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CBS' Elizabeth Palmer characterized the transition as "the sober technocrat" succeeding "the charismatic master of spin." Brown's previous job was Chancellor of the Exchequer "running Britain's booming economy for the past decade." His demeanor upon taking the job was "noticeably stiff, today, and famously unsmiling," ABC's Jim Sciutto observed. On NBC, Dawna Friesen noted that Brown is known for a "formidable intellect and iron determination. He is the son of a Scottish Presbyterian minister."
CBS' Palmer used a soundbite from columnist Simon Hoggart of The Guardian riddled with ethnic stereotypes--"He is a Scot and that spells dour, very serious, very determined, very dogged, very careful with the money"--that would be outrageous if not for the laughable fact that Blair, who supposedly embodies such opposite attributes, is Scottish too. The departing Blair received the applause of the House of Commons. "Never before has anyone received an ovation," Palmer pointed out. "He left London by train tonight," added ABC's Sciutto, "carrying his own suitcase."
As for the politics of the change, an unidentified Brown aide told ABC's Sciutto that he will shift away from the United States and towards Europe and the United Nations and CBS' Palmer called it "a safe bet" that Britain's relationship with the United States "will cool." NBC's Friesen noted that Brown "has taken on Africa as a cause." As proof, she cited his trip to Nigeria last year with the rock star Bono and her own anchor Brian Williams.
