George W Bush and David Cameron hold second meeting

It's very unusual for George W Bush to meet opposition leaders but America's President did meet David Cameron for thirty minutes earlier today, during his London visit.  That's a good sign of (a) the White House's awareness of the Conservative Party's ascendancy and (b) Much improved Tory-GOP relations.

William Hague, George Osborne and Pauline Neville-Jones accompanied the Conservative leader during at meeting at the US Ambassador's London residence.

CCHQ has released the following statement from David Cameron: 

“I had a very productive meeting with President Bush, taking forward some of the issues we discussed when we met in Washington last November.
 
I raised the situation in Zimbabwe, and the pressing need to do everything possible to prevent Mugabe from stealing the election. It is extremely important to make sure that independent observers have full access to the poll.  We continued the discussion we had before about the importance of standing up for free trade.
 
I underlined the commitment of the Conservative Party to Britain’s role in the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan. I also raised with the President my concerns about the need for improved co-ordination of the civilian effort of the ground, and greater clarity and unity of purpose between the different military chains of command – in particular between the NATO-led International Security assistance Force (ISAF) and Operating Enduring Freedom.”

***
Over the weekend we twice blogged about The Telegraph's mischief-making re David Davis (here and here).  The Telegraph's take on the Bush-Cameron meeting, from Rosa Prince: Green David Cameron undermined by George W Bush meeting.  A headline worthy of The Independent/ Guardian/ Mirror.

Related link: ToryDiary report on the first Cameron-Bush meeting, last November.

Comments

[Guido Fawkes]

The Telegraph is, with a few exceptions, enemy-held territory.

[mardy]

Not that unusual for Bush to meet opposition leaders.

He met IDS and Howard and Charles Kennedy.

Normal protocol in these situations.

[Vincent Wall]

I think you should establish a Telegraph watch, Mr Editor.

[griswold]

OT sorry.

Cameron should have taken Liam Fox to meeting. He has just been on Sky News. Most impressive. Articulate. Brief and to the point comments on Afghanistan. He would make a good PM.

[Tony Makara]

I'm very pleased that Zimbabwe has been given top priority as an issue. Anything the Americans can do to help undermine the despot Mugabe the better.

[Northernhousewife]

Do newspaper editors realise that whilst their circulations dwindle, there are thousands of conservatives desperate for a good Tory paper.

The blogs are full of people wanting to ditch the DT.
My dad has read it all his life and he is ready to jump.
The lack of a decent alternative is the problem.
If the Times was more Tory, many readers would jump. Everytime this subject comes up the message is the same.
The Telegraph should spend more time on the blogs; it would discover how fragile some of its readership's loyality is?

[Northernhousewife]

I agree with Mr Wall.
Then its up to us to spread the word further on.

[Paul D]

I'm a subscriber to the ex-Torygraph

Sadly I only just received my latest batch of vouchers, otherwise I probably would stop buying it

Team Telegraph has 10 weeks to persuade me not to do so - firing Simon Heffer would be an encouraging start

[Voice from the South West]

Firing Rosa Prince would be a good start too. And whilst we're at it, what about Mary Riddell and the entire Sunday Telegraph Politcal team as well?

[Chuckles]

You ever notice that the American President -- whoever it is -- never rushes back to the media, after such meetings, to disclose what he pressured, say, the British Conservative leader to do or say?

Could you imagine it? President Bush issuing a statement, such as: "Earlier today, I met with David Cameron, and urged him to adopt a pro-growth, tax cutting agenda, consistent with the principles of liberty and entrepreneurialism, and to drop all that claptrap about so-called 'green taxes'."

The purpose of such media disclosures, no doubt, is to make the British pol look like a "world player," but doesn't it have the effect of making these British politicians all look a bit like constituents of the American president?

[David (One of many)]

Doesn't the President's Press Secretary do that for him? The PM's people have traditionally worked behind the scenes, and not in the highly visable capacity that the Presidential PS does.

[Gwendolyn]

I know this is a bit frivolous but it is strange that the media ignored the amusing pantomime that took place when Bush arrived for supper with the Browns - it was hilarious, Brown went eagerly down the steps and shook hands with Bush, then went and shook hands with the American First Lady, he looked round and found Bush was giving Sarah a kiss, so he went back to give the Fist Lady a smacker too. It was hysterical I thought.

[Editor]

I noticed that Gwendolyn. It was v funny!

[ChrisD]

Just remember how many posts the Three Line Whip did on Cameron's hair last week, it got beyond juvenile and petty, and certainly did not enhance the reputation of the journalists involved.
Its the underlying anti Tory/Cameron theme which is very sarcastic at times.
They are losing their traditional readership, who are they expecting to replace it?

[Jaz]

@ Chuckles

It's appropriate and normal practise for the opposition - After all this is well needed publicity that we are quickly becoming the "next government".

When we are in government, evidently private conversations will stay private.

[Malcolm Dunn]

Glad to see Cameron raising the difficulties faced by our troops in Afghanistan. NATO has not performed well at all here with several countries still not playing their full part. Hopefully Bush can do something about it where Blair and Brown failed.

[Ulster Tory]

The Times is quite a good paper - 'neutral' but leaning towards us. Buy it instead! What the Daily Telegraph is trying to achieve is beyond me.

[Serf]

The Telegraph obviously thinks that DC should not talk to the leader of the worlds most powerful country, because image is more important than any issue that may be discussed ?????????

They live on a pleasant little planet of their own don't they.

[Rev Smurf]

Here's a couple of classic Bushism's.

"It is clear our nation is reliant upon big foreign oil. More and more our imports come from overseas."

or:

"Its clearly a budget. It's got a lot of numbers in it"

or:

"It's important for us to explain to our Nation that life is important. It's not only
life of babies, but it's life of children living in, you know, the dark dungeons of the internet."

and finally:

" Mr. Vice President in all due respect, it is-I'm not sure 80% percent of the people get the death tax. I know this: 100 percent will get it if I'm president."

For all of his faults Bush is going to be a hard act to follow.