Honoring our relationship with the U.K.
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| Thu, 03-05-2009 - 5:37pm |
The U.S. has a special relationship with the United Kingdom. Often when leaders of the two countries first meet, they exchange symbols of the ties that hold us together.
When Prime Minister Brown came to visit, he brought thoughtful presents, gifts which were specific to our President and to our two countries relationship.
Unfortunately President Obama seems to have clicked off $100 of stuff from Amazon or Blockbuster to provide in return.
As a U.S. citizen, I apologize for the thoughtlessness of our President. This is a national disgrace to many of us.
These 25 SD DVDs may not even play on U.K. video systems. :(
Obama's blockbuster gift for Brown to reaffirm the 'special relationship': 25 DVDs
He had put clearly great thought into giving the U.S. President lavish gifts to signify Britain's 'special relationship' with the U.S.
During his historic trip to Washington, Gordon Brown gave Barack Obama an ornamental pen holder made from the timbers of the Victorian anti-slave ship HMS Gannet - once called HMS President.
The unique present delighted Mr Obama because oak from the Gannet's sister ship, HMS Resolute, was carved to make a desk that already takes place in the Oval Office in the White House, after being presented by Britain to the US in 1880.
The Prime Minister went to the trouble of hunting down the perfect gift after becoming the first European leader invited to the White House by the new Commander In Chief.
So it would be perfectly understandable if Mr Brown felt a little underwhelmed at the official gift he received in return.
For despite being leader of the world's most bountiful nation, President Obama handed over nothing more thought-provoking than 25 classic American films on DVD.
It was the equivalent of receiving a pair of socks from an unfamiliar aunt at Christmas - and a less-than-glowing affirmation of the UK-US bond.
Despite being a 'special collector's box set', any film buff could have picked up the movies from their local video store for just £250.
It is not clear what the Prime Minister - not believed to a great fan of cinema - thought about receiving the films.
Downing Street yesterday THURS refused even to state which movies were in the box set - perhaps a reflection of their embarrassment that the gift was less generous than the ones taken to Washington by the Prime Minister.
But the Mail understands the gift included Hollywood blockbusters such as Star Wars, The Godfather and Orson Welles' ground-breaking flick Citizen Kane.
Perhaps pertinently given Britain is floundering in an economic slump, the DVD collection was thought to feature the movie of John Steinbeck's Great Depression novel, 'The Grapes Of Wrath'.
It also included the Oscar-winning boxing biopic 'Raging Bull' starring Robert Di Nero and Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller Psycho - maybe a comment on the PM's notorious short fuse?
And he will hope that at a General Election the British public do not shun his imploration for another term in office by thinking at the ballot box of the famous line from another of the movies, Casblanca: 'Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.'
But following Mr Brown's his recent troubles - the UK entering recession, soaring job losses and home repossessions, Labour struggling in the polls and threats of leadership challenges - he may be pleased at being able to settle down for a quiet night in front of the ultimate feel-good movie: It's A Wonderful Life.
Number 10 was staying silent about the gift, but the Mail has learned the American Film Institute produced a box set of 25 top U.S. movies as a "special request" for the White House last month.
Mr Brown also took to Washington a framed commission for HMS Resolute, a vessel that came to mark Anglo-US peace when it was saved from ice packs by Americans and given to Queen Victoria.
He also gave a first edition set of the seven-volume classic biography of Churchill by Sir Martin Gilbert.
Mr Brown and his wife also showered gifts on the Obama children giving Sasha and Malia an outfit each from Topshop and six children's books by British authors which are shortly to be published in America.
In return, the Obamas gave the Browns two models of the presidential helicopter, Marine One, to take home to sons Fraser and John.
The Prime Minister has not had the best of luck when receiving gifts from U.S. presidents.
He was given a fur-trimmed brown leather bomber jacket by George W. Bush during first trip to America in summer 2007.
Emblazoned with the presidential seal and the logo of Camp David, it also boasted a black patch bearing the name 'Rt Hon Gordon Brown'.
Commentators gleefully pointed out that the garment was hardly in keeping with Mr Brown's usual sober attire of business suit and tie.
Not surprisingly, it later emerged that the PM had decided not to keep the gift. Instead, he gave it to charity.
Movies in the box-set produced for the White House by the American Film Institute:
1. Citizen Kane
2. The Godfather
3. Casablanca
4. Raging Bull
5. Singing In The Rain
6. Gone With The Wind
7. Lawrence Of Arabia
8. Schindler's List
9. Vertigo
10. The Wizard Of Oz
11. City Lights
12. The Searchers
13. Star Wars: Episode IV
14. Psycho
15. 2001: A Space Odyssey
16. Sunset Boulevard
17. The Graduate
18. The General
19. On The waterfront
20. It's A Wonderful Life
21. China Town
22. Some Like It Hot
23. The Grapes Of Wrath
24. ET: The Extra Terrestrial
25. To Kill A Mocking Bird.

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Can we assume then, that you'll be writing that apology letter and mailing it out to the Prime Minister?
It's not the gift it's the thought that counts.
>""The President also thanked the Prime Minister for the gifts he presented to him: a pen holder carved from the timbers of the HMS Gannet, which was a sister ship of the HMS Resolute, and first edition biography of Winston Churchill,""<
http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-elinthenews&msg=15428.1&ctx=0
Kinda funny. Obama didn't spend enough money or time on picking out a gift for Gordon Brown--and he's scolded. What if he had spent much more money and much more time? My guess--he'd be scolded. Oh well.
At least it doesn't seem to have been the case that he committed social gaffes or guerrilla assaults on the mother tongue as Bush did on a regular basis!
Jabberwocka
You'd never be able to guess that the Daily Mail is a conservative tabloid, would you? LOL
~The U.S. has a special relationship with the United Kingdom.~
Yup.
I didn't know about the ideological persuasion of the Daily Mail.
Based on your description of its leading stories, sounds like a tabloid. Can see why the value of gifts between heads of states is so vital to the issues which are weighing so heavily on this new president and the global economic problems.
Heck, maybe Amy Winehouse's freckles are an indication that carbon dioxide isn't so abundant that it stops UV rays from affecting the High Haired one's face. Kate, this could be major news!
Jabberwocka
Kate
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http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23657981-details/Obama's+blockbuster+gift+for+Brown:+25+classic+films/article.do
Obama's blockbuster gift for Brown: 25 classic films
Gordon Brown has been given a collection of 25 classic American films on DVD as his official gift from Barack Obama.
The Prime Minister flew home from his successful trip to Washington this morning with the "special collector's box" of films hidden in his luggage.
No10 had tried to keep the present a secret, refusing to answer reporters who asked what President Obama had given to mark the reaffirmation of the special relationship. However, the Evening Standard discovered the truth through White House insiders.
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.
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 US 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.
The White House issued a press briefing today that put on record how much Mr Obama had appreciated the gifts.
The Prime Minister's reaction to getting DVDs is not known. Mr Brown is not noted for his love of cinema, although he once claimed on a trip to India that he was an admirer of Bollywood.
As revealed by yesterday's Standard, the Browns showered gifts on the Obama children too, using the occasion to promote British exports.
Sarah Brown gave Sasha and Malia Obama an outfit each from Topshop, which has just opened its first American store in New York. She also picked six children's books by British authors which are shortly to be published in America.
In return, the Obamas gave the Browns two models of the presidential helicopter, Marine One, to take home to sons Fraser and John.
President Obama telephoned Mr Brown on board his plane last night to thank him for a productive visit.
As I wrote before it's the thought that counts not the gift.
Yes PM Brown's gift to Pres. Obama was generous & appropriate but British newspapers complaining about
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