she's not even going to TALK to you until she's sure you know the secret handshake.

After all, imagine the calamity should a member of the US House of Representatives make a fool of herself on the radio. Compared with that horror, dissing the president-elect and his chief of staff is clearly the lesser evil.

I'm just wondering after that how "constructive" her subsequent discussion of foreign affairs with Obama could really have been

The BBC reports

Ms Ros-Lehtinen thought the call was a prank

US Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen thought she was being hoaxed when a man who sounded a lot like Barack Obama called her - so she hung up on him.

In fact, the man at the other end of the line was indeed President-elect Obama himself.

...

"I thought it was one of the radio stations in South Florida playing an incredible, elaborate, terrific prank on me," Ms Ros-Lehtinen told the Miami Herald newspaper.

...

Mr Obama was calling to congratulate her on her re-election, and to say that he looked forward to working with her ... on the House of Representatives Foreign Relations Committee.

After a minute or so, Ms Ros-Lehtinen cut Mr Obama off, telling him she was not fooled by the hoax ...

Shortly afterwards, Mr Obama's Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel called Ms Ros-Lehtinen back to persuade her to take the call, but she hung up on him as well.

It was only when Howard Berman, a fellow member of her committee, called her that she was persuaded to take the call.

...

Mr Obama then called her back, and was amused by the incident ...

The pair then had a constructive discussion about foreign affairs, according to the congresswoman.

Okay, then. Next time perhaps the President's office should just email her.

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