America’s Bad Rep - Bush’s Austria trip has underscored just how much

[Jon8503]

Europeans dislike the U.S. president.
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Web-Exclusive Commentary
By Richard Wolffe and Holly Bailey
Newsweek
Updated: 5:47 p.m. CT June 21, 2006

Good news can fade fast. Last week George W. Bush enjoyed a slight bump in the polls—and, perhaps more importantly, a morale boost—with news of the death of Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, a surprise trip to Baghdad and word that Karl Rove will not be charged in the CIA-leak investigation. But as Bush arrived in Austria on Tuesday night, the world looked very different. Although he's the first sitting U.S. president to visit the country in 27 years, one of the first things Bush saw from his speeding motorcade was a group of protesters flipping him the finger and struggling to unfurl a massive handmade sign. GO HOME, it read.

But it’s not just the American president feeling the brunt of unpopularity here in Vienna. When a group of reporters attempted to hail a cab outside the Hilton Vienna hotel (where the White House press corps is staying) on Tuesday night, one driver waved the group off with a string of anti-American expletives. Calling Bush a modern-day “Hitler,” the driver told the reporters they were “nasty Americans” and said he wouldn’t permit them to step foot into his car.

Rest of Story @ Link:


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13468342/site/newsweek/

[marmar]

1. Europeans, Canadians....anybody who can see thru the nationalistic b.s.

Bush's bravado and my-mind's-made-up attitude aren't viewed as "strength of his convictions" in Europe, they're viewed as stupidity and inflexibility, which is exactly what they are.

[Dhalgren]

2. Wouldn't it be great to live in a free country...

[Johnyawl]

3. Bush needs to do what the rest of us have done...

...and sew Canadian flags on his luggage.

[Rex]

4. 'nasty Americans'

Lovely, thanks Unka Dick & BoBo the Dysfunctional Monkey! :(