Comments on: Obama’s Gift Gaffe

By: Justin

Justin — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:37:13 +0000

Might be an even bigger gaffe if the DVDs were NTSC instead of PAL

By: TDC

TDC — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:08:33 +0000

This isn't a matter of politics, it's a matter of etiquette. Perhaps the DVD's would be a thoughtful gift (although how appropriate that he chose Psycho to represent our culture), had he taken the time to make sure that they would play on the PM's player. That, moreso than the DVD's themselves, shows a lack of etiquette. Why purchase a gift for someone that they will never be able to use? Politics aside, thoughtfulness and etiquette dictates that President Obama do something different.

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By: Pete Blakemore

Pete Blakemore — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 09:57:27 +0000

The special relationship doesn't exist, and frankly this is a prime example of it. As a Brit who was not happy with the ties that Blair held so close to Bush while he didn't care I'm sick of people trying to carry this on. Yes, Obama's gift was incredibly tacky, and Brown's was pretty monumental, but this is a perfect example of the non-existent 'special relationship'. Actions speak louder than words, and Obama just said 'here, look at the tat we can mass produce for the rest of the world, you're no different'. I'm sick of Britian being as one commentator put it "the caddy at America's golf club".

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By: Sam

Sam — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 09:11:18 +0000

As an English man I feel I should point out that very few of us bother to take anything the Daily Mail says seriously. I didn't even know that there was an "insult" over gifts until I read it on here, and i read through the news every day. The English public, politicians and press have far more interesting things to get worked up over than a few DVD's.

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By: Eva

Eva — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:46:58 +0000

I don't even really see the gaucheness, myself. (Maybe I'm not well-schooled in presidential gift-giving, since… it's never been in the news before! Ha.) But I'd much rather have an amazing collection of classic films than an "ornamental pen holder". I don't really think any of it matters, but who knows? If it was an insult, maybe it was deliberate. After all, Brown was in the cabinet when Tony Blair served as Bush's chief ally/enabler in the Iraq debacle. (Saddam's 45 minute warning, anyone?) Maybe Obama was saying his respect needs to be earned.

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By: Julie

Julie — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 03:49:24 +0000

Daniel- My thoughts exactly! I agree that the gifts were pretty tacky, but c'mon; the guy's had quite a bit on his mind and on his agenda, and I'm personally glad that gift-shopping wasn't at the top of that list. I was surprised, really, by the vehemence of the criticism of the British journos– is a DVD set really indicative of a country's foreign policy or its respect for its allies? (Admittedly, that pen set sounds pretty neat).

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By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 03:41:59 +0000

I heard the bit on NPR and couldn't believe they wasted the airtime. My first impression of the gift and the quasi-story: "Wow, surprisingly unremarkable. Whoever was in charge of the purchase probably could have done better. Now, let's please move on to more important things – like the financial crisis, growing global instability, etc." Sounded to me like a case of over-reporting – linking an underwhelming perfunctory gift exchange into a failing relationship between the U.S. and one of its allies. Did that journalist not have enough *real* news to report on that day?

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By: Luke Nye

Luke Nye — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 03:29:23 +0000

I think it'd be a great gift, and it would give Brown something to relax with. Tony Blair would have liked it. As for the children's gifts, everyone knows toys are way cooler than clothes or books. But, basically I don't think it matters, and if Brown has a problem with it or thinks it an insult, he needs to re-check his priorities. He's lucky he gets gifts in the bad economy.

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