Is anyone surprised that the DVDs that the president gave Gordon Brown don’t work in British players?
By the way, when Obama’s unlikely gift was disclosed, a reader emailed me to ask if Clueless was among the films. Funnily enough, it was not.
Me, neither.
[Update a few minutes later]
Iowahawk called this a week and a half ago.
[Friday morning update]
Barack Obama, unplugged — it’s a Special Olympics presidency.
And more from Mark Steyn:
I haven’t run into Gordon Brown in over a decade, but my memory of the last time I met him in a TV green room is of a glowering misanthropic type who enjoys nursing a grudge. What doesn’t go around (in the DVD player) comes around. When the President and his Teleprompter visit London for the G20 summit in a couple of weeks, it would be a tragedy were Barack Oprompta to rise for his big speech to find nothing but the words “Wrong Region” flashing on his screen (although I’m sure the Queen would be very polite and string along and make all the swells stand up and join the toast to “Ron Region”, whoever he is).
But don’t forget, folks: Somewhere in Texas a village has been reunited with its idiot, and we now have the whip-smartest administration of David Brooks’ lifetime.
The sycophancy of the press is truly disgusting, particularly after the way they bashed George Bush for eight years.
So, whose words were the “Special Olympics” line, his or TOTUS’? Or is Joe Biden writing his material for him now?
[Off to check…]
Heh. TOTUS says “Don’t blame me, I didn’t do it.”
Okay, I see the bus coming right at me, so let’s be clear: this was His ad lib.
It’s OK, we believe you. Hang in there. You have a tough job.
[Late morning update]
More from Powerline:
Can you imagine the Democrats’ reaction if the Bush White House had given a European head of state a set of DVDs that can only be played on North American machines? It would have been conclusive proof of Bush’s provincialism, lack of sensitivity to our allies’ sensibilities, ignorance of the wider world, techno incompetence, failure to appreciate the superiority of European civilization, blah blah blah. That’s how it would have been reported and editorialized on in every newspaper. So let’s check tomorrow’s papers and see whether that’s how Obama’s gaffe is covered. Or whether it’s covered at all.
I’m not going to waste my time looking.
He’s the “Saturday Night Live” president: obviously Not Ready for Prime-Time.
You know, that’s just plain stupid for a supposedly cool with-it 21st century techno team.
What a bunch of morons. I had much higher hopes for them, based on all that commentary about a superior, disciplined, brilliant campaign. Maybe it was all bullshit, huh? Maybe the Obama Campaign was run cluelessly, but couldn’t fail because of the peculiar circumstances.
I hate when luck is mistaken for talent. Boo.
*snicker*
I was pretty certain when I read the original story that if Obama was thoughtless enough to give out DVDs, he’d certainly never think to make them Region 2 or PAL.
This belongs on Saturday Night Live and across all the late night shows.
Aye, along with that stupid button Clinton gave the Russians. I mean, the people running government don’t trouble to find out about DVDs as gifts for Brits, whether they can play them or not, and the State Department doesn’t pay attention to its Russian translation?
This is nuts. This is total clownish incompetence at the most basic level. And then they’re going to tell us how to run a quarter of the economy — health care — so that it works much, much better than the mere stupid CEOs and physicians et cetera that run the show now?
Who would buy that? What kind of clueless dreamer would you have to be? Blech.
My understanding from the beginning was that all the items given to PM Brown were available from the White House visitor center. If that’s the case, I had no doubt then the supplier would be the same, and therefore those would be region 1, NSTC compliant DVD’s.
You and I can believe the White House is really this stupid. But they’re racking up overtime at Whitehall and the Kremlin trying to figure out what message is being sent.
I’m afraid their conclusion will be “We can so pwn these guys!”
So where’s the Obama fans who otherwise so slavishly defend him? Trying to figure out how the DVD gift is Bush’s fault?
Any bets on what gifts Obama will get from Brown (or subsequent prime minister) the next time they do the gift-giving thing? Coupons for a good bangers and mash meal? Will it be a classy but subtle insult? Or will Brown forgive and forget?
Two words, babies:
Not.
Presidential.
So where’s the Obama fans who otherwise so slavishly defend him? Trying to figure out how the DVD gift is Bush’s fault?
Clearly, Bush should have stocked up the White House gift shop with better quality gifts before he headed out the door.
It’s the process. The actual gift doesn’t matter. They get an A for effort because the narcissists tried REALLY hard.
We were told all last year how intelligent Obama was. I suspect it had more to do with his Ivy League law degree and the fact that he speaks real purdy when given a teleprompter. However, well before the election it was obvious the man was a mess without someone telling him what to say. He was the least qualified major party candidate and that lack of real world experience is showing daily in his presidency. Combine his arrogance with his economic illiteracy and this is going to be a long four years.
“that’s just plain stupid for a supposedly cool with-it 21st century techno team.”
That is just it, his technocratic crack squad have no doubt evolved beyond using those silly round pieces of plastic — so 2001. Now, if they can’t view it on a Ipod or off their netflix player then whats the point.
Of course, given the track record of the administration when it comes to paying taxes it’s likely they have no qualms about downloading torrents just as well.
I bought a bunch of European DVD’s they play just
fine for me, but, then again, I also bought a Region 0
player deliberately.
My Computer will also change regions quite easily, so
that works great.