Why Obama's stardust won't stick to Brown
By
Contributing editor
Emily Hohler Mar 06, 2009
Print this article
Yesterday's Man (left) meets The Master of Tomorrow (right)
Gordon Brown has achieved his goal of being the first EU leader to call on the White House. And he has certainly tried to make the most of the opportunity. His visit has even included the honour of an address to a joint session of Congress, says The Times. In a sense, Brown's address couldn't fail, says Andrew Rawnsley in The Observer. Congress is "exceedingly polite" to visiting leaders and he could have "read out the Kirkcaldy phone directory" and still have been guaranteed a warm reception.
But Brown needed to do better than that. The "rarity and glamour" of the occasion meant that he was effectively addressing his domestic audience as well as America. His twin aims were thus to secure an international response to the economic crisis in the run-up to April's G20 summit (of which he is chair) and to revive his political fortunes at home. The latest Guardian poll put Labour 12 points behind the Conservatives.
It's a shame then that Brown seems to have no plans to apologise for the role he has played in the financial crisis, says Patrick Wintour in The Guardian. In spite of his chancellor, Alistair Darling, telling The Daily Telegraph that ministers must show some "humility" and accept "collective responsibility" for some of Britain's economic woes, Brown told the BBC that there was no need for specific regrets. He still blames international factors for causing our recession. So he used the speech – "possibly the most important of his political life" – to urge US politicians to avoid protectionism, and talked loftily of the importance of acting in concert to fight the worldwide recession and the willingness of a united Europe to work alongside America.
It is surprising that the Americans are "pushing the boat out so far for Brown", particularly since the next prime minister may well be David Cameron, says Christopher Meyer in The Independent. But "we should not exaggerate the significance of these American marks of respect". Anglo-American relations have been strained recently, particularly over Iraq and Afghanistan, but it is not in America's interest for Britain to be estranged. Washington knows Brown is eager for some Obama stardust and that this visit will keep us sweet.
That's not quite fair, says Steve Richards, also in The Independent. Obama has not invited Brown to Washington as "an act of charity". Both men recognise the current crisis requires decisive government action and a new global regulatory framework for banks. There is little to be gained by our Financial Services Authority toughening up its act if Britons can escape our regulatory regime abroad. The relationship is mutually supportive, agrees Jonathan Freedland in The Guardian. Obama will take the blame if his $800bn stimulus bill goes awry; being able to frame it in the context of a global effort will help.
This visit is unlikely to save Brown from "electoral Armageddon", says Matthew Norman in The Independent. The "photogenic contrast between Yesterday's Man and The Master of Tomorrow" makes him look "more fatigued" and "cadaverous" than ever. "Posing before the planet as its top-ranked proponent of fiscal responsibility" just as Britain realises "his recklessness at the Treasury has deepened the slump" is likely to make him look "delusional at best, and a great fat hypocrite at worst".
Published in
News & charts
| More
articles
by
Emily Hohler
FREE - MoneyWeek's daily investment email
Our free daily email, Money Morning, is an informative and enjoyable analysis of what's going on in the markets. Written by our Editor, John Stepek, and guest contributors.
Sign up FREE to Money Morning here.
