'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.



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There really aren't enough words to ridicule this...