It was the August of 2015 when Josh Frydenberg, then the assistant treasurer, called Donald Trump a "dropkick" on national television.
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"We'll remind you of that when he comes here on a state visit," Q&A host Tony Jones replied. "I'm sure my colleagues will remind me tomorrow," Mr Frydenberg laughed.
Maybe they'll remind him again today.
The unorthodox conduct of the most-disliked presidential candidate in US history has pushed Australia's political leaders to break with the diplomatic niceties that usually accompany a political contest in Australia's most important ally.
Christopher Pyne, who as Defence Industry Minister works closely with our closest military ally, has called Mr Trump's success "terrifying" and as recently as Tuesday night implied a Trump victory would be bad for Australia's interests.
"I think Hillary [Clinton] will win and win easily and I think that will be the best outcome for Australia because she does support free trade, she does support the United States being deeply engaged in our Asian region which is critical to us," Mr Pyne said.
"She understands America's place in the world and I think we need to have a strong United States. I hope that she wins tomorrow because it's important for our country."
He hastened to add: "I probably shouldn't have even had an opinion on the American elections as a cabinet minister."
Labor leader Bill Shorten compared Mr Trump to extremists in Europe and from across the political spectrum, at one point calling him "barking mad". And in much-reported remarks, he told an economic conference Mr Trump was "entirely unsuitable" to be US President.
"By his own words and his own actions, he has confirmed the worst fears of millions in the United States and beyond its borders – that he is entirely unsuitable to be leader of the free world," the alternative PM said last month.
"Thankfully, with every passing day, with every ridiculous and disgusting remark that is uncovered, the possibility of a Trump administration fades."
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull projected statesmanlike indifference for most of the campaign. But Mr Trump's infamous comments on women - his boasting about sexual assault and inclination to "grab them by the pussy" - were so shocking upon their revelation they demanded a response.
"They are loathsome and they deserve the absolutely universal condemnation that they have received," Mr Turnbull said. He otherwise maintained the election was a matter for the American people, not Australian politicians.
As the reality of Mr Trump's victory solidified on Wednesday afternoon, chief diplomat Julie Bishop said the Australian government stood ready to work with the Trump administration, and condemned Mr Shorten for his "offensive personal comments" about the President-elect.
"You'll note that we have been far more measured," the Foreign Minister said.
It is a reminder of how different the world was in August 2015 that the man who would be President could be so casually dismissed as a "dropkick" by a government frontbencher. Back then, the prospect of this cartoonish political outsider seizing the Republican nomination - let alone defeating the long-running favourite Hillary Clinton - seemed so remote it was a laughing matter.
And now he's got the gig.
