Prime Minister Gordon Brown gave a well-received address before the US Congress this past week. It was interrupted several times by applause as he spoke of the “special relationship” between the USA and UK. That’s generally the US view of the trip. In the alternate media universe of the UK, focused on the slight of PM Brown by US President Barack Obama during the business side of their visit on Tuesday.

Fleet Street media moguls struggle as hard as US dailies to remain relevant. The Telegraph’s Iain Martin complained about the lack of a flag draped White House East Room (with matching podiums) press conference as well as the rather unfortunate gift selection of replica Marine One helicopters for the Brown’s children (Mr. Martin felt that they could have been bought in the White House gift shop and this was a snub since Mrs. Brown had toiled for special gifts for President Obama’s daughters Malia and Sasha). Too, the video selection of DVDs for Mr. Brown was also widely panned (I guess that Region 1 NTSC, Region 2 PAL thing slipped everyone’s memory?) as he asked why Obama did not give the US fan Brown a book from a noted American Historical author. (How gauche!)

The Daily Express’ Julia White complained about the press conference instead being crammed into the Oval Office where reporters had to squeeze into an area between the couches and near the desk and were jostled about by camera people. She also was concerned about the disappearance of the Churchill bust, a gift to former President George Bush. (Look he kept the awful rug and is allowed to make some changes to an office connected to his home!)

Then the White House further flamed internal UK nationalist tensions by accepting an invitation to tea with HRH Queen Elizabeth II when he arrives for his G-20 conference visit in April. UK press whinged that this was yet a further slight to PM Brown and it somehow signalled the end of his regime which they have been chasing ad rooting for since Tony Blair left office a year ago.

Completely lost in the UK press whingeing was the historic fact of him being the first foreign Head of State hosted at the White House by the new Obama Administration. Yes, they could have stood more on formality and protocol instead of making a mess of the diplomacy side, but it was in the USA where a slightly more informal atmosphere, “how you doin’ Brownie?” as exhibited by the former occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue ruled for 8 year. Be thankful that at least the lads did not take of their jackets and play No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em for the Crown Jewells.

Yes the Governors of the 50 US states had a big party with Earth Wind and Fire, so I guess they should have asked the Browns in for a State dinner and had U2 or The Rolling Stones (joint multi-cultural pop Ambassadors) play. But get real Gordon, how many Republican votes can you deliver on the budget, healthcare reform and banking. President Obama is going to keep his powder dry. Yes you are special friends, but not ‘with benefits.’

Amazing how one story can play so differently on both sides of the Pond.

While Gordon Brown is clearly fighting for his political life, the US press does not have the same daggers out for him as the locals. Indeed, if one reads the local papers (and this ‘one’ does), the EU Obama love affair is already on the wane because he has not managed to wave his magic wand and fixed all of our as well as the USA’s financial and social problems by this, his 45^th day in office. The press here is willing to cut Barry some slack on world peace because he does get full marks for effort, passing a $787 billion dollar stimulus plan in 30 days, something Labour could not do if given another 30 months.

Gordon Brown is in deep enough trouble. Like President Obama he faces his own opposition Party of NO! Yet by simply hanging on he could yet engineer a win for Labour with mature and statesmanlike management of the financial crisis and not wallowing down in the mud with Tory leader David Cameron.

While the USA just finished a gruelling 2-year election campaign, the outcome is yet to be determined here and there is no specific date other than the end of Gordon Brown’s current 5-year term of office (he’s currently finishing the term Tony Blair won in 2005).

Elections could happen anytime between now and mid-May of 2010. The Tories will not lift a finger to save either him or the economy. Brown is tentative himself not wanting to do anything dramatic that could be labelled as courageous and cost him the election. So here, as in the jungle, two party elephants fight and the ants and grass beneath them are killed.

The UK economy is, unfortunately, the ant colony. You need to show the Tories that sitting on the sidelines and chirping away like US radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is done at their peril. See if you are a politician in the UK hoping for Gordon Brown to fail you behave as if you are a passenger on a cruise liner and do not like the way the Captain is operating the vessel, so you hope he crashes into an iceberg. What you fail to realise is that you and he are both on the same boat together.

Enjoy the last few moments of your adventure Mr. Prime Minister. Break’s over, back to work, this time for real.

by Denis Campbell