Something I don't understand about the Republican position

[Cat Atomic]

I keep hearing Aznar acclaimed by right wingers for "facing down public criticism" in order to support Bush and the "western alliance", as they call it. He ignored the wishes of his constituency in order to back some foreign leader's crusade. He's praised for this.

At the same time, Americans who favor a multilateral approach in foreign affairs are called "weak", "traitorous", and a million other negative things. Republicans try to paint Kerry as a traitor simply for having contact with foreign leaders.

I don't see how they manage to hold these two positions at once. Can anyone help me here?