Figures: Obama's Cheap Gift to Gordon Brown Doesn't Work

Smart diplomacy in action.

Alas, when the PM settled down to begin watching them the other night, he found there was a problem.

The films only worked in DVD players made in North America and the words "wrong region" came up on his screen. Although he mournfully had to put the popcorn away, he is unlikely to jeopardise the special relationship – or "special partnership", as we are now supposed to call it – by registering a complaint.

A Downing Street spokesman said he was "confident" that any gift Obama gave Brown would have been "well thought through," but referred me to the White House for assistance on the "technical aspects".

Sure it was. No doubt having some flunky pick up a DVD set from Blockbuster demonstrated the ultimate thoughtfulness Obama is legendary for. In fact, this may have been the first time in his life he thought about anyone but himself.

A White House spokesman sniggered when I put the story to him and he was still looking into the matter when my deadline came last night.

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.

Yeah, that Bush was a real idiot, huh?

H/T Ace.