Jim Blazsik

1)The iPod (I wonder – what did George and Laura Bush give to the Queen on their visit in 2007?) 2) President was successful in keeping his streak alive in offending somebody! 3) 12 teleprompters 4) Must not touch! 5) Gordon Brown loves President Obama’s sense of humor! 6) That’s quite a bow for a President! 7) Obama appreciates folks who evaluates the world with racist comments Watch out Eastern Europe, Comrade Obama is about to sell you out – how nice. 9) Bruni backs off from Obama kiss 10) Maybe Obama doesn’t like the French after all! 11) OK, I believe that it’s not the teleprompter’s fault. 12) Obama is Mr Congeniality as North Korea launches missile. 13) Our President thinks Austrian is a language. 14) Way to go – Obama ticks off the French and Germans! 15) Bow denial!

How about Obamarama in Europe! We have a President who keeps on giving – let’s enjoy the European flavor of Obama at the G20 Summit in the UK, and his visits in Europe.

1) Of course the talk was the President’s gift to the Queen of England. (I wonder – what did George and Laura Bush give to the Queen on their visit in 2007?)

An iPod is an interesting gift – it is a step up from the DVD pack he gave to PM Gordon Brown (that he couldn’t use anyway, because it wasn’t formated for DVD players in the UK).

What was in the i Pod?

• Photos from the Queen’s 2007 White House State Visit
• Photos from the Queen’s 2007 Jamestown, Va., Visit
• Photos from the Queen’s 2007 Richmond, Va., Visit
• Video from the Queen’s 1957 Jamestown Visit
• Video from the Queen’s 2007 Jamestown Visit
• Video from the Queen’s 2007 Richmond Visit
• Photos from President Obama’s Inauguration
• Audio of then-state senator Obama’s speech at the 2004 DNC nd
• Audio of President Obama 2009 Inauguration Address

I heard about the news that the iPod contained stuff about the Queen’s visits – it is nice that Obama put in all that other stuff about him.

But that’s not all!

Songs on the iPod are:

• “Oklahoma!”
• “If I Loved You,” Jan Clayton, “Carousel”
• “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” Jan Clayton, “Carousel”
• “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” Ethel Merman, “Annie Get Your Gun”
• “Once in Love with Amy (Where’s Charley?),” Ray Bolger
• “Some Enchanted Evening,” “South Pacific”
• “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” Carol Channing, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”
• “Getting to Know You,” Gertrude Lawrence, “The King and I”
• “Shall We Dance?” Gertrude Lawrence, “The King and I”
• “I Could Have Danced All Night,” Julie Andrews, “My Fair Lady”
• “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” Rex Harrison, “My Fair Lady”
• “The Party’s Over (Bells Are Ringing),” Judy Holliday
• “Maria,” “West Side Story”
• “Tonight,” “West Side Story”
• “Seventy Six Trombones,” “The Music Man”
• “Everything’s Coming up Roses,” Ethel Merman, “Gypsy”
• “The Sound of Music”
• “Try to Remember,” Jerry Orbach, “The Fantasticks”
• “Camelot,” Richard Burton
• “If Ever I Would Leave You,” Robert Goulet, “Camelot”
• “Hello, Dolly!” Carol Channing
• “If I Were a Rich Man,” Zero Mostel, “Fiddler on the Roof”
• “People,” Barbra Streisand, “Funny Girl”
• “On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever),” John Cullum
• “The Impossible Dream,” Richard Kiley, “Man of La Mancha”
• “Mame,” Charles Braswell
• “Cabaret,” Liza Minnelli
• “Aquarius, Ronald Dyson, “Hair’
• “Send in the Clowns,” Judy Collins, “A Little Night Music”
• “All That Jazz,” Chita Rivera, “Chicago”
• “One,” “A Chorus Line”
• “Tomorrow,” Andrea McArdle, “Annie”
• “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” Patti LuPone, “Evita”
• “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” Jennifer Holliday, “Dreamgirls”
• “Memory,” Elaine Paige, “Cats”
• “The Best of Times,” George Hearn, “La Cage Aux Folles”
• “I Dreamed a Dream,” Aretha Franklin, “Les MisDerables”
• “The Music of the Night,” Michael Crawford, “The Phantom of the Opera”
• “As If We Never Said Goodbye,” Elaine Paige, “Sunset Blvd.”
• “Seasons of Love,” “Rent”

I don’t want the President to feel bad a anything, but remember that she is the Queen of England – I am sure she has access to any music she wants (and I think she already has an iPod). Maybe when he gets back, after he’s done firing folks at the car companies, he could hire one of the guys he fired to select his gifts in the future.

What did George and Laura Bush give to the Queen on their visit in 2007?

“President and Mrs. Bush gave Her Majesty a bronze statuette “High Desert Princess” with a personal inscription on the bottom of the base. It is a replica of the original life size statue that is located in front of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Ft. Worth, Texas.

President and Mrs. Bush gave The Prince Philip an exclusive sterling silver eagle box by Tiffany & Co. with personal inscription on the inside lid.

President and Mrs. Bush gave Their Majesties a leather presentation box filled with a collection of documents from the National Archives. One of the items was a copy of an original letter from President Roosevelt to her father, King George, written in 1938. There were also photos from previous royal visits and a DVD of the footage from the Queen’s visit to the United States when she was Princess Elizabeth in 1951.”American Digest

Now that’s one boss gift! Who would you want to buy your next birthday gift?

2) The President was successful in keeping his streak alive in offending somebody! This time he was able to offend Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Alistair MacDonald from the Wall Street Journal: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.

I found his fondness of the Queen very interesting – maybe he does have the inner urge to be king!

3) I know what folks are wondering – and yes! Not only will there be the beloved teleprompter, but there will be 12! You heard it right: 12 teleprompters. Now that’s what I’m talking about.

“The President will touch down at Stansted Airport tomorrow and be taken to the US ambassador’s residence in Regent’s Park. Accompanying the party will be a total of 500 officials including kitchen staff, 35 vehicles in all, four speech writers and 12 teleprompters.”

4) Must not touch!

Hot Air quotes Time Magazine that Michelle broke protocol by touching the Queen:

“The rules are set in stone, and so the eagerly watching British media sputtered when the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, briefly put her hand on the back of Queen Elizabeth II as the two chatted at a reception. Etiquette is quite stern about this (“Whatever you do, don’t touch the Queen!”). In 2000 John Howard, then Prime Minister of Australia, got plenty of criticism for apparently putting his arm around the Queen to direct her through a crowd. He denied actually touching her, but photographs suggest that he came quite close. (Another former Australian Prime Minister did put his hand on the Queen in a similar circumstance and was later branded “the Lizard of Oz.”)”

It is nice that after all the talk about how the Obamas will make us proud (as compared to that uncouth cowboy), that the First Lady broke time honored protocol and freaked out those Brits.

Again, I think that it would be a good idea to hire some of the folks that the President plans to fire. Some of them have probably paid their taxes – and I am sure they would know a whole lot more about protocol.

5) Gordon Brown loves President Obama’s sense of humor!

“Obama told a joke and Brown laughed… and laughed… and laughed… and laughed

Oh Gordon, your smile! The Prime Minister, appearing alongside Barack Obama after breakfast today, stared at his American visitor and almost shattered the TV camera lenses with his moony grin.

You could have played Jewish harp with his lower lip, it was stretched so twangy tight.

Messrs Mills and Boon, when next looking for a book cover for one of their romantic novellas, when next seeking an illustration of doggy devotion, could do worse than use a photograph of the Prime Minister at the meeting.

Mr Obama uttered a sentence. Mr Brown nodded. Mr Obama paused. Mr Brown froze, frowning. Mr Obama made a very slight joke.

Mr Brown gassed himself, laughing for a good 30 seconds, eyelids fluttering like the wings of a soft-flapping Cabbage White.”

I have always said he was funny.

6) That’s quite a bow for a President!

Hat Tip to Michelle Malkin – this new diplomatic stuff by Obama with a European flair: wanting to negotiate with the moderates in the Taliban (isn’t that a oxymoron?), changing the term Global War on Terror to “Overseas Contingency Operation,” and now bowing like a school girl to King Abdullah.

Well, I just guess it’s a different world now.

7) Obama appreciates folks who evaluates the world with racist comments!

I think our President just appreciates it when a guy speaks his mind – even when he makes racist comments! Remember Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula Da Silva and his stating that the global financial crisis was caused by “the irrational behaviour of white people with blue eyes”?

Boston Globe LONDON: President Barack Obama wildly popular the world over says he isn’t the globe’s most admired politician. He says that title belongs to
Brazil’s president.

During a lunch at the Group of 20 summit in London, Obama shook hands with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and said:“This is my man, right here. I love this guy.”

A bemused Silva who does not speak English appeared to enjoy the comments as they were relayed by an interpreter, grasping Obama’s outstretched hand with both of his.

Obama followed the comment by saying Silva is `the most popular politician on Earth” and that it is because of “his good looks.”

I think there is a feeling of comradeship here, since Lula is also a Socialist. But I think there is more: he offended Lula by rescheduling their meeting at the White House in March, because of the Saint Patrick’s Day festivities. Mr. President, please party responsibly!

Watch out Eastern Europe, Comrade Obama is about to sell you out – how nice.

What a difference the G20 party will make.

LONDON (AFP) – “Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev hailed Barack Obama as “my new comrade” Thursday after their first face-to-face talks, saying the US president “can listen” — even if little progress was made on substance.

The Russian president contrasted Obama as “totally different” to his predecessor George W. Bush, whom he blamed for the “mistake” of US missile shield plans fiercely opposed by Moscow.

Obama agreed to visit Moscow in July after his talks with Medvedev on Wednesday on the sidelines of a G20 summit in London aimed at fixing the battered world economy.”

“I believe that we managed to establish contact. But Moscow lies ahead. I cannot say that we made much progress on the most serious issues,” he told reporters, adding: “Let’s wait and see.”

“I liked the talks. It is easy to talk to him. He can listen. The start of this relationship is good,” he said, adding: “Today it’s a totally different situation (compared to Bush)… This suits me quite well.”

In their London talks, Obama and Medvedev launched a milestone quest to slash their nuclear arsenals, hoping to reverse the worst slump in the former foes’ ties since the end of the Cold War.

The pair also discussed thorny issues including NATO’s eastwards expansion, long opposed by Moscow which sees it as a power-grab by the West’s former Cold War-era military bloc into former Soviet territory.

“Yesterday I spoke about this with my new comrade President Barack Obama,” Medvedev told reporters traveling with him to the London summit.

They also discussed US plans for a missile defence shield, based in former communist-bloc countries which are now members of NATO and the European Union, like the Czech Republic.”

Remember when Medvedev exposed Obama’s secret letter asking for help with Iran, and in turn offered to drop Bush’s plan for the missile defense shield in Eastern Europe? How about the Russian invasion of Georgia?

How nice, Obama is exemplifying the importance of thugs liking you instead of respecting you. I wonder if we have the affection and respect of the new eastern democracies of Europe.

9) Bruni backs off from Obama kiss

Now pardon me. My parents are from Europe, and I thought they kissed everybody!

The Sun – “FRANCE’S first lady broke with protocol today as she held out a frosty hand to welcome Barack Obama.

Stunning Carla Bruni was business-like in her greeting — while her hubby treated the US President’s wife to a hug and Continental double kiss.

The former model gave customary pecks on both cheeks to Michelle Obama and other dignitaries when the couple arrived in France.

But when it came to the dashing US President the beauty kept a noticeable distance.” Check out the video, Did France’s First Lady Back Off From Obama Kiss? at Breitbart.com

10) Maybe Obama doesn’t like the French after all!

The French got a taste of how our President handles a news conference:

President Obama held a much ballyhooed town hall in Strasbourg, France, on Friday, touted by the White House as an outreach to Europeans on the second leg of the president’s “listening” tour.

But the first person he called on was an American — and the third, too. By the end of the hourlong session, not a single French citizen got to ask the U.S. president a question.

In all, Obama took just five questions from the thousands of people packed into a sports arena after delivering a lengthy speech read from a teleprompter. And the query topics were on the light side; one asked about the expected acquisition of a family dog, another about whether “you regret to have run for presidency.”

The president had opened his remarks by saying he had come to “take some questions. You know, oftentimes during these foreign trips, you see everything from behind a window. And what we thought was important was for me to have an opportunity to not only speak with you, but also to hear from you, because that’s ultimately how we can learn about each other.”

But Obama seemed surprised when his first questioner turned out to be an American. “Oh, I called — now, I just want to say I did not call on the American on purpose,” he said with a smile before delivering a long answer to the American’s question about his legacy as president.

After his answer, Obama chastised his fellow countrymen. “Now, I know there are some other Americans in the crowd, but do me a favor, Americans: Wait till we get back home, and I’ll do a town hall there, because I I want to hear from my French and German and European friends.”

While his second question came from a student from Heidelberg, Germany, his third questioner also turned out to be an American. “Well, hello, Mr. President. I’m sorry. I’m from Chicago,” said a young woman, who said she was attending an international high school in Strasbourg.

When disgruntled moans broke out in the crowd, the girl declared defensively: “I’m French. I’m also French.”

“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Hold on,” he said, addressing the crowd. “She says she also French. … What do you think? Should we let her ask the question?” he asked. There were light cheers from the polite crowd. “OK, go ahead.”

“I was wondering if the dog was already in the White House or not,” the young woman asked in English, with no trace of a French accent.

“This is a very important question in the United States, what kind of dog and when we’re getting it,” he told the audience made up mostly of French and German students.

He then called on a young man for the fourth question, and while he did not identify where he was from, the man had a heavy German accent. His final question went to “that young woman in the red,” another student from Heidelberg who identified herself as “totally European” — but maybe hailed from Hungary.

“I wanted to tell you that your name in Hungarian means peach,” she said.

“Peach? Oh, OK. Well, how about that. I did not know that,” Obama said.

“Yes, now you know it,” the woman said. Washington Times

Good for him – the offending people streak continues.

11) OK, I believe that it’s not the teleprompter’s fault.

Thanks Michelle – did the teleprompter make a mistake? Is that big screen TV monitor going to come back?

You know what – he just lost his place. And when he does, nothing happens. You go teleprompter!

12) Obama is Mr Congeniality as North Korea launches missile.

I am sure we all agree that our President was one liked guy at the G20. I think it was because he didn’t make a fuss when all those G20 leaders blew off his requests for help.

But nothing more exemplified his “nice guy” status was his “do nothing” strategy when North Korea launched it’s missile. Referring that hot potato to the U.N., was the best way of not getting European leaders mad at you.

Now I know North Korea’s missile fizzled in the Pacific – but look at that happy communist little guy with all his followers. I am sure that Obama being Mr. Congeniality will go a long way in the little guy’s evil plans for more missile launches.

13) Our president thinks Austrian is a language

There is no Austrian language: Austrians mostly speak German. But then again, maybe if those Austrians spent some time developing their own language – our President would be right on the mark!

There is another thing that is very nice: how the MSM supports our President – even Tom Raum with the AP concurs that Austrian is a language.

“It was also interesting to see that political interaction in Europe is not that different from the United States Senate,” said Obama, a former senator. “There’s a lot of — I don’t know what the term is in Austrian — wheeling and dealing, and, you know, people are pursuing their interests, and everybody has their own particular issues and their own particular politics.” (thanks NewsBusted)

14) Way to go – Obama ticks off the French and Germans!

One thing is sure: our President knows how to offend people. And to tick off the French and Germans – shows some chutzpah for such a Leftist.

Thanks Hot Air:

Obama Bashing in Bavaria and Paris
SPIEGEL ONLINE

US President Barack Obama says Turkey’s future is in the European Union. Not everyone agrees. Numerous politicians in Germany have gone on the attack, and even French President Sarkozy is unimpressed. Turkey’s role at the NATO summit has soured the mood.

During his stay in Europe, everybody seemed eager to be President Barack Obama’s friend. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi threw his arm around the US leader. French President Nicolas Sarkozy seemed to be on Obama’s heels wherever he went during the G-20 meeting in London, the NATO summit in Strasbourg and the EU get-together in Prague. Even Russian President Dmitry Medvedev seemed to be enjoying his proximity to the American superstar.

Now that Obama is in Turkey, however, some political camps — particularly in Germany — have discovered the political efficacy of Obama bashing. While in Ankara, Obama reiterated his support for Turkish membership in the European Union, a position he first voiced on Sunday in Prague. That doesn’t sit well with some.

“Turkey is bound to Europe by more than bridges over the Bosporus,” Obama told the Turkish parliament on Monday. “Centuries of shared history, culture and commerce bring you together. And Turkish membership would broaden and strengthen Europe’s foundation once more.”

It is a sentiment not universally shared in Europe. On Monday, a number of politicians, particularly in Germany, went on the offensive. “It is a meddling in the internal affairs of Europe,” Bernd Posselt, a member of the European Parliament from Bavarian’s conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), blustered in an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE. “The EU is not Obama’s plaything. … He should accept Turkey as America’s 51st state instead,” he continued.

Markus Ferber, the CSU’s lead candidate in European Parliament elections set for early June, echoed his party colleague. “There is no question that the US has a voice in NATO. But when it comes to membership in its own club, the EU decides by itself,” he said. “We don’t need any tutoring from abroad.”

Party head Horst Seehofer said that Europe’s “internal harmony” is dependent on “common cultural and spiritual roots.” He went on to say that “Turkey, as self-proclaimed representative of the Muslim world, clearly doesn’t fit in.” Read about more ticked off Europeans

Good for him – the offending people streak continues.

15) Bow denial!

Bow denial? BOW DENIAL? If there is one thing that gets me – it’s bow denial!

Thanks to Ed Morrissey at Hot Air for highlighting Ben Smith at Politico:

The White House is denying that the president bowed to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at a G-20 meeting in London, a scene that drew criticism on the right and praise from some Arab outlets.

“It wasn’t a bow. He grasped his hand with two hands, and he’s taller than King Abdullah,” said an Obama aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The Washington Times called the alleged bow a “shocking display of fealty to a foreign potentate” and said it violated centuries of American tradition of not deferring to royalty. The Weekly Standard, meanwhile, noted that American protocol apparently rules out bowing, or at least it reportedly did on the occasion of a Clinton “near-bow” to the emperor of Japan.

Interestingly, a columnist in the Saudi-backed Arabic paper Asharq Alawsat also took the gesture as a bow and appreciated the move.

“Obama wished to demonstrate his respect and appreciation of the personality of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, who has made one of the most important calls in the modern era, namely the call for inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue to defuse the hatred, conflict and wars,” wrote the columnist, Muhammah Diyab.

So, it’s the “He grasped his hand with two hands, and he’s taller than King Abdullah,” excuse? I hate that excuse! Can we do better than that?

But is it true? Ed also supplies evidence that somebody at the White House should wash their mouth out with soap. Notice how evident it is – that he never “grasped his hand with two hands” while bowing.

It is also very clear that he was not being a good guy by cleaning the floor either.

More articles of interest

White House e-mail gaffe by “sleep-deprived” staffer is revealing By Michelle Malkin

Chia Obama by John Romano

Lonewolf Diaries: My Formal American Apology by Steven Crowder

Obama in Baghdad By Michelle Malkin

Did Obama check his bow to Abdullah? – the Anchoress

The Least Patriotic Administration Ever by Doug TenNapel

Why Is Rick Wagoner Fired and Nancy Pelosi Still Working?
by Ann Coulter

Mohammed Cartoons redux: Make no apology for defending Western values; Update: Obama bows again By Michelle Malkin

Obama, O-Bore-Ma: Brit Journalist Scratching Head about Obama’s Reported Charisma, Gift for Speech – Frugal Café Blog Zone

Barack the Re-Gifter? by Jeffrey Jena

Kelsey Grammer Takes Over Television by Skip Press