Obamas' Gifts To Camerons Include BBQ Grill, Chef Jackets

WASHINGTON — It's time for David and Samantha Cameron to fire up the barbie again – and not just any grill.

President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, on Wednesday gave the British prime minister and his wife a wood- and charcoal-burning grill engraved with American and British friendship flags, complete with his-and-her White House chef jackets embroidered with the Camerons' names.

The gifts were inspired by the Obamas' May 2011 visit to London, when the Obamas and Camerons held a cookout for American and British members of the military.

Mrs. Obama also gave Mrs. Cameron a crystal vase of White House honey. And the Cameron children got bean bag chairs embroidered with their names and the presidential seal.

The Camerons, who are in Washington on an official visit, reciprocated by giving the Obamas a pingpong table. That was inspired by a game of table tennis that the president and the prime minister played with school boys during the Obamas' visit to London.

Cameron joked during a luncheon at the State Department that he and Obama had chosen the wrong gifts for one another, noting that the president is in much better shape.

"I gave him a table tennis table and he gave me a barbecue, but when you see us standing next to each other, it's quite clear that the person who needs the exercise is the British prime minister and the person who needs the barbecue is the president," Cameron said.

Obama, for his part, recalled during a news conference that the two of them had gotten "thrashed" at ping pong. He said that's why he took Cameron took an NCAA basketball game this visit.

"When it came to sports on this visit, I thought it would be better if we just watched," Obama said.

Comments

[oniya]

02:25 AM on 03/20/2012

Funny how some folks on this post are criticizing the quality of what I think are meaningful and adorable gifts, saying that the Obamas have no class and gave bad gifts to the Queen (the iPod loaded with her favorite show tunes). Despite the so called classless gifts, the Obamas keep getting invited back to Buckingham Palace. As a matter of fact, after that first visit, President Obama became the first American president in history to be invited to speak at Westminster Hall. Either the Obamas are doing things very right, or the British have an odd way of showing their disapproval.

[oniya]

02:07 AM on 03/20/2012

It appears the Obamas have much better chemistry with the Camerons than they had with the Browns. They seem like real friends.

[Don Stalvino]

03:14 PM on 03/18/2012

Barry should have given a signed copy of "Dreams of my Fathers" by William Ayers.

[oniya]

02:08 AM on 03/20/2012

There are too many mistakes and so much wrong with what you've said

[ssullymets]

11:26 PM on 03/15/2012

Just what the Prime Minister needed........................ a George Forman Grill.

[nellpost]

09:47 AM on 03/15/2012

More wins for the elegant and saavy First Family, IMO

[ClaireDeLune]

02:26 PM on 03/14/2012

Geez, these two really are tacky beyond belief! What an embarrassment they both are in every possible way.

[nellpost]

09:47 AM on 03/15/2012

silly post, IMO

[youvegot2bkidding]

02:41 PM on 03/15/2012

Hillary STILL lost.

[scituate]

01:09 PM on 03/14/2012

The leaders of the world are probably just snickering at us and laughing behind our backs. It is embarrassing to have the Obamas in the WH. Michelle goes around the world on the taxpayers dime with her face on the floor doing situps or pushups in front of the world. Obama is babbling on and on during the playing of "God Save the Queen." The Queen looked horrified and embarrassed for him and so did the world, but no one dares say anything. It is like that story, "The Emperor has No Clothes." Forget about God save the Queen, God save us from the Obamas, but I think this country has to hit rock bottom before we crawl out of the sewer. No culture or class whatsoever.

[libwithaclue]

03:31 PM on 03/14/2012

George W Bush: The embarrassment that will not end...................

[Theseventy]

04:20 PM on 03/14/2012

Your unimpressive drivel is nothing more than word salad. Next.

[mboddie]

01:07 PM on 03/14/2012

The bean bags are gifts for their children. Do you think the kids would prefer diamond encrusted sterling candle sticks? As a parent I'm sure they would prefer the bean bags. As for the barbeque supplies, the article noted that it commerated the barbeque given by the Camerons for the President and Ms Obama when they were in England. You folks obsessing over the fact that a competent man and his accomplished wife live at 1600 Penn Ave need to get over it.

[DrSkepsis]

01:06 PM on 03/14/2012

Guess he finally figured out apple products with pre-recorded speeches likely caused the rash of comas throughout the kingdom.

[dui]

01:05 PM on 03/14/2012

Since Obamacare is now projected to cost twice the sum it originally touted, BHO wants to change the name to the Unaffordable Care Act

[revblueroof]

01:17 PM on 03/14/2012

You can contiue to repeat the lies if you want, but the fact is the non-partisian CBO the cost is actually less than projected.

[dui]

01:49 PM on 03/14/2012

Actually you're wrong. the CBO only reacts to the information given to it by the Congress. So, if the information is inaccurate, the CBO response will be inaccurate. If you care to investigate, you'll find that the new "twice the original cost" statement is being made by your nonpartisian CBO.

[libwithaclue]

03:32 PM on 03/14/2012

YOU LIE!!!!!!

On another note, this video includes some of your family members:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuI2LEKHGiQ&feature=related

[dwill123]

01:03 PM on 03/14/2012

Romney would try to cook "cheesy grits" on the BBQ Grill.

[TROOPER-X]

01:02 PM on 03/14/2012

The environmental zealots will not be pleased, nor will the animal activists. Providing an item which increases pollution and requires raw meat is a double no no.

[dui]

01:06 PM on 03/14/2012

Do as he says, not as he does

[blueplano]

02:44 PM on 03/14/2012

Um, vegetables and fruit can be grilled............

[softvoice]

12:53 PM on 03/14/2012

The gifts were completely appropriate and when you read the reason behind the gift of the grill, it makes it the perfect gift. Those who are criticizing this gesture are in permanent "hate mode" when it comes to President Obama and anything he says or does. They will never like him and the don't care if their dislike makes no sense at all. They just cling to their hate no matter what!!

[dui]

01:07 PM on 03/14/2012

You don't think his lifetime of speeches CD kit he gave to the Queen was appropriate?

[jingles32]

04:08 PM on 03/14/2012

What a bunch of bull, and who feeds you this nonsense? He gave the Queen the entire Richard Rodgers songbook, loaded on a iPod; a rare and treasured item. The Queen is a lover, devotee of Broadway musicals and very tech savvy.
She loved it.

[Theseventy]

04:23 PM on 03/14/2012

You are a bold faced liar.

[scituate]

01:10 PM on 03/14/2012

It is what it is. No culture or class. Barry totally embarrassed himself and the country when he visited the Queen last year.

[nellpost]

09:51 AM on 03/15/2012

Untrue. Factless. Bagger-ish. IMO

[ssullymets]

11:31 PM on 03/15/2012

I agree with "scituate" the Queen wanted to kick Barry out of the Castle.

[xPatku]

12:48 PM on 03/14/2012

They said "gifts INCLUDE" right? Furthermore, for all we know the gifts could have been an inside joke from the barbaque they attendend in London. Give it a rest people..puhhlease!

[scituate]

12:46 PM on 03/14/2012

This guy and his wife have no class at all. But all you have to do is turn on the tv and look at the reality shows that we choose to watch and represent us. They are an example of what American culture has turned into.

[jingles32]

04:16 PM on 03/14/2012

No, you and yours are the ones who have no class. You and yours (including your officials and elected reps and Senators) are the ones who have since day one, villifed and insulted, called this president, this FLOTUS, every vile name in the book; who for the first time in history, called the POTUS a liar, shouting it for ALL THE WORLD TO HEAR, as he was addressing a joint session of Congress. That's not only classless, that is shameful. AND you raised money off it as well. Nice.

BTW, bet Bush serving hot dogs to Her Majesty the Queen for lunch, giving Angela Merkel a back rub, made you proud.

But please elaborate on this family's lack of class. You can't cite one example.