Obama visit to UK under the microscope

yahoo news ^ | 25May2011 | Rachael Harmon

[Las Vegas Dave]

It feels a little like Royal Wedding madness all over again across the pond.

What did Duchess Catherine wear during the Obamas' visit to England? What did the president give the Queen as a gift? Who made a speech blunder?

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are once again under the microscope as they visit the United Kingdom this week. Each action, misstep and blunder is being interpreted by England and the U.S. media at a fevered pitch.

Below we round up some of the moments of President Obama's UK adventure that are creating the most buzz:

Botched toast: Following proper protocol and etiquette are a huge deal for guests of British royalty--and the social anxiety surrounding royal occasions helped make one Tuesday night flub even more newsworthy. The orchestra at Buckingham Palace last night mistook a pregnant pause in President Obama's toast to the Queen as a signal he was finished with his speech. "Ladies and gentlemen please stand with me and raise your glasses as I propose a toast to her majesty, the Queen," the president said. Immediately, the orchestra began to play "God Save the Queen," so Obama ended up talking over the music to conclude his toast.

Obama joked to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg that the orchestra effectively gave him a soundtrack, while Clegg said the music added "a crescendo" to his speech.

[ml/nj]

I guess the "microscope" at the NYT is a bit cloudy. Yesterday's headline about Bamie's British Boondoggle was, "Taking in Some London Sights, the Obamas Display Skill at Official Travel." (You had to get to the ninth paragraph of this story for a parenthetical remark about his signing of the vistors' book at Westminster Abby. He was "confused," they reported.)

ML/NJ

[Las Vegas Dave]

Let’s keep it accurate - - - (whoever wrote this).

Rachel Rose Hartman @ yahoo.news

BTW: As of the time stamp on this reply, there are over 6,627 comments to this story at yahoo.news.

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