President Barack Obama got caught in a classic “hot microphone” moment Wednesday after landing in Tel Aviv, where he was overheard telling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it was “good to get away from Congress.”
According to The Huffington Post, Obama thought he was having a quiet conversation with Netanyahu after their initial greeting on the tarmac. But microphones picked up the remark, as both men shared a laugh.
Speaking later in the day to CNN, House Speaker John Boehner largely made light of the incident, saying, “So much for the charm offensive.”
“I’d rather be heckled than ignored. Or, as I like to say, you only tease the ones you love,” Boehner said.
Obama will remain in Israel until Friday, when he leaves for Jordan, continuing his Middle East trip.
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