And so a grand tradition ends - poof - just like that. The leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum are off the hook this year, and will not have to do the customary, cringe-inducing, Native Costume group photo.
I think the "silly shirt" thing brought a welcome touch of the Monty Pythonesque to the last twenty APEC meetings, but apparently someone thinks otherwise.
Costume Shot Unnecessary, Obama Says:
To the chagrin of White House photographers but the relief of the 21 leaders at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum that took place over the weekend, President Obama, as the host this year, may have packed away for good the two-decade tradition of having the group pose for a “family photo” in some garb representative of the host country.
-- snip --
It was hard to imagine that Mr. Obama — he of cool reserve, given to unflashy white shirts and plain ties — would ever submit to such apparel. And indeed, the president confirmed late Saturday at a luau for the leaders that he was giving them Hawaiian shirts, but that they could wear business suits for their photo.
Business suits? Wearing a business suit in Hawaii ought to be a crime. If ever there was a venue that cried out for the extremely casual, it is Hawaii.
Obama is such a drag. Nothing at all like Bill Clinton, who started the whole costume shot thing twenty years ago in Seattle. Now that was a President who was always the life of the party.
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