Here's My Point: I Never Thought I Would Say That "I Miss Bill Clinton"

By Ron Fitzwater

As much as I know that I'm going to catch grief over it, I have to say that somebody really needs to grab our president's attention and strongly suggest that he get a new protocol officer before he accidently stumbles into an insult that causes an international incident.

I can overlook his breaking promises, like ensuring that all interested parties have time to read legislation before it goes to the floor for a vote (72 hours I believe was the promise), even though not reading bills can lead to little missteps like giving hundreds of millions of dollars to AIG employees. After all, politicians have been known to embellish a bit for expediency. I can get past the president forcing General Motors to dismiss their CEO, and I'll even pretend that it was GM's idea like the White House wants me to, and not thinly veiled socialism. In fact, I will even make believe that it doesn't matter that Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius was confirmed to head the Department of Health and Human Services despite the fact that she still owed over $7,000 in back taxes after her nomination was made-while at the same time conveniently forgetting how many others in the cabinet have had tax difficulties for lack of a more politically correct description.

But I cannot abide another president who is going to embarrass us when he travels abroad or hosts foreign dignitaries.

How much did the left howl about G.W. Bush and his rather home-spun demeanor when he met with foreign leaders? Or what about how the right would moan when Bill Clinton would throw his arm around some President or Prime Minister like they were old frat buddies? And let us not forget G.H.W. Bush throwing up on Prime Minister Miyazawa of Japan during a state dinner in 1992.

But never before in the written history that I can locate has one President acted so bone-headed in such a short time.

When British Prime Minister Gordon Brown came to visit the new American leader, he brought a gift that was just filled with meaning and history. Brown gave Obama an ornamental pen holder made from the timbers of the Victorian anti-slave ship HMS Gannet. Oak from the Gannet's sister ship, HMS Resolute, was carved to make a desk that has sat in the Oval Office in the White House since 1880. Brown also gifted a framed commission for HMS Resolute and a first edition of the seven-volume biography of Churchill by Sir Martin Gilbert.

The President gave the Brown a DVD box set of 25 movie classics including such titles as Star Wars, The Godfather and Citizen Kane. Problem one: the discs won't play in European DVD players. Problem two: It was a cheesy gift. Come on!

Now you would think that a lesson would have been learned here, but no. When our President and First Lady traveled to Europe for the first time, the fun just kept going. They went to London for the G-20 summit and were given the opportunity to meet the Queen.

Now few get to met the Royals and, yes, they are silly, but they are a symbol of this country's mother country and some due respect should be given.

He gave her an iPod.

He gave her an iPod with, among other things, recordings of his speeches. His speeches. I guess he felt the British Monarchy could use a little "Yes We Can" to make it through another few hundred years. An iPod? Are you kidding? This is the Queen of England, not your auntie (who, by the way, is still in the country illegally). You don't give her an iPod with your speeches on it. Talk about ego. You go to the Smithsonian and get Cornwallis' sword or something and present it to her with respect. And speaking of lack of respect, did nobody tell the First Lady that YOU DON'T TOUCH THE QUEEN?

Yes, the palace released a statement that said it was alright, but did you see the woman when Mrs. Obama grabbed her? She recoiled back with both hands up in front of her in classic defensive reflex body language. She recovered quickly because she is the queen, but it really wasn't cool.

Of course the Queen learned from Brown's mistake and only gave the Obamas a silver frame with a signed photograph in it. Good Show Your Majesty.

Look, I know the guy is smooth and all when he talks and the First Lady is a very educated woman. Surely, they must be able to figure out that gifting things like DVD's and iPods is tacky. They are the face of our nation and our people for at least the next four years, and they are embarrassing us with the Walmart gift list. It was, however, still better than Hillary Clinton giving a misspelled Easy Button to the Russian Foreign Miniser.

Hey, we don't have to give away our most precious trinkets, but even Bill Clinton could give a gift to a foreign leader that was respectable.

As much as I feel like I need a shower for thinking it, I never thought I would say that I miss Bill Clinton.