US media hails Blair visit

By Rachel Clarke
BBC News Online in Washington

The standing ovation given by the US Congress to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has been echoed in American newspapers and on television.

Some hailed Mr Blair as a great spokesman for the White House

News shows compared the cheers for Mr Blair in Washington with the jeers he often receives in the House of Commons.

NBC TV's Andrea Mitchell described the prime minister as a "hero to his American allies" but a "traitor to critics at home".

Fox News noted the 17 standing ovations during Mr Blair's speech and titled its report "Standing Strong".

'Political paradox'

Friday's newspapers had more time to analyse the address to the rare joint meeting of Congress, the press conference with President Bush and the symbolism involved.

Republicans were not only expressing their appreciation for his stalwart support of the United States... but were also welcoming him as a bulwark against attacks, mostly from Democrats, on Mr Bush's credibility Richard W Stevenson, New York Times

Washington Post writers Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen saw the benefits of the short trip for both leaders: "Blair's visit allowed the two men to portray unity on a world stage at a time they face a cacophony of criticism in their own countries and elsewhere."

Richard W Stevenson of the New York Times considered the "political paradox" of Mr Blair's presence in Washington.

"Mr Blair, whose Labour Party would be considered to the left of the Democratic Party in the United States on most issues, received a rousing welcome from a Republican-controlled Congress," he wrote.

"Republicans were not only expressing their appreciation for his stalwart support of the United States in confronting Iraq and the broader threat from terrorism, but were also welcoming him as a bulwark against attacks, mostly from Democrats, on Mr Bush's credibility."

Echoing Lincoln

Stevenson said Mr Blair's jokes were delivered with perfect comic timing and Los Angeles Times writer Robin Wright said he gave "an eloquent address laced with humour and American history".

The Savannah Morning News, whose region includes the Fort Stewart home base of the 3rd Infantry Division which led the attack on Baghdad and is still in Iraq, used one of Mr Blair's historical references on its front page.

Congress has given Mr Blair a gold medal for his courageous support in the war; he gave us the benefit of his wisdom and his passion - we got the better of the exchange Washington Times

Above a large picture of Mr Blair, the newspaper ran as its main headline the Abraham Lincoln quotation used by the British leader: "Those that deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves".

An editorial in USA Today declared: "Blair rightly focuses on completing job in Iraq" and repeated an oft-heard view that Mr Blair is a benefit to the US Government even if he is not a part of it.

"As he has long done, the prime minister did a better job explaining the Bush administration's policy toward Iraq than the White House itself," it said.

'Powerful effect'

The Washington Times went further in its "Vive les Anglo-Saxons" editorial, saying: "There would appear to be some value to the thousand-year tradition of English liberty. Apparently that tradition imbues its leaders with an instinct to mount the barricades when liberty is threatened."

It said Mr Blair "commanded the Queen's English to powerful effect as he put the current petty bickering, partisan sniping and media cavilling in the profound context of our civilisation's desperate struggle to defeat worldwide terrorism".

The conservative newspaper said it hoped such an address would be useful to the members of Congress "who are currently haggling over inconsequential matters".

"Congress has given Mr Blair a gold medal for his courageous support in the war," the paper said. "He gave us the benefit of his wisdom and his passion. We got the better of the exchange."