Diplomacy in the Hopenchange Era

[Theben]

The author is doing what he accuses the admin of doing: speading alarmist rhetoric. Prolly why JM is lolling.

[The Mad Monk]

He only quoted the link, so I tend to believe he's LOLing at the source, rather than at the content.

[Jon Miller]

It was the content, I don't know anything about the source. I just didn't feel the need to quote the whole thing.

Note that I am also one who thinks that Obama is screwing up. I think that the democrats have the opportunity to rule for 20+ years if they do this right, but they aren't... it is business as usual.

JM

[Naked Gents Rut]

Barack Obama met the Queen at Buckingham Palace today and gave her a gift of an iPod loaded with video footage and photographs of her 2007 United States visit to Richmond, Jamestown and Williamsburg in Virginia. In return, the Queen gave the President a silver framed signed photograph of herself and the Duke of Edinburgh - apparently a standard present for visiting dignitaries.

It is believed the Queen already has an iPod, a 6GB silver Mini version she is said to have bought in 2005 at the suggestion of Prince Andrew.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/toby_harnden/blog/2009/04/01/barack_obamas_gift_for_the_queen_an_ipod_your_majesty

You stay classy, Mr. President.

[BeBMan]

Obama is the ONE. Otherwise he wouldn't use Air Force ONE - FACT!

[Theben]

Obviously he believes that giving out expensive gifts in these dire days would send the wrong message.

[The Mad Monk]

That we know the the difference between heads of state, and preppies?

[Theben]

I'm just trying to help.

[SpencerH]

I think the whole "giving of gifts" is a ridiculous holdover from times past. That being said, the DVD's given to the british PM were pathetic especially in light of the historical value of the gift given to the President.

[Patroklos]

Obviously he believes that giving out expensive gifts in these dire days would send the wrong message.

Nobody is worried about how inexpensive the gifts are, but rather how unthoughtful and tasteless they are.

[Ramo]

A new iPod with personalized songs sounds like a pretty decent gift for someone who enjoys her Wii (and iPod mini).

It is pretty hilarious to see right wingers collectively become Miss Manners.

[Patroklos]

It would be a decent gift if say, it wasn't a well known fact that she already has one?

Oh, and you pretending giving someone audio of your own speeches isn't the hieght of tacky is absolutely hilarious.

The Queen giving a autographed picture of herself to Obama is also tacky, but seeing as Obama did come to genuflect before her hardly in the same category.

[Ramo]

She has an iPod mini. This is presumably a newer version (I'd assume a touch). I've personally been through a few MP3 players since 2005.

Audio of your own speeches? What are you talking about? You mean video of her visit?

Stop whinging. It's a perfectly fine present.

[Lorizael]

OH MY ****ING GOD WHO GIVES A ****.

This post is not all caps.

[Patroklos]

What Does One Get a Queen?
April 01, 2009 1:57 PM

President and First Lady Obama gave Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II a video iPod with inscription, songs uploaded and accessories, plus a rare musical songbook signed by Richard Rodgers.

Uploaded onto the iPod:

Photos from the Queen's 2007 White House State Visit
Photos from the Queen's 2007 Jamestown, Va., Visit
Photos from the Queen's 2007 Richmond, Va., Visit
Video from the Queen's 1957 Jamestown Visit
Video from the Queen's 2007 Jamestown Visit
Video from the Queen's 2007 Richmond Visit
Photos from President Obama's Inauguration
Audio of then-state senator Obama's speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, and
Audio of President Obama 2009 Inauguration Address

Britain's Press Association reports that the Royal couple gave the Obamas "a silver-framed, signed photograph of themselves."

-- jpt

UPDATE: And the Obama team confirms that these show tunes were also uploaded on Ye Olde Queen's iPod, fas irst reported by the AP:

"Oklahoma!"
"If I Loved You," Jan Clayton, "Carousel"
"You'll Never Walk Alone," Jan Clayton, "Carousel"
"There's No Business Like Show Business," Ethel Merman, "Annie Get Your Gun"
"Once in Love with Amy (Where's Charley?)," Ray Bolger
"Some Enchanted Evening," "South Pacific"
"Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend," Carol Channing, "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"
"Getting to Know You," Gertrude Lawrence, "The King and I"
"Shall We Dance?" Gertrude Lawrence, "The King and I"
"I Could Have Danced All Night," Julie Andrews, "My Fair Lady"
"I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," Rex Harrison, "My Fair Lady"
"The Party's Over (Bells Are Ringing)," Judy Holliday
"Maria," "West Side Story"
"Tonight," "West Side Story"
"Seventy Six Trombones," "The Music Man"
"Everything's Coming up Roses," Ethel Merman, "Gypsy"
"The Sound of Music"
"Try to Remember," Jerry Orbach, "The Fantasticks"
"Camelot," Richard Burton
"If Ever I Would Leave You," Robert Goulet, "Camelot"
"Hello, Dolly!" Carol Channing
"If I Were a Rich Man," Zero Mostel, "Fiddler on the Roof"
"People," Barbra Streisand, "Funny Girl"
"On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)," John Cullum
"The Impossible Dream," Richard Kiley, "Man of La Mancha"
"Mame," Charles Braswell
"Cabaret," Liza Minnelli
"Aquarius, Ronald Dyson, "Hair'
"Send in the Clowns," Judy Collins, "A Little Night Music"
"All That Jazz," Chita Rivera, "Chicago"
"One," "A Chorus Line"
"Tomorrow," Andrea McArdle, "Annie"
"Don't Cry for Me Argentina," Patti LuPone, "Evita"
"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," Jennifer Holliday, "Dreamgirls"
"Memory," Elaine Paige, "Cats"
"The Best of Times," George Hearn, "La Cage Aux Folles"
"I Dreamed a Dream," Aretha Franklin, "Les MisDerables"
"The Music of the Night," Michael Crawford, "The Phantom of the Opera"
"As If We Never Said Goodbye," Elaine Paige, "Sunset Blvd."
"Seasons of Love," "Rent"

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/04/what-does-one-g.html