Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

[Amra]

Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

What is up with this?

President Obama's first hosting of a foreign leader, the UK's Gordon Brown, was a diplomatic disaster.

Obama failed to hold a joint Rose Garden press conference, the usual protocol when a US president and a British prime minister first meet - a lapse widely noted in Britain and in the diplomatic community. This raised real fears that Obama intends to de-emphasize the decades-old US-UK "special relationship" - fears that seemed confirmed when the White House press secretary referred to a "special partnership."

Also notable were the two leaders' choices for the traditional gift exchange: Brown's carefully chosen official gifts included a pen holder made from a Royal Navy vessel that once fought to end the Atlantic slave trade and a first edition of the eight-volume biography of Winston Churchill begun by Winston's son Randolph and completed by Sir Martin Gilbert. Obama paid him back with a stack of Hollywood movies on DVD that Brown could just as easily have ordered from Netflix.

How do you lads in London feel about this?

 

[trashX]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

either obamas cheap, or maybe he really wants to show that hes trying to reduce spending^^

 

[Garbad_the_Weak]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

When you elect a guy with no experience, what did you expect? Don't worry, he will give an inspiring speech about hope and change in britain soon and all will be well.

 

[phool]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

Films seem to include Casablance, Raging Bull, Star Wars, ET, Psycho, The Wizard of Oz, pretty much random crap Brown's no doubt seen many times already. It seems like a pretty gargantuan oversight, to what extent it reflects on Obama personally I'd have to have far more understanding of the inner workings of government process to know. Seems Brown tried to keep the gift hushed, understandably enough; certainly he was able to anticipate the media response. I don't feel snubbed on my country's behalf, just curious about its possible significance in regards to Obama.

edit:list:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/06/article-1159627-03C31624000005DC-108_468x313.jpg

 

[Nazdakka]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

Seems curious - even if Obama didn't know the custom, he should have staffers who did. Like Phool, I can't that I feel offended by any of this, more 'hmm, that's odd'.

On the other hand, I'd say a lot of people over here are willing to forgive Obama a lot simply because he is neither a) George Bush, nor b) anything to do with Sarah Palin.

 

[Yaboosh]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

What is up with this?



How do you lads in London feel about this?

I am not a Brit, and I am not an Obama supporter, but I think this is pretty freaking awesome. I love the part about him giving the dude DVDs. I really hope they were region-locked.

 

[jmervyn]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

I love the part about him giving the dude DVDs. I really hope they were region-locked.

Supposedly they were, but I haven't been able to confirm. But hey, wasn't Gordie the one who had previously decided the 'special relationship' wasn't that special? Looks like self-fulfilling prophecy to me.

Then there's these, which I already posted on the GW OTF:

Look on the bright side, libs: Bush Sr. only PUKED all over another world leader. Obama one-upped him! Well, #2-upped. http://bit.ly/2m2o6

***

Dear UK: Now you know how WE feel. Maybe they just couldn't set up his tel-uh-prompter in time? http://bit.ly/vr5T1 Signed, The Other 48%

***

The Slap Chop and the Snuggie didn’t ship in time to give to Gordon, so Michelle printed the receipt and put it inside one of the DVD cases.

And there's also this:

When Barry Met Gordon

[BRITISH PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN IS SHOVED THROUGH OVAL OFFICE DOOR BY SCOWLING SECRET SERVICE AGENT]

Brown: Good lord! How very-- [STANDS UP STRAIGHT, ADJUSTS TIE & SMOOTHS OUT WRINKLED SUIT, WALKS TOWARD OBAMA SITTING AT DESK] I'm afraid I wasn't expecting such treatment. But no matter. Good day to you, Mr. President.

Obama: [STARES DOWN AT PAPERS ON DESK]

Brown: Uhm. [CLEARS THROAT] I'm very sorry to bother you, Mr. President, but--

Obama: What? What is it? [LOOKS UP, NOT QUITE MAKING EYE CONTACT] Oh. It's you. Great. [RETURNS TO STARING AT PAPERS]

Brown: Hurm. Yes. Well. Have a seat, should I? [INDICATES CHAIR BEHIND HIM, WAITS FOR SOME SORT OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT, FINALLY SITS DOWN ANYWAY] So. It's. Did you, did you get the gifts I brought? The pen set is composed of wood from the sister ship of the one that was used to make the very desk you're--

Obama: [STILL NOT LOOKING UP] Yes. Yes, I saw it. Alright? Jeez... [UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE] Oh yeah. Forgot. [DIGS THROUGH PAPERS, FINDS DVD CASE UNDER ONE STACK, TOSSES IT INTO BROWN'S LAP]

Brown: Oh! Very, uh, very nice. [PICKS IT UP, PULLS READING GLASSES FROM SHIRT POCKET] It's, let me... Yes We Can! The Barack Obama Story. Ah. That's. Uhm. Well, I certainly--

Obama: [SIGHING LOUDLY, STILL NOT LOOKING UP] Will there be anything else? I don't know if you noticed, but I'm kind of the President?

EDIT - this was pretty good too.

 

[Johnny]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

No doubt Britian will declare war and retake america over this. Thanks a lot Obama for undoing all of George Washington's work in only a few weeks.

 

[lAmebAdger]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

lolz, maybe something like obama sleeping with his back turned to the atlantic ocean would've been just as insulting?

 

[Dondrei]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

What a dumb article. Oes noes, they said "special partnership" instead of "special relationship"! It's like the diplomatic community is one of those girlfriends you can never say anything right to.

The DVDs seem like a lame gift by comparison, but then it's pretty ridiculous the way it's expected that these massively expensive, incredibly rare artifacts be handed out every time two heads of state pass each other on the way to the john. Such a stupid waste, enough already.

 

[Tanooki]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

Are these supposed to be personal gifts? Does Pres. Obama get to keep the pen holder when he leaves office?

 

[jmervyn]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

Are these supposed to be personal gifts? Does Pres. Obama get to keep the pen holder when he leaves office?

Assuming that he follows B.J.'s lead, the answer is 'yes'. But if that's the case, we'll be lucky if the Obamas don't steal the White House china that Laura picked out.

In practice, many Executives take stuff when leaving office, but most of them put it into their libraries or other museums.

 

[Johnny]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

Assuming that he follows B.J.'s lead, the answer is 'yes'. But if that's the case, we'll be lucky if the Obamas don't steal the White House china that Laura picked out.

In practice, many Executives take stuff when leaving office, but most of them put it into their libraries or other museums.

I suspect there won't be too much fighting over Browns DVD collection when he leaves office.

 

[Amra]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

either obamas cheap, or maybe he really wants to show that hes trying to reduce spending^^

I wish it were that simple. He was probably too tired from rolling over on Pelosi's command.

I don't feel snubbed on my country's behalf, just curious about its possible significance in regards to Obama.

Seems he just didn't care.

Seems curious - even if Obama didn't know the custom, he should have staffers who did.

Exactly.

On the other hand, I'd say a lot of people over here are willing to forgive Obama a lot simply because he is neither a) George Bush, nor b) anything to do with Sarah Palin.

What does Palin have to do with it? Or do you mean McCain (who did run against Obama)?

No doubt Britian will declare war and retake america over this. Thanks a lot Obama for undoing all of George Washington's work in only a few weeks.

The USA could use a good rebooting.

The DVDs seem like a lame gift by comparison, but then it's pretty ridiculous the way it's expected that these massively expensive, incredibly rare artifacts be handed out every time two heads of state pass each other on the way to the john.

I would not say gifts between heads of state are always massively expensive. But the books and pen may be rare.

Such a stupid waste, enough already.

Yeah, no need for heads of state to show some respect for each other at their first meeting. ropeller:

...but most of them put it into their libraries or other museums.

That is what I was thinking.

 

[llad12]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

Looks like this thread is just another Republican circle-jerk. :yes:

 

[Amra]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

Looks like this thread is just another Republican circle-jerk. :yes:

Meaning you approve of how things were handled by Obama and his staff? You wouldn't have changed anything?

 

[Garbad_the_Weak]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

HOPE n CHANGE

 

[SaroDarksbane]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

Looks like this thread is just another Republican circle-jerk. :yes:

Seems kinda bad to me.

I was hoping to actually have your viewpoint on this one.

 

[Nazdakka]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

What does Palin have to do with it? Or do you mean McCain (who did run against Obama)?

I mean Palin. McCain would have been OK, but he's an old and not very healthy man, and if his health failed at any point in the next 4-8 years, Palin was the replacement. The prospect of a Palin presidency was viewed by a lot of people over here as being potentially disasterous.

 

[Glurin]

Re: Obama's treatment of Gordon Brown

I'm not surprised, given the level of resources that were put into demonizing her. Those eight years of practice on Bush really paid off.