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

[Fireweed247]

Sources close to the White House say Mr Obama and his staff have been "overwhelmed" by the economic meltdown and have voiced concerns that the new president is not getting enough rest.

British officials, meanwhile, admit that the White House and US State Department staff were utterly bemused by complaints that the Prime Minister should have been granted full-blown press conference and a formal dinner, as has been customary. They concede that Obama aides seemed unfamiliar with the expectations that surround a major visit by a British prime minister.

But Washington figures with access to Mr Obama's inner circle explained the slight by saying that those high up in the administration have had little time to deal with international matters, let alone the diplomatic niceties of the special relationship.

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

I don't know what it is but I LOVE this story. It just makes Obama seem real, and I like the fact that he is focused on important issues. The Brits were so used to Bush and his Blair poodle doing their stupid BS all the time, they can't believe Obama has more important things to do. Entertaining is all Bush did, it was his only duty. Now Obama has no time to entertain because he is busy fixing the mess Bush made. I wonder if Obama even invited him, or did Gordon Brown just expect this photo Op with the new president?

[BlooInBloo]

1. Um, for somebody who's busy fixing a country, he got EXACTLY the proper welcome...

Stop fucking whining. He's fucking busy at the moment.

[MADem]

8. It's not Gordon Brown who's whining, though. He's not the enemy. nt

[Captain Hilts]

18. Weird how Brown is taking the heat for this, isn't it? nt

[MADem]

22. I don't get it either. Brown's a good guy. It's not his fault that WH Protocol fucked up.

It's that whole "team sport" bullshit at play, I'm afraid. Anyone who says anything less than fulsome must be crushed!!!

WH Protocol fell down on the job a bit. No biggie. Friends will understand. Obama will have to do better when he heads over there way later in the year. He might want to call Big Dawg and get a few pointers, or at least Big Dawg's Protocol officer!

[Ilsa]

32. ITA with you MADem. Rahm needs

to find out where the slip-up came from and get some help from previous employees or someone from the State Dept. on matters of protocol. A box of American dvds doesn't cut it, IMO.

[LeftishBrit]

31. Which is exactly what the Tory press want!

[depakid]

21. Might also be wise to consider that AIG's major troubles

were equally hatched in London.

[graywarrior]

2. I like this story too

so thanks for posting it

[malaise]

9. State dinners in the middle of a financial crisis

send a bad signal. Fuck Brown.

[bigtree]

3. It's a bit sticky

. . . given the upcoming trip to London and the audience announced with the Queen . . . but we'll muddle though.

[Idealism]

4. Another great headline with zero credible substance from the ToryGraph. n/t

[Whoa_Nelly]

5. Also, why spend so much taxpayer money?

The lavish dinners, etc.

Am sure Brown was given the usual security detail, and all the other amenities of a visiting dignitary.

It's time for our government to stop spending on the show-stopper stuff. Other nations should follow suit.

[Lex]

6. Pres. Obama to Gordon Brown: "Dood, I'm way busy right now. Srsly.

Can't we do this later?"

[polichick]

11. LOL

[MADem]

7. Naaah, it's not a good story.

Brown is on the "liberal" team. It was a misstep on the part of WH staff. They need a heavier hitter in Protocol, someone who won't say "Unnnnnh....OK" when a proposed course of action is clearly "off." Someone who liaises with their "across the pond" counterparts so there are no surprises.


It's not the end of the world. We can make it up easily, but it was a small bobble.

[napi21]

10. Oh for god sake. It's not like they made him go to McDonalds!

I'm sur he was treated well. The diff. between Shrub & Obama is that Obama knows he not a King!

[dkf]

12. That is kind of weird.

Of all the things the ex-Clintonites would be helpful for, I'd think this would be number one.

[Pirate Smile]

13. I'd like to very diplomatically tell the British press to, in the words of Jon Stewart, F#@k Off.

Enough British whining. I'm sorry they aren't the center of Obama's universe.

This isn't a nice article. It undermines him. They can go to hell and can we just move on from their hurt feelings because they didn't get a "Best Friends Ever!" matching bracelet from Barack.

[LeftishBrit]

30. So would most British people who aren't way to the right of centre.

You have Rush Limbaugh, we have the RW press. As I said in another post, this is mainly an attempt to undermine Brown; they are just using Obama as a prop in this attack on the Labour Government.

'I'm sorry they aren't the center of Obama's universe'

Neither is Obama the centre of the British Tories' universe! They are already fighting the next election here, and are using anything and anyone that they can, including Obama, for the purpose.

[Pirate Smile]

34. I understand it is the RW press which is why I specifically cited them in the my subject line.

I should have made that point clearer in the rest of my slight rant. :)

They are trying to undermine both Brown and Obama.

I'm sure they will find something else to blow up when Obama visits in April. Too bad but they always play this game. It would be nice if DU'ers wouldn't play along.:hi:

[madmom]

14. Is this the equivalent to some one just dropping by at dinner time and then complaining because you

didn't serve a 10 course meal?

[NYC Liberal]

15. They expect it because Bush never did any real work for 8 years

Bush was never overworked :rofl: nor was he ever too tired from work to party :rofl: (The idea of Bush working too much is simply funny.)

[carpe diem]

16. these people have whined more about Mr. Brown supposedly being

snubbed than they did about Bush dragging them into Iraq...i guess as long as the gifts are really nice, what's a little unnecessary war and bloodshed...

These stories are designed to make Obama and his team seem like they are green, inept, wet behind the ears, and ultimately not up to the demands of the job. They want to undermine confidence in his leadership, at home and abroad, bottom line. Gotta get those poll numbers down somehow.

[Captain Hilts]

17. He looks really tired in photographs. I wish he'd postpone the overseas trip until Fall. nt

[Fire1]

19. My sentiments exactly. But with more tact.

[depakid]

20. It's always impressive how many folks can find the Torygraph when it suits them.

Fact is- The Obama administration is young and full of rookies trying to make good. Not old school diplomats as yet.

Much like a country that had the audacity to break away from Britain some 233 years ago, we're going to make mistakes- and learn from them.

Which might be a little something that the British press might consider when pointing fingers.

[Captain Hilts]

23. I read the Torygraph regularly online. The view it presents has value even if it's not mine.

Girl does not live by Guardian alone.

[depakid]

25. be forewarned

There are many.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/

:)

[LeftishBrit]

27. Fact is: Most of the British press is the equivalent of an American RW talkshow.

It's much better to get info about Britain from the BBC.

The British RW press is not specifically anti-American: in fact it treats America a lot better than it treats Europe. This whole latest kerfuffle is IMO much more an attack on Gordon Brown ('he can't get the respect of other nations; let's replace him with the Tories!') than on Obama.

[bushmeister0]

24. The Brits are bemused by a president who isn't related to the royal family.

Remember, W. is a cousin of Prince Charles a few times removed.

Note the family resemblance:



I say stick it in your ear, limy bastards!

"The real views of many in Obama administration were laid bare by a State Department official involved in planning the Brown visit, who reacted with fury when questioned by The Sunday Telegraph about why the event was so low-key.

The official dismissed any notion of the special relationship, saying: 'There's nothing special about Britain. You're just the same as the other 190 countries in the world. You shouldn't expect special treatment."

Now, that's what I call diplomacy!

[LeftishBrit]

26. Huh?

You have a very strange idea about our attitudes. It's never occurred to us that a president should be related to the royal family. Moreover, we all hated Bush and MUCH prefer Obama!

Please don't judge us all by whatever some RW twit says in the Torygraph!

[bushmeister0]

33. Easy, don't get your knickers in a twist.

I'm not speaking of the British people as a whole. I'm only talking about the ruling class.

It just so happens a lot of our presidents have had blue blood running through their veins(many with large ears). I think that has a lot to do with our "special relationship" with the UK.

It's their special relationship. I'm pretty sure the desendents of the tens of millions of Irish immigrants living here today have no particular love for the Brits, over any other country.

[LeftishBrit]

28. Just to note that this is probably more an attempt to diss Brown than Obama

Most of our press is Tory and anti-Brown. The RW press wants to imply that Brown is ineffectual and can't get the respect of foreign leaders, and that he should be replaced by the Tory leader.

[marlakay]

29. That's probably the truth of it, Obama had no time to deal

with him and just let him come to be polite. How do you say please get lost so I can fix this mess?