DAYTON, Ohio —British Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama headed to Ohio to take in one of the “first four” games of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Tuesday, a lighthearted start to a state visit that will turn to more difficult subjects today.
The leaders left their wives in Washington for the man-date in the swing state, an outing billed by the White House as important cross-cultural bonding time.
Obama clearly relished the chance to show off one of his favorite events. After discussing his bracket predictions for the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments with , he showed Cameron to the Marine helicopter in his backyard and the two departed for Dayton.
But the buddy time also sends some strong political messages at a critical time for Obama. With new instability in Afghanistan and a tense standoff with Iran, Obama wants to put the spotlight on strong and close relationships with U.S. allies.
Advisers to the president acknowledge that Obama is trying to make a point about the close partnership the U.S. has with the United Kingdom, using the Dayton trip to match the reception Cameron gave when Obama visited London last year. At that time, Cameron and Obama played a game of table tennis while visiting a school.
The itinerary is “reflective of the kind of relationship that we have,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
Not everyone is equally impressed.
“While showing off our amazing college basketball teams is great, many Americans struggling to find jobs, dealing with soaring gas prices, or concerned with our rising deficit and debt would probably like the president to spend at least as much time dealing with those issues,” said Sean Spicer, communications director for the Republican National Committee.
Obama and Cameron do have serious business to discuss on the visit. As the two watched Mississippi Valley State’s Delta Devils and Western Kentucky’s Hilltoppers, U.S. and NATO officials were answering questions about the killings of 16 civilians by a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan and the future of the mission there, in which the British have the second-largest troop contingent.
The two leaders are set to hold a formal meeting at the White House today and will then take questions from the media. An official state dinner is scheduled for tonight.
Obama offered his analysis of the game in a halftime interview with CBS Sports, noting that both teams were “shooting terribly,” a fact he attributed to nerves.
Cameron, reportedly, is more of a cricket guy.
