Looking awkward
NEW YORK: I've just woken to the sight of a grinning and understandably awkward Gordon Brown staring out of my hotel TV screen.
ABC's Good Morning America is trailing their interview with him by asking whether he backed Obama's call to pull out of Iraq asap or McCain's to stay a 100 years. I can't wait to see how he answers. Breakfast will have to wait...
UPDATE, 15:00 BST: Surprise, surprise. The PM sought to avoid choosing between Obama and McCain's Iraq strategy saying on the one hand that Britain has "been able to prove that you can draw down (troop) numbers" (a quote Obama will welcome) and, on the other that, troop numbers must be determined by events on the ground (more to McCain's tastes).
More memorable was the PM reminding an American audience that he'd worked with Tony Blair for 25 years and telling them that he loved America.
Attention now moves to the UN Security Council session on Africa where Zimbabwe is not formally on the agenda. South Africa's President Mbeki has just cancelled his bilateral with Mr Brown - presumably because he doesn't want it on the informal agenda either.
PS. Apologies, but from 1800 BST tonight, there's going to be some essential work carried out on all of the 91Èȱ¬'s blogs including this one. It means that you won't be able to comment on any blog posts from then until early Thursday morning. You can read more about this on the Editors' blog.
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Comments
Im sure he will come up with an answer that nicely keeps him sat on that fence of his.
Although knowing him he'll do it by destroying the fence at the same time.
Come on Nick, you know perfectly well that politicians have a whole bag-of-tricks for 'answering' questions of this nature.
You might be fascinated because its your job but for most of us English folk, who are not political anoraks, then Browns 'answer' is going be just about as interesting as watching paint dry.
PS. England for the English.
This is typical of Brown's incompetence, visiting America when the media is busy surrounding the Pope. (who will sell lots more newspapers and switch on lots more tellies than the girning Brown will) Why he's there, only he knows; maybe he wants to borrow a pound or two, or maybe he wants Bush to give him the praise he gave Blair: or, and this is probably nearer the truth , he just wants to hide from his own party and the British public for a while in the hope that all his troubles will blow away.
Not sure that I would miss a New York breakfast to listen to Gordon Brown saying nothing!
Nick, is not the increase of people working in UK of more importance then what is being said in USA? The reason being that all EU countries including the USA have had decrease in employment during these last two months! Are you aware of any other country that is in recession while employment increases at the same time? This is good news Nick and while you are in the USA, you should be proud of the economic miracles that your country is achieving in the face of world economic meltdown! Enjoy yourself Nick.
Have just spoken to some investment banking friends in New York, who are completely oblivious to Gordon Brown's visit. So don't hold up much hope for him making any impression -- or difference -- on Wall Street.
Yes - I bet it's some vague "well we will have to see how [some vague Iraq target] goes before jumping to any conclusion and [try to divert conversation to how well the troops are doing] but we shouldn't undo [some vague Iraq victory statistic] by pulling out too quickly."
That would need to be a particulaly strong fence.
To those talking about our electoral system. I, like many others, dont care who our MP is. We dont even know his name. At the last election, all we did was opt for Tony Bliar, and hence Labour. Regardless of what the system is, many people still vote for the leader of a party and not the party.
If he says anything it will be in same English that the rest simply do not understand he needs to take a real good look at himself and what he is doing to our once great country.
How do you teach a man to smile ?
whoever has done this for brown has
managed stage one but he either beams
or looks misserable he cant get the transition bit.
Breakfast will have to!
Does Brown realise he is in danger of alienating all the people round the world who dislike Bush so very strongly? Staying in Iraq a 100 years - only a fool would do that! How many countries have successfully managed to occupy a country and leave peacefully by their own accord? None! The British Empire was forced.
Not only a waste of money, but a sure way of keeping terrorism and its beacon of light burning for another 100 years.
I hope America will have a President capable of constructing sentences in English and one not corrupted by business. Obama would be my choice!
"We all favo(u)r withdrawing troops as quickly as is consistent with stability in Iraq"
"When will that be?"
"I won't be drawn on hypotheticals."
I'm not sure he will come up with an answer, maybe he may even dither. Of course he could always just ask the reporter a question, as he so often does at PMQ's with david Cameron.
He's got some British troops in Iraq he said would be home now.
But hey , promises promises.
Would that be the same fence that the vast majority of politicians sit on.
Waking up to Gordon?
No doubt he blamed Iraq on his predecessor like he's blaming the financial meltdown on the US housing crisis; this despite presiding over mortgages of ten times salary on his watch as Chancellor.
Ironic isn't it that you wake up to Gordon and Gordon wakes up thinking about our mortgages? I don't want him to think about it I'd like him to stop dithering and do something about it. This credit crisis has been going on for nine months and all he's done is think. Not quite good enough is it?
GB's smile is scary at the best of times, let alone first thing in the morning. I feel sorry for you Nick!
So Gordon Brown was keen to remind the American viewers he was part of Tony Blair's debacle ... not something I think he would be keen to repeat too often back home!
When are people in this country going to realise that the financial meltdown coming our way is ENTIRELY down to the untrammeled greed and stupidity of Wall steet, the City and organisations that have been perfectly happy to lend mortgages at ten times salary.
The wide boys working in the square mile have immeasurably more power that Gordon Brown, who has no power to stop consenting adults lending silly ammounts of money to each other, the same people who then blame the PM when things go wrong. It continues to amaze me that the financial services seem to live a charmed existance.
I was heavily opposed to the Iraq war but fully supportive of the surge. Prime Minister Gordon Brown's position is quite realistic in acknowledging the practical realities and local sensitivities. Anyone with half a clue recognises success is a process. Instead of beating partisan chests and ragging on the guy, developing the better approach is where it's at. If the Prime Minister's effort were any more perfect, I fear, I'd burst into tears.
All hail Blessed Leader!