Classy

It's so good to be past the Bush administration where President Bush embarrassed us to the world and our allies. Thankfully, that day is past. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife came to Washington to cement our special relationship with Britain.

Normally, there is a joint press conference between the President and the Prime Minister, but that was canceled abruptly and was apparently a surprise to Brown. Additionally, the First Ladies meet and formal and informal gifts are exchanged. Draw your own conclusions as to who put thought (or at least an assistants thought) into them.

Gifts between the President and the Prime Minister. [Link]

Because all he got was a set of DVDs. Barack Obama, the leader of the world's richest country, gave the Prime Minister a box set of 25 classic American films - a gift about as exciting as a pair of socks.

...

The Prime Minister gave Mr Obama an ornamental pen holder made from the timbers of the Victorian anti-slave ship HMS Gannet.

The unique present delighted Mr Obama because oak from the Gannet's sister ship, HMS Resolute, was carved to make a desk that has sat in the Oval Office in the White House since 1880.

Mr Brown also handed over a framed commission for HMS Resolute and a first edition of the seven-volume biography of Churchill by Sir Martin Gilbert.

Gifts between First Ladies for their children. [Link]

She brought them presents of outfits from Top Shop and a selection of books from British childrens’ authors.

In exchange Mrs Obama gave her a model of Marine One, the U.S. Marines helicopter used to transport the president, for the Browns’ sons John and Fraser.

The models of Marine One are sold in the White House gift shop.

Why was the press conference canceled? The official reason was snow, but I think the real reason is that he couldn't use a teleprompter. [Link]

That there are two Obamas, one that is a brilliant orator and one that stumbles and bumbles, is not a new revelation. Back in February of 2008, the great Dean Barnett wrote of Obama's inability to live up to expectations when he was forced to make do without a teleprompter:

In spite of Obama's obvious strengths in this area, questions linger regarding Obama's gifted speechifying. Do his speeches give us a glimpse at a very special man with a unique vision? Or are we merely witnessing a political one-trick pony? Yes, Obama can turn a phrase better and do more with a Teleprompter than any other modern era politician. But does his special skill set here actually mean anything, or is it instead the political equivalent of a dog walking on its hind legs--unusual and riveting, but not especially significant? Regardless, the liberal commentators have gushed their praise nearly every time Obama has opened his mouth before a Teleprompter the past few months

It was thus interesting to see Obama climb to the stage at Virginia's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner on Saturday night. As he strode to the podium, Obama clutched in his hands a pile of 3 by 5 index cards. The index cards meant only one thing--no Teleprompter.

Shorn of his Teleprompter, we saw a different Obama. His delivery was halting and unsure. He looked down at his obviously copious notes every few seconds throughout the speech. Unlike the typical Obama oration where the words flow with unparalleled fluidity, he stumbled over his phrasing repeatedly.

Now that Obama is president, keeping his image alive is of vital importance, so he doesn't go anywhere or give any speech no matter how long or short without his teleprompter.

UPDATE from a link in the comments: [Link]

Yet, at the back of my mind, I didn't quite believe that even the Obamateur Hour crowd at the White House could be that clueless. I like the way the Telegraph's Tim Walker sets the scene:

While not exactly a film buff, Gordon Brown was touched when Barack Obama gave him a set of 25 classic American movies – including Psycho, starring Anthony Perkins - on his recent visit to Washington.

Alas, when the PM settled down to begin watching them the other night, he found there was a problem.

The films only worked in DVD players made in North America and the words "wrong region" came up on his screen...

Ah, well. The White House spokesman is said to have "sniggered" upon hearing the news.