The revoltingly obsequious and bland British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has had his first meeting with Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. The full transcript of their public remarks is available, but here’s the most annoying bit:

Miliband: Madame Secretary, on a personal note, I hope you know the admiration and respect with which you are held in the United Kingdom. The record of public service and achievement that you have built up is a unique résumé to bring to the task of bringing – being America’s chief diplomat. For many years, you have not just been an ambassador of America; you’ve been an ambassador for America and everything good that it stands for in the world. And I look forward to working very, very closely with you in the months and years ahead to make sure that our shared aspirations for a safer, more secure, more just planet are delivered.

Thank you very much, indeed.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you so much.

FOREIGN SECRETARY MILIBAND: Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you.

“No, no, no, thank you”…”oh, stop it”… “no, you stop it”. Yuck. I know this is the done thing at diplomatic functions, but I mean, really.

And may I just clarify, as a Brit, that we do not admire or respect Hillary Clinton in the slightest? In fact, I know of almost no fellow countryman who regards her with anything better than contempt. Hillary Hate may have waned in America–I doubt that it has–but it remains quite strong in the UK.

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