Obama felt sympathy for Rudd: envoy

US President Barack Obama would have felt sorry for Kevin Rudd when he was deposed
last week, the US ambassador says.
Jeffrey Bleich said Mr Obama had a "real affinity" for Mr Rudd, the former prime
minister.
"They got along well," Mr Bleich told reporters at a Canberra celebration ahead of
the Fourth of July holiday.
"I'm sure that (Mr Obama) felt sympathy for prime minister Rudd and the change that
he's going through."
However, Mr Bleich said Mr Obama had "hit it off very well" with Prime Minister
Julia Gillard when they spoke on the phone after she took on the top job last week.
"They have a lot in common," he said.
Mr Obama and his wife Michelle put in an appearance at the celebration at Mr
Bleich's residence - life-sized cardboard cut-outs supervised the party from a
balcony.
It's as close as Australia has got to the famous couple after Mr Obama twice
cancelled trips Down Under this year.
Mr Bleich said a visit was being planned this year or early next year, and the
president wanted to bring his family.
Hundreds of ambassadors, military types and journalists mingled at the Independence
Day party on a chilly Canberra day, enjoying hot dogs and trying baseball.
The day officially falls on Sunday but the celebration was organised early, to fall
on a work day.