http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/10/23/rice.s ... index.html

'Mr. England' bemuses Alabama locals
British foreign secretary visits American counterpart's home state

Sunday, October 23, 2005; Posted: 8:53 p.m. EDT (00:53 GMT)

PELHAM, Alabama (Reuters) -- British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw joined Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for a weekend tour of her home state to promote understanding of the Anglo-American alliance, but Alabamans struggled to name him.

"You're the English guy," Joyce Delahoussaye said as she shook hands with the foreign minister of America's closest ally.

"I've seen you on TV, and they said you were from England."

"He's Mr. England," she said, introducing Straw to her son, Randy, as the two diplomats met displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina in Pelham.

At a ceremony to unveil statues in Birmingham, speakers variously called the visitor Mr. Shaw and Mr. Snow.

They also mangled his title, appointing him secretary of state to the commonwealth of the United Kingdom.

British and U.S. officials said the tour was designed to show Alabamans that diplomacy is relevant to their lives.

They noted that in addition to the photo opportunities with schoolgirls and sports fans, Straw and Rice also each gave a policy speech on democracy.

But local newspaper The Tuscaloosa News questioned whether Straw was just on a junket to help shore up the Bush administration image.

And Alabamans generally appeared bemused by the man from Blackburn, Lancashire.

Straw called American football "rugby with commercials" and tried to explain to a group of elementary schoolchildren the popular British sport of cricket.

Rice said, "When he told them that it took five days, there was just stunned silence."

Straw is an affable guy but would come across as a complete klutz in the South.

And he did.

P.S. Most cricket matches only take one day -- just a few hours longer than a baseball game. And... the 5 day games are kind of akin to a 5 game series in baseball. I don't get the big deal.

I have a feeling that any "ferner" might come across this way at an Alabama football game, but what do I know.

I think a guy with some degree of real charisma, like, Tony Blair could do OK. But Jack Straw is the kind of nerdy guy who Alabamans might decide needs an ass kicking.

I thought this thread was going to be about Jack Straw from Witchita who laid his money down.

We can share the women, we can share the wine!!!