Barack Obama hosted his first foreign leader yesterday and today and managed to insult British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the entire United Kingdom. This is the second insult to Britain from the Obama administration. Read about it below.

Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown

The United States and Great Britain have been close allies since we kissed and made up following the American Patriots whooping the Red Coats in the 1700s. In fact, it would be fairly safe to say that the United States doesn’t have a closer ally than England. And so, in the first month of his Presidency, Barack Obama has insulted our good ally not once, but twice.

I’m sure that its no accident that the very first time Obama hosted a foreign leader, it was British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Obama has to be broken in to dealing with foreign leaders, protocol and all things diplomatic, so best to start out with those who are going to be friendly with us even if there is a faux pas here and there. But what to do when its all just one big faux pas that can’t be over looked or looked over? Obama’s visit with Gordon Brown at the White House yesterday was a tutorial in why one needs a President who has SOME experience.

Surely the ongoing cold and stiff conduct towards the United Kingdom isn’t intentional.

First, Obama returned a gift the English had given the United States following the attacks of 9/11. He returned a bust of Sir Winston Churchill. The British were a tad insulted about that. Then, Obama snubs Britain’s Prime Minister. Its more than a little embarrassing to have a President who doesn’t know how to interact with foreign leaders.

The big snub to Brown came just after Obama got caught making nice with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. He actually sent Putin a letter asking for his help with Iran. Nothing like going out of your way to appear weak and pathetic. It was also shortly after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went to the Chinese with hat in hand asking for their help with the economy. Could we possibly appear more like the skinny weakling on the playground? We are going to our avowed enemies asking for help while insulting our friends and allies?

I have to add a caveat here, Gordon Brown is not exactly an icon of strength and honor himself. He is unpopular with his constituency already (see video below). I’m sure he had hoped to get a little bit of traction back home from his association with Obama. Instead, the British newspapers and opinion pieces are all over this. There was no reception for the Prime Minister and his wife. There was no joint press conference. Obama made excuses about other commitments, only to leave the Prime Minister to go to give a routine speech to the Department for Interior and a meeting with the Boy Scouts of America. He even used the snow as an excuse. As though he couldn’t walk across the White House lawn in the snow after Brown had flown into the Washington airport from England.

After the meeting, Obama talked about how lovely both their wives are. I’ve noticed that when Obama is confronted with questions he can’t answer, he reverts to complimenting his wife or telling cute stories about his children.

I wonder how far those cute stories and empty rhetoric will take him with Putin.

Gordon Brown - Video