Is letting our allies know that “he’s just not into them” by giving crappy gifts and refusing to be seen with them:
The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown thought long and hard about what gift to bring on his visit to the White House last week. Barack Obama is the first African American president, so the prime minister gave him an ornamental desk-pen holder hewn from the timbers of one of the Royal Navy’s anti-slaving ships of the 19th century, HMS Gannet. Even more appropriate, in 1909 the Gannet was renamed HMS President.
The president’s guest also presented him with the framed commission for HMS Resolute, the lost British ship retrieved from the Arctic and returned by America to London, and whose timbers were used for a thank-you gift Queen Victoria sent to Rutherford Hayes: the handsome desk that now sits in the Oval Office.
And, just to round things out, as a little stocking stuffer, Gordon Brown gave President Obama a first edition of Sir Martin Gilbert’s seven-volume biography of Winston Churchill.
In return, America’s head of state gave the prime minister 25 DVDs of “classic American movies.”
How embarrassing to have such a jerk for president! Why in the world would he insult our closest allies? Was it deliberate or was he just being naive?
Well, here’s a clear case of incompetent gift giving. Oh boy, it’s going to be a long four years.
Update: So, it’s worse then I thought, they even blew the gifts to Gordon Brown’s children:
Equally insulting, decided the Times of London, was Michelle Obama’s “solipsistic” and “inherently dismissive” gifts to the Browns’ two little boys, Fraser and John.
The offending souvenirs? Toy models of Marine One, the President’s helicopter — gifts no doubt plucked from the White House gift shop at the last minute, The Times decided.
Brown’s wife, Sarah, by contrast arrived with dresses for Sasha and Malia from the UK’s trendy Top Shop (with matching necklaces) and a selection of books by British authors.
The article is dismissive of the Brit’s outrage over the insult but if this had been Bush, you know the press would have been calling him an idiot for days.
posted March 7, 2009 at 11:56 am
Just as I’m guessing that the Prime Minister had advisers – so did the President. Who does the man choose as his advisers? Why does it matter? This is why.
posted March 7, 2009 at 1:20 pm
INTERNATIONAL CRISIS!
it sure will be a long 4 years for you, but i’m certain you will spend your days filling your blog with pointless drivel such as this.
posted March 7, 2009 at 1:57 pm
We didn’t think that liberals would find anything odd at all in anything that Obama might do.
He apparently truly is perfect, as far as liberals are concerned.
(we see nothing, we hear nothing…not a “yeah, that was a little odd…” to be heard)
posted March 7, 2009 at 2:26 pm
As a liberal, and a UC Berkeley alumnus, I still think those gifts Obama chose were just plain crappy. But it’s not an impeachable offense.
posted March 7, 2009 at 6:08 pm
We’ll probably be fighting the SAS as well as the Taliban before this presidency is over.
posted March 7, 2009 at 10:53 pm
At least we don’t have a coke fiend, alcoholic, and a chimp as president anymore.
posted March 8, 2009 at 6:10 am
Give the president a break! He has enough going on with our own country. That’s been the problem in this country. We have been so busy trying to please and police EVERYONE else, we neglected ourselves and let the powerful and greedy run around unchecked, getting us into the mess we are in right now. PM Brown and future PMs need to look at President Obama’s example and take down some notes. There is no time for that “wine and dine” crap. He has a country to fix, OUR country. So typical of someone who wants to pout about someone who really is putting OUR COUNTRY FIRST!!! Reformed Chicks, take this artical and shove it.
posted March 8, 2009 at 8:27 am
There is no time for that “wine and dine” crap
I’m so glad I didn’t have coffee my mouth when I read that…that was a really good joke. Thanks! You made my morning.
He has a country to fix, OUR country.
Here’s the thing…we disagree that hundreds of billions of dollars of spending will “fix” OUR country. That is political discourse and we can be civil in that particular debate. Reformed Chicks, take this artical and shove it. is a “fine” example.
posted March 8, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Well, this is embarrassing! Just goes to show what an utterly inexperienced amateur we elected to our highest office. And, to top it all off, this indicates that at least some of his White House staff are hopeless, too. I guess, starting with the Brits, the world’s worship of Obama is starting to fade.
posted March 8, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Well sorry MzEllen, I just believe that we have more IMPORTANT things to worry about than PM Brown. How you believe the country should be fixed is an entirely different topic. The point what I was trying to make is that our country clearly needs to be fixed and that it should take priority above everything and everyone else. I stand by what I said at first, the Reformed Chicks can take this article and shove it. This subject is of no importance. Your response made me laugh harder than this ridiculous article.
posted March 9, 2009 at 12:53 am
“I still think those gifts Obama chose were just plain crappy.”
i’d take them.
posted March 9, 2009 at 2:57 am
“So, it’s worse then I thought, they even blew the gifts to Gordon Brown’s children”
many girls like dresses… many boys like model helicopters. how is it that you know the boys don’t like the gifts? oh, that’s right… you don’t.