THE Bill and Tony Show hit London yesterday. Clearly paid-up members of the mutual admiration society, President Clinton and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, could not praise each other's achievements enough.
Amid much back-slapping, the two leaders declared they were the "new generation" of politicians - young, energetic and fun-loving.
President Clinton was so determined to have fun in London, he extended this "whistle-stop visit" twice and then surprised everyone by arriving 20 minutes early. As American and Japanese tourists jostled for position outside Downing Street, the presidential convoy swept through the gates.
Smiling from ear to ear, Mr Blair, accompanied by his wife, Cherie, shook the President's hand repeatedly, while Hillary and Cherie chatted. As the "four yuppie lawyers" posed for the world's media on the doorstep of Number 10, President Clinton set the jovial tone. "Once more with feeling?" he joked, clutching his chest with mock passion.
To prove that the "special relationship" between Britain and the US was firmly back on course, the President dropped in on the Cabinet members, interrupting their weekly meeting to address them.
Leaning heavily on a walking stick, the President hobbled into the room before slowly squeezing himself around the table. As Mr Blair's colleagues thumped the table with approval, he declared that they could "learn a lot of lessons together".
The Tony and Bill show culminated with a performance in Downing Street's rose garden, during which it became increasingly hard to differentiate between the two world leaders.
They had discussed and agreed upon Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Europe and the Marshall Plan. "They are in tune with each other," enthused Downing Street.
"We have a shared language. We have a shared outlook on many of the issues that face us. We are determined to share our ideas, our expertise and our commitment to a new era of co-operation and of understanding," said Mr Blair, gesticulating with such vigour that the President moved away, clearly worried about being hit.
Under intense questioning by journalists determined to prove the two men are clones, the President pointed to his grey hair and age, before finally coming up with a real difference. "I have read countless articles about how Prime Minister Blair and I have everything in common, but I am still looking for my 179-seat majority," he joked.
Despite being on home territory, Mr Blair willingly encouraged his "elder twin" to do most of the talking.
Nodding his head vigorously as President Clinton explained their view on any given topic, Mr Blair would occasionally interrupt to declare, "I like that very much indeed," or "I agree with that very strongly."
Only one question failed to elicit a response from President Clinton. When should if Sinn Fein should be admitted to the talks process if the IRA called another ceasefire, he insisted it would be inappropriate to say, as Mr Blair nodded.