Obama Gives Lame Gift to PM Brown

[Guest bkelm18]

I found this humorous in an embarrassing sort of way.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1159627/To-special-friend-Gordon-25-DVDs-Obama-gives-Brown-set-classic-movies-Lets-hope-likes-Wizard-Oz.html

To my special friend Gordon, 25 DVDs: Obama gives Brown a set of classic movies. Let's hope he likes the Wizard of Oz

By Ian Drury

Last updated at 8:17 AM on 06th March 2009

As he headed back home from Washington, Gordon Brown must have rummaged through his party bag with disappointment.

Because all he got was a set of DVDs. Barack Obama, the leader of the world's richest country, gave the Prime Minister a box set of 25 classic American films - a gift about as exciting as a pair of socks.

Mr Brown is not thought to be a film buff, and his reaction to the box set is unknown. But it didn't really compare to the thoughtful presents he had brought along with him.

Marking the special relationship: The Browns put a lot of thought into their gifts for the Obamas - but the gesture did not seem to be reciprocated

The Prime Minister gave Mr Obama an ornamental pen holder made from the timbers of the Victorian anti-slave ship HMS Gannet.

The unique present delighted Mr Obama because oak from the Gannet's sister ship, HMS Resolute, was carved to make a desk that has sat in the Oval Office in the White House since 1880.

Mr Brown also handed over a framed commission for HMS Resolute and a first edition of the seven-volume biography of Churchill by Sir Martin Gilbert.

In addition, Mr Brown and his wife showered gifts on the Obama children giving Sasha and Malia an outfit each from Topshop and six children's books by British authors which are shortly to be published in America.

In return, the Obamas gave the Browns two models of the presidential helicopter, Marine One, to take home to sons Fraser and John.

Mrs Brown has been praised for her well-chosen gifts for the Obama children - but Mrs Obama's gift to the Brown children appeared less thoughtful

The Prime Minister has not had the best of luck when receiving gifts from U.S. presidents.

He was given a fur-trimmed brown leather bomber jacket by George W. Bush during his first trip to America in the summer of 2007.

Commentators gleefully pointed out that the garment was hardly in keeping with Mr Brown's usual sober attire of business suit and tie.

Downing Street yesterday refused to state which movies were in the box set.

But the Mail has learned it included classics such as Star Wars, The Godfather and Citizen Kane and was produced by the American Film Institute as a 'special request' for the White House last month.

Perhaps pertinently, given Britain is floundering in an economic slump, the DVD collection was thought to feature the movie of John Steinbeck's Great Depression novel, 'The Grapes Of Wrath'.

The gift also included the Oscar-winning boxing biopic 'Raging Bull' starring Robert Di Nero and Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller Psycho - maybe a comment on the PM's notorious short fuse?

And he will hope that at a General Election the British public do not shun his imploration for another term in office by thinking at the ballot box of the famous line from another of the movies, Casblanca: 'Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.'

But following Mr Brown's his recent troubles - the UK entering recession, soaring job losses and home repossessions, Labour struggling in the polls and threats of leadership challenges - he may be pleased at being able to settle down for a quiet night in front of the ultimate feel-good movie: It's A Wonderful Life.

[Guest VolMickey]

What class we have in our president. Dufus.

[Guest pl1ght]

seriously, i wouldnt give that gift to my dad, let alone the PM of our most important ally in the civilized world.

[Punisher84]

This just goes to show how much of a douchenozzle this guy is.

[Guest bkelm18]

I originally heard this on NPR news on the way home. It doesn't say in the above story, but the First Lady and the PM's wife also exchanged gifts for the kids. The PM's wife gave the Obama kids a lot of nice stuff including some nice dresses from some upscale shop in London. The Obamas gave the PM's kids 2 toy replicas of Marine One (the Prez's helicopter). Rumor has it they sell those in the White House gift shop...

[Reservoir Dog]

I hope Obama at least gave him Region 2 DVDs, as US Region 1 DVDs will not play on the players in Great Britain. Maybe Brown has a region-free DVD player.

[poak]

Hahaha, I read about this on m4c this morning and almost pooped myself...

I could just see Obama back tracking after the train wreck of a gift exchange: "Er... Sorry bro, times are tough around these parts, ya dig?"

[Guest pl1ght]

I hope Obama at least gave him Region 2 DVDs, as US Region 1 DVDs will not play on the players in Great Britain. Maybe Brown has a region-free DVD player.

rofl, i didnt even think of that.

[NuTcAsE]

I wonder if they were bootlegged copies???

[TGO David]

I wonder if they were bootlegged copies???

I just hope they are subtitled in British.

[Guest benchpresspower]

Casblanca: 'Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.'

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't that line come from 'Gone With The Wind'?

[Punisher84]

Casblanca: 'Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.'

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't that line come from 'Gone With The Wind'?

No remember it's right after Bogie pimp slaps Lauren Bacall?

[Guest SUNTZU]

I think O dog regifted those DVD's. I see it didn't include a copy of The Patriot, at least.

[Guest nraforlife]

Could have been worse. They could have given the PM a big box of KFC

[Guest RISC777]

Psycho made it into that box?

hmmm.....

[Guest benchpresspower]

No remember it's right after Bogie pimp slaps Lauren Bacall?

OH now I remember, right after she asked where her money was. lol

[Punisher84]

OH now I remember, right after she asked where her money was. lol

That's it! lol

[Guest bkelm18]

Could have been worse. They could have given the PM a big box of KFC

A big bucket of chicken and a 40oz of Colt 45.

[Punisher84]

A big bucket of chicken and a 40oz of Colt 45.

HAHAHAHAHA So you gonna share your apartment in Hell or what?

[Guest bkelm18]

HAHAHAHAHA So you gonna share your apartment in Hell or what?

I would be delighted to receive tasty fried chicken and a fine malt liquor as a present. Wouldn't you?

[Reservoir Dog]

Ha! Ha!

Looks like the DVDs were the wrong region code for UK DVD players.

:lol:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mandrake/5011941/Gordon-Brown-is-frustrated-by-Psycho-in-No-10.html

[Farman]

I was sure that line was from Gone With The Wind.

It was spoken by Gable, as Rhett Butler, in his last words to Scarlett O'Hara. It occurs at the end of the film when Scarlett asks Rhett, "Where shall I go? What shall I do?" if he leaves her. The line is memorable not only because it contains a swear word (which was generally not allowed in films of that time period), but because it demonstrates that Rhett has finally given up on Scarlett and no longer cares what happens to her.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankly,_my_dear,_I_don't_give_a_damn.

[BrasilNuts]

I thought about the regional coding... I find it funny that a bunch of "hillbillies" from Tennessee would remember that this could be a problem yet it flew right over the heads of the o administration.

I think this is not the last time we see a blunder like this.

edit: The really bad thing about this gift is that it can all be purchased on Amazon.com or the White House gift shop.

I can see it now... "I didn't know they had two kids... what are we gonna get them?"

Edited March 21, 2009 by BrasilNuts

[memphismason]

I would be delighted to receive tasty fried chicken and a fine malt liquor as a present. Wouldn't you?

Only if the malt liquor is Olde English. That stuff is tasty.

[Mike.357]

seriously, would we expect anything other than lameness out of this guy.

he is completely out of touch with reality and this is oddly enough, more proof of that.