Posted on 03/07/2009 12:30:19 AM PST by Plutarch
You'd think President Obama had booted the Brits out of America — again!
London newspapers are howling over a string of alleged snubs by Obama to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown during his visit to Washington last week — including a squabble over presidential gift-giving.
"President Obama has been rudeness personified towards Britain," sniffed The Daily Telegraph Friday. "His handling of the visit of the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, to Washington was appalling."
The list of complaints is longer than the Magna Carta: Obama canceled a planned, podium-to-podium news conference with Brown (actually, none was ever scheduled); he recently removed a bust of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill from the Oval Office; and he gave gifts to the Brown family that were "about as exciting as a pair of socks," one Fleet Street wag whined.
That last bit might be true. After Brown presented Obama with a pen holder crafted from the timbers of the 19th century British warship HMS President (whose sister ship, HMS Resolute, provided the wood for the Oval Office's desk), Obama offered up ... 25 DVDs of American movie classics.
"Oh, give me strength," wrote one appalled Daily Telegraph staffer. "We do have television and DVD stores on this side of the Atlantic."
Never mind that Brown is blind in one eye and may have a hard time seeing the stars in "2001: A Space Odyssey," or that American DVDs are usually incompatible with British players.
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....
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
Who knew...?
Never mind that Brown is blind in one eye and may have a hard time seeing the stars in "2001: A Space Odyssey," or that American DVDs are usually incompatible with British players.
Well, those region 1 American DVD's will still make a nice shiny set coasters.
lol...they also reflect the sun like a mirror. Nice to have as a rescue signaling device on a boat, too, as they won't rust.
There are quite a few junkies, wanna be community organizers, in the streets around here. I’d have to guess that most would be more qualified (verified legal) and the majority would have more class. (Shut up if you don’t know.)
I’m no elitist, but giving a visiting head of state such an impersonal, mundane gift is just plain tacky.
Especially when that head of state is from one of our country’s oldest and most reliable allies, and also shares many historical ties.
geesh, for a truly cheap priceless gift, hussein could have given his BC. The entire world would have enjoyed that! Meanwhile, he has made USA a laughingstock.
But of course.
I can't image Brown standing at one podium taking questions, while Obama is standing at the other podium, surrounded by teleprompters.
-PJ
Get a load of these comments from Ms 0 worshipers. “These are tough economic times in the US as well as in Britain. We do not need to be giving extravagant gifts to anyone.” “This is the most ridiculously racist attack on the First Lady yet: perhaps you haven’t heard: WE ARE IN AN ECONOMIC MESS. I can only imagine the nasty attack she would have sustained for giving EXPENSIVE gifts.” http://michelleobamawatch.com/british-paper-calls-first-lady-obama-lady-macbeth-because-they-didnt-like-the-toys-she-gave-pms-kids
He hates America.
Of course he doesn’t like Britain—they are our allies.
At least Obama is an equal opportunity boor.
LOL!
I swear, these Obama sycophants would defend Obama if we found a video of him drowning kittens.
Brown came to see Obama to try and keep his sorry butt up in the polls. Gordo has to face the voters before Barry and he stands a good chance of losing to the Tories.
The economy clearly tanked on Brown’s watch.
He did that in Ohio.
It was a 2012 re-election campaign trip. Obama wants to keep the Buckeye State in his column.
you mean Kenya?
Those kittens were in the top 10% of earners.
They were already having half their Meow Mix confiscated, and as we know that’s not nearly enough sacrifice.
So he was just helping them give a little more and be more patriotic by spreading their air around.
And if you disagree with that agenda you aren’t being bipartisan.
Good one! XD
Hey, a little fishing line and a couple of sticks and they make a nice, shiny set of wind chimes...even if they don't chime so well...
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