Snub the Brits – Embarrassing “Change” We Can Count on in Obama’s White House
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on March 6, 2009
By Vicki McClure Davidson * Frugal Café Blog Zone
I’m more frugal and less “pomp and circumstance” than most, but even I know that if I were entertaining a foreign dignitary, someone with rank or esteem from another country (especially one that has been our nation’s ally through thick and thin for decades), he or she should be showered with gracious hospitality, which costs next to nothing in terms of money. Hospitality is an attitude, a friendly outlook on life, an ability to stop being self-absorbed and cater willingly and happily to another, a warm celebration of people. Showing hospitality is, in most cases, basic good manners and demonstrating that you care.
Canceling a meeting with a visiting foreign dignitary because of some snow is akin to a self-absorbed cheerleader canceling a date with an eager young man because she needs “to wash her hair.” No hospitality there, Obama.
A carefully thought-out gift or two to give the foreign visitor(s) would also be appropriate. It wouldn’t have to cost a fortune (we’re all on a budget these days, right?), but should reflect respect and the cherished relationship between the two nations and show that I did more than pop on down at the last minute to the White House gift shop.
Sigh.
Not so with our POTUS and First Lady this past week with the United Kingdom’s visiting PM Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah. I’m ashamed to say, Americans are beginning to look much like the thoughtless, selfish oafs much of the world accuses us of being. The criticisms and embarrassments are all over the blogosphere.
Michelle Malkin’s post, Chicago Tough Guy snubs British PM over snow, cites Pres. Obama canceled a meeting with the Prime Minister because of snow. But he did meet with the Boy Scouts. Ouch.
Another well-written perspective on Obama’s embarrassing ’snow faus pax’ at JammieWearingFool blogspot: What Happened to That ‘Flinty Chicago Toughness’? Obama Cancels Meeting With British PM Because of Snow.
Gateway Pundit’s story, Obama Stiffs Brit with 25 Set Classic Movie Package White House Gift, makes me cringe with chagrin. Was there a sale at Ross Discount Department Store? Or Target? And, the story’s pointing out that PM Brown really doesn’t watch movies adds more stupid insult to injury.
Hot Air’s story, Obama the Cheapskate: 25 DVDs for Gordon Brown? not only criticizes Obama’s frat-boy gift choice, but details what the Prime Minister brought for The One (originally published in the UK), which makes Obama’s faux pas all the worst:
Mr Brown’s gifts included an ornamental desk pen holder made from the oak timbers of Victorian anti-slaver HMS Gannet, once named HMS President.
Mr. Obama was so delighted he has already put it in pride of place in the Oval Office on the Resolute desk which was carved from timbers of Gannet’s sister ship, HMS Resolute.
Another treasure given to the U.S. President was the framed commission for HMS Resolute, a vessel that came to symbolise Anglo-US peace when it was saved from ice packs by Americans and given to Queen Victoria.
Finally, Mr. Brown gave a first edition set of the seven-volume classic biography of Churchill by Sir Martin Gilbert.
Classy of the Prime Minister. Not so Obama.
We’re understandably curious which movies comprised the 25-DVD gift set. The Manchurian Candidate? Citizen Kane? The Man Who Would Be King? Coyote Ugly? Radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh’s critical take on the gift from Obama: “The Gordon Brown insult…. That still blows my mind: Obama giving the prime minister of the UK something you would give your mother-in-law for Christmas at the last minute after you had run out of ideas.”
And that’s not all. Prime Minister Brown and his wife brought fabulous gifts for both the Obama daughters, as detailed in Fire Andrea Mitchell!’s post, Michelle Obama embarrasses America in front of the Brits! Here’s a portion that was extracted from Times Online UK:
Like all good guests, Sarah Brown arrived bearing gifts for the children, Malia and Sasha. And they were really nice presents. A bit of thought had clearly gone into choosing them: Top Shop dresses (with matching necklaces) and a selection of books by British authors. Lovely.
Mrs. Brown may have two boys but she certainly knows the way to a little girl’s heart. These were gifts chosen in the true spirit of present-giving: to please the recipient, not the giver.
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.
For the full story, including an unflattering photo of the prime minister’s wife Sarah, which inexplicably was the only photo released by the White House of Michelle and Sarah’s meeting to the media:
UK Times Online: First Lady Michelle Obama shows even she has a gift for the gaffe
Published March 5, 2009
We must ask: did the First Lady remember to remove the WH gift store tags before handing over the toy helicopters? Did they make sure the DVDs were formatted for Region 2 for the UK, and not Region 1 for the United States? And, don’t even get me started on Obama returning the loaned gift of a bust of Sir Winston Churchill. We all know why he doesn’t want to look at Churchill every day in the Oval Office: Churchill despised socialism and spoke out often against its demoralization of citizens and destruction of nations’ economies. Can’t have that annoying reminder in plain sight these days, eh, Obama?
Guess the White House was too busy laying out a taxpayer-money-wasting game plan (or, a sinister scheme, much like Boris and Natasha plotted weekly against Rocky and Bullwinkle) to target conservative radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh because he wants the president’s socialist policies to fail (as do millions of conservatives), so couldn’t delegate the responsibility to any of the many WH staffers to actually devote some brain matter to choosing appropriate, heartfelt (and yes, even frugal-minded) gifts for the Prime Minister’s family. Embarrassing “change” we can count on daily, it seems.
D’oh.
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Have you been wondering about Rush Limbaugh’s background, his philosophies, his conservatism, his love of America, and why there is all this outrage from White House officials in Washington, DC? Here’s a link to our Frugal Café article/bio on Rush Limbaugh, with highlights about his life and hugely popular talk radio show: Free: Listening Online to Radio’s "Numero Uno" Talk Radio Host, Rush Limbaugh
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I heard the format was wrong for British DVD players anyway. I don’t know if that is correct.
If the DVDs were bought at the White House gift shop or a local retailer, they likely were the wrong format. You’d have to special-order them for Region 2 formatting, which, given the track record of this administration, likely didn’t happen.
BTW – love your conservative blog, Intellectual Redneck! Keep on truckin’, good sir!
I wonder if these presents were personal presents, or as is likely, gifts to the UK. In most cases, the PM cannot keep these gifts, but has to hand them over to the state. They will then be tagged as “Gift from the President from the people of the USA to the UK”.
I hope they do not end up in display, as that would be very damaging for the future.
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