Since it’s been a busy day I hadn’t checked the news, so I first heard of this during Ed’s podcast and thought it was an April Fools’ joke:
Barack Obama’s gift for the Queen: an iPod, your Majesty
Yes, really. An iPod.
Sometimes Scott is almost prophetic.
Worse yet: she already has one
It is believed the Queen already has an iPod, a 6GB silver Mini version she is said to have bought in 2005 at the suggestion of Prince Andrew.
Confirmed: The Obamas are Tacky, Tasteless, and Cheap.
While I expect the iPod will go on the garage sale next to Gordon Brown’s DVDs, Jonah Goldberg, however, had some O’fun.
On a related note:
Some bloggers feel that Michelle Obama should curtsy to the Queen. That is entirely up to Michelle Obama. However, it is standard protocol that Americans do not have to curtsy to any monarch.
you really have nothing to write about do you? big deal!
To umm: is it your blog? She can write about whatever she pleases.
And yes, it’s a terribly tacky gift. I guess this is what happens when politically immature people in perpetual campaign mode run a government.
I agree that it is understand that American’s are not required to curtsy to a monarch. If the Queen were coming to the White House or had requested their presence that would certainly be true. That having been said, when you ask (I would say beg) for a meeting with the Queen you show her the respect of her title, even if it is foreign to your culture. The Obama’s didn’t want to meet the Queen because she is a neat lady or because she could give them advice. They wanted (apparently SERIOUSLY wanted) to meet the Queen precisely because she is the Queen. She should have curtsied. When in Rome comes into play for me in this case.
Wait… the iPod gift thing isn’t an April Fool’s joke? You’re kidding me…
Heh. I’d like to see what they give people they *don’t* like.
Who is the head of protocol for this administration, does anyone know??
There usually is one, but maybe the Obamas decided it was a job that could be dispensed with.
This is gettting to be embarrassing, but is anyone cloe to them willing to bell this here particular cat?
If anyone wants to get an idea of the gifts to President Bush and other officials from foreign heads of state, try this link:
http://cryptome.info/0001/dos120707.htm
After reading what has been given by other leaders, including those we have difficult relationships with, it makes the Obama’s seem all the more chintzy…
oops. my bad. I didn’t check. Evidently the Obamas gave the Queen a rare book of the music of Richard Rogers, signed by him. That in itself is quite valuable, and he is her favorite American composer.
So the ipod makes sense as it’s probably got all of Rogers’ works ready to play.
I think the protocol people did some research here.
IOW, they’re improving over Hillary’s gift to Putin.
And who can top Hillary’s question when she saw the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico and asked “who painted the picture?” So far, that’s my favorite.