Picture: Obama after meeting Brown - what is he thinking?

Gordon Brown today declared he was "absolutely confident" that he could work with any of the leading contenders to succeed President Bush, after meeting all three in Washington.

The Prime Minister held talks at the British Embassy with Republican nominee elect John McCain and Democrat candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on the second day of his official visit to the US.

Following the three separate meetings, he said he believed the "special relationship" between Britain and America would continue to strengthen, whichever of the candidates succeeded in the race to reach the White House.

"I am absolutely confident that having talked to the three candidates that the special relationship between our two countries is strong and secure and valued by all of them," he said.

"I am also absolutely confident that through working with any of them we could rise to the great challenges of the future."

The three meetings, in 45-minute intervals over three hours, were ahead of Mr Brown’s visit to the White House, where he and President Bush were to discuss the shaky global economy, Iraq, and closer transatlantic ties.

Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman, said, "We think it’s probably a wise move by the Prime Minister to get to know one of the individuals who will be elected president."

The relations between the Brown and Bush camps have been arms length, in contrast with the bond between Mr Bush and Tony Blair.

American commentators claimed that the fact that Mr Brown managed to secure meetings with all three candidates showed how importantly the US views its relationship with Britain.

"Few foreign leaders could secure these kinds of meetings in the middle of a campaign. That speaks to how the candidates view relations with Britain," Julianne Smith, director of the Europe programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies said.

After a frosty first meeting with President Bush in July, Brown said he now hopes he can help strengthen ties, aiming to lead work that would tackle spiralling food and fuel prices, reform global institutions and combat climate change.

"I feel I can bring Europe and America closer together for the future," Mr Brown said, in his CBS interview. "That will be to the advantage of all of us, to deal with economic problems, climate change and help make for a more peaceful world in the future. I see huge opportunities in the next few years for Europe and America to work more closely together."

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