No unicorns visible in the British press corp: Iain Martin President Barack Obama just plain rude to Britain. Don’t call us in future.
Why couldn’t President Obama have put on more of a show for his British guests? He looked like he simply couldn’t be bothered.
Number 10 may be content that they just about got away with the visit to the Oval Office yesterday, as Andrew Porter reports from Washington.
But on this side of the Atlantic the whole business looked pretty demeaning. The morning papers and TV last night featured plenty of comment focused on the White House’s very odd and, frankly, exceptionally rude treatment of a British PM. Squeezing in a meeting, denying him a full press conference with flags etc. The British press corps, left outside for an hour in the cold, can take it and their privations are of limited concern to the public.
But Obama’s merely warmish words (one of our closest allies, said with little sincerity or passion) left a bitter taste with this Atlanticist. Especially after his team had made Number 10 beg for a mini press conference and then not even offered the PM lunch.
And there are plenty more stories like that from the British media. Bruce McQuain at Q&O has a great breakdown of the various stories, check it out, but, here is one of my favorite quotes from Alex Massie at the Spectator
Obama is not on the campaign trail any longer but his press strategy does not seem to have switched to governing mode yet.
Obama’s governing strategy hasn’t switched to governing mode yet, either. And he is showing his inexperience complete lack of experience in foreign matters. Otherwise, one has to assume that Obama is intentionally being rude to allies. Remember, he did decline to keep the Winston Churchill bust right from the get go.
Say, wasn’t Joe Biden picked to be V.P. for this exact kind of experience? Cause no one messes with Joe!
Flopping Aces: I thought Obama promised to repair our alliances not damage them?
Don Surber: Times of London: While President Obama was snubbing British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Mrs. Obama was snubbing Mrs. Brown.
Tim Shipman: Barack Obama is running scared of tough questions
More: Cassy Fiano
The entire handling of the Prime Minister’s visit shows an unbelievably embarassing amount of narcissism and egotism from the White House, from both the President and the First Lady. Britain, one of our closest allies, was brushed aside as if they were some small, insignificant nation that we didn’t really need to pay attention to.
In related news, Blogs For Victory is reporting that Team Obama is also slighting another ally, India.
And more: Via Hot Air, we learn that Obama totally cheapskatted Brown on a recipricol gift, too!
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