Obama and Cameron: who thought what about whom?

cuffleyburgers

Hardly opposite ends of the political spectrum - DC is a pinkish tory, and any US president is going to be further to the right than say a french equivalent. Despite the accusations of socialism, I don't think they really stick, although our Verity would doubtless disagree.

John Lea

Prefer to believe the New Statesman article, which would confirm that Obama's instincts are sound: Cameron is a lightweight. Hope the country and then the Tories kick him out.

Frank P

Who cares what Obama thinks of Cameron? He hasn't got a vote here. And being approved by Obama is hardly a recommendation. And why is nobody from this magazine following up on what is happening in the US at the moment? Glenn Beck seems to be recycling all the stuff that Melanie Phillips, her contacts commentators exposed during the US election campaign which showed the mettle of the Messiah and his subversive and criminal sidekicks. There's a furore going on in the US, now that the electorate are beginning to wake up to the fact that there was more in the woodpile than they bargained for, and our hosts here, and the MSM in general, appear not to have noticed. All they seem interested in is what Obama thinks of Cameron and Brown. Sheee...!

I hope Mel hits the ground running after her 'holiday', I'm looking forward to it.

Ray Veysey

The problem with the "left" and "right" labels, is that it requires you to know where the centre is, and that looks to be somewhat of a moving target lately.

Rush-is-Right

Yes, I heard him on Toady this morning.

Frankly it doesn't matter what Obama thinks. The country has rumbled Brown, it's just a question of whether the Labour Party has the initiative to toss him out before the electorate does.

John

Cuffleyburgers, are you sure the accusations of socialism don't stick? Perhaps you haven't heard - Obama's chief advisers include a self-avowed communist and 9/11 truther, Van Jones, a eugenicist that has recommended forced abortions, John Holdren, and an all-round nutjob called Cass Sunstein. These are only the three that I've mentioned - I'm certain there are more.

The truth about Barack Obama is now coming out, though I wouldn't rely on the likes of the BBC to find the truth.

JM G

John Lea-You'd rather believe the one that agrees with your own opinion? Thats rather narrow minded.
As both are both on "I heards" I believe neither.

Mark

John Lea. Statesman article was a rubbish piece of fibbing spin from one with previous. You've been had mate, or you are dwelling under the bridge!

David

MacMillan and JFK got on famously; as a similar One Nation Tory, I'm sure Cameron will be able to do much the same with Obama.

Nick

The full quote about Brown is even more damning:

Obama and his aides found Brown "really very lacklustre; his mood, his dourness; they found the experience faintly depressing. There was an end of regime feel about him."

David

"Prefer to believe the New Statesman article..."

The one written by Peter Mandelson's favourite journalist? You really hate Cameron that much you're happy to be spoon-fed lies by Labour?

JONNY

'Cameron is a lightweight'

Nice cliche John Lea.
Only slight problem is that's it's the usual wholly predictable reflex emanating from a tired brain.
Nothing personal. We all feel like that at times.

mitch

"faintly depressing". Just think if he was your PM?.

Austin Barry

Frank P

"..more in the woodpile than they bargained for.."

Oh, dear...

Verity

Obama's a political thug from the back rooms of Chicago. He's going to say anything on any given day that forwards his purpose for that day.

If he developed a sudden admiration for vapid, pinko Dave, it was for a reason and his admiration will have evaporated like the morning dew in midsummer when the reason goes away.

John_R

This Yank doesn't think Obama has any business calling someone else a light weight. He is, politically speaking, ham-handed. His party is in trouble:

The president's ratings plummet; his party loses its advantage on the generic congressional ballot test; the intensity of opposition-party voters skyrockets; his own party's voters become complacent or even depressed; and independent voters move lopsidedly away. These were the early-warning signs of past wave elections. Seeing them now should terrify Democrats.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/cr_20090905_1231.php

John Lea

JONNY - by describing Cameron as a 'lightweight' I was actually referring to Peter's blog. Nothing personal, but please read the original article - if it doesn't exhaust your tired brain to do so - before responding to other people's points!

John Lea

JM G/Mark - Couldn't really care less what Obama thinks about Cameron, but it worries me that so many people on this site think Cameron is a great leader. Cameron seems a nice guy, but I don't believe that he represents traditional tory values, and that worries me. Doesn't it worry you? Doesn't it worry you that he is soft on crime, against the re-introduction of grammar schools, pro-NHS, against the withdrawal of British troops from Afganistan, etc.?

pete-s

Verity - Your description of Obama:

"He's going to say anything on any given day that forwards his purpose for that day."

also describes a certain;
Antony Linton Blair

Hysteria

cuffley - the material coming out now about Obama's "czars" is truly damning - especially Van Jones. Trying not to sound swivel-eyed about this but the material broadcast last night by Beck was very interesting. We are not talking old youthful indiscretion, but recent (2008 and 2009) taped speeches that reveal Jones to be an unreconstructed radical.

If you judge a man by his fellow travelers then this presidency will become very interesting, very soon.

There is enough evidence to suggest that BO is extremely to the left in his world view, if not in his immediate intentions and policies.

The least worst option now is that the DNC lose their majorities in 2010 and the natural balances written into the constitution come into play.

Sadly the UK arrangements mean we will replace GB with DC and not a whole lot will change.

Oscar

There was chemistry between Obama and Cameron at their first meeting - it was evident from all the pictures. And despite the massive press operation around Obama's G20 visit I detected none of the genuine warmth beween Obama and Brown that was so evident between Blair and Clinton and Blair and Bush. Blair made lasting friendships with both these men, but there was no sign of any personal bond between Brown and Obama. And yes these things do matter. They help turn the all important wheels of international diplomacy. The value of these social/political skills in our PM seem vastly under-rated by the readership of Coffehouse.

Battle 2807

I would also find meeting Brown 'faintly depressing'. Infact, I would probably find myself losing the will to live.

Frank P

Oscar

" The value of these social/political skills in our PM seem vastly under-rated by the readership of Coffehouse."

Well, foxtrot, Oscar! How can you under-rate non-existent social/political skills?

Pompous prick!

Verity

Oscar, as a resident of oil country, Houston, Texas for several years, I can assure you that you will always believe you are the best friend of any oil man you engage with. To say these guys are canny players is to state with certainty that the sun rises in the morning. From what I know of the Bush family, I am guessing that they found Blair's (and Cherie's!) pretensions comical but useful.

My guess, the Blairs are on the Bushes' fifth-tier Christmas card list.

Frank P

Austin Barry

Nothing new here, I know, but it's worth a reprise:

http://www.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=36196

JONNY

Just wondering John Lea
where your 'traditional Tory value Party' would be standing in the polls without benefit of Cameron.
I think I'm going to have to tell you.
Somewhere between 31-33 - the traditional Tory bedrock.
Where they dawdled around for the past 3 elections before this 'lightweight' of yours emerged to lift them.
If that's what 'lightweight' does Lord protect us from your 'heavyweights'.

THX1138

Dave was so starstruck at his first meeting with Obama that he forgot to address him as Senator Obama and had to be reminded.

David

"I don't believe that he represents traditional tory values,"

Can't get more Tory than Supermac. Cameron's a similar One-Nationer.

Carly

Obama and Cameron are hardly at other ends of the political spectrum. Obama is about a hundred paces to the right. Remember the political centre in the US is much further to the right, there is not a left as we would know it.

Austin Barry

Frank P

I always get a huge kick out of your posts. They are incisive with a mordant humour which gets me chuckling as I pour the next large malt. Keep 'em coming.

Sasquatch

Labour doesn't have lightweights, just dead-weights.

"He's going to say anything on any given day that forwards his purpose for that day."

Gordon Brown will say anything on any given day that avoids answering the question of the day

Kirsty

I don't believe Obama said that, it's very unlike him, he's usually very measured and careful with his words. I think it's totally fabricated, both "slightly depressing" and "light weight" are media stereotypes of Brown and Cameron.

Oscar

err Frank P. my post intended to point out that Brown's social skills are non-existent. I was trying (and obviously failing) to say that such skills in a PM are important and Brown's ineptitude in that department is yet another reason to despair of the man. The message was supposed to be: these skills matter - Brown does not have them. But obviously you didn't get it.