Dohbama strikes again, disses U.K. Updated: Will the Queen re-gift the iPod?

By Michelle Malkin  •  April 1, 2009 01:20 PM

Dohbama strikes again. And just in time for April Fool’s Day! Via WSJ, hat tip – QDH). Where art thou, Teleprompter of the US?

The goods news out of London is that Barack Obama has reaffirmed America’s “special relationship” with the U.K. The bad news is that the “affinity and kinship” that the U.S. president spoke of apparently only extends to England.

Mr. Obama’s first major foreign trip has been seen as a test not just of his leadership skills, but of his ability to navigate the protocols of diplomacy. In the U.K., that means mentioning the famous special relationship between the countries, which has been important here ever since Winston Churchill first referenced it after World War II.

On Wednesday at a joint conference with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Mr. Obama made a pass at acknowledging the special relationship. Unfortunately, he inadvertently broke a cardinal protocol by at one stage using England to denote U.K.

“We owe so much to England; that when you come here there’s that sense of familiarity, as well as difference, that makes it just a special place,” he said, leaving Wales, Northern Ireland and Mr. Brown’s home country of Scotland out in the cold.

But in a statement to make any republican-minded Scots wince, Mr. Obama conceded one thing he loved about the U.K. — the Queen.

On a related note, I am having a hard time envisioning Michelle Obama curtsying to anyone. (I *can* picture her demanding reciprocation.) How about you?

U.S. security personnel and advisers have already visited the palace to check the arrangements and take advice on protocol, such as the neck bow that Mr. Obama is expected to make, and the curtsy Michelle Obama will have been advised to deliver, a person familiar with the matter said.

***

Snort:

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 visit to the United States. In return, the Queen gave the President a silver framed photograph of herself – apparently a standard present for visiting dignitaries.

The Queen already has an iPod, a 6GB silver Mini version she bought in 2005 at the suggestion of Prince Andrew.

More hilarity: A Queen music mix?

And confirmation that this was not a joke.

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Posted in: Barack Obama

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Comments


  1. #201
    On April 1st, 2009 at 7:24 pm, moonshot said:

    On April 1st, 2009 at 6:38 pm, vickisoup said:

    Wherever did you learn that, moonshot?

    I heard it on the CBS Evening News but googled it.

    http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/01/british-queen-gets-personalized-ipod-from-obama-1/

  2. #202
    On April 1st, 2009 at 7:41 pm, rjd27 said:

    So, are the Obama’s just really cheap, or just lousy at gift-giving?

  3. #203
    On April 1st, 2009 at 7:42 pm, Joy said:

    LONDON (AP) – It’s not everyday the American president’s driver is told to move his bulletproof car.

    But Queen Elizabeth II’s handlers made the request Wednesday after President Barack Obama’s reinforced Cadillac limousine was found to be blocking the garden entrance driveway at Buckingham Palace.

    I read the whole article and this is the only request I read about.

  4. #204
    On April 1st, 2009 at 7:47 pm, zorro said:

    Boy, those Chicago Thugs have a lot of class… what a bunch of morons. They give new meaning to the old slur, not ready for prime time.

  5. #205
    On April 1st, 2009 at 7:50 pm, kayfromcarroll said:

    On April 1st, 2009 at 1:33 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    He’s been told not to stand next to Prince Charles. It’s bad form for your ears to shame shade the future king of England.

    Fixed That For Ya!

  6. #206
    On April 1st, 2009 at 7:55 pm, RetFireman said:

    What a buffoon. An absolute, 100%, died-in-the-wool, straight from the gutter buffoon.

    Oh what I would give to be a fly on the wall in Buckingham Palace both before and after that meeting.

    At least Lady MacBeth had the decency to cover up those ham-slabs she calls arms when going to meet the QUeen. Too bad it looked like a cat spit up on her head, though.

  7. #207
    On April 1st, 2009 at 7:58 pm, alwaysright43 said:

    But Michelle- he’s so eloquent, so refined. Why, mere mortals aren’t even fit to share the same air with the Obamas. I just keep thinking, what if Bush had done it…

  8. #208
    On April 1st, 2009 at 8:06 pm, WrshpMzshn said:

    Obama to aide:
    Hey, how come they changed the words to “My Country ’tis of Thee?”

  9. #209
    On April 1st, 2009 at 8:08 pm, swede said:

    RetFireman said:

    At least Lady MacBeth had the decency to cover up those ham-slabs she calls arms when going to meet the QUeen. Too bad it looked like a cat spit up on her head, though.

    I read that sharia law would require Obozo to discipline his wife, including beating if necessary, for bearing her arms in public. Good luck finding those moderate Taliban O Wise One.

  10. #210
    On April 1st, 2009 at 8:30 pm, frontierguy said:

    BHO does not get that he represents the country, he believes he represents himself. Therefore I think in his mind he will always be more important than the office. Visiting foreign heads of state, it seems he thinks it’s like going to a BBQ back in the hood. It is not the protocol of the gift, but his mere presence there that is the gift itself. If he had pulled this one off well, I would have dismissed Prime Minister Brown’s gift gaffe, although I would have blamed the dvd giving as on the job training, but at least I would have to give him credit of learning. This guy is either so incredibly in love with himself it defies logic, or he is doing it on purpose. Either way this is disturbing.

  11. #211
    On April 1st, 2009 at 8:30 pm, ocmujelly said:

    Aren’t IPODs made in China?

  12. #212
    On April 1st, 2009 at 8:47 pm, gco said:

    Well, it isn’t as if the Obamas farted in front of the Queen. But only because the TelePrompter didn’t say to do so.

  13. #213
    On April 1st, 2009 at 9:34 pm, curiozities said:

    It would’ve been REAL funny if the Queen would’ve given Obummer the bust of Winston Churchill he gave back a few weeks ago.

  14. #214
    On April 1st, 2009 at 10:11 pm, cicerokid said:

    Michelle didn’t curtsy while obumma did bow? Well, duh! She is not a British subject. Her husband is!!

    “In return, the Queen gave the President a silver framed photograph of herself, which President Obummer promptly replaced with a photo of himself.”

  15. #215
    On April 1st, 2009 at 10:16 pm, Mookie said:

    I’ve decided to let Sonofdy off the hook. The reason the iPod and book have special meaning to the Queen is that when she and Prince Phillip were, in her words, “courting”, their song was “People Will Say We’re In Love” from Oklahoma and it’s her favorite musical.

  16. #216
    On April 1st, 2009 at 10:23 pm, NavyTim said:

    Great – think about for a moment. She already owns an iPod. He gives her one pre-loaded. When she goes to sync it, it will over-write was is on the new one, then sync what is on her computer. No more “Oklahoma”…

  17. #217
    On April 1st, 2009 at 11:04 pm, RetFireman said:

    That’s right, all you Obama apologists. He didn’t make a buffoon of himself and it is just us yokes here that have issue with it.

    But do yourselves a favor…when you are finished telling all of us about the proper protocol when meeting the Wueen of England and what constitutes the correctgift, maybe you should then go out and start telling all those British newspapers like the Times and such how best to meet the Queen and what type of gift is appropriate as well.

    It seems they have the same opinion as we do. But then, you guys always know better, being as how you are always our intellectual superiors.

    If it wasn’t a big deal, then it wouldn’t be being made into a big deal.

    Nothing makes me shake my head harder in disbelief and utter amazement then the absolute ridiculousness of the Liberals and the Obama-wannabes than when they make all these excuses and apologies for his boorish and ridiculous behaviour.

  18. #218
    On April 1st, 2009 at 11:35 pm, fulldroolcup said:

    …and then Michelle the Queen said to Prince Charles, Barack, “I see you brought your horse wookie”…

  19. #219
    On April 1st, 2009 at 11:47 pm, Mookie said:

    On April 1st, 2009 at 11:04 pm, RetFireman said:

    That’s right, all you Obama apologists. He didn’t make a buffoon of himself and it is just us yokes here that have issue with it.

    But do yourselves a favor…when you are finished telling all of us about the proper protocol when meeting the Wueen of England and what constitutes the correctgift, maybe you should then go out and start telling all those British newspapers like the Times and such how best to meet the Queen and what type of gift is appropriate as well.

    It seems they have the same opinion as we do. But then, you guys always know better, being as how you are always our intellectual superiors.

    If it wasn’t a big deal, then it wouldn’t be being made into a big deal.

    Nothing makes me shake my head harder in disbelief and utter amazement then the absolute ridiculousness of the Liberals and the Obama-wannabes than when they make all these excuses and apologies for his boorish and ridiculous behaviour.

    How’s The Obama Forum these days?

  20. #220
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 12:35 am, pdigaudio said:

    Oh, the gift iPod was loaded with The Messiah’s own speeches. What an egomaniacal piece of …

  21. #221
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 1:22 am, yohannbiimu said:

    I wonder if this wonderful gift from “the one” is on its way to a landfill somewhere? What says “I’m shallow and stupid” more than the gift (to the Queen of England, no less) of something plastic, that can be found practically ANYWHERE, and that will become obsolete in a few years?

    The man is a moron. He’s as stupid as a brick. God only knows what idiocy he’s got in store for the world in the next four years…

  22. #222
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 1:30 am, yohannbiimu said:

    I can’t get over it…I mean, this twit is holds the highest office on EARTH. I just can’t get over that. He’s undoubtedly the most incompetent boob in ANY political office anywhere in this country, and it just HAS to be the office of the President of the United States.

    Hopefully, the ONLY thing he does is destroy the reputed political stratagem of the Democrat Party, and doesn’t lead the whole of the country into total ruin. I will NEVER get over the fact that is total NOTHING became president of the United States. It’s freaking UNBELIEVABLE!

  23. #223
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 3:55 am, purealchemy said:

    On April 1st, 2009 at 7:13 pm, Joy said:

    moonbeam – Are you saying the Queen actually TOLD Obama what to get her? Are you kidding?

    Major Garrett reported this on Bret Bair’s Fox evening news last evening. He only said the Queen asked for or requested an iPod but gave no other details.
    I saw nothing in that Washington Times article about such a request.
    If there’s any truth to the claim, it could only be explained by the Queen’s supreme civility. You know she knew how Brown’s gift went over and perhaps wanted to go easy on the Obamas by making it seem their first choice was acceptable.

  24. #224
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 4:00 am, purealchemy said:

    On April 1st, 2009 at 4:34 pm, Misscheryl said:
    Read this article and the comments if you want a laugh.

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

    A bunch of those comments were totally hysterical. I’m tempted to copy some here but several of them were kind of racist and I don’t want to get thrown off this blog.

  25. #225
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 4:08 am, purealchemy said:

    Correction:

    Just heard the repeat of the Major Garrett report.

    He said the White House staff reported that the Queen had requested a video iPod because hers is only audio.

  26. #226
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 6:16 am, RetFireman said:

    How’s The Obama Forum these days?

    Which one?

    How’s Kindergarten? Are the other kids still making fun of you? Or did they make up over graham crackers?

  27. #227
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 6:31 am, RetFireman said:

    And Mook…does that mean you are NOT going to tell the Brits how best to respect the Queen and to just get over it since the iPod was such a swell gift and all? Boy…you sure can crawl out from under a bridge when you feel like it.

  28. #228
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 8:10 am, RufusTFirefly said:

    Why didn’t he buy a couple of those velvet roses for her at the Kwik-E-Mart on the way to Buckingham?

  29. #229
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 8:23 am, Jimmie said:

    I think it is really cute…he has placed his two little girls in charge of gift giving, I wounder if they are on the payroll….did they get a bonus for this great idea?…..

  30. #230
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 8:35 am, chapoutier said:

    I can see now that you have really studied British history. Not.

    Tell that to wales.

    Sorry I missed out on the fun last night. I was without computer. But does someone want to actually tell me that England is not a separate consitituent country within the United Kingdom?

  31. #231
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 8:42 am, chapoutier said:

    start telling all those British newspapers like the Times and such how best to meet the Queen and what type of gift is appropriate as well.

    Yeah. The Times is just KILLING the Obamas.

    It is usually a breach of protocol to touch the Queen. But as the two women stood side by side, chatting about their height difference, she put her hand on the back of Mrs Obama, who did the same for a few moments. Before she departed, Mrs Obama told the Queen: “I really enjoyed our meeting.”

    The warm conclusion to the Obamas’ Royal meeting was matched by the rest of the US President’s engagement, which was both informal and affectionate.

  32. #232
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 8:49 am, Mainah said:

    The queen chatted with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi while French President Nicolas Sarkozy held an animated discussion through an interpreter with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

    Prince Charles shared a joke with Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva while his wife, Camilla, held a long talk with Michelle Obama.

    doesnt mention who THE ONE spoke with, but obviously he wasnt quite as important in the room as he thought he was, not to mention MO being cornered by CAMILLA….gotta love it….for a chat. They sent in the least-liked “Royal” to occupy Michelle, smack.

  33. #233
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 8:58 am, chapoutier said:

    And Mook…does that mean you are NOT going to tell the Brits how best to respect the Queen and to just get over it since the iPod was such a swell gift and all?

    He said the White House staff reported that the Queen had requested a video iPod because hers is only audio.

    If you had any shame, I bet you would feel like a tool right now. Plus, blatantly ignoring the other gift Obama brought. Petty little man, you are.

  34. #234
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 9:05 am, Mainah said:

    too bad “England” can’t just keep him there. As soon as he became president, and forever after, he gets to keep his diplomatic passport, which means we may never know what was on his original one.

  35. #235
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 9:25 am, Dave Turson said:

    at 8:35 am, chapoutier said: Sorry I missed out on the fun last night. I was without computer. But does someone want to actually tell me that England is not a separate consitituent country within the United Kingdom?

    Yeah, I’ll bet all that research really kept you busy. Context is the key. If you have a bone to pick, go hound the writer of the WSJ blog that MM cited: The writer is a British citizen–he would know more about this issue than the great, all-knowing you, you, you.

  36. #236
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 9:29 am, chapoutier said:

    Context is the key. If you have a bone to pick, go hound the writer of the WSJ blog that MM cited: The writer is a British citizen–he would know more about this issue than the great, all-knowing you, you, you.

    Uhhhhh…go back and read that again, big guy. The only person to use the term “England”, not quoting anyone.

    Maybe you should work on reading comprehension before you go trying to make up “context” to justify your hypocrisy.

  37. #237
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 12:31 pm, xler8bmw said:

    This is what happens when you let idiots vote in Snoop Dogg!

  38. #238
    On April 2nd, 2009 at 2:45 pm, shooter said:

    you can take the kid out of the gutter, but….

  39. #239
    On April 3rd, 2009 at 7:39 pm, Dave Turson said:

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