US Edition The leaders of the world's richest countries are in London this week to attend the G20 summit, but most eyes will be on just one of them. Barack Obama, who arrived last night with his wife, Michelle, in an echo of JFK's visit in June 1961, is a mere 72 days into his presidency; yet its style and likely direction of travel is already being established. From the British point of view, the signs are not entirely propitious. Even though Gordon Brown was the first European leader to be invited to Washington to meet the new president, the treatment he received there was perfunctory, bordering on the dismissive. Understandably, Mr Obama is preoccupied with the momentous economic events in his own country; but the decisions, both domestically and diplomatically, that he and his administration take now will have an impact around the world. The extraordinary sight of a presidential decree forcing the resignation of the chief executive of General Motors, one of America's most important companies, is indicative of the strange times we are in.
It was inevitable that after arriving in the White House like a knight on a charger, Mr Obama would be brought down to earth by the scale of the challenge he faced. Governing is far harder than campaigning and there is a suspicion that he remains in campaign mode, reaching for the rhetoric when he might be better advised to concentrate on getting his full cabinet team in place. Key diplomatic posts remain unfilled, including the Ambassador to the Court of St James's (though one is promised soon). If Mr Obama wants to don the mantle of a statesman, this week in London is a good place to try it on for size. These are early days; but the President is finding out the hard way that simply not being George Bush is an insufficient condition for global success, however charismatic he may be.
His eight-day foray out of Washington will enable him to hold his first bilateral meetings with the heads of government of France, Germany, Russia, China and Turkey, among others, and to discuss the new Afghanistan strategy with the Nato leaders who have to make it work. He will also meet European Commission heads. Yet Mr Obama, who was lionised on a tour to Europe before he won the presidency last year, should not make the same mistake as many of his predecessors, which is to treat the United Kingdom as simply another EU country. America has usually found that its most stalwart friend is on this side of the Channel.
Mr Obama is due to meet the Queen for tea later today; we trust he will return in the near future for a proper state visit to enjoy the pomp and circumstance that London's Docklands cannot provide.