http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/mar/03/gordon-brown-usThere has been much emphasis put on the special relationship between Britain and the US since Winston Churchill coined the expression.
American presidents embrace it whenever they need international cover for foreign escapades, while UK prime ministers invoke it in the hope that some of the sparkle of the presidency will stick to them.
But as Gordon Brown flies into Washington at the start of a two-day official visit, does his arrival mean anything to working Americans? Put more bluntly: does anyone even know who Gordon Brown is?
Judging from the Guardian's straw poll of pedestrians along Broadway in Manhattan, the answer is a resounding no. The reaction to being shown a picture of the prime minister was bamboozlement.
The closest any American came to having any sense of the UK leader was Therese McGinn, a professor of public health at Columbia university. "It's not Gordon Brown," she said confidently, staring at the image of Gordon Brown. Why not?
"He looks tired. He looks older and more haggard than I normally think of him."
William Stamey, taking a break from acting classes off Broadway to have an illicit cigarette, gazed blankly at the picture. Not a clue.
Told that the subject was Gordon Brown didn't help; the name also meant nothing to him.
Samuel Obeng, who has lived in New York for eight years having moved to the US from Ghana, was selling T-shirts of Barack Obama.
"He's God's gift to the whole world and we appreciate him by selling these T-shirts." Obeng sells the shirts wholesale for $60 (£42.75) a dozen.
Would he be interested in making T-shirts with the man in the Guardian's picture printed on them?
"I don't really recognise him."
He's the British prime minister, Gordon Brown. Have you heard of him.
"Yeah, erm, no."
Would you consider selling T-shirts of this man?
"Well, er, people buy if they recognise a popular person. I don't really think this man would sell a lot."
Only a woman who used to live in London and a group of tourists from Northern Ireland recognised the prime minister. Strolling down the snow-lined streets of Broadway, the tourists were asked whether they recognised the man in the picture. They replied: "Yes, unfortunately."
Bettina McCall, who lives in Manhattan having moved from London five years ago, not only instantly recognised "our prime minister", but she was also fully au fait with his trip to Washington.
"It's a good thing that he's one of the first leaders to be called to the White House. Maybe it will cheer him up," she said.
Every single one of the Americans approached was unable to name Brown.
He is as anonymous in the US, it seems, as Tony Blair was ubiquitous.
At least several people felt that the visit of the UK premier was a good thing. "I think it's great," said Michael, a building contractor.
"The quicker we get this president meeting elected officials in other countries the better off everyone will be. England is like a brother or a sister to America, and we need all the looking out for each other we can get."
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