I doubt we'll know the truth for a long time (30 years ...) but who exactly was going to say it?
The Queen won't, because that would mean that she was making an implicit comment about her attitude to President Bush and his relationship to her Prime Minister.
Tony Blair won't - Bush's visit was important to our Tone, and cements (in his own mind) his position at the Global Leader's club.
The Civil Service? Theirs is not to reason why, theirs but to stand and serve (to mangle two quotes completely).
There is no way that any President of the US could visit the UK and not meet the Queen - it would be an insult of massive proportions.
There is a question about why Bush was treated better than Clinton - if I recall correctly when Clinton visited he didn't get to stay at Buckingham Palace, but I'm guessing that Bush got the special treatment because Tony wanted it that way.
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branchandroot
Re: Maybe because
Date: 2003-11-24 09:27 am (UTC)The Queen won't, because that would mean that she was making an implicit comment about her attitude to President Bush and his relationship to her Prime Minister.
Tony Blair won't - Bush's visit was important to our Tone, and cements (in his own mind) his position at the Global Leader's club.
The Civil Service? Theirs is not to reason why, theirs but to stand and serve (to mangle two quotes completely).
There is no way that any President of the US could visit the UK and not meet the Queen - it would be an insult of massive proportions.
There is a question about why Bush was treated better than Clinton - if I recall correctly when Clinton visited he didn't get to stay at Buckingham Palace, but I'm guessing that Bush got the special treatment because Tony wanted it that way.