Obama’s British ‘Gift Gaffe’ Not Reported By U.S. Media
- By Warner Todd Huston
The Obamas, Barack and Michelle both, pretty much diplomatically botched the recent visit of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife. Oddly enough, the U.S. Old Media seems uninterested in the story that is a hot topic in England, a story that’s left many Brits a bit miffed.
As the visit of the national leader of our closest ally began, the President informed the Brits that he wouldn’t be attending the joint press conference that was planned to be held once PM Brown’s plane touched down. This threw the visiting delegation into a tizzy leaving them scrambling to explain the sudden change in plans to the folks back home. Still, meetings were had and things smoothed out. Eventually the visit seemed to right itself… then came the Obama’s gift gaffes.
It is well understood that visiting diplomatic delegations come bearing gifts and gift giving is returned in like fashion by the host country. It is an ages old human practice in diplomacy after all. Usually the gifts are valuable, representative of the products of the nations involved, or at least symbolic of the history of those nations.
For his part, PM Brown gave two symbolic gifts and one that expressed national pride. Brown came bearing a pen holder carved from the timbers of the sister ship of that which gave the wood to create the famous “Resolute Desk,” the desk that has been in America’s charge since 1880. He also gave Obama the framed commission for that famous ship, the HMS Resolute. His third gift was a seven-volume biography of one of England’s greatest leaders, Winston Churchill.
So, what did President Obama give the British PM? 25 movies on DVD. Yeah, that’s it. Brown gives a symbolic gift like the pen holder fashioned from a famous British warship and Obama responds by sending a staffer to WalMart to pick up a few quick movies.
How thoughtful. Or not.
And I’m not the only one to scoff at this thoughtless gift. The entire British press is up in arms. Many in Britain are seeing this as entirely gauche and indicative of the low esteem in which the Obama’s hold England.
Worse, no one is 100% sure that Obama was smart enough to know that DVDs made in America don’t play on European DVD players. American DVDs are created in the “Region One” format while those in Europe play in “Region Two” format. A U.S. DVD just won’t play on a machine made for the English market.
Not to be out done in tastelessness by her husband, Michelle got into the act, too. Mrs. Brown came bearing two outfits for the Obama girls from Topshop, one of Britain’s trendiest and expensive women’s wear retail outlets.
In return, Michelle apparently had a staffer run down to the White House gift shop and grab two toy Marine One helicopter models for the Brown’s boys.
Class all the way, huh?
All of this is on top of the snub of the Brits that Obama tossed off immediately upon entering office. One of his first official acts was to summarily return to the Brits the generous gift of the most famous bust of Winston Churchill that has sat in the Oval Office since the attacks on 9/11.
This threw British diplomats into a tizzy really blindsiding them. Even when they reiterated that Obama could keep the generous gift to the American people, he rejected it without comment leaving the Brits at a loss for words.
Now, I thought that Obama was going to improve our relations with “the world” once he took office? So far, all he’s done is tell our enemies he’s their friend and carelessly wave off our actual friends.
And, as I mentioned at the top, the U.S. Old Media has been ignoring this story.
Imagine that?
(Photo credit: Jeff Moore/telegraph.co.uk)
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Posted by Warner Todd Huston on March 8, 2009 7:04 am
» Filed Under Foreign Policy, History, Journalistic Malpractice, Liberal Media/Bias, News, Stupidity
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10 Responses to “Obama’s British ‘Gift Gaffe’ Not Reported By U.S. Media”
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Syndicate Me
Not only is Obama a lazy slacker who is spending millions of dollars entertaining and smoozing late into the night at the White House, but he is a confirmed narcissist with no real interest in the day to day work of being President.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1543285/the_ploy_of_inaction.html?singlepage=true&cat=75
mB
I know the Brits have more pending issues than this?!
President Obama went to Canada and he went to the local market and bought himself gifts for Michelle and the girls. He got squat from Prime Minister Harper.
Do you see the Americans whining about that!?
Please people just move on.
To Britain; It’s citizens, and leaders….
Thank you,
Connie
(An American)
Sandra, Please move on? How stupid can you get? Our president just acted like a complete idiot. So much for helping our relations around the world.
Stunning…terribly embarassing! Our appologies, Brittan. Obama has been far too busy state-hopping to drum-up support for his desire to bankrupt the economy. Perhaps once all the banks are bought out by the government, we’ve made cozy bed-buddies with the terrorists, and freedom of speach is squelched, then our wonderful man-of-the hour will have time to do his job right and well.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see….
As an American who once served in the military on an RAF (Royal Air Force) base with the British military, I can only say “Sorry” for the big goof made by our leaders. I am appalled that while Obama is chasing people to make nice with them, people who actually have no qualms with expressing their distaste for us, he is snubbing our main allies. It is a sad day and will be a sadder day when we really need our allies, such as G. Britain, to help us with our “new friends” such as Iran, N. Korea, Syria and Russia. Please forgive us for we know not what we do.
I am utterly repulsed by Obama’s behavior towards the Prime Minister, but not shocked.
It is not surprising that this comes from a man who has NEVER managed anything of importance in his life and is now our President.
I suppose he was also raised in a barn, for the lack of manners and respect towards dignitaries.
SHAME ON YOU BARRACK! You have embarrased me an an American!
I will now send an appology letter to the Brittish Embassy on your behalf.!
Please forgive us Brittan!!
So very sorry,Great Britain-those of us who checked BO out before going to vote-we knew that this was an inexperienced,do-nothing Chicago Thug Politician who was dumb enough to think we have 57 states. We could not expect him to know how to behave in other than an uncouth,boorish,uncultured manner. He will in the end succeed in having himself kicked out of the White House.”Keep calm and carry on”-we love and appreciate you-Thanks.
Obama owes the Brits an apology for his lack of class. No one expects him to choose gifts personally but it is his responsibility to see that even the smallest details are handled competently. I am stunned. Hilary goofed too. She should know better. The world is watching and we have been the laughing stock since Carter, Clinton and now Obama made fools of not only themselves, but all Americans. Wake up America and vote with your brain next time.
well it is going to take a while to get the Brits calmed down after this a**holish act. Maybe he thought the were valuable, as he has no sense of value or friends. We are truly sorry to the UK for this low Chicago type of act. Please forgive us, the rest of us are a little more educated than this President