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Remember the disastrous visit that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had to suffer through at the White House?
Most notably, do you remember the gifts?
Sarah Brown gave Sasha and Malia dresses with matching necklaces, as well as a selection of books by British authors. Michelle Obama gave the Brown boys toy Marine One helicopters from the White House gift shop. Gordon Brown got the award for the most thoughtful gift, though: an ornamental pen holder made from the oak of the anti-slaving ship, the HMS Gannet, which is the sister ship of the HMS Resolute (the ship that Obama’s desk in the Oval Office was made out of). Prime Minister Brown also gave President Obama the framed commission of the HMS Resolute, and a first edition set of the seven-book biography of Winston Churchill written by Sir Martin Gilbert.
Obama gave Brown 25 DVDs. Completely classless.
And while Gordon and Sarah Brown clearly put a lot of thought and effort into choosing the gifts they brought the First Family, it’s clear that Barack and Michelle Obama spent approximately five minutes on their gifts. In Barack’s case, that became especially obvious when the news was leaked that the DVDs Obama gave Brown are the wrong damn format.
Alas, when the PM settled down to begin watching them the other night, he found there was a problem.
The films only worked in DVD players made in North America and the words “wrong region” came up on his screen. Although he mournfully had to put the popcorn away, he is unlikely to jeopardise the special relationship – or “special partnership”, as we are now supposed to call it – by registering a complaint.
A Downing Street spokesman said he was “confident” that any gift Obama gave Brown would have been “well thought through,” but referred me to the White House for assistance on the “technical aspects”.
A White House spokesman sniggered when I put the story to him and he was still looking into the matter when my deadline came last night.
And this from the man who during his campaign repeatedly bragged about the smart diplomacy he would employ. Oh, but wait, he was tired.
Of course, when contacted about the DVD format mix-up, the White House spokesman’s response was to snigger. I think that just further goes to show how little concern the White House has over this whole thing. It’s no big deal to them, and sure, maybe it shouldn’t be a big deal to me either.
But if Obama flubs up something as simple as getting a thoughtful gift for one of our oldest, strongest allies… then how on Earth will he be able to exercise that “smart diplomacy” he brags about so much when he encounters an unfriendly world leader like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?
Too funny.
I am sure right now his crack staff is contingency planning for future visitors and gifts. They are boosting the American economy by filling the White House closests with gifts that will fit any situation and for any foreign visitor.
It is similar to the strategy that we use for surprise Christmas gifts from neighbors or friends that you were expecting a card from.
Bob says: That one was a no-brainer. Europe is PAL (and a lil’ bit of SECAM) and North America and some of Asia is NTSC.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PAL-NTSC-SECAM.svg
Maybe Obama should say “Hey, wtf?!” and then take a look at our out of control broken copyright system. Region Encoding is completely worthless, and it’s one of the first things that pirates strip off.
Well Cassy,
My guess is that he’s trying the rearrange the traditional American web of alliances. I find it awfully weird that the only ones he’s actually tried to reach out to are the Muslims. First there was the television interview right after his inauguration, then there was the big aid package to the Palestinians and then there was the reaching out to the Taliban.
The question that I have is if he’s willing to pretty much give a fellow leftist of our strongest European ally the middle finger, what will he do when he has to deal with a conservative like Netanyahu of Israel (BTW, I really want to see what happens there)?
Personally, I’d give a loud whoop of joy if Netanyahu told Obama to go stick it in his ass if asked to give up Israeli security. At least some ally would have the balls to stand up to this clown.
Mark says: The 25-disc gift pales in comparison with how Obama & Co. are destroying the US economy. For that, no special connection is needed!
The Messiah also sent back a bust of Winston Churchill that was given to G.W. Bush during his Presidency a week before Brown’s visit. A clear indication of what Brown should have expected when he arrived in the States to see our Glorious Leader. When he directs his head of Homeland Security to not say Terrorist or Terrorism, he takes guns away from our Commercial Pilots and then this week sends a missive to Iran saying he wants to play nice; one can deduce where this man’s allegiance lies. I bet he doesn’t even like being called an American.
Chris M-G says: Best laugh I’ve had all week.
Cylar says: But if Obama flubs up something as simple as getting a thoughtful gift for one of our oldest, strongest allies… then how on Earth will he be able to exercise that “smart diplomacy” he brags about so much when he encounters an unfriendly world leader like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?
To me that’s the more serious issue by far, and I’m disappointed that I haven’t heard this point mentioned by any of the major media outlets or commentators. Has even Rush picked this up and run with it?
Bobv says: Not a good idea to offend one of the few nations out there with the will and the means to actually stand by us when we ask for assistance.
Maybe he’ll make Iran and the taliban love us so much that we won’t need britain any more.
Somehow I doubt it.
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