Whether Gordon Brown actually was snubbed by Barack Obama doesn't really matter. Everyone thinks he was. Clearly the release of the Lockerbie bomber is going to take some time to get over. But it's not just that. Obama's people probably take the view that Brown isn't much longer for this political world and is of little significance.
It would never have happened to Tony Blair, though, would it?
I look forward to reading James Macintyre's thoughts on this. Bearing in mind how crap his US sources have been in the past (cf Obama's view of Cameron) they should make for entertaining reading.
Yes, it would have happened to Tony Blair.
ReplyDeleteThe key thing in this isn't Brown, for once, it's Obama. He's too inexperienced to avoid creating a diplomatic incident, as we saw with the Region 1 DVD affair, or from letting his prejudices show.
The man's a total fool and an utter narcissist.
Much as I cannot stand Brown, if he is snubbed by Obama it is a snub to us all, and in particular to those who have died fighting US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, yet Obama courts countries who have made no contribution.
ReplyDeleteAs much as Brown is a hopeless tool Obama SHOULD remember that we've had hundreds of soldiers killed or maimed in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
ReplyDeleteIf America thinks it has a better ally in the world go find it. If Barry thinks the French or Germans are more reliable fine go do it.
I can understand he can't stand the one eyed failure (neither can we) but Barry should remember how it appears to the British public.
Put it this way. Obama met Tony when Tony was no longer PM.
ReplyDeletethe first world statesman to shake hands with President Barack Obama.
The One and The One-eyed Scottish Idiot...
ReplyDeleteSo as the Obamessiah headed for his limo, the world statesman of the year trotted behind to desperately grab a moment in the presence of his inamorato?
It's obvious to the rest of us that the feelings are not mutual. The bargain bin DVD gift should have been the clue, but of course Gordon is too blinded by infatuation to notice.
If one has limited time as US President at a meeting of world leaders, do you talk with the new Japanese PM, China, Russia, India, and other countries that need to be brought on side (climate change; Iran; nuclear disarmament), or do you talk with regions that you're building a new relationship with (Middle East; Africa), or do you have a long bilateral meeting with a leader who agrees with you on most things?
ReplyDeleteIt's time for Gordon to resign for the good of his party. And to put someone in charge of rebuilding a bridge back to the special relationship with America, who are only our strongest allies in defence and post-WWII trade, ever! They aren't that important... Oh, yes they are.
ReplyDeleteGet thee gone, Brown. Your time is done and Labour have damaged the special relationship. someone else in charge will have to fix that, if at all possible.
Of course it would'nt have happened to Blair, it was his mess and he walked away - very rapidly -with a huge grin on his face. He dumped on the country, splattered!
ReplyDeleteNothing like Nu lab brotherly love ,is there?
The Obamaphobes here ought to consider that a high profile meeting with Brown would have resulted in similar attacks from Obamaphobes over there, thanks to the Lockerbie affair.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't a 'diplomatic incident': it's basic politics.
If JuliaM thinks any US President would have behaved any differently, then she's an even bigger fool than she believes Obama to be.
Even though I am considerably less busy than Mr Obama, I too find myself too busy to meet Mr. Brown. I still haven't finished drilling holes in my own teeth, there's fields of stinging nettles to run naked through, and even when thats done, those ducks in the park aren't going to watch themselves...
ReplyDeleteSome Labour supporters here for the "World Statesman" who single-handedly abolished boom and bust in this country and saved the world. If there is an example of what funny things old age can do Kissinger is an example. He said Hillary Clinton was the best choice for US secretary of state (she is nowhere to be seen these days) and he handed out the gong to Brown, which I doubt he would not have done some 35 years ago. Obama is not registering high in the US where it matters, and his healthcare bill is so diluted and changed that it becomes a non-bill. He appears to be all talk and not much action as he seems to have the propensity to appear on world stages and not knuckling down at the Oval Office to address the plethora of issues in his country. Obama was elected as he gave the impression that he would address the domestic issues. I studied in USA and am generally pro-American but what America has done has landed us in this Iraq mess ( A large part of of which will become a shiate territory controlled by Iran in a few years) and our soldiers are taking hits in Afghanistan. Just why are we in that bandit country propping up that corrupt leader? Brown is throwing tens of millions of pounds in Africa and around the world presumably to please Obama (who knows that Brown's days are numbered) when we need those funds right here in our country. But him in power victory is assured for Tories in the next GE in 2010, but not before this fool completely bankrupts the nation.
ReplyDeleteWho wouldn't want to snub Brown, except for one or two of the No 10 low life creepie crawlies who haven't been out very much lately?
ReplyDelete"The Obamaphobes here ought to consider that a high profile meeting with Brown would have resulted in similar attacks from Obamaphobes over there, thanks to the Lockerbie affair."
ReplyDeleteWhat, you mean his staff are too thick to spin a bilateral meeting as a chance for Their Man to tear a strip off the dodgy non-elected calamity PM of Yoo Kay...? Given the fawning adoration still lavished on him by the media?
Please..!
"This isn't a 'diplomatic incident': it's basic politics."
Not in the First World, it's not. Obama needs to realise he isn't in Chicago now.
"If JuliaM thinks any US President would have behaved any differently, then she's an even bigger fool than she believes Obama to be."
For all Clinton's sexual pecadillos and Bush's occasional misteps, both were seasoned politicians with experienced staff behind them.
You'd have to go back as far as Teddy Roosevelt to find a US president who so let the personal become political!
So, who's the fool here?
Obama is working on Russia, Japan and other countries' leaders where he has most work to do. Looks sensible to me, and No 10 and the White House have denied this silly, commonplace back biting rumour, so vividly promoted by the Tory Correspondent of the BBC - Nick Robinson - on the basis of "one report" for its highlit detail.
ReplyDeleteBlair would have made no difference, Obama is driven much as Blair and Brown are and have been.
In fact Blair went knowing that his career would come to this sort of tawdry and pusillanimous, sad sack punditry.
I think we're due for some follow up to the recent Charles Clarke toes in orifice - David Milliband's parrot drank my Conference bar bill anyone?
Obama snubbed Brown because he's a massive condescending racist, or something.
ReplyDeleteHe blundered along like Sleeping Beauty's unfortunate meeting with the wicked witch.
ReplyDeleteMichael White today:
ReplyDelete"Such neurosis. After all, Obama has been pretty busy at the UN and has seen and heard quite a lot of Fife's finest in recent months and will do so again at the G20 in Pittsburgh. Other people need face time too, and China is even bigger, even more important, than Britain these days, so some geographers claim."
He's clearly just counting the days until he can pick Dave Lightweight's brains.
ReplyDeleteFor Diplomatic sources, they're not very - well - Diplomatic, are they?
ReplyDeleteUndiplomatic sources say "OF COURSE your arse looks fat in that dress, what, are you blind?"
Criticising others for piss poor commentary and poor sourcing?
ReplyDeleteGiven your typical standards that's showing some brass neck.
the problem was not the non-meeting, he did not meet with the French, Germans, Italians, Australians, Canadians either it was the demand that we have to have a meeting for the benefit of the media despite the fact I am sitting next to you today at the Security council and next week at G-20 and and,
ReplyDeleteBottom line the US president has to have meetings with people who are going to change policy so in ecconomic terms that is China, in sanctions on Iran that is China and Russia, in Nuclear weapons that is Russia, he wants to talk to Brown why?
Shock! Horror! Intelligent human being doesn't want to know Gordon. This isn't news. Hee! Hee! Hee!
ReplyDeleteWe should remember that Obama is a decendent of a Mau Mau terrorist, so perhaps he has no love of the British.
ReplyDeleteEspecially since his terrorist grandpa (or possibly his fathers retelling) most likely lied about the British and Obama absorbed the lies his grandpa told.
Also Obama isn't really that bright; being nice to Venezuala and not to Honduras, starting talks with Nth Korea without even advising Japan and Sth Korea. Annoying Canadas with buy USA rules, so much for NAFTA; having a border dispute with them over fishing http://news.globaltv.com/press+Harper+raise+Canada+boundary+dispute+with+Obama/1997217/story.html
and even haggling over charter flights http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/story/2009/09/16/sp-charter-dispute.html
Poor Gordon, he's so in love and Obama is playing fast and loose with the Russians, Chinese and Indians.
ReplyDeleteBrown on Newsnight tonight:
ReplyDelete"Preident Obama and I have a very close personal friendship."
Yikes.
Not entirely the full shilling, I think.
If I had asked five times for a meeting with a friend, and got told "no" five times, I might have felt a wee bit snubbed.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I'm too sensitive.