Mine's bigger than yours - Rudd to Bush

Reuters

WHAT DID YOU SAY? Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had a good-natured first visit to the White House, joking with United States President George Bush over whether Queensland or Texas were bigger.

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Boys will be boys - even when they're the leaders of the United States and Australia.

On his first visit to the White House as prime minister, Kevin Rudd got into a contest with US President George W Bush about whose was bigger - home states, that is.

The patriotic Queenslander was designating the equally proud Texan an honorary member of the sunshine state after receiving a warm and gracious welcome to the White House.

But there was an awkward pause and much mirth when Mr Rudd proclaimed: "I come from the great state of Queensland. It may surprise you that it's bigger than Texas."

With a deadpan delivery, Mr Bush responded: "Yeah?"

He then asked Mr Rudd: "Can you recover nicely?"

To which the Australian replied: "The recovery point is this: Queenslanders and Texans have a lot in common and they get on well."

The jovial rivalry over land mass was one of many lighter moments as Mr Rudd made his debut on the world stage.

He may have made a global ripple with his Mandarin skills at Apec but his joint press conference with the leader of the world's premier superpower was broadcast to a global audience on the CNN cable news channel.

It was obviously a big moment for the former boy from the bush, as Mr Rudd sometimes looked nervous alongside the very relaxed Mr Bush.

With wife Therese Rein - seated between Laura Bush and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice - in the wings, it must have dawned on Mr Rudd that he'd come a very long way from Nambour High.

The two men spoke to the media in the resplendent surrounds of the East Room of the White House and told a story of an alliance between two countries that was stronger than ever - despite the ousting of Mr Bush's mate, John Howard, from power last year.

While there's no doubting his regard for Mr Howard, Mr Bush was more than willing to hand over a favoured nickname to the new guy in town.

Asked if the moniker "Man of Steel", a term he bestowed on Mr Howard for his resolve in the war against terror, was equally fitting of Mr Rudd, the US president agreed with a "heck yeah".

- AAP