Posted on 03/04/2009 10:47:24 PM PST by bruinbirdman
It was all going so well. The dresses, the brains, the Vogue cover shoot everything so far about Michelle Obama has left us wide-mouthed in admiration. It seemed there was no end to her fabulousness. Then Mr and Mrs Brown came to stay.
Unflattering: the White House released only one photograph of Michelle Obama
and Sarah Brown together
Like all good guests, Sarah Brown arrived bearing gifts for the children, Malia and Sasha. And they were really nice presents. A bit of thought had clearly gone into choosing them: Top Shop dresses (with matching necklaces) and a selection of books by British authors. Lovely.
Mrs Brown may have two boys but she certainly knows the way to a little girls heart. These were gifts chosen in the true spirit of present-giving: to please the recipient, not the giver.
In return Mrs Obama gave the Brown children, Fraser and John, two toy models of Marine One, the Presidential helicopter. Fair enough on the helicopter part, always a popular choice with small boys; but Marine One? Its not as though anyone needs reminding that Barack Obama is President or that he has his own helicopter. Short of giving the boys Action Man models of her own husband smiting the evil forces of neoconservatism, Mrs Obamas gesture could not have been more solipsistic or more inherently dismissive of Mrs Brown.
Not only did she demonstrate that she spent approximately three seconds contemplating the needs of the Brown boys (having an aide pop to the White House gift shop for a piece of merchandising does not imply a great deal of thought), she appeared to show a most uncharacteristic lapse of judgment.
It might have been possible to overlook the incident were it not
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
It’s hard to teach an acorn a new trick
yitbos
“Last week, Desirée Rogers hosted Jarrett’s birthday party, an intimate affair that included the president-elect and Michelle Obama. “She has extraordinary flair and exquisite taste,” Jarrett said. “My party was perfect — she had my favorite food, my favorite flowers.” Well it sounds like Valeri Jarrett likes her.
Well, I hope Mrs. Hussein at least showed her guests her bare arms!
I don’t blame the Brits for being annoyed. This is just the sort of crude amateur mistake these neophytes and their entire unsophisticated entourage would make. As the article points out, this isn’t really about the children at all, but about unspoken signals between the two nations. The Brits went to a good deal of care and expense choosing gifts for the girls, while the Americans gave some cheap plastic models from the White House gift shop. Tactless and clumsy, like all of the diplomacy they have so far essayed.
Oh I know, those darn acorns don’t do much but fall close to trees or somesuch.
Bwahahaha! Hey, Prez, ya shouldn’t have kicked old Winston’s bust out of your office that way... now the British press (at least some of them) are going to have it in for you. I can’t believe this reporter is actually complaining about what gifts Mrs. Obama chose for Mrs. Brown’s children. Good grief.
yitbos
Reminds me of when the Queen visited the White House and Carter served them hot dogs on paper plates.
We thought we were getting this:
But instead, we got this:
“Well, I hope Mrs. Hussein at least showed her guests her bare arms!”
LOL, I’m surprised her arms are covered. I wonder if she “flexed” for them.
My boy would be delighted to have that, since he loves anything related to the USMC. When he was younger he would have enjoyed playing with it. But this is a fairly cheap and tacky gift for the children of the Prime Minister of our closest ally. Definitely a signal. It could mean either that the Obamas and their staff are idiots, or that they are deliberately sending a message to the Brits.
I believe it’s usual for the staff of the respective governments to do a certain amount of pre-arranging in advance. Ground rules and expectations are understood. If that traditional process went as it usually does, then the Obamas did this on purpose.
No wonder Mrs. Brown needed a drink.
Up with the people. Be happy with Item 4017.
yitbos
You're not alone with that sentiment.
Darn right..people said Bush and Laura ticked off our allies but I didn’t see that, at least not in the way they dealt with foreign leaders on a personal basis. Bush and Laura had class. You have to make time for the leader of an allied country and observe some decency and protocols. This ain’t a back yard BBQ.
But I am impressed that Britain is ballsy enough to tell the truth about the rudeness of our Magic President.
Is that a real picture of Michelle?
OH MY? That’s very disturbing.
That story scared the dickens out of me as a kid. The other two stories in the Trilogy, not so much.
The Obama’s know better. They just don’t care because the media, at least the US media, won’t call them out on their major Faux Pau.
To them, the Obama’s can do no wrong.
You're so right! That was years ago and I still remember it.
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