Posted on 09/04/2004 5:32:32 AM PDT by kattracks
NEW YORK When Wolfgang Ischinger, the German ambassador to the United States, receives visitors from the Bundestag these days, they ask him what the result of the American election is likely to be."Well," Ischinger says. "The vote is very close. But the likelihood of President Bush winning is at least 50 percent."
The usual reaction is: "Mr. Ambassador, you cannot be serious. Are you suggesting Bush could be reelected?"
To judge by the Republican National Convention, which took over midtown Manhattan this week, Europeans and the rest of the world had better get over their incredulity and get used to the notion that four more years of Bush is a real possibility. This is a seesaw election: The candidate who looks like dead meat one week looks like a hungry hunter the next. Another swing could be just around the corner. But right now, Bush has seized the initiative.
The president has been helped by sloppy moves from the Democratic candidate, John Kerry, who got himself photographed this week windsurfing off Nantucket, an island retreat of the well-heeled. With less than 60 days to the vote, Americans want hard work from Kerry and fewer reminders of his wealth.
The Kerry campaign has given the impression of groping for a theme, or at least a sound bite, to derail the barreling Bush bandwagon.
In theory, the mixed economy should provide such a theme. But this first national election since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks seems driven by foreign and national security policy. In this area, and in ways that have illustrated the gulf between the United States and much of Europe, the Bush team has been relentless in attacking Kerry.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
I think my ex mother inlaw is getting ready to sing.
It's not a gulf, it's an ocean...literally & figuratively!
Most Europeans, including the Brits, have no understanding of American politics. Their press has brainwashed most of them, portraying Bush as a dumb, right-wing extremist. They can't believe that Bush will win. I wonder what their reaction will be when Bush wins in a landslide.
The Europeans are so delusional and out of touch with reality, it is staggering!!
50%-50% ?? Close ?? "May" be re-elected ??
BWAHAHAHAHAHA
Europe needs to STFU!!!!!!!!!!
A lib friend at work watched both convensions. He is was a major Kerry supporter. He hates Bush but Kerry is starting to scare him. He said he would either not vote for president or write me in. The latter would be pretty cool.
Linda Ronstadt already did! :-)
They will condemn, mock, and ridicule the people who elected him as a bunch of dumb, ignorant, unsophisticated savages. Much as they view us now, sadly.
He lives like a spoiled little gigilo. He could sell all of his multimillion dollar homes and build homes for millions of poor families in USA IF he REALLY cared about the poor. He could bring all of the Heinz factories (50 +) back to USA and provide thousands of jobs for the unemployed. Since he promises to outlaw outsourcing jobs to other countries - he would do that, right? HA!
They said the exact same stuff about Reagans re-election. They sat in stunned disbelieve at his landslide.
They were equally dumbstruck at X41's election as a continuation of Reagans policies.
Yet europeans will cite Bush's reelection as evidence of the ignorance of Americans rather that the continued re-proving of european lack of knowledge of world affairs. Europeans get it wrong and Americans continue to get it right.
From the conclusion of the piece:
"This week has made the roots of that disbelief clear: A big part of the United States is pumped up for a mission to demonstrate in the Middle East what Bush called "the transformative power of liberty."
Transformative upheaval is not the European thing these days: Been there, done that. So the Continent is worried."
None of the "transformative upheaval" that Europe ever went through was in the direction of liberty, but rather a movement towards tyranny (still is, in fact.) Europe is a moral midget. And Cohen is a moral relativist. Neither is adequate to the times we live in.
they wish...
Sounds like a lot of Europeans are delusional. That would explain a few things.
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