David Cameron Gets Obama's Ear

by Christina 123 | July 26, 2008 at 09:55 am | 149 views | add comment | 0 recommendations

UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown and Opposition Leader, David Cameron, today fought for the ear of Senator Obama in a "Battle of PR". David Cameron, perhaps won the battle after boom microphones picked up a supposedly private conversation between the two about the importance of grabbing "large chunks of thinking time" during the day. "You mean like, Karma?" replied Mr. Cameron.

The Brits have been charmed by Senator Obama's habit - like other Americans - of referring to Rt. Honourable Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, as "Prime Minister Gordon Brown".

On Saturday the presidential candidate will be meeting Gordon Brown, the prime minister, and also his predecessor, Tony Blair, in his capacity as Middle East peace envoy. But you could hear the screams of anticipation all over London last week when it was revealed that the Tory leader, David Cameron, was also going to be granted a brief audience.

(I do hope Mr Cameron was not planning on cycling to the meeting. On Wednesday evening his bike got pinched on the Portobello Road. Did you see the pictures? That "little boy lost" look rather undermined the more statesman-like image he has been trying so hard to create.)

But when they do finally meet, the two young leaders will find they have much in common. Both teeter on the brink of power. Both enjoy remarkably favourable press coverage. Both have married extremely well.

How fascinating it would be to eavesdrop on their encounter. Mr Obama might talk of his childhood in Hawaii, growing up in a one-parent family after his father had returned to his native Kenya. The first black president of the US - what a radical change that would represent.

Mr Cameron could counter by showing off his family tree that stretches back to King William IV, or by passing round that photo of him in his Bullingdon Club finery (the one we are not allowed to see any more). The 19th British prime minister to have gone to Eton - imagine that! Not quite such a radical change, though.