Posted on 03/06/2009 11:06:53 PM PST by Chet 99
Let's hope he's a Star Wars fan.
President Obama on Thursday gave British Prime Minister Gordon Brown a set of 25 classic American movies to mark his historic visit to the White House.
Brown, the first European leader to visit Obama since his Jan. 20 inauguration, was presented with a "special collector's box" of DVDs during his two-day visit to Washington.
Downing Street, which reportedly tried to keep the present a secret, declined to say what movies were included in the set.
"One reason for the secrecy might be that the gift seems markedly less generous and thoughtful than the presents taken to Washington by the Prime Minister," London's Evening Standard newspaper reported.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I’m not sure why this story has been such a big deal.
I’m glad Obama didn’t spend a ton of taxpayer $$ on a gift for a British politician. A box set of DVD’s sounds like a great gift.
I would be knocking him if he spent a ton on something pompous.
It sounded pretty tacky to me. "Here. Here's some movies we like."
Do Prime Ministers have libraries? That would be quite a gift to put on display.
What was Gordon Brown’s gift to Obama? A Robin Hood outfit?
What? No signed copy of his latest bestseller?
As if they are going to present nice gifts to visiting WHITE dignitaries and leaders.
Their presentation to the UK was as tacky and tasteless as it gets.
I am surprised they didn't offer the Brown family a dollar store beach towel and some White House postcards.
Their gift to him was thoughtful and priceless: a pen holder out of wood from the hull of an anti-slave ship, 200 years old.
Also, remember that USA DVDs don’t play on British players. Also, apparently Brown has vision trouble (near blindness in one eye?) so it really is the height of thoughtlessness.
The pen holder will apparently qualify because it's made from wood from the sister ship of HMS Resolute, whose timbers were used to make the so-called Resolute Desk, presented as a gift by Queen Victoria and still used in the Oval Office today.
He also gave him a book.
The statement also said a first-edition biography of Churchill, the legendary World War II British premier, has been placed in the president’s private study just outside the Oval.
I thought the book was particularly appropriate after Zer0 returned a bust of Churchill to Britain. Kind of like saying "educate yourself, dork."
I sooooooo miss Bush... (which I can hardly believe)
He’s such an embarrresment. I imagine that the media would be all over this if GWB was still in office.
Rumor has it that the movies have been rented for 30 days, not purchased.
The number missing G.W. Bush will grow. Presidents are often appreciated after they are gone. Some grow in stature like Ike and Truman other shrink like Clinton.
Brown's favorite classic from the Obama gift pack.
You have to be kidding, there is nothing Obama, nothing American, nothing personal, there is nothing to recommend giving some DVDs to our greatest ally as a gift.
These gifts are symbolic and sentimental not costly. A freeper said that Bush gave the Prime Minister a brown leather fur trimmed bomber jacket with Camp David patches. I don’t know if that is accurate but that would be a meaningful gift, not a set of DVDs that we re-gift to each other or just throw in with the rest of them in the TV room.
Brown can just drop them in any mail box in the pre-paid NetFlix envelopes. ;^)
Actually...if this had been me...I would have given the British dude three bottles of Jack Daniels, with nice shot glasses. From one guy to another...thats usually a pretty fine gift, and they usually share a shot or two before you part company.
I am dying to know what region they were encoded for and whether they were a re-gift. It’s still a tacky gift, but those two things will be like a ball of tackiness.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.