Courtesy The Guardian
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The DVDs won’t play? At least Bush paid the Brits more respect.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Oh, boy, DVD’s (Region 1) and toy helicopters! I wonder if they were gift wrapped. Some of this was earlier reported by John and mentioned on No Agenda. Why did Obama snub the Brits so? And now a few days later, there is still just a hint of this on the “nightly news.” Why not a gift subscription to Netflix?
This whole flap has the smell of a put-up job about it. My guess is it’s being pushed by Rupert Murdoch — his papers are the ones keeping the story going day after day — possibly at the instigation of Roger Ailes.
The DVDs were put together by the American Film Institute in response to a special request from the White House. I’m pretty sure the AFI knows about NTSC vs PAL and DVD regions.
In case you’re curious, the movies included are:
1 Citizen Kane
2 The Godfather
3 Casablanca
4 Raging Bull
5 Singin’ in the Rain
6 Gone with the Wind
7 Lawrence of Arabia
8 Schindler’s List
9 Vertigo
10 The Wizard of Oz
11 City Lights
12 The Searchers
13 Star Wars: Episode IV (the original)
14 Psycho
15 2001: A Space Odyssey
16 Sunset Boulevard
17 The Graduate
18 The General
19 On the Waterfront
20 It’s a Wonderful Life
21 Chinatown
22 Some Like It Hot
23 The Grapes of Wrath
24 ET: The Extra-Terrestrial
25 To Kill a Mockingbird
I don’t see any insult in replacing a bust of Winston Churchill by one of Abraham Lincoln, President Obama’s personal hero. Whether returning it to the U.K. is an insult I’ll leave to those who know under what terms it was given in the first place. At least he’s keeping the seven volume biography of Churchill in his offices.
The whole story is worth maybe 1/100th or 1/1000th the amount of ink it’s getting, which leads me to believe someone is pushing an agenda. Remember the old song, “Signifyin’ Monkey?”
So much for the pres. we won’t have to apologize for….
“I think even a dumbest schmuch knows that bundle of DVDs is not a gift apropiate for visiting head of state.”
Well just for the record, Brown isn’t actually a head of state. Our head of state is Queen Elizabeth II. Brown is the leader of the government.
For ceremonial visits, the Queen goes. These are the ones where we expect pomp and ceremony.
For “working government discussion” type visits, the Prime Minister goes.
The helo’s probably made in China. I really think the Brits are more about tradition.
I say “Good for them”! I am sure it was more of a big deal for them. But the Obama admin. seems a bit stressed and it’s just not going well.
If it had been the other way round, what would the US people and press be saying?
I forecast that Obama will be voted out in four years as an ’empty drum’ (lots of noise, no content) President.
His history as a Senator indicates little of substance. Like many, he seems more to be dedicated to producing ‘q
If it had been the other way round, what would the US people and press be saying?
I forecast that Obama will be voted out in four years as an ’empty drum’ (lots of noise, no content) President.
His history as a Senator indicates little of substance. Like many, he seems more to be dedicated to producing ‘quotable quotes’ for the history books than actually implementing measures. Not many of these are original by the way. OK, I know he’s not been there long, but it is March and January was some time back. Just how long do you have to wait?
I wonder how long an employee would remain in the job if he hadn’t actually done anything worthwhile in three months?
I see nothing but words – bit like a film script. Our PM is also like that, and he is as popular as Chlamydia in the UK.
A (Scotsman, not Englishman) of many words but a flounderer of prodigious non-achievment and a big spender of our tax money to boot.
Come back John Major, or anybody.
I find it truly amazing that the US media have had almost nothing to say about this. It’s still news in Britain. Is Obama the 2nd coming and can do no wrong? Emperor’s clothes, indeed!
DVD’s as a last second gift for a visiting national leader? It kinda ranks up there with a husband giving his wife a vacuum cleaner on her birthday. Some things are just not done.
Looks like it’s time for change, again.
#38 contempt
I got a girl friend a vacuum cleaner once for xmas. Talk about screwing up bigtime……
Mr Fusion – thanks for the post and I’m going to do a little research on it.
If Obama had made a big thing of the visit you idiots would be excoriating him for neglecting important American business to kiss British ass.
#39 Mr Diesel
>>I got a girl friend a vacuum cleaner once for xmas.
Ouch! A learning experience and a very lucky man that it was only a girl friend.
#40 smartalix
Surely you jest. Considering Obama hasn’t made a correct decision since he’s been in office I would applaud him neglecting American business, important or otherwise.
#36, Norm,
If it had been the other way round, what would the US people and press be saying?
You are absolutely correct. How would we react if a visiting Japanese dignitary gave the American President a seven volume history of General Tojo? Would Italy really expect Obama to keep a bust of Mussolini on the mantle?
His history as a Senator indicates little of substance.
FYI, Junior Senators seldom get to author much in the way of legislation.
Britain is the closest ally of the US? Oh yeah, I forgot. We (Canada) became the 51st state a while back.
Yeah, KD — Why on earth is this story about ceremonial gifts *not* front-page news??
Has the world gone mad??
KD, please… get a grip.
Kick the Brits to the curb. Cut off all aid to the Israelis. Move on to better relationships with people that matter.
Didn’t the Brits burn the Whitehouse?
Besides . . . I’m tired of seeing the the POTUS walking around with the Brit’s Prime Ministers nose up his crack.
# 43 MikeR said, “We (Canada) became the 51st state a while back.”
When we say “Britain” we also mean Canada, as it is part of the UK. 😉
#46, Cow-Paddy, Ignorant Shit Talking Sociopath, Retired Mall Rent-A-Cop, Pretend Constitutional Scholar, Fake California Labor Law Expert, Pseudo Military Historian, Phony Climate Scientist, Leading Troll Extraordinare, Asstrologist, Unintelligent Designer, Cyber Eggspert, and President of the “I Hate America Club”
Don’t you ever quit?
Canada is an independent and free country. It is not a part of England, or even Britain. The Queen happens to be the titular head of both countries, but the countries themselves are independent of each other.
But, then you really do enjoy being a fool.
change we can believe in. I’m surprised he didn’t serve the British PM KFC and grape soda.
#47, You need to mellow out. Didn’t you see the winky at the end. Paddy-O was poking the Canooks.
#49, ConFusion doesn’t understand subtleties, or much of anything else…
I could have suggested a better collection of films:
Braveheart
Gallipoli
The Patriot
Michael Collins
The Fighting Prince of Donegal
Breaker Morant
Revolution
John Adams
1776
The Wind that Shakes the Barley
Obama is such a dick! He could have at least included The Big Lebowski in the collection!
#49, Liberty Poser & #50, Cow-Paddy, Ignorant Shit Talking Sociopath, Retired Mall Rent-A-Cop, Pretend Constitutional Scholar, Fake California Labor Law Expert, Pseudo Military Historian, Phony Climate Scientist, Leading Troll Extraordinare, Asstrologist, Unintelligent Designer, Cyber Eggspert, and President of the “I Hate America Club”
There was no “subtlety” included in Cow-Patty’s post. Just plain ignorance.
Damn, now what do I add to demonstrate Cow-Patty’s ignorance of geography?
The headline should have been:
“News We Missed For No Apparent Reason.
“Our place in the legions of the occasionally ignorant assured.
“So many stories, so little time.
“Commentators feel free to pile on.”
The real question is why did KD have to repeat this in a blog?
Let’s be clear about this issue:
The White House gift shop needs to stock better gifts. 🙂
# 56 pedro said, “#53 (with a Chris Tucker voice) You know you was pwned.”
I’ve got to be careful with my posts, he’s starting to crack…
>The DVDs were put together by the American Film Institute in response to a special request from the White House.
Is there any length the nutroots will not go to protect their president?
This list was put together in 2007.
This isn’t filed under ‘oddball news’ or some such because it is a serious problem for Obama’s presidency. It reflects his character, and will manifest itself in other ways. Already he has angered Senator Menendez by hiding changes in Cuba relations in an appropriations bill. Shouldn’t the Senator have been notified?
#17
What it tells me is exactly what I said: he’s VERY green when it comes to politics with dignataries because he has never actually been the top guy of anything of substance. Everyone knew that when he was elected and it was exactly this type of inexperience which the Republicans said would be a liability. Supposedly, Biden’s experience would help Obama limp along to prevent these gaffes but anyone with a brain knew that would be unlikely. I fully expect more gaffes of a similar nature over the next year or two. It happens with an inexperienced leader. Eventually, he’ll get the experience. Truman was the same way.
(RE: #45 clearly one of us needs to use a different moniker.)
a bunch of OLD movies! Damn, doesn’t the big O know that they GET CABLE in the UK now!
I’m sure they’ve seen all those old ::SNORE::: movies at least a dozen times. We should have given the complete set of ROOTS, now on DVD.
Seriously, we have a ton of good artists, artisans, crafts people, ..blah blah blah…in this country…couldn’t we have some tasteful gifts? Tacky. It’s just tacky. What next? A lifetime subscription to MAD magazine? A box of CrackerJacks and a package of JuicyFruit gumb?
I hang my head in shame.