On his visit to the USA, Gordon Brown presented President Obama with three gifts; a first edition of Sir Martin Gilbert’s authorized biography of Churchill (ok so it's history books, but an amazing set), a framed commissioning paper for HMS Resolute, rescued by an American whaler in 1856; part of HMS Resolute was later made into the desk presented by Queen Victoria to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880, and used in the oval office still today. (That's a cool chunk of history)
And the third present, a pen holder fashioned from the timber of HMS Gannet, a sister ship of the Resolute that also served for a time on anti-slavery missions off Africa.
This isn't just any anti slavery ship though, it wasn't around for the civil war and freeing the slaves in America, though the suggestion is obvious. This ship was actually used to stop the slave trade from Kenya. Were it not for this ship and Britain's fight against slavery Obama's grandfather might have been an Arabian slave. Obama might not exist were it not for this ship. This gift has ties to the historic desk in the oval office, anti-slavery, Britain's long freindship and support of the United States, and Obama's own family history. That is an AWESOME gift!What did Obama give the prime minister? 25 DVDs of American movie classics. Ignoring the fact that they were American DVDs and incompatible with British DVD players; Brown is blind in one eye and has difficulty seeing movies! What did he get
Brown's kids? Toy models of Marine One. (Can we go to the gift shop and pick out our own gift next time.) While the Obama girls got British designed dresses with matching necklaces and a selection of books by British authors not yet published in the USA.Oh but wait. Today Obama got to meet with the Queen of England. He's had a little time to learn and improve. You know what he got the Queen? An ipod. Seriously, does he think the queen can't get an ipod? Oh but wait, you say there was more thought in it than that. Obama did learn something.
Yes the ipod came with video of the Queen visiting the USA in 2007, and 40 Broadway songs. YES! Obama made her a mix tape! Ok I'm making fun of him they were cool songs mostly from American shows and Broadway is uniquely American, and they did come with a signed songbook from Richard Rodgers of Rodgers and Hammerstein.But really, I think he has no sense of history, and give horribly unthoughtful gifts. He is totally not invited to my birthday.
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2 comments:
"Cool coin, bud. What was the rest?"
dvd's wow that is what i get my in laws when i dont know what else to give, that is a really lame(sp)gift. and an ipod i wouldnt she already have one, or maybe they are bud already and he know she really wanted one but she could not justify spending the money for it like so many of us.
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