Britons heap scorn on Blair's new badge

[Tinoire]

British Prime Minister Tony Blair is set to follow in the footsteps of arguably the greatest British leader - Sir Winston Churchill - the only British politician to receive America's highest accolade: the Congressional Gold Medal.

Blair's even gone one-up on the cigar-puffing bulldog, credited for saving Britons from forcibly speaking German. Blair has been accorded the double honour of addressing a joint session of Congress this week.

Blair's master of spin, Alistair Campbell, when asked by Blair how he should begin a speech to the nation, once joked: "How about 'My fellow Americans…'" Sounds like good advice when the British PM looks as though he has been putting America's interests before those of his own citizens and is viewed by many in the U.S. as a hero.

A recent New York Times headline read: "In Blair we trust". In Britain, headlines are far more likely to be along the lines of "Blair must go". There is increasing pressure in Whitehall for Blair to turn down Bush's medal while a Labour Member of Parliament was quoted by a Scottish newspaper as saying acceptance of the honour would be like "taking an award from Satan".

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http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/Opinion.asp?ArticleID=92647

[tlb]

1. I had understood Blair had declined the medal.

Was the prior report inaccurate or did he change his mind?

[Tinoire]

3. Honestly don't know. Been too immersed in other stories. I mostly posted

Honestly I don't know. Been too immersed in other stories. I mostly posted this LBN story because of this line

Blair's master of spin, Alistair Campbell, when asked by Blair how he should begin a speech to the nation, once joked: "How about 'My fellow Americans…'" Sounds like good advice when the British PM looks as though he has been putting America's interests before those of his own citizens and is viewed by many in the U.S. as a hero.

[DagmarK]

4. Nooooooo, he declined accepting it in a public ceremony.......

Bush will give it to him privately.

It was the media attention that wasn't expected to be positive that he is avoiding. Oh, I am sure he is thrilled to be getting that blood soaked honor.

[Dead_Parrot]

7. If he comes back with a medal

For this shambles I am personally going down to London and make the f***er eat it...

[dudeness]

10. way to go parrot..

fries and a coke with that medal sir?

[PurityOfEssence]

2. How about "Best in Show"?

Woof woof, Fifi!!

[DagmarK]

5. JohnnyCanuck had a good one!

Best in Breed!

[kskiska]

6. Best in the Lapdog Division

n/t

[GregW]

8. You mean "Best in the Lapdance" division

Shrub* sure has liked getting his pole waxed by poodle recently.

[Palacsinta]

9. Sieg Heel!

nt

[MetaTrope]

11. Who hands out "Congressional" medals anyway?

Why call it "Congressional" if it goes to "Presidential" sycophants?