Is Obama a cheapskate?

Some readers have invited me to be as outraged as they are about the fact that President Obama's gift to visiting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was a collection of classic American movies on DVD. I certainly agree with reader Anton that the gift was thoughtless, given that what remains of Brown's eyesight is reportedly failing. But beyond that, I'd say it is merely a small outward sign of Obama's austerity regime, rather than a deliberate slight.

 

It is the exclusive province of smaller powers to wring their hands and stamp their feet about such stuff, and boy, haven't the Brits done so. But it's all forgotten in no time and has no lasting implications. In fact, the whole thing is reminiscent of the controversy generated in Australia when Prime Minister Rudd decided not to include Japan in his first overseas visit. Remember that? Exactly.

Photo (of a pre-inauguration IKEA publicity stunt) courtesy of Yahoo.