The Obamas' Speeches

Barack Obama's speech to both Houses of Parliament is well worth taking the time to read. Here is a transcript alongside commentary from BBC correspondents. What is particularly interesting is the way he draws together shared values between the UK and the USA, many of which come directly from British history.

"What began on this island would inspire millions throughout the continent of Europe and across the world," he said.

"But perhaps no-one drew greater inspiration from these notions of freedom than your rabble-rousing colonists on the other side of the Atlantic. As Winston Churchill said, the "…Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, the Habeas Corpus, trial by jury, and English common law find their most famous expression in the American Declaration of Independence."

"For both of our nations, living up to the ideals enshrined in these founding documents has sometimes been difficult, has always been a work in progress. The path has never been perfect. But through the struggles of slaves and immigrants; women and ethnic minorities; former colonies and persecuted religions, we have learned better than most that the longing for freedom and human dignity is not English or American or Western - it is universal, and it beats in every heart."

He goes on to look at how these values have fared in the 20th and 21st Century, coping with military, political and economic challenges, and his central point is that they are still relevant and have much to offer in the global community.

The BBC's Mark Mardell was slightly underwhelmed, believing that Obama had taken on too many challenges to resolve successfully in one speech, but that the central argument was one worthy of further debate. Perhaps we will hear more on this as the cavalcade moves on to Normandy today for the G8 conference.

Meanwhile we should not ignore the other great speech of the day, when Michelle Obama told a group of South London schoolgirls (who she had previously met two years earlier) to "aim high" and "not be afraid to fail". She emphasized the point by taking them to Christ Church College, Oxford, which has produced 13 Prime Ministers. She was asked what had attracted her to Barack in the first place, and answered that he was "funny and smart" and a "voracious reader"! So now you know how to spot potential presidents...

Barack's in town

Today marks the beginning of President Obama's state visit to the UK - only the third such visit made by an American President in the last century, although the Queen has notched up an impressive 101 state visitors during her reign.

Obama has already had a very successful tour of Ireland, where he has drunk Guiness in his ancestors' home of Moneygall (and got his car stuck on a ramp). Americana this Sunday had a very interesting report on why Presidents (and Americans in general) are so keen to celebrate their Irish ancestry, and it is well worth listening to. You can also click on this map to see how other Presidents, including Reagan, Bush and, of course, Kennedy have acknowledged their Irish roots.

There will be much talk during the UK visit about the "Special Relationship" between the US and the UK. Obama and Cameron have published an article in the Times this morning explaining that the relationship remains "essential". Not everyone would agree, and this article suggests that Obama has deliberately moved away from emphasizing the UK as a key ally in order to promote alliances elsewhere.

Here is some more information about what exactly state visits are for, and here is some footage of some previous presidential visits.

PS: Here is a super-detailed Daily Mail graphic of the Presidential Car - known as the Beast! Click on it to enlarge the picture and ">click here for further info and videos.



PPS: Here are further articles on the "Special Relationship" from the New York Times and Washington Post.