Bush, Blair silent on Italian vote

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060413-073548-4453r

ROME, April 13 (UPI) -- As Italian election officials review 43,000 spoiled ballots, U.S. President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair are withholding congratulations.

Both men had good working relationships with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a center-right leader who appears to have lost Sunday and Monday's election by a narrow margin to center-left leader Romano Prodi.

Prodi, however, has openly criticized the Iraq conflict and Blair's attitude to the European Union and said he intends to put Europe's interests ahead of those of Washington, The Times of London reported Thursday.

The White House said it would work with any government that emerged from the elections, but was awaiting final results. Blair's office said simply he was looking forward to working with the new prime minister.

[marmar]

1. They've lost yet another member of the Coalition of the Willing.

Neocons are dropping like flies.

[madrchsod]

2. hedging their bets

wouldn`t want to call the game to early...

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. As opposed to the attempted coup in Venzuela

when the USA couldn't welcome the new 'government' quick enough.

[sasha031]

4. poor babies

they are losing all their psychopathsx( :hippie:

[haab]

5. The tide is changing

An indication of who they'll both fair when voting starts in the UK and US..

[annabanana]

6. Don't they have a dog in this race?

If Berlusconi muscles his way back in, he can keep anyone from looking too closely into his government's involvement in crappy yellowcake forgeries...

Katie.. BAR the door! He can't afford to concede defeat...

[Jeanette in FL]

7. "Can't comment on an ongoing investigation"

Stock answer to everything else, why not use it here.

[NNN0LHI]

8. Still no word from the boys? n/t