Trying to curtain-raise today’s G-20 summit in London, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs did hits on the three broadcast network morning shows. Not surprisingly, all three hosts asked him about the iPod that President Obama gave to the Queen.

As I wrote earlier, overseas gaffes are hard to avoid and have the potential to overshadow the trip’s main message, and that is exactly what is happening now. Understanding the meaning and relevance of the nuanced diplomatic language coming out of bi- and multi-lateral meetings is hard for most people. But everyone can instantly grasp that an iPod is not an appropriate gift to Queen Elizabeth II – which is why Robert Gibbs ended up talking about the iPod this morning when he wanted to be talking about global stimulus.

It’s also worth noting that Presidential gifts now appear to be a permanent problem for the Obama Administration. After the DVD fiasco last month and the iPod now, every time the President visits with a foreign head of state, the White House press corps will demand to know what gifts were exchanged, and compare those gifts to Britain’s DVDs and iPod. (For example, there was considerable interest in what Obama gave the Australian Prime Minister.)

Tags: communications, eurobama, gaffes, obama