I heard about this on talk radio and tried to find articles about it online. I couldn't find a single major US news write-up about it. It worries me that our media are so in Obama's pocket that the only mention it gets is jokes. Here's the closest I could find to a serious article:
What Does Barack Obama Have Against Great Britain? - Associated Content
The UK is our greatest ally. I don't think anyone disputes that, yet Obama treated Brown's visit like an unwelcome second cousin dropping in unannounced for dinner. No traditional joint press conference, and thoughtless gifts available at the nearest Wal-mart. The gifts the Gordons brought were rich in forethought and symbolization:
- An ornamental desk pen holder made from the wood of the HMS Gannet, formerly HMS President, whose primary role was stopping the slave trade.
- 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. The timbers were used to build twin desks, one of which sits in the oval office.
- A first edition classic biography of Churchill
- Top line designer dresses for the children
Obama gave a set of dvd's of classic American movies (still not sure if it was in the right format to play on British a player) and a toy replica of Marine One.
Later a state official said, "There's nothing special about Britain. You're just the same as the other 190 countries in the world. You shouldn't expect special treatment."
Barack Obama 'too tired' to give proper welcome to Gordon Brown - Telegraph
The White House has a staff to find appropriate gifts for such occassions, so I find it hard to believe that this was an accident. So the question becomes, is Obama changing foreign policy as radically as he's changing domestic policy?