Leading article: And the winner is...

Sunday 22 February 2009 20:00 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Oh no, there was no competition! Perish the thought that the minds of Europe’s foremost statesmen (and women) were not concentrated, to the exclusion of all else, on solving the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. You saw how they had their heads down, their fevered brains wrestling with the implications of all those impossible economic figures at their summit in Berlin yesterday.

So why the air of breathless joy, nay triumph, that suffused the statement from No 10 that the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, would be in Washington a week tomorrow, and would – lest the significance pass us by – thus become the first European leader (roll the drums, sound the trumpets) to meet the new US President, Barack Obama? Was this why Mr Brown nodded so cordially to Chancellor Merkel and practically flung his arms around President Sarkozy? We suspect that first place might not have been quite so significant had either of them prevailed.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in