Gordon Brown ‘Delighted’ to Meet With All 3 Presidential Hopefuls
British Prime Minster Gordon Brown said he was “delighted” to meet with all three presidential candidates Thursday to discuss the Iraq war, global warming and his country’s relationship with the United States.
Barack Obama, John McCain and Hillary Clinton all seized the opportunity to meet privately with Brown, who is on his second trip to the United States to meet with President Bush since succeeding Tony Blair last June. The candidates met separately with the prime minister in a series of three 45-minute sessions at the British ambassador’s residence in Washington on Thursday. All three presidential hopefuls posed for photographs with him as the media swarmed around the politicians.
It was Obama’s first meeting with Brown. McCain met Brown in March during a visit to London.
When asked later during a press conference with President Bush if he felt a “special kinship” with one of the candidates, Brown said, “It is for Americans to decide who their President is going to be.”
Brown also said that after meeting each candidate, he was convinced the “relationship between America and Britain will remain strong” and “steadfast.”
In a statement issued after his meeting, Obama said he was committed to strengthening the bond between the U.S. and Britain, especially in regard to such issues as the war in Iraq and the global economy.
“Prime Minister Brown and I discussed our commitment to strengthen the historic Transatlantic Alliance, and to confront common challenges like the ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the instability in the global economy and the need to support democracy and prosperity in Africa,” Obama said. “The Prime Minister has been a critically important partner for the United States and I look forward to working with him in the months and years ahead to enhance the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.”
Brown praised the presidential hopefuls during television interviews earlier in the day and said he expected the close relationship between Britain and the United States to grow even stronger.
“I feel I can bring Europe and America closer together for the future,” Brown said. “That will be to the advantage of all of us, to deal with economic problems, climate change and help make for a more peaceful world in the future. I see huge opportunities in the next few years for Europe and America to work more closely together.”
Clinton also issued a statement emphasizing the United State’s close friendship with Britain.
“The enduring friendship between the United States and Great Britain has strengthened our two nations throughout our history. I was honored to discuss this important relationship with the Prime Minister, and I expressed my confidence that the relationship between our two nations will continue to deepen as we confront a wide range global challenges and opportunities,” Clinton said.
“We think it’s probably a wise move by the prime minister to get to know one of the individuals who will be elected president a year from now,” White House spokesman Tony Fratto said in regard to Brown’s visit. “It makes sense.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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