Morning Report – May 25th

President Obama’s visit continues, and continues to devour all of the political oxygen. There is other news about of course, but it’s facing an almighty uphill struggle to be heard. Yesterday Ed Miliband met President Obama (along with Douglas Alexander and Harriet Harman) for a meeting at Buckingham Palace. Their conversation ranged from foreign policy to the need for optimism in domestic politics – and the meeting overran, lasting 40 minutes instead of the scheduled twenty. Miliband gave Obama a London 2012 basketball, in what is becoming something of a sport themed stay for the US President. Today Obama will host a joint press conference with the PM, before giving a keynote speech at Westminster Hall this afternoon. I wonder if Cameron will remind anyone that he backed John McCain in 2008? Probably not…

You might say that today would be a good day to bury bad news. Chris Huhne must be glad that news of his being questioned by the police is overshadowed by Obama’s visit. Similarly the Big Society Tsar’s decision to quit his unpaid post (and take on another unpaid post) might be largely ignored today. Similarly Lord Ashcroft’s return to the Tory fold to advise on military bases in Cyprus might have been a bigger story on another day. And George Osborne will be pleased that confirmation that this chart is accurate isn’t given too much time on the airwaves today either.

Cameron must be enjoying basking in the reflected glow of the US President. It obscures bad news so much he’ll be desperate for him to stay longer. Let’s hope the PM isn’t praying for those ash clouds.