British Prime Minister David Cameron and President Obama headed to Ohio to take in one of the "First Four" games of the NCAA basketball tournament Tuesday, a lighthearted start to a visit that will turn to more difficult subjects Wednesday.
The leaders left their wives in Washington for the man date in the swing state, an outing billed by the White House as important cross-cultural bonding time.
The president clearly relished the chance to show off one of his favorite events. After discussing his bracket predictions for the men's and women's basketball tournaments with ESPN.com, he showed Cameron to the Marine helicopter in his backyard and the two departed for Dayton.
But the buddy time also sends some strong political messages at a crucial time for Obama. With new instability in Afghanistan and a standoff with Iran, Obama wants to put the spotlight on strong and close relationships with U.S. allies.
Advisors to the president acknowledge that Obama is trying to make a point about the special relationship the U.S. has with Britain, using the Dayton trip to match the reception Cameron gave when Obama visited London last year. Then, Cameron and Obama played a game of table tennis while visiting a school.
The itinerary is "reflective of the kind of relationship that we have," said White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.
Obama and Cameron are practicing a brand of public diplomacy appropriate to two young, athletic leaders, said Heather Conley, senior fellow of the Europe program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank.
They met amid the strife of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill involving the British company BP, and the controversy over the Scottish government's release of Abdel Basset Ali Megrahi, the Libyan convicted of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. They didn't seem immediately destined to be like Churchill and Roosevelt, or Thatcher and Reagan, she said.
"Historically, the special relationship has always been about the shared history and culture, close military and economic ties," she said. "But the 'special' part is the quality of the relationship between the two leaders."
Especially at a moment when potential adversaries are sizing up the strength of the alliance, she said, "it's important to project that close partnership."
Not everyone is equally impressed.
"While showing off our amazing college basketball teams is great, many Americans struggling to find jobs, dealing with soaring gas prices, or concerned with our rising deficit and debt would probably like the president to spend at least as much time dealing with those issues," said Sean Spicer, communications director for the Republican National Committee.
Obama and Cameron do have serious business to discuss on the visit. As the two watched the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, U.S. and NATO officials were answering questions about the killings of 16 civilians by a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan and the future of the mission there, in which the British have the second-largest troop contingent.
At the same time, the international community is eyeing the Syrian regime's violence against its people with growing concern.
The two leaders are set to hold a formal meeting at the White House on Wednesday and will then take questions from the media. An official state dinner is scheduled for the evening.
A White House official said Cameron and Obama spent the entire flight to Dayton talking in the president's office on Air Force One. Still, the tone Tuesday night was casual. Both leaders showed up looking relaxed — no ties, Cameron in dark jeans, Obama wearing slacks and a light jacket.
They ate hot dogs and Cameron drank a Coke. The men leaned forward in their front-row seats, watching and chatting closely, as Obama appeared to be explaining aspects of the game.
Ohio's Republican Gov. John Kasich sat a few seats away. At halftime, Kasich used the access to bend the president's ear for several minutes. Kasich said he discussed his state's effort to develop shale gas and other issues, which the governor declined to outline in detail.
"A lot of times people want to make more of this than it is," Kasich said. "It's a time to have some comfortable time together."
Obama offered some of his analysis in a halftime interview with CBS Sports, noting that both teams were "shooting terribly," a fact he attributed to nerves.
For the president, the venue is a comfortable one. Obama is an avid college basketball fan and the White House has gone all in for March Madness. In an interview, Obama noted the way the tournament brings communities together and offers the chance to root for the underdog.
"Everybody, including these two teams, is thinking they could be the Cinderella," he said.
As reported by ESPN, Obama is predicting a men's final four featuring Kentucky, Ohio State, Missouri and North Carolina, and a women's final four of Baylor, St. John's, University of Connecticut and Notre Dame.
Cameron, reportedly, is more of a cricket guy.
kathleen.hennessey@latimes.com
christi.parsons@latimes.com
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