To wish the BBC would STFU about America.

[VforViennetta]

Yes leading World power yada yada, but seriously if a leader from anywhere else had made a visit would they still be yattering on about it. It really gets my goat, they are always going on about US politics too, special election coverage, erm why????? Do they think there was 24 hour coverage in America when we had a hung parliament, or just a side note on the news.

The deeply embarrassing "it's not a special relationship anymore, it's an essential one" stuff made want to bitch slap them all. It's a big freaking world, there must be actual news occuring somewhere.

Two reasons they are particularly making a big deal about it. At the present time, the United States is the most powerful country in the world making Barack Obama the most powerful man. When Britain was the most powerful country, I'm sure our hung parliaments made more news in the US than they do now. Secondly, Barack Obama is of particular fame because of his unusual background and of course the very recent raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound.

Because they are the major power in the western world and we are just a tiddly island.

I live in the US and actually I agree OP. The media is still lovey-dovey with Obama and very reluctant to really scrutinize him. Also, there is a major power shift going from the US to China, the Far East and to the fast-developing economies of S. America. The dollar is under massive pressure and will likely be devalued further this year and unemployment is stagnant. Here you get dropped off the numbers after a period so who knows how many people are really unemployed.
I think there is far more educated discussion about economic issues and choices in the UK than there is here here where people just stick there heads in the sand about the record deficit.
Having said that, the Royal Wedding got massive coverage over here

nomedoit,SURELY he couldn't be any worse than Bush?He inherited a real mess,economic meltdown and all that???Poor bloke can't win really!

you sound a bit bitter op. Tiny country syndrome perhaps? Get yourself a big shiny car you'll feel better.

The hung parliment was in the news in the US, and the pope probably got more coverage when he visited the UK and he really shoudn't have. America is a big country and important to the UK, it makes sense for elections and the obamas visiting to be in the news.

I'm not bitter, I like America, I realise it is top dog in economics and politics, but I don't live there. I live in England.

There are god knows how many countries in the world, I refuse to believe absolutely nothing is happening in Britain, and the rest of the world to basically devote 70% of your broadcasting time to a state visit for what?, at least 48 hours. Even This Week, was devoted to Obama, I usually enjoy that.

I think it's probably news to me that the BBC is basically bollocks propoganda shite, have caught up now mind.

I really would feel better with a big shiny car btw, anyone willing to donate one?

I have a big, dinged up dirty American mini-van you can have.

But there wasn't so much hoo haa in the media about elections before the Obama one was there?

I remember seeing news items about the Bush election/recount but before that hardly anything. USA was probably more important to us during the cold war, surely?

We are truly the 51st state.

I'm there MmeBucket, tell me your address

Um, I live in Oregon. I was thinking of just sending it to you and reporting it stolen and collecting the insurance money for it. Would be much easier than you coming all the way here.

Now you know how we felt about the bloody Royal wedding!

Goes as far as GCSE History. For a country that has relatively little, my DD will be spending a lot of time learning about it over the next two years.

OP, YANBU unreasonable. I feel like I know far too much about the US without even wanting to because their news is all over everywhere. If you want to hear about elsewhere in the world, I highly recommend Euronews or Al Jazeera English.

Totally agree wijth you , nomedoit. Where can one find real reportage of the pressing issues rather than fawning?