Whatever Happened to the Goal of Making the World Love Us Again?

President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair had a great relationship. They didn't always agree politically, but the two of them got along famously and our countries were the best of allies. I remember well the sight of Tony Blair sitting in the VIP section of the House gallery during Bush's famous post-9/11 speech.

Both countries now have new leaders and it appears the relationship is not what it once was:

Downing Street was left scrambling to avoid a diplomatic embarrassment today after the White House ruled out a formal press conference to mark Gordon Brown's first formal meeting with Barack Obama.

Officials denied the Prime Minister was being snubbed after it emerged that the new president would not make himself available for the traditional joint appearance before the White House media.

Mr Brown's aides are trying to make the best of what is a distinctly low key visit compared to the family hospitality lavished on Tony Blair by George Bush when they met for the first time.

Mr Brown and Mr Obama finally sat down together to meet the press in an informal Oval Office briefing this afternoon.

The pair, who were almost identically dressed in dark suits, white shirts and blue ties, appeared relaxed and friendly.

And Mr Obama was quick to reaffirm the 'special relationship' between America and Britain.

'First of all the special relationship between the U.S. and Great Britain is one that is not only important to me, it is important to the America people,' the new President said.

He added he would like to think his relationship with Mr Brown was 'terrific' and stressed his personal links with Britain through his mother's family.

'The notion that there's any lessening of the special relationship with Britain is nonsense,' he said.

'It is one of our closest and strongest allies and there's a lengthy bond there that we will not break.'

Although Sarah Brown flew to Washington today to join her husband, there were no plans for the two couples to meet and she will instead have a brief one-to-one meeting with Michelle Obama.

After overnight protests from British diplomats, the White House agreed to allow journalists into the Oval Office later for a brief round questions with Mr Obama and Mr Brown after their talks.

Downing Street stressed the 'intimacy' of the formal setting in the President's office, but behind the scenes acknowledged that it was getting used to a new administration that does not appear to have time to spare for diplomatic gestures.

It sounds to me that Obama just didn't want to answer questions from the press. It may not have anything to do with Brown.

However, when you have an ally that has committed as much of its blood and treasure to Iraq and Afghanistan as has Britain, it's unfathomable to me why Brown wouldn't get the full state visit treatment. We have no better friend in the world (or used to, anyway).

This is the second snub of Britain in the brief time Obama has been in the White House. There was a famous and priceless statue of Winston Churchill that was presented to President Bush after 9/11. The Brits offered to let it stay with Obama but he turned them down and had the bust sent home. There are some who suspect that Obama secretly harbors resentment against Britain because one of his ancestors received some rough treatment at the hands of the British when they governed Kenya.

Obama promised to make the world love us again. This isn't the way to do it.