Why do you think obama is seeking to downplay the traditionally clo

President Barack Obama hosted his first foreign leader when he met in early March with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown - Obama did not hold a joint Rose Garden press conference with Brown, the “usual protocol” when a president and British prime...

minister first meet.
Instead of citing the decades-old “special relationship” between the two countries, a White House spokesperson referred to a “special partnership.”
In the traditional gift exchange between the two leaders, Brown gave Obama a pen holder made from the timber of the first British ship to fight the slave trade, and a signed first edition of the classic 8-volume biography of Winston Churchill by Randolph Churchill and Sir Martin Gilbert.
Obama’s gift to Brown was a collection of DVDs of classic American films, including “Psycho,” which are all available in British stores - The London Daily Telegraph succinctly stated: “Obama has been rudeness personified toward Britain.” - Why do you think Obama is seeking to downplay the traditionally close U.S.- Britain ties ?

Well when he said Change, I guess he ment changes in all aspects of American life and her allies. I kind of feel sorry for PM Brown, that was a very thoughtfull gift.

At least Bush has class.

Wow, Obama thanks himself: Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen was just a few paragraphs into an address in Washington when he realised it all sounded a bit too familiar.

It was. He was repeating the speech President Barack Obama had just read from the same teleprompter.

Mr Cowen stopped, turned to the president and said: “That’s your speech.”

A laughing Mr Obama returned to the podium to take over but it seems the script had finally been switched and the US president ended up thanking himself for inviting everyone to the party.

Now France...Obama sent a letter to Chirac, saying he looks forward to working with him the next four years. Le Figaro, French newspaper is horrified at the faux pas. Doesn't Obama ever consult his staff before acting? Sarkozy is the President there! It's like Sarko writing to George Bush and saying he looks forward to working with him. Chirac is the FORMER president.