Signs Across the Atlantic: 'Europeans for Kerry!'

[Whoa_Nelly]

BRUSSELS: Forget the handshakes and wide smiles at recent high-profile summits attended by US President George W. Bush and European leaders. Transatlantic relations remain mired in acrimony. Despite EU declarations of support for America, predictions that Europeans would overcome their misgivings over the Iraq war and join hands with the US to rebuild the country have been proven wrong. Increasingly, in fact, with the US presidential election only three months away, European policymakers are in no mood to come to the aid of a president whose policies they dislike. But with fingers crossed, and impressed by Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry’s talk of building partnerships with America’s allies, Europeans are watching and waiting for a change of guard in Washington.

<snip>
“Most Europeans are not anti-American, but they are anti-Bush,” says Fraser Cameron of the Brussels-based European Policy Centre. As such a Kerry victory and an end to the influence of neo-conservative policy-setting in Washington “will have chancelleries across Europe, including in London, heaving a collective sigh of relief,” he says. “If George W. Bush had a master plan to upset Europeans… he could not have been more successful,” adds Cameron.

EU policymakers, who view almost all current American initiatives with suspicion, will be ready to give “more credit” to the future actions of a Democratic presidency even if the policies are not too different from current ones, says a senior EU diplomat. For one, Kerry’s language of alliances and partners is music to EU ears after four years of being bullied and treated like “kitchen boys” by the Bush administration. “The collective build-up of transatlantic insults and bad faith under the Bush administration can only be swept away if there is a change in government in Washington,” says the diplomat, adding, “The slate has to be wiped clean.”

<snip>
The good news for many Europeans is that the Democratic presidential contenders are making an effort to get to know the EU. Vice-Presidential candidate John Edwards has made two trips to meet top EU and NATO policymakers in the last two years, showing what Drozdiak calls an impressive readiness to listen to Europeans’ views on a range of issues. “People found it refreshing to meet a US politician who to wanted to hear them out rather than tell them what to do,” he says.


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http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=4348

[iamjoy]

1. The Foreign Leaders Comment

remember all that flack Kerry got for this? The Bush camp told him to back it up and name names? Then, on Larry King a few weeks ago, John Edwards said he was in Brussels and sensed from the Europeans that we needed to change leaders to restore credibility? Larry King asked if they said that directly & John Edwards said they hadn't but it was a sense he had.

John Edwards seems to be an excellent listener, and this would serve him well in foreign policy despite his supposed lack of experience.

Of course, many in the Bush camp don't really give a hoot what Europe thinks.

[Mizmoon]

2. Worse than that

Many in Bush's camp believe that taking the Europeans into consideration is a sign of weakness.

[iam]

6. Conservatism dictates

that the only opinion that counts is your own. listening to others opinions transfers power to the speaker from the listener. Everything is simple.

[central scrutinizer]

8. Democracies support Kerry

While Bushco cozies up monarchies and military dictatorships: yep, they hate us for our freedom.

[allemand]

3. In Germany there was a poll: 80% Kerry, 8% Bush, just a few days ago

n/t

[thecrow]

4. I love it that this is from Yale :)

[Whoa_Nelly]

5. With Kerry/Edwards we have a chance

at rebuilding confidence and credibilty not only in Europe, but globally.

Has there ever been a time when so many nations have so much interest and such a great stake in the outcome of a US Presidential election? BushCo has done so much damage, yet nations are looking with hope toward the US to bring an end to this destabilizing era in our political history.

[canuckybee]

7. Unfortunately many Bush supporters see this as a

plus for Bush. They firmly believe we do not need anyone else. This belief has led to the downfall of other world powers, but they are so into the bully mentality, they think America can remain on top forever.

[tomfodw]

9. Not sure this'll actually help Kerry...

...since there are some Americans who are not only ignorant of the rest of the world, but contemptuously proud of their ignorance. The fact that the rest of the world disdains Bush only prompts some Americans to prove their patriotism by supporting him all the harder.

In fact, if I were Karl Rove (ick), I'd be planting these signs myself and making sure my tame and obedient press reports the heck out of the story.