1776 and All That

Our favorite moment in respect of the ceremony at which Helen Mirren … pardon, Elizabeth II was welcomed to the White House came when President Bush flubbed his line about how the queen had dined with 10 American presidents and helped the United States "celebrate its bicentennial in 1776 …" He then looked over at her majesty and announced, "She gave me a look that only a mother could give a child." It was all met with great good humor, such a nifty moment that it occurred to us that maybe it wasn't a flub at all, but part of the script.

For those of us who are suckers for the symbols of state and history, it was, in any event, a moving event. Prime Minister Blair may announce as early as today that he is giving up 10 Downing Street, and we've little doubt that one reason this has come about is that he staked his reputation on standing with America in the war against Islamic terror. The prime minister himself has stood by his decision to stand with us in this war. And watching the ceremony, we were struck by the imperial detachment with which the British monarch glossed over all this turmoil. It was an elegant reminder of how deep is the bond that has united our countries over the centuries.