How Obama was thinking of embarrassing Brown

Barack Obama's overnight into Saturday here is a big moment - even though Britain is playing a second tier in rock star's big tour. Still, both Gordon Brown and David Cameron will be looking for a bit of Obamacadabra magic to rub off on them. Who wouldn't.

But protocol in these situations is all, and consequently there is much hand wringing. Gordon Brown is deeply restricted in what he can do with Obama, and there will be no handshakes outside Number 10 because there wasn't one when McCain came over.

There are less restrictions on David Cameron, who will be meeting him afterwards in the Houses of Parliament.

So it caused considerable consternation inside Number 10 when they were told by Obama's advisers that one plan under consideration was that the presumptive Democrat nominee would leave Downing Street and meet David Cameron at the gates of Downing Street. They would walk - yes walk - to Parliament for their meeting. Huge "spontaneous" photo op.

Though this plan was extremely risky for both sides and always seemed unlikely - Downing Street were terrified that this would be seen as a sign of Obama preferment. Which it would. The plan has now, apparently, been bashed on the head after high level intervention.

But that Obama's people were considering this is, to say the least, surprising.

Comments

[Desmond Taylor]

For a Conservative to be seen with Obama the Magnificent would be suicide. This clown is on a tour of Nato forces in Afghanistan and of Europe. He Is Chairman of the Senate sub committee for Europe and Nato. There has not been even a convening of this presumably important committee. That is about his interest level in almost anything. The Peter Principle and an empty suit. And this is a Presidential candidate? God help us all.

[Richard Holloway]

Why surprising?
They can see the poll ratings and the local elections results as well as we can. No government in the post war period has ever on to win a general election after losing so decisively in local elections. The idea that Brown can change it all around is laughable and so the Obama camp are planning on the assumption that Cameron will be in No.10 by 2010, with a mandate to govern Britain. What mandate has loser Brown got? None whatsoever.

Or maybe it's because everything Brown touches has turned to dust, I'm sure Obama doesn't want to go shaking that clunking fist.

[Chuck Unsworth]

Yep, well there's no chance of Dave and Barack cycling to Parliament on account of Dave having his bike nicked.

Still, probably best, eh? London traffic is dangerous enough without Presidential candidates pedalling down the wrong side of the road - in just about every sense....

[leni cavaletto]

Brits: Get a grip, Obama did not make this choice Mr. Brown did not want to met with him. He'd look even more the idiot next to Sentor Obama. I'll lay odds that he will meet with him when he becomes the next President of the United States.

[charon]

Hasn't he already insulted Brown by using No. 10 as a backdrop for a press conference without Brown present?. The audacity of Hope

[betty coakley]

We in the US are hoping we can rid ourselves of cowboy diplomacy - Lord only knows why Bush was elected, but I guess being buddies with the owner of the new computerized voting machines helped. The majority of us have a lot of hope that Obama is smart enough, and savvy enough to pull our country out of the deceit, corruption and doldrums. We need all the hope we can get. In this world, support and encouragement is the word. We do need this incredible man - why? Because he will try. And in his entire life he has never failed to achieve what he started.

[Jimmy C]

Desmond Taylor, your comment just exposes how awfully ignorant and puerile you really are! Just what have you achieved in your meaningless life?
Obama brings people together! He has proven this in America. And he has now done it again outside of America. Isn't this the best man to lead the US - one who can marshall the good in all of us to do the greater good for all of us?
You keep ranting your senseless jibes and watch as the world passes you by!

[Hinchwick]

I doubt that Obama will become President. He will soon be asassinated ,then they will name an Airport after him in the traditional American way!

[Hysteria]

Betty - and other US pro-Obama folks.

I feel for you but you are being sold a dud here. Listen to WHAT he says (not how) and then figure what it actually MEANS. There is nothing behind the rhetoric - I am afraid you are all going to be very disappointed in a year or two.

[Chris]

Perhaps you mean that Gordon Brown will be 'constrained' by protocol in the same way that you probably mean there will be 'fewer' restrictions on David Cameron?

Readers of the national press have the right to expect that articles in The Times will be proof-read and grammatically sound.

[Michael McGinn]

HYSTERIA, thank you for summing up so eloquently.......

[Copywriter]

Chris,

Stop wasting time and space on stuffy pedantic snootiness. It's the last bastion of an empty, mediocre and uncreative mind.

[D Carew]

Hysteria at least he tries to entertain us with his rhetoric which only few leaders can do. Compared to those who enrich themselves and their cronies and send our children to their death for reasons only they understand.
McCain will bore us to death I want to be entertain the guy's speeches on a good day are electrifying.......listen with an open mind. And try to be color blind then you might feel it or are you beyond help

[D Carew]

Hinchwick
"I doubt that Obama will become President. He will soon be asassinated ,then they will name an Airport after him in the traditional American way!"
Very reckless/ stupid comment that think should be removed from this website.How would you feel "You Hinchwick will be assassinated very soon and please show it to your kids so they understand the will be fatherless very soon"
Feeling any better................?
I guess not and your kids didn't find it funny did they?.

[Olaitan]

Desmond Taylor, I detect a note of envy in your comments; You need an urgent cure fast.

[J McFadden]

Everyone,

Stop wasting time and space on stuffy pedantic comment boards. They are the last bastion of empty, mediocre and uncreative minds.

[Snert Lee]

The old adage says better the devil you know, but we in the US have gotten to know the standards and practices of our current leader-devil so well that we're ready, even eager for something different. Know the feeling?

[Terry L. Walker]

Betty Coakley and Snert Lee--

You are definitely welcome to your own opinions, but the term "we in the US" is a little broad. Not of us, and in fact I suspect many of us, in the US are not yearning for an Obama change. I don't want to get into one of these partisan exchanges, but in my estimation, and that of many people I know, Obama is not the savior many are hoping for. He is simply a new face, a bright young man who learned politics as a South Chicago pol, who is a very good politician a la Bill Clinton in his prime. Obama has not expressed any new ideas--he simply parrots the same old Democrat left-wing line--the same one we have all known since the Lyndon Johnson years. It seems reasonable that if one wants to know what an Obama presidency would be like, think of Ted Kennedy as president, with Jimmy Carter's foreign policy thrown in.

I remember that a little over a year ago, our friends in Great Britain couldn't wait for the departure of Tony Blair, just as many in the US can't wait for the departure of George W. Bush (and, I can say that while I don't see GWB as the disaster a lot of others do, it will not cause me any distress when he leaves).

And now, just about a year after Blair's departure, the British press (as it has been for the last nine months or so) has been full of Labour's problems, errors and gaffes, and of government failures of one kind or another. Also the British press has been full of criticism of Gordon Brown, from the press, members of his own party, and British citizens. This begins to make Blair look good.

Be careful what you wish for.

I would add that in truth, I am no John McCain enthusiast either.

To each his own.

[Elsie Matarazzo,Florida USA]

I cannot believe the enthusiasm that readers are giving this empty suit. Obama can't say a single thought without a script.
All these notions of 'change' never once has he said what change, yet all of these (DEMS) democrats are marching in line. They would vote for anybody as long as there is a "D" after their name.

[cicero]

Well, I'll press on now, just thought I'd pop in and see if UK blogs had as many cynical, sour and puerile (good word that) commenters as US blogs have and - wow! Think I'll toddle off back to the NEW YORK Times, thank you very much, ta-ta.

[John]

No doubt the guy will do his best. However he will not be allowed out of the starting blocks by the people who really control the show.Down we go in the west as the model we are following leads us all to disater. Thanks to the US ..'Unconcious States'.

[Alex Penn]

Can't for the life of me see why everyone is getting so worked up over these media stunts.

[Totto]

It seems the far-right wing is much in evidence in the Murdoch press. That Sen. Obama is one of the brightest and most attractive politicians in many years is transformed by these people into something ugly and to be feared. It is, of course, the real climate of fear created by Bush/Cheney that they wish to perpetuate.

[Dylan Powell]

Hey Totto, may be thats why obama's stay in the UK was brief because his people knew they were in right wing country, no point in hang around.

I'm about as political a person who has lived on this planet...me mum and dad taught us so...Well what has this Obama said that resonates....absolutely nothing...I'm a Irish immigrant who is now an American citizen and I feel that my vote will mean nothing......All noise and no substance...For the of god, the American satirist/ comedian, Bill Maher said, ne thought the guy's name was ""Change"...coz that is what was posted on his podium...I mean really, people, that is as vacuous a notion than....well you decide....What about health care, the economy stimulus, the ridiculous profits made by pharmaceuitical companies, and Halliburton, Bectel, et al etc....will he change that, hahahahaha....Fish