This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america/7670771.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Washington diary: Brown the hero? | Washington diary: Brown the hero? |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| By Matt Frei BBC News, Washington | By Matt Frei BBC News, Washington |
| Until last week, Gordon Brown was a virtual nobody on this side of the Atlantic. | Until last week, Gordon Brown was a virtual nobody on this side of the Atlantic. |
| The New York Times hailed Mr Brown as the saviour of the world economy | The New York Times hailed Mr Brown as the saviour of the world economy |
| The vast majority of Americans were simply unaware of his existence. | The vast majority of Americans were simply unaware of his existence. |
| Even President Bush called him "that fellow" at a press conference 18 months ago. | Even President Bush called him "that fellow" at a press conference 18 months ago. |
| Being stubbornly loyal, Uncle Sam only really had eyes for Tony Blair. | Being stubbornly loyal, Uncle Sam only really had eyes for Tony Blair. |
| Those who knew that one prime minister had been quietly replaced by another simply could not compute the departure of Blair - who remains immensely popular on this side of the Pond - in the same way that America could not get its head around the defeat of Winston Churchill at the polls in 1945. | Those who knew that one prime minister had been quietly replaced by another simply could not compute the departure of Blair - who remains immensely popular on this side of the Pond - in the same way that America could not get its head around the defeat of Winston Churchill at the polls in 1945. |
| And the few who took a forensic interest in British politics would have been reading the same early obituaries of Mr Brown that had filled the newspapers at home. | And the few who took a forensic interest in British politics would have been reading the same early obituaries of Mr Brown that had filled the newspapers at home. |
| What a difference a week makes! | What a difference a week makes! |
| Flattery | Flattery |
| In the New York Times, Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling, the Chancellor of the Exchequer (translation: the Secretary of the Treasury) have been credited by the paper's august economic columnist with having saved the world economy from financial meltdown. | In the New York Times, Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling, the Chancellor of the Exchequer (translation: the Secretary of the Treasury) have been credited by the paper's august economic columnist with having saved the world economy from financial meltdown. |
| Paul Krugman paid them the compliment on the day that he himself was awarded the Nobel Prize for economics. | Paul Krugman paid them the compliment on the day that he himself was awarded the Nobel Prize for economics. |
| I wonder if Number 10 has started air-dropping copies of the New York Times op-ed page over the United Kingdom? | I wonder if Number 10 has started air-dropping copies of the New York Times op-ed page over the United Kingdom? |
| The praise has been echoed, albeit more reluctantly, in the conservative press. | The praise has been echoed, albeit more reluctantly, in the conservative press. |
| On Fox News it has been uttered through gritted teeth with a hint of disbelief. | On Fox News it has been uttered through gritted teeth with a hint of disbelief. |
| But the highest form of flattery is still imitation. | But the highest form of flattery is still imitation. |
| When President Bush hailed the "ownership society" this is not what he meant | When President Bush hailed the "ownership society" this is not what he meant |
| Hank Paulson, once the "uber-Master of the Universe", has been dragged to the altar of direct intervention in the banks and followed Gordon Brown's example. | Hank Paulson, once the "uber-Master of the Universe", has been dragged to the altar of direct intervention in the banks and followed Gordon Brown's example. |
| Paulson called it necessary but "objectionable to most Americans". | Paulson called it necessary but "objectionable to most Americans". |
| Take a pause and consider what has happened: a conservative administration, wedded to the free market, allergic to nationalisation and hyper-allergic to all forms of socialism, run by a Texan oil man and a former Wall Street investment banker has adopted an economic emergency package that would make Michael Foot, the last leader of unreconstructed (old) Labour proud. | Take a pause and consider what has happened: a conservative administration, wedded to the free market, allergic to nationalisation and hyper-allergic to all forms of socialism, run by a Texan oil man and a former Wall Street investment banker has adopted an economic emergency package that would make Michael Foot, the last leader of unreconstructed (old) Labour proud. |
| The Federal government now owns a stake in some of America's leading banks. | The Federal government now owns a stake in some of America's leading banks. |
| The taxpayer has become banking, insurance and property mogul. | The taxpayer has become banking, insurance and property mogul. |
| When President Bush hailed the "ownership society" this is not what he meant. | When President Bush hailed the "ownership society" this is not what he meant. |
| It is also very rare for a country that likes to believe it is the best at just about everything to take advice from foreigners, let alone act on it. | It is also very rare for a country that likes to believe it is the best at just about everything to take advice from foreigners, let alone act on it. |
| It reminds me of the time in 2002, when the Iraq war was brewing and British diplomats touted the line that London was the Athens to Washington's Rome. | It reminds me of the time in 2002, when the Iraq war was brewing and British diplomats touted the line that London was the Athens to Washington's Rome. |
| What was wishful thinking at the time has become partially true today - how ironic! | What was wishful thinking at the time has become partially true today - how ironic! |
| Painful recession | Painful recession |
| But pride in the company of foreigners and ideology in the company of purists are luxuries America cannot afford these days. | But pride in the company of foreigners and ideology in the company of purists are luxuries America cannot afford these days. |
| They have been suspended while the patient has been saved on the operating table. | They have been suspended while the patient has been saved on the operating table. |
| With earnest mien and bloodied apron, Gordon Brown stands aloft as the surgeon-in-chief. | With earnest mien and bloodied apron, Gordon Brown stands aloft as the surgeon-in-chief. |
| The Prime Minister has had a stay of execution. | The Prime Minister has had a stay of execution. |
| But who knows how long it will last or whether it will save him at the next election. | But who knows how long it will last or whether it will save him at the next election. |
| Economists predict a painful recession. | Economists predict a painful recession. |
| When the real economy starts to hurt, voters are bound to get angry and point fingers of blame. | When the real economy starts to hurt, voters are bound to get angry and point fingers of blame. |
| A senior economist also told me today that Britain could still become tomorrow's Iceland, an entire island sunk by the credit crisis. | A senior economist also told me today that Britain could still become tomorrow's Iceland, an entire island sunk by the credit crisis. |
| Unlike the US, the country's economy is heavily dependent on the banking sector and has fewer economic cushions, like manufacturing, to fall back on. | Unlike the US, the country's economy is heavily dependent on the banking sector and has fewer economic cushions, like manufacturing, to fall back on. |
| Property values and banks are the only backbone of the British economy. | Property values and banks are the only backbone of the British economy. |
| The white knuckle ride is not over yet. | The white knuckle ride is not over yet. |
| In this country, Barack Obama has been the political beneficiary of the financial crisis. | In this country, Barack Obama has been the political beneficiary of the financial crisis. |
| The economy has always been his stronger suite. | The economy has always been his stronger suite. |
| He has sounded calm and collected when his opponent has swung almost as feverishly as the stock market. | He has sounded calm and collected when his opponent has swung almost as feverishly as the stock market. |
| Unleashing his surrogates to brand Mr Obama as a friend of terrorists and an extremist is nasty and off the point. | Unleashing his surrogates to brand Mr Obama as a friend of terrorists and an extremist is nasty and off the point. |
| But as 4 November draws near, the days become more breathless and voters' memories will grow even shorter. | But as 4 November draws near, the days become more breathless and voters' memories will grow even shorter. |
| Gordon Brown's example of a reversal of fortune could inspire John McCain. | Gordon Brown's example of a reversal of fortune could inspire John McCain. |
| The Republican still has three weeks to put the wheels back on the Straight Talk Express, ditch the attack dog politics and strike a note that is both serious AND hopeful, appealing to America's resilient optimism even in dire times. | The Republican still has three weeks to put the wheels back on the Straight Talk Express, ditch the attack dog politics and strike a note that is both serious AND hopeful, appealing to America's resilient optimism even in dire times. |
| The momentary reprieve in the stock and credit markets helps him. | The momentary reprieve in the stock and credit markets helps him. |
| But he needs to seal the deal and unlike Gordon Brown he only has words to help him. | But he needs to seal the deal and unlike Gordon Brown he only has words to help him. |
| And one debate. | And one debate. |
| Matt Frei is the presenter of BBC World News Americawhich airs every weekday at 0030 BST on BBC News and at 0000 BST (1900 ET / 1600 PT) on BBC World News and BBC America (for viewers outside the UK only). | Matt Frei is the presenter of BBC World News Americawhich airs every weekday at 0030 BST on BBC News and at 0000 BST (1900 ET / 1600 PT) on BBC World News and BBC America (for viewers outside the UK only). |
| Send us your comments in reaction to Matt Frei's Washington diary using the link below: | Send us your comments in reaction to Matt Frei's Washington diary using the link below: |
| href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5498&edition=1&ttl=20081015105602">Send your comments |