Full text:
The British have begun to worry about the “special relationship” in the Anglosphere since the election of Barack Obama. First, the visit from Gordon Brown failed to get the usual Rose Garden joint-presser treatment from the White House this week. Now the Daily Mail reports that Obama cheaped out on the traditional gift exchange, rustling up some DVDs in exchange for a thoughtful gift from Brown:
Gordon Brown has been given a collection of 25 classic American films on DVD as his official gift from Barack Obama.
The Prime Minister flew home from his successful trip to Washington this morning with the ’special collector’s box’ of films hidden in his luggage.
No 10 had tried to keep the present a secret, refusing to answer reporters who asked what President Obama had given to mark the reaffirmation of the special relationship.
Wow. You know, Amazon often sells collections like that at steep discounts, even in Blu-Ray. Thankfully, Obama saved the US taxpayers a few bucks. I’m sure that Brown put a similarly negligent amount of thought into his gift, right? Right?
Er …
Mr Brown’s gifts included an ornamental desk pen holder made from the oak timbers of Victorian anti-slaver HMS Gannet, once named HMS President.
Mr Obama was so delighted he has already put it in pride of place in the Oval Office on the Resolute desk which was carved from timbers of Gannet’s sister ship, HMS Resolute.
Another treasure given to the U.S. President was the framed commission for HMS Resolute, a vessel that came to symbolise Anglo-US peace when it was saved from ice packs by Americans and given to Queen Victoria.
Finally, Mr Brown gave a first edition set of the seven-volume classic biography of Churchill by Sir Martin Gilbert.
Brown also brought gifts for Obama’s daughters, a rather gracious act, especially considering the reciprocity. The Daily Mail also notes that Brown isn’t a film buff anyway, which makes the DVD set rather pointless.
People objected when Obama returned the bust of Winston Churchill to the British Embassy, which had loaned it to George Bush eight years ago. I didn’t find that surprising, especially given the history of Obama’s grandfather, or at least how Obama understands it. I’d not likely keep a bust of Oliver Cromwell in the West Wing if I were President, gift or not, for similar reasons. (I’m an admirer of Churchill, though.)
However, this seems like a rather deliberate insult, or at best diplomatic incompetence. It’s one thing to cheap out on a gift for a friend or relative at Christmas, but the British have stood by the US for many long decades, through some very dark times. Despite unpopularity at home, they remained at our side in Iraq and Afghanistan. They deserve a little more effort from this administration, and a hell of a lot more appreciation.
Update: Ace and Moe Lane have more thoughts about the thoughtlessness, which extends to the First Lady as well. Two plastic replicas of Marine One from the White House gift store? Wow. Don’t strain a biceps with that effort, Mrs. Obama
Jeez, this man is an embarassment.
this is one tacky family... once he won the presidency, he and his first lady should have taken an etiquette class specifically designed for anyone who is stepping into the office of President of the US...
25 classic American films on DVD
Aren’t the classic (old) DVD’s the one’s in the $2.99 bin at Kroger?
To be fair, though not to defend Obama, didn’t GWB give PM Brown a brown leather fur trimmed bomber jacket with Camp David patches or some such? Not better really, I would think.
When my wife and I heard this on RUSH she remarked: "Obama has NO CLASS at all". The truth is the ONLY person he is concerned about is HIMSELF!
Obama: "commander and CHEAP"
DVDs bought in the USA are Region “1”. Can’t be played in Europe which is Region “2”. So the guy gave cheap DVDs that can’t be viewed in Europe to Gordon Brown. What a hoot.
Since he has never lived or worked in the real world like most other people, perhaps he (and the rest of his wonderful White House staff) didn’t know this!
Harvard educated?