The optimistic are calling it Gordbama, in the same vein as Brangelina – a relationship not between two of the world’s most beautiful people but between two heavyweight intellectuals, and – as Gordon Brown said – ‘America … that … indispensable nation … the irrepressible nation’ seems to have welcomed the British leader. But what impact will his calls have?
The strongest exhortation was for America to reject economic protectionism, but very close behind that appeal was an exhortation to focus on the perils of climate change.
Prime Minister Brown said that ‘now more than ever the world wants to work with you’ and that indifference to the environment would be fatal – suggesting that ‘… you, the nation that had the vision to put a man on the moon, are also the nation with the vision to protect and preserve our planet Earth.’ He said he came to speak of new battles, ‘a global economy in crisis and a planet imperilled’ – referring to the previous prime ministers who have addressed Congress in times of war when the special relationship between the USA and Britain was tested. And he was explicit about the need to work together, ‘There is no old Europe, no new Europe, there is your friend Europe. So seize the moment.’
No ovation for climate change appeal
His focus on partnership will be most challenging when it comes to global emissions – while Brown said ‘The new frontier is that there is no frontier. The new shared truth is that global problems need global solutions’, the reception in Congress was not the standing ovation that he received for sixteen other points in his speech – everybody knows that President Obama will have a battle to get cap and trade emission legislation through a Congress that fears it will cost too much for individual Congressmen’s electorates to stand.
Rebellious America – nothing is impossible
And he finished by pointing out that America is a nation of rebellion, ‘Throughout your history, Americans have led insurrections in the human imagination, have summoned revolutionary times through your belief that there is no such thing as an impossible endeavour. It is never possible to come here without having your faith in the future renewed.’
Let’s hope he’s right, for the planet’s sake.
Gordon Brown courtesy of didbygraham at Flickr under a creative commons licence
