Gordon Brown met with President Obama today, to discuss the world economic crisis. Mr. Brown’s aides were quick to emphasise that this was a ‘low-key visit’ when it became clear that there would not be any formal press conference to the White House press after the talks. The omitting of this tradition might take away some the importance and significance of being the first European leader to hold talks with the newly elected President.
But then again, Mr. Obama is a serious president with several daunting tasks on his hands, and probably felt his time was better spent on political actions, rather than a lavish welcome to the leader of his country’s closest alley. This is a huge contrast to the welcome extended to Tony Blair from George W. Bush and his family the first time they met. The two couples won’t even meet together, Sarah Brown will only have a brief one-to-one with Michelle Obama.
After overnight protests from Downing Street officials, the White House agreed to allow journalists into the Oval Office for a brief round of questions after their talks. Although slightly embarrassing for Downing Street, the UK should embrace the new administration in Washington and acknowledge the fact that during these trying times, one has to applaud a president who takes his job so seriously that he doesn’ even have time for diplomatic gestures. Not even for his closet alley.
Gordon Brown is like a love sick puppy, embarassing each and every British citizen by suggesting that there is still a “special relationship” between the USA and the UK. That may have been the case many, many years ago, but it is now long gone. He, like Tony Blair before him, appears to be unable to accept that a partnership of this nature, needs to be one of equals, that is no longer and has arguably never the case. This love sick puppy syndrome is akin to someone being unable to accept that they have been dumped, the problem is, it is humiliating to the people back in the Uk, given everyone thinks that Gordon Brown is speaking for us, which he is not, at least that would be the case for the majority, those who are not living in the past. In addition, why would Obama want to be seen close to one of the men who has been the primary architect in the downfall of the world financial system?