MAKING AMENDS - AT 11:07 P.M. ET:  We've noted here that President Obama hardly went out of his way to make Britain's prime minister, Gordon Brown, feel welcome on Brown's visit to Washington this week.  And indeed, Obama's attitude toward things British has seemed aloof.  British discontent, and some serious sniping by American observers, has apparently produced some soul searching, as The Politico reports:

After taking flak for returning a bust of Winston Churchill, President Obama is giving some British mementos prominent homes in and near the Oval Office.

In a 10-minute phone call Wednesday, Obama thanked British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for dropping off the gifts Tuesday when he visited the White House, according to an official release. The unusually-detailed readout on the call said Obama has put a pen holder taken from the HMS Gannet on his Oval Office desk, known as the Resolute desk. The statement also said a first-edition biography of Churchill, the legendary World War II British premier, has been placed in the president’s private study just outside the Oval.

COMMENT:  We hope a lesson has been learned.  We expect the president to treat our friends better than he treats our enemies.

March 3, 2009