Spain's PM Says Bush Acts Like an Emperor

[arcos]

Spain's PM Says Bush Acts Like an Emperor

President Bush (news - web sites) is seen in Europe as an emperor, and many Europeans find that difficult to accept, says Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar.

"The combination of being a Republican, of being an emperor, a Texan and outspoken is really a bad mix," Aznar said in an interview Wednesday in The Washington Post.

<snip>

The prime minister said he had kidded Bush about his image in Europe, telling him he outdid former President Reagan in unpopularity. Bush replied, "That's not going to change me or my policy."

<snip>

Seeking to explain Bush's bad reviews in Europe, Aznar said, "Let's face it, who likes an empire."

<snip>

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=703&e=6&u=/ap/20040114/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_europe

[xultar]

1. We need an Emperor and his clothes parody article on GWB.

I'd like to see a photo shop to go along with that article for the DU front page...1999

[htuttle]

2. LOL! "And by the way," Aznar added...

"The Emperor is naked."

[pinto]

3. "let's face it, who likes an empire?"

too good. Aznar has apparently moved away some from the B*shco parade.

[salinen]

5. But that fuck Aznar

was one of the three "axis of evil" participants. Blair, Shrub, and Aznar.

[Kellanved]

7. his revenge for having his name mispronounced

And trying to appease the Spanish voters.

[pinto]

8. i know...still has troops in Iraq, but Spain had one of the largest

anti-war demonstrations...he's got to have to listen to that to some point. how do you say "waffle" in Spanish?

[UTUSN]

10. & AZNAR Will "Probably" Vote Shrub Again, Like O'NEILL n/t

[Mistress Quickly]

16. I don't think so

It seems more an insult to "old Europe".

From the story:

>> He said Europeans are often "swayed by cliches, too lackadaisical and in too much of a comfort zone or in denial" about the dangers of global terrorism and crucial world problems. <<

[pinto]

19. think he might be positioning himself among the coalition of the

"willing"? I'm not very familiar w/Spain's politics. The Pyrenees, though, have always seemed to me a line between historically social democratic Europe and the semi fascist Iberian penninsula.???

[Mistress Quickly]

20. Eek. You have already

lost me, re: Pyrenees, and now I will have to look stuff up and learn something. ;)

The have always been in the "coalition of the willing" (Doesn't that sound threatening, as others are in the "coalition of the unwilling")


I just don't think it is the insult it is implied to be. I don't think Britain, Spain or Australia will at this point back out of "the coalition". They have 'invested' too much.

Besides, it'll be like O'neill, the flava of the day, the under-the-rug it goes.

[aneerkoinos]

23. Njet

Portugal had, actually, leftist junta, before joining EU. Basques are sort of conservative, nationalist, progressive social democrats AFAIK. Also the peninsula is full of anarchists. And there is no Spain, only in imagination of some Madrid politicos.

Aznaq is history, who cares what he says. He's not an candidate in the soon to be elections.

[rman]

29. not moved away,

he explained why he thinks Bush is unpopular. that's it.

this is like Bush admitting he had plans to invade Irak long before 9-11. inconsequential to bush.

[priller]

4. Who likes an empire?

Why, the neocons and the PNAC'ers, that's who!

[tom_paine]

6. Yep, only the Imperial Sturmtruppen and their Commanders like Empire

I have to admit Cheney makes an excellent Grand Moff Tarkin.

[NashVegas]

9. What the BFEE Refuses to See

Nobody likes an Emporer.

They didn't like it when Caesar did it.
They didn't like it when Napolean did it.

[phillybri]

11. And this guy was on *'s side for Iraq????

:wow:

[Sagan]

12. Too late, Aznar

You Quisling son-of-a-bitch.

You licked the Emperor's boots and now that an election is coming, you're backpedalling.

No, no. YOU made your broth. YOU eat it.

[Judi Lynn]

13. He hasn't received too many rewards

for accommodating _Bush.

I'm glad he has spoken out in this way, however subtle it may be, to let the world know he isn't REALLY as whorish as we may have thought.

[CBHagman]

14. I love the comment about Bush being more unpopular than Reagan

I lived in Europe in the '80s and remember getting an earful from my European friends about Ronald Reagan AND his Cabinet. Now the current GOP has based so much of its philosophy on idolizing Reagan and treating Bush as though he could heal the sick and raise the dead. The fact that even friendly European countries aren't buying the act shows just how empty Bush & Co. are.

[DoYouEverWonder]

15. This is a real slap in the face from an old family friend

and a very public one. Aznar must have some real big cajones.

[bushisanidiot]

17. AWOL Has Only 3 Allies and 1 of them just flipped him off!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!

President shitferbrains is finding himself more alone every day!


Can't wait for November!!!

[goforit]

18. Well for what it's worth.........Hat's off to Aznar!!!

Pathetic Bushco 24/7!!!!

The only thing that will knock sense into them
is an arrest and then a prosecution.

[0007]

21. Jose Maria Aznar is saving face!

Aznar is a fucking stupid fool living up junior's ass. This kind of rhetoric and this kind of man is sickening!

[PROGRESSIVE1]

22. Aznar also supported the emperor! His words carry NO VALUE....

whatsoever!

:eyes:

[NV1962]

24. That's a misleading headline by AP (yeah, what a surprise!)

Don't take my word for it - just compare it with the original WP article that goes much deeper into that meeting held yesterday (Tuesday) between José María Aznar (BTW: in Spain he's referred to as "president" - not prime minister) and Wahsington Post journalists.

A far more accurate headline would have been: Spain's PM Says US Disliked As An Empire.

Guess coming up with that semantically correct synthesis was too much of a stretch...

Aznar's remarks can't be construed as some sort of slamming Bush; in fact, Aznar used that meeting to highlight the "special relationship" forged between the two governments post-9/11.

As to the interpretation of his remarks as "distancing himself for electoral purposes" (and aside from it being untrue for the reason stated above) that is outright nonsensical, as Aznar is not running in the general elections of next May.

For those able to read Spanish, there's an article here published today, based on a brief photo-op, prior to a meeting between Bush and Aznar in the White House. Bush's statement that the meeting is "a sad moment" (because it's the last time they'll meet, before Aznar steps down) suggests rather that there's no "cooling down" between the two - as further evidenced by the headline for that article, which reads (translated) as "Aznar and Bush renew their Trans-Atlantic ties and their commitment to the war on terror"

Thought that would be a helpful clarification...

(PS: if you want to root for a change in government after the elections in May, the name of the social democrat contender running for the top spot is José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero.)

[gristy]

26. "Spain's PM Says Bush Acts Like an Emperor"

That was the headline on my Compuserve homepage (can't link to it). I was pretty shocked. The sleeping sheeple are going to read that and go Huhhhhhhhhhh?? - followed by a mild case of brainlock.

[amber dog democrat]

25. None of them have credibility

Bush is more like a dictator

[dusty64]

27. Interesting, yet

this guy has done everything in his power to continue to prop the emperor up even when it goes overwhelmingly against the will of his constituents.

[rustydog]

28. Bush*s reply was a variation on his :

"Who cares what you think!" reply to someone's comment.
What does it matter if the whole world thinks you are a stupid, murdering f*** when you are in control of the most powerful military in the world?
What does it matter when you can stop two votes to kill any embarassing outcomes ( 2000 and UN vote)aimed at yourself?
Who cares that you have destroyed a once-formidable ecomony and have put decades-old safety net programs in peril and near extinction?
Who cares that your tax-cuts means less money for true American heroes: teachers, firefighters and law enforcement?
Who cares that healthy forest initiative means clear-cutting for the corporate logging industry.
who cares that by a stroke of a presidential pen, automobile emissions areno longer considered greenhouse gasses. (Signed by the most ignorant man ever to inhabit the white house) AND that Global Warming is simply a theory.

Bush is in the drivers seat. At least he thinks he is. Actually, he is in the booster seat with the fake steering wheel attached and Cheny is driving this calamity into oblivion.

Emperor Bush, Mr. Nickname, King George, George the Younger,
et al...How about a nickname for bush*: can you come up with a good one? Hitler seems to piss everyone off.