Why did Obama give British PM, Gordon Brown, such a crappy gift?

[woolldog]

Anyone know the story on this?

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/03/06/obamas-blockbuster-gift-brown-dvds/

President Obama on Thursday gave British Prime Minister Gordon Brown a set of 25 classic American movies to mark his historic visit to the White House. Brown, the first European leader to visit Obama since his Jan. 20 inauguration, was presented with a "special collector's box" of DVDs during his two-day visit to Washington.Downing Street, which reportedly tried to keep the present a secret, declined to say what movies were included in the set.

"One reason for the secrecy might be that the gift seems markedly less generous and thoughtful than the presents taken to Washington by the Prime Minister," London's Evening Standard newspaper reported.

<...>

Brown, who is not known to be a movie buff, gave the president and his children several uniquely historical gifts. The first of which is a pen holder fashioned from the oak timber of HMS Gannet, a Navy vessel that served on anti-slavery missions off Africa. Another treasure given to Obama is a framed commissioning paper for the HMS Resolute, a Royal Navy ship that came to symbolize British-American goodwill when it was rescued by the U.S. from icebergs and given to Queen Victoria. It is the sister ship of the HMS Gannet. Finally, Brown gave Obama a first edition of Martin Gilbert's seven-volume biography of Winston Churchill, whose World War II partnership with President Franklin Roosevelt symbolized the U.S.-Anglo alliance.

<...>

During Brown's first trip to America in the summer of 2007, he was given a fur-trimmed brown leather bomber jacket by President George W. Bush.

The prime minister's reaction to the DVD set is not known.

[liberalmuse]

1. OMG, Impeach!!!

Fux News. Figures.

[Cha]

2. Who says it's a "crappy gift"?

rwingers and you?

[CJCRANE]

3. What would you have given him?

:shrug:

[Jackeens]

23. Donald Rumsfeld.

[CJCRANE]

24. ...

:rofl:

[Captain Hilts]

62. Holding a Bible and a cake the shape of a key, like he gave Saddam Hussein. nt

[Flash Bazbo]

77. They'd just regift him to France. Awwwkwaaarrrd!

[Kool Kitty]

116. Donald Rumsfeld???

Now that's a really crappy gift.

[Pacifist Patriot]

136. Alaska.

;)

[polichick]

4. All that gift-giving must be a real pain in the ass. Whose job is it to...

...find and purchase gifts for heads of state? I'd hate to have it.

[woolldog]

8. I agree.

Obama should fire whoever's idea that was.

Did you see what Gordon Brown got him? Those are some pretty cool gifts. It's good to be the President. :)

[TheBigotBasher]

34. How were those gifts good?

A 17 volume book on Churchill?

[woolldog]

37. It's a first edition.

for a book collector, first editions are special. Plus I think a pen holder made from the wood of an old ship that used to patrol the seas against slavery is cool too. Those are neat curios.

[Captain Hilts]

43. First edition? Wow, that is pretty cool. nt

[bertman]

28. I'll bet whoever has that job makes VERY GOOD money. The CD's were a veddy poor choice.

[Raven]

5. Nothing "crappy" about that gift. It must be a slow news day.

[firedupdem]

6. FFS! What garbage and who gives a shit? n/t

[glowing]

7. We are in a depression, wouldn't it look bad if we were giving away lots of

expensive presents to dignataries who can probably buy or get the things that they want anyway.

[woolldog]

11. It doesn't have to be expensive,

but it doesn't look like much thought was put into it. It's kind of tacky, no? Brown isn't a particularly big movie buff either.

[glowing]

12. Maybe he doesn't like Brown? I don't.

[CreekDog]

16. Foxnews is my favorite newsource

you too?

:sarcasm:

[woolldog]

30. woof!

*snarl*

[vaberella]

109. Who gives a flying fuck...Brown should have bought the "gift"...

He could help us along with our economy. Seriously.

[Island Blue]

9. We're kind of broke right now.

Maybe he was trying to save the American tax payers some money.

[NoSheep]

118. Hm. Makes sense to me.

[hedgehog]

10. Pfft! Gordon Brown gave him some dust collecting trinkets and

Obama gave him some neat movies!

[Cha]

15. Exactly..it's all in the way you

look at it..especially when you don't let the corporatemedia do your thinking for you.

I'd love to know the titles..being such a movie buff myself.

Obama will take care of this shit, too.

[Beacool]

86. That they can't use in England (DVD players are not compatible).

Also, Brown can't see out of one eye.

:eyes:

[ddeclue]

97. Not entirely true.. they have "regions" but that can be changed

and I'm sure they got an appropriate version for the UK.

[Beacool]

112. I hope that at least they did that much.

I've bought DVDs overseas and not been able to view them because like a dope I forgot about the region difference.

:D

[depakid]

13. In terms of protocol it was in fact a snub- or amateur hour

or both.

My guess is that even the apologists on this thread understand that.

[Frank Booth]

44. Or else, maybe some people aren't so stuffy to realize that a set of DVDs

will provide much more enjoyment than a crappy pen-holder, no matter what the pen holder's made of? :shrug:

[depakid]

50. I guess you have to understand the British to get it

which is what the staff is going to learn how to do with other foreign leaders and dignitaries- think outside of the American box.

[CreekDog]

14. Thanks for reviving this issue now that the other threads were starting to disappear

:eyes:

[woolldog]

31. Never saw those threads, sorry.

I guess I don't spend as much time on here as you.

[Caretha]

79. with 4817 posts since Feb 2008

you don't spend much time on here? You might remember what Mark Twain said, "It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt."

[woolldog]

106. No, not really.

When I am here though, I'm prolific....

[azmouse]

17. *facepalm*

[cooolandrew]

18. ...

...

[cooolandrew]

19. I'm thinking it might be the ethical thing, that Barack did campaign on really. So hopefulllly>

Brown didn't take it the wrong way from all I heard sounded like Brown followed the election close so he might have an idea.

[FrenchieCat]

20. This is petty.....as is Fox News.

Brown is a movie Buff, and so our President got him some movies.
Sounds like a fitting gift in the middle of a Depression, if someone asked me.

Brown probably went home and actually used his gift instead of putting it somewhere to start
gathering dust. Everytime he watches an American Classic, he will think of Barack Obama and the
good ol' USA.

It was a thoughtful gift, and only those with bad manners would cry about it after the fact....
and those folks would be petty for it.

[woolldog]

29. Brown is a movie buff?

How do you know? Where did you get that info???

[FrenchieCat]

38. The gift will convert him!

:rofl:

[woolldog]

40. LOL

You know who is supposedly a big American movie buff is Kim Jong-il.

[depakid]

36. You'd probably find the Guardian's take more to your liking

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2009/mar/06/obama-dvd-brown

One of the comments was interesting- let's hope the gift buyers thought of this at least:

"Well, there's 25 'shelf classics' for Brown. And if he's locked to Region 2, it's more of an imposition than a gift!"

[woolldog]

39. that's interesting. thanks for posting that.

I didn't even think of what the British reaction to the gift was. Seems they are horrified by it too.

[depakid]

41. It's eminently foreseeable that parts of the British press would make a stink

over a box of DVD's.

I think that's what you can read between the lines in the Guardian article too-

Chalk it up to a rookie mistake in diplomacy.

(not altogether different than Hillary's mistranslation).

[BlueMTexpat]

48. I should have noted your comment before posting mine below!

LOL :hi:

[uberllama42]

114. Another one of the replies:

"(I)sn't it a bit more insulting to present someone with a seven volume biography of the man ultimately responsible for the state-sponsored physical torture of their grandfather?"

I don't think this is strictly accurate. Obama's grandfather was imprisoned and tortured by the colonial government of Kenya from 1949 to 1951, before the start of the Mau Mau Rebellion that led to Kenyan independence. Churchill didn't become prime minister again until 1951, but I think there was general continuity between his policies in Kenya and those of the man who served from 1945 to 1951, Clement Attlee. Still, Churchill was leader of the opposition rather than PM during Hussein Onyango Obama's imprisonment. He wasn't "ultimately responsible" for that, whatever else might be on his conscience.

[Beacool]

90. No, he is not.

Mr Brown is not thought to be a film buff, and his reaction to the box set is unknown. But it didn't really compare to the thoughtful presents he had brought along with him.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1159627/To-special-friend-Gordon-25-DVDs-Obama-gives-Brown-set-classic-movies-Lets-hope-likes-Wizard-Oz.html

[gmoney]

21. Should have given him Citibank... or Alabama.

White elephant re-gifting...

[polichick]

22. LOL

[Jennicut]

25. Yeah, lets waste lots of taxpayer money getting Gordon Brown of all people a fancy gift.

I personally think they need to do away with the gifts thing right now.

[beac]

129. Amen. All the gifting and fancy dinners are a WASTE of taxpayer money and utterly silly.

Presumably, Brown was here on important international business and we've heard more about the inadequateness of his "goodie bag" than what issues were discussed.

It's 2009 and the world is collapsing around us. I, for one, and glad my President focused on THAT instead of continuing the charade that the meeting of two heads of state is a frilly tea party whose success will be judged by flakiness of the crumpets.

[alcibiades_mystery]

26. It's a psychological experiment

Meant to determine which DUers are the pettiest, stupidest assholes.

It seems to have worked.

[RoyGBiv]

27. Perhaps he has other things to worry about?

And just perhaps the "issue" of Gordon Brown's feelings is not an issue at all since, as the article itself states, his reaction is not known ... like, perhaps, no one really gives a damn except those trying to turn anything they can into a controversy?

Of all the silly-assed shit I have seen on the Internet about Obama, this ranks right up there.

[woolldog]

32. And Gordon Brown doesn't?

They both have staffs to take care of stuff like that. Obama's staff was asleep at the wheel, obviously and Brown's wasn't.

[RoyGBiv]

33. Exactly ... Gordon Brown does ...

And as you'll note from the article you posted itself, he hasn't made any comment on it.

This is silly, stupid, trumped-up bullshit from people looking for a controversy where none exists.

These presents are nothing but symbolic nonsense.

[treestar]

35. I have no problem with that

It's American. Hollywood is the origin of movies and it is one thing we actually export and are leaders in.

If they are classic movies, then it's like Brown giving Obama a raincoat or the Irish giving him a wool sweater or the Swiss giving him chocolate.

[BeatleBoot]

42. It's the thought that counts

I repeat it every year when I get underwear and socks for Christmas.

[Captain Hilts]

45. Damn, I was going to suggest the naval style flight jacket personalized.

like this, but it's not real fur.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/aug/02/anewlook

[Ikonoklast]

46. It's well known that Gordon Brown is a notorious re-gifter.

Brown gave Putin everything he got for Christmas.

The rest he took back and got store credit.

[BlueMTexpat]

47. Well, let's hope that the DVDs were at least encoded to play

in Region 2. :evilgrin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD_region_code

[woolldog]

49. Something tells me team Obama didn't think of that.

:rofl:

[Sultana]

55. Oh shit

[ProSense]

51. How is this an issue?

The prime minister's reaction to the DVD set is not known.

There isn't even a full story here, just a bunch of people throwing around silly opinions.

Is everyone so desperate for something to criticize?

[Kdillard]

72. Yes they are desperate to criticize but that is not surprising.

There is no story except to the people with obvious agendas.

[CTyankee]

52. I'll bet they were all American movies. American film is our own unique art form.

A tasteful set of great American films is, after all, a gift of our art. A gift of art is a wonderful, thoughtful gift.

We're too damn hung up on how much "stuff" costs.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

53. it's a story contrived by RW elements both sides of the Atlantic

It's the RW pro-Tory press in the UK that's pushing this "scandal". I think it's aimed at stirring up bad blood between Brown and Obama to the benefit of the domestic Conservative Party.

[LeftishBrit]

122. Exactly!

[truebrit71]

54. In the general scheme of things this isn't that big of a deal....BUT....

...from a protocol standpoint it is a fucking disaster...

PM Brown brings thoughtful, well-researched and generous gifts showing thanks and gratitude for a long friendship with a kindred spirit...President Obama on the other hand runs out at the last minute to Best Buy and buys a box set of DVD's...

Very, very poorly done...

[Sultana]

56. Yea, it's looks very bad

Yikes :yoiks:

[Cha]

57. Obama's a little fucking busy

right now and who says it was last minute?

If Obama has truly insulted Brown with the gifts then I'm sure he'll make it right..in the meantime all this is so much shit stirrers stirring the pot at a rabid rate.

[truebrit71]

59. ..and the PM isn't?

...like I said..in the grand scheme of things it isn't that big a deal...but when seen in the context of international diplomacy it is a monumental cock-up...

[LeftishBrit]

123. Yes, I think he's too busy to make a big fuss about something like that

I'm not a big Brown fan, but I don't think he's the type to get all preoccupied with "Wah! Everyone else got a nicer present than me!" like a spoilt 6-year-old. It's the RW press that is making a big thing of this.

[ProSense]

60. "...from a protocol standpoint it is a fucking disaster..."

What utter BS.

Do you know that Brown isn't thrilled with the gift?

Maybe Russia will start a war over the wrong word on the red button.

Good grief!

[depakid]

70. Less disaster than simply crass and isipid

A bit like the Chief of Staff comes off- come to think of it....

[ProSense]

71. How do you know? Where is any official report that this is the case?

Unlike the following, there is no video, no reaction from Brown, nothing, just silly BS hyperventilating:

Button gaffe embarrasses Clinton

Mr Lavrov was not taken with the state department's Russian language skills

Russian media have been poking fun at the US secretary of state over a translation error on a gift she presented to her Russian counterpart.

Hillary Clinton gave Sergei Lavrov a mock "reset" button, symbolising US hopes to mend frayed ties with Moscow.

But he said the word the Americans chose, "peregruzka", meant "overloaded" or "overcharged", rather than "reset".

Daily newspaper Kommersant declared on its front page: "Sergei Lavrov and Hillary Clinton push the wrong button."

Relations between Washington and Moscow have cooled in recent years over Russia's role in the war in Georgia, US support for the entry of Georgia and Ukraine to Nato, and the planned US missile shield based in central Europe.

'Was it right?'

Efforts to heal the rift got off to an awkward start on Friday as the two sides met in Geneva, when Mrs Clinton presented Foreign Minister Lavrov with a green box tied in green ribbon.

more

Even this incident is silly. This is not like the comment about democracy.

[depakid]

73. Get out of your American skin for a minute- and think about what reactions might be

This whole game of playing Limbaugh seems to be making people coarse.

A lot of the British press makes its living by "hyperventilating" -and people in Britian aren't having the best of runs at the moment. What sort of reaction to things like this would you expect?

Come on now.

[ProSense]

74. "American skin"? Oh, please, don't take the silliness to another level to prove a BS point.

The American press make a living hyperventilating about BS too.

[depakid]

75. You're a bright person- I think you can see what I mean

[ProSense]

76. Yes, all spin, all the time.

You're bright too.

[depakid]

81. Travel

have a go and see things from other perspectives.

Spin works in many ways- in many venues.

[ProSense]

82. "Spin works in many ways- in many venues." At least you aknowledge your purpose.

How the hell do you know where I've been?

[depakid]

83. Just saying

[truebrit71]

117. I call BS on your BS...and btw why isn't anyone asking how the fuck the Sec of State..

..gives her Russian counterpart a button with the wrong word on it...didn't anyone travelling with her know how to speak fucking Russian?

Good grief is right...

[SemiCharmedQuark]

66. Brown doesn't even keep many gifts he gets. He didn't keep Bush's gift to him. He donated it to

charity.

[MissDeeds]

103. I agree

The person or persons in charge of protocol should have to answer for this. It is an embarrassment.

[Fire1]

58. Clothes, I think they can keep. Other such mementos/gifts

from dignitaries, stay at the WH following the President's term in office. So, what's the difference as long as he gives a token gift.

[crimsonblue]

61. Obama is the cool kid in school..

that means he gets to give out the crappy gifts. Accept it.

[Sultana]

64. i lol'd

:D

[woolldog]

111. That was funny.

[Butch350]

63. Benny Hills funniest shows...

[Skidmore]

65. Well, he could have given him a teeshirt that said

"I sucked up to Obama and all I got was this crappy T-shirt"

[Politicalboi]

67. Obama should have given him this

[Captain Hilts]

68. The Guardian is now saying the gifts sucked.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/08/gordon-brown-andrew-rawnsley

There was some embarrassment around the edges. Before they settled on an appropriate gift for the president, there had been endless thoughtful debate in Number 10. The pen-holder was carved from the timbers of HMS Gannet, built 130 years ago. Wood from its sister vessel, HMS Resolute, was used to make the desk in the Oval Office. In return for that historically resonant and tastefully symbolic token, the Americans presented the prime minister with what smelt like a panic buy, a DVD collection of 25 American movies. Amazon will sell you a box set of 100 Hollywood classics for $17.99. It is not so much the cheap price tag that is wounding to British pride; it is the lack of thought for their visitor displayed by the White House. A film collection which includes Raging Bull and Gone with the Wind might be loosely metaphorical of Gordon Brown's political career and what the financial crisis has done to it. But films are not his thing. When he has the time to get in front of a television, the prime minister prefers to watch sport.

[opihimoimoi]

121. Most were Revolutionary War Movies...The Patriot, The Battle of Trenton

How Washington crossed the Delaware and konked the Hussiens on the heads,

etc....

Jus laughing

[kiva]

69. Suspect someone screwed up.

I doubt this will happen again, because it looks like this administration is willing to learn from its mistakes.

[bottomtheweaver]

78. How about a cigarette lighter made from Paul Revere's lantern?

You see the problem. PMs are just hard to shop for. :shrug:

[Liberal_in_LA]

80. Because the USA is broke?

[Mass]

84. As if we should even care. I hope the Browns are smarter than that, otherwise

England is in deep shit.

The world is falling apart and fox and the Guardian (not to speak about NPR and other media) are focused on non stories like that, the octomom, or interviewing the Secretary of State on a little boy in Brazil (for which I feel very sorry, and I would hope that the State Department has somebody caring about, but is it worth a question in an interview?).

I hope my bank will be still existing tomorrow, that the FDIC will not fail, that people (including my dh, can find a job soon, that we can live in a relative world peace, and many other things, but what the Obamas offered the Browns is not at all what keeps me from sleeping at night.

But I am not surprised our great media cares. Everything rather than informing people.

[Uzybone]

107. Well said

while the US is circling the drains some are worrying about some damn DVD's. I thought we had stopped being this stupid.

[Beetwasher]

85. Fox News??? Good Grief You're An Idiot

I know this will be deleted, but I just had to get that in there.

Could there ever be a bigger non-issue?

Clown.

[kiranon]

87. Because he's shopping garage sales to save on money for gifts? Works for me.

[Beacool]

88. The Brown gifts were thoughtful and classy.

The Obama gifts were run of the mill and not unique. A DVD collection for a man who can't see out of one eye and is not a movie buff? Aside from the fact that our DVDs are not compatible with British DVD players. Two plastic Marine One helicopters from the WH gift shop for the Brown boys?

Bad form and tacky, who the hell was in charge of picking these gifts?????

:(

[MrsBrady]

89. sounds to me like they forgot and then

tried to get something at the last minute.

[Beacool]

91. Exactly, and the British press was not amused.

To my special friend Gordon, 25 DVDs: Obama gives Brown a set of classic movies. Let's hope he likes the Wizard of Oz

As he headed back home from Washington, Gordon Brown must have rummaged through his party bag with disappointment.
Because all he got was a set of DVDs. Barack Obama, the leader of the world's richest country, gave the Prime Minister a box set of 25 classic American films - a gift about as exciting as a pair of socks. Mr Brown is not thought to be a film buff, and his reaction to the box set is unknown. But it didn't really compare to the thoughtful presents he had brought along with him.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1159627/To-special-friend-Gordon-25-DVDs-Obama-gives-Brown-set-classic-movies-Lets-hope-likes-Wizard-Oz.html


Barack Obama 'too tired' to give proper welcome to Gordon Brown

......But they concede that the mood music of the event was at times strained. Mr Brown handed over carefully selected gifts, including a pen holder made from the wood of a warship that helped stamp out the slave trade - a sister ship of the vessel from which timbers were taken to build Mr Obama's Oval Office desk. Mr Obama's gift in return, a collection of Hollywood film DVDs that could have been bought from any high street store, looked like the kind of thing the White House might hand out to the visiting head of a minor African state.

Mr Obama rang Mr Brown as he flew home, in what many suspected was an attempt to make amends.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4953523/Barack-Obama-too-tired-to-give-proper-welcome-to-Gordon-Brown.html


First Lady Michelle Obama shows even she has a gift for the gaffe

......In return Mrs Obama gave the Brown children, Fraser and John, two toy models of Marine One, the Presidential helicopter. Fair enough on the helicopter part, always a popular choice with small boys; but Marine One? It’s not as though anyone needs reminding that Barack Obama is President or that he has his own helicopter. Short of giving the boys Action Man models of her own husband smiting the evil forces of neoconservatism, Mrs Obama’s gesture could not have been more solipsistic or more inherently dismissive of Mrs Brown.

Not only did she demonstrate that she spent approximately three seconds contemplating the needs of the Brown boys (having an aide pop to the White House gift shop for a piece of merchandising does not imply a great deal of thought), she appeared to show a most uncharacteristic lapse of judgment.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5848073.ece

[pot luck]

92. Okay, criticism of the DVDs I understand, but

what's with the bashing of the toy helicopters? How do they know she bought them from the WH gift shop? Are they privy to information that we aren't, or are they just making up shit to complain about? I think the British press are just looking for reasons to be offended. I recently saw an article comparing Michelle to Lady Macbeth and accusing her of being behind the snub because she's mad about slavery and blames the British.

[MrsBrady]

95. they don't have racists in england, you know

:sarcasm:

[Beacool]

100. I saw it too.

But deemed it too offensive to even post it.

:(

[ProSense]

93. The RW British Press was not amused.

Who gives a shit?

[MrsBrady]

94. I think it will be fine in the long run

but it is sort of not like them to goof...

they will learn.
reminds me when Fergy was a new princess, and nobody bothered to tell her to put weights in her dresses so they wouldn't blow up in the wind.
You'd think they'd have help for that.

They will do better next time.

I can't see them trying to snub them on purpose. I don't think that is there style.

[Beacool]

101. I think that the staffers in charge of coming up with the gifts screwed up.

When giving gifts to foreign dignitaries it is customary to find something that links both nations. The obvious intent is to find common ground, not to offend. Someone screwed the pooch on this one. It would be nice if the Obamas would take a cool gift to the Brown boys when they go to Britain. It would be very easy to find out what they like.

;)

[asphalt.jungle]

113. ooohhh the Torygraph, Daily Heil and Murdoch's Times are upset

and I'm mad. That blog post from the guy who wrote the Obamaland book or some nonsense would have been the perfect ending for that illustrious group of articles.

[uberllama42]

119. I love the Anglocentrism in the Telegraph article:

Mr Obama's gift in return, a collection of Hollywood film DVDs that could have been bought from any high street store, looked like the kind of thing the White House might hand out to the visiting head of a minor African state.

It's always important to remind your readers how much more important they are than those worthless Africans. Unless they think they don't have access to Hollywood movies in Africa, so an African leader would really benefit from the DVD set, the paper is openly stating that Britain is more important than any African country.

[Beacool]

134. Well yeah, they are The British Empire after all..............

Vastly diminished, but empire nonetheless.

:shrug:

[ddeclue]

96. Entire James Bond 007 Movie Collection on DVD?

:shrug:

Austin Powers Director's Cut?

Four Weddings and a Funeral?

Notting Hill?

Sliding Doors?

Monty Python?

:rofl:

[greguganus]

108. Chuck Norris collection? n/t

[AndrewP]

98. Hopefully, Obama resigns by the end of the weekend.

:sarcasm:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

99. I'd take 25 classic DVDs over a bomber jacket any day.

[Captain Hilts]

124. The flight jacket is VERY nice, especially for someone who lives in a dank climate.

I've got my dad's like that. They're great.

[hileeopnyn8d]

125. LOL!

That jacket was every bit as ill-received as you are claiming the DVD set to be.

From The TimesAugust 2, 2007

Presidential gift offers Brown the chance to become a flash Gordon
Sam Coates, Political Correspondent
It would certainly cut a dash in Kirkcaldy.

Gordon Brown, whose tentative forays out of a suit have so far been limited to knitwear and chinos, now has a daring addition to his wardrobe.

In what some may see as a subtle form of revenge, President Bush presented Mr Brown with a fur-trimmed bomber jacket during his visit to Camp David at the weekend.

The item is garish, camp and seems deliberately unlikely to appeal to the new Prime Minister’s more austere aesthetic.

Its shiny waterproof finish is emblazoned with the Presidential logo and “Camp David” tag on one side and a name badge stitched crudely on the other. Jarringly, this gives his formal Privy Council title, “The Rt Hon Gordon Brown”.

The jacket was presented to the Prime Minister in a garish gold gift box, which itself was covered in the presidential seal.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article2182769.ece

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2007/aug/02/uk.usa

He loved it so much, he got rid of it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/2445982/Gordon-Brown-rejects-gift-of-leather-jacket-from-George-W-Bush.html

[Captain Hilts]

127. That's not the point. It was unique and personalized. nt

[hileeopnyn8d]

130. But it got the exact same reaction

in the British press as Obama's gift to him. AND Brown refused to do the photo-op posing in the jacket with Bush.

Unique and personalized doesn't make something a better or more thoughtful gift, it just makes it unsuitable for anyone but persons with that name. I also don't think it was very unique, he gave the same thing to Blair.

[lame54]

102. You act like it was the Pauly Shore collection

[uberllama42]

104. Obama fucked up, but he has no time to be embarrassed over stupid shit liket this.

He's dealing with half a dozen national crises right now. If he was only head of state and not head of government, it would matter. If his job was about proper protocol in entertaining foreign leaders, he would have fucked up an important part of his job. But he's supposed to govern. This is trivial in comparison to what Obama should be worrying about.

For what it's worth, I don't see why a DVD collection is any more crass and impersonal than a leather jacket. Why does the first Obama/Brown meeting call for more generous/thoughtful/historical gifts than the first Bush/Brown meeting?

[vaberella]

110. If he's dealing with all the drama (which you're right about) as you suggest..

then he didn't "fuck" up.

[JI7]

105. maybe those special better gifts are for when Obama visits Brown overseas

[Pacifist Patriot]

138. You have an interesting point.

Not sure how it works in terms of international diplomatic protocol, but I know host(ess) gifts are usually nicer than party favors. :)

[high density]

115. And we should care about this because .. ???

Hope they were region 2 PAL format!

[opihimoimoi]

120. I don't think he hass too much experience in gift giving....Omiyagis in Japanese

on this level that is.....

[leftofthedial]

126. in hard economic times, re-gifting is sometimes the only way to gift.

the boxed set was lying around unopened, so why not?

[Hanse]

128. Why did Brown give Obama such shitty gifts?

A hunk of wood, and a seven volume biography on the guy who tortured Barack Obama's grandfather?

Was he trying to offend the president?

[LanternWaste]

131. "The prime minister's reaction to the DVD set is not known..."

"The prime minister's reaction to the DVD set is not known..."

Seems to me that without knowing the PM's specific reaction, everything we say is merely conjecture and speculation without any fundamental basis other than what we ourselves would accept as a "good" gift.

Maybe someone could post the own PM's reaction....? As it seems both salient and necessary prior to passing judgments.

[PufPuf23]

132. Did Brown appear on USA TV during the visit?

I missed this. I usually depend on DU for my political TV watching.

Is there a YouTube of President Obama and Brown?

I do think the Brown gifts historic and thoughtful and the Obama gifts unfortunate sadly and I essentially never weigh in on such matters.

Symbolic hitorical knicknacs rule over utility (I like the movies just inappropriate. The UK are our closest allies in every way.

[CakeGrrl]

133. What the fuck am I missing? Have US/Britain relations just gone down the toilet over this?

Or are people expressing some bizarre latent embarrassment of / anger at Obama whenever the opportunity presents itself?

:wtf:

If this is any worse than Hillary's nuke-button, please advise.

I suspect the Obamas will still be well-received during their Europe visit.

Wake me up when the Queen backs out of her meeting with him.

[Pacifist Patriot]

137. This is probably a very good sign that a protocol gaff is getting such play.

Considering protocol gaffs are fairly routine. I'm going to interpret this to mean it's a slow news day in the truly meaningful items of substance category. Must be doing the really important stuff right then.

[Pacifist Patriot]

135. Let me see if I can dredge up some outrage....working on it...working on it...

nope, just isn't happening. Frankly in this world economy I'd be inclined to tell other foreign leaders, "let's not buy anything for one another this year instead I'll make a donation in your name to the charity if your choice." ;-)