Vote in U.S. inflames Europeans

International Herald Tribune ^ | 27 October 2004 | Jennifer Joan Lee

[Racehorse]

European media are sending correspondents all over the United States in an effort to delve into the American psyche. . "We want to understand why so many people are still on Bush's side; it's a kind of mystery to us," said Peter Frey, Berlin bureau chief for ZDF television in Germany. "We are asking the American people, 'Why are you voting for Bush?' We want to understand why he has this support."

[Snip]

Some Europeans support Bush, and they are equally as transfixed by the election. In Poland, one of a handful of Eastern Europe countries that sent troops to Iraq, people are following the race with unprecedented attention, worrying that a Bush defeat could have negative consequences for a nation that so controversially backed him. . "If Kerry wins, the antiwar countries in the European Union will say Bush lost because of Iraq, which means everyone who supported Bush in Iraq is also a loser," said Bartosz Weglarczyk, foreign editor at Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland's largest newspaper. "If Poland is seen as a loser on the debate on the war in Iraq, obviously, our position in the EU will be weakened."

[G Larry]

WHY NOT KERRY?

1. Kerry met with the Communist NVA enemy in Paris in 1971, while still a commissioned Naval officer.

2. Kerry lied in his 1971 testimony to congress regarding the actions of U.S. troops in Vietnam.

3. Kerry voted against the 1st Gulf War when all of the pre-conditions for war, that he now says are required, were, in fact present.

4. Kerry believes that higher taxes to fund government programs are good for America. He is unable to acknowledge that lower tax rates result in higher tax receipts, due to the increased economic activity it encourages. The “multiplier effect” is real, in spite of attempts to trivialize it by renaming it “trickle down economics”.

5. (Per Charles Krauthammer - himself trained as a doctor and a victim of paralysis) “Claims of impending miracle cures based on embryonic stem cell research are simply false. In fact, no such hope exists anywhere in the foreseeable future. The science involved doesn’t support the marketing campaign.”
It is nothing more than a lame attempt to assign a benefit to abortion.

6. Kerry supports late term abortion, which is clearly murder, as anybody who has given the procedure a second thought will immediately recognize.

7. Kerry supports all abortion, which is the cornerstone of our “no consequences” culture.

8. Kerry consistently votes against defense and intelligence programs because they compete with funding for his pet social programs, which inevitably undermine a productive society.

9. Kerry would prefer that the U.S. not be a world power. He believes the U.N. is able to resolve world conflicts without ever firing a shot.

10. Kerry has demonstrated no core values and is happy to adjust his position based upon popular opinion at the time, even as the audience changes. This is the sign of an opportunistic follower, not a leader.

11. Kerry has no understanding of domestic or global economics. He prefers pandering to the lowest common denominator for the sole purpose of gaining and maintaining power.

12. Kerry has no understanding of energy policy. While claiming to support “renewable energy”, he voted to kill a “wind farm” within sight of his precious Cape Cod coastline.

[sd-joe]

Of course the socialist Europeans would prefer a socialist American president like Kerry.

[Professional Engineer]

Screw 'Em and the whine they rode in on.

[Rebelbase]

The shelf-life of appreciation and gratefulness from socialist countries has been established at no more than 60 years.

[SolutionsOnly]

The Eurpoean jounalists may just discover some very novel concepts in their quest to undersand Bush supporters - values, morals, principle, and backbone. On the other hand, these may prove to be beyond their intellectual grasp.

[jimtorr]

In Poland, one of a handful of Eastern Europe countries that sent troops to Iraq....

A handful, is it? Let's see, there's Poland, Hungary, Romania, the Ukraine, I think the Chek Republic....have I missed any? Not to mention England, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and a few other Western Europe countries.

That's right, just a handfull of the Eastern Europe countries.

[DooDahhhh]

Amen Brother!

[Freedom4US]

Most of us remember that point in our lives, where we finally realize in no uncertain terms, we are at best unlikely to become rich. Really, really rich - the filthy, roll-around-in $100 bills kind of rich. The odds are just against it.

Mine was flying to the Balkans, courtesy Uncle Sam, by way of Monaco and watching the Riviera set sun-bathing on their multi-million dollar yachts. That's their backyard. The US is expected to play peace-keeper and have pulled Europe's chestnuts out of the fire more than once. Nobody else had the natural resources and infrastructure to do this. It's not a matter of resting on our laurels, but the US didn't have to do that. I find it the height of irony that the US is now ostracized for looking after our own interests for once. Apparently we are "loved" in the world provided we do exactly what everyone else wants.

To be fair, it must be disconcerting to have the leader of the free world in the hands of "undecided" cheese-heads, Buckeye fans and Floridians. God definitely has a sense of humor at times.

[airborne]

"We want to understand why so many people are still on Bush's side; it's a kind of mystery to us," said Peter Frey, Berlin bureau chief for ZDF television in Germany. "We are asking the American people, 'Why are you voting for Bush?' We want to understand why he has this support."

We support President Bush because we don't run and hide.

We don't back down from a fight when someone else throws the first punch.

And we sure as he!! don't take advice from Euroweenies!

[Hostage]

Exactly!

[Katya]

Most of the problem with europe is the lack of alternative media outlets. There's certainly no equivalent of rush or cable news channels like fox available. Unlike the US, most Europeans are also not internet friendly. Phone lines are still expensive to use and thus PC's and the internet are still cost prohibitive.
I remember laughing at my cousins in 2001 (before 9-11) who thought Hillary clinton was the smartest american woman...and Laura Bush a dolt. Where did they learn such idiocy? From the press.
When I explained the way our electoral college works, they no longer thought the republicans stole the election. That's why there's an astonishment in Europe at our choice of elected officials. They assume we hear the same spin they do. For perspective , I'd describe CBS as fair and balanced against political shows in Europe.

[Hostage]

How dare you forget Festus Haggen??!!!

[tjwmason]

I wish Europe would mind their own business. How would they like it if we butted into theirs? How would they like it if we sent scores of reporters into their countries asking their electorate why they voted for Chirac, Schroeder, et al.?

I think that if you asked French voters that, it would merely encourage their overinflated egos...

There are two sides to this, first, there is the element of actual news reporting - the election of the U.S. President will have a massive impact on Europe (indeed the whole world), and therefore it is reasonable that we outside the U.S. should wish to know about it. Secondly, however, is the smug leftism of the pseudo-eilte formed by the media; this is gut-wrenching nonsense, and its virulent hatred of the President is astonishing and utterly baseless. The former is fine and dandy, but the latter is destructive of the trans-atlantic alliance which guaranteed world safety for 50 years.

On Tuesday evening, I will watch the election results, and will raise a glass in toast of the U.S. when Dubya passes 270.

[angkor]

delve into the American psyche. . "We want to understand why so many people are still on Bush's side; it's a kind of mystery to us,"

I'm kind of curious why the Euros *don't* support GWB, and would support the likes of John Kerry (the French aside, since they're supporting him because they know he's actually French). And I mean I'd like to understand psychologically and not politically why they dislike GWB, whom they call "cowboy" just as they called Reagan a "cowboy." What do the Euros have against "cowboys"?

Then again, maybe I don't care much at all. Stuff 'em.

[Nick Danger]

European media are sending correspondents all over the United States in an effort to delve into the American psyche. . "We want to understand why so many people are still on Bush's side; it's a kind of mystery to us,"

Rather than criticizing these people, we ought to be applauding them. They are getting off their duffs, flying over here, and trying to figure this out. Our own reporters can't figure out why anyone would be for Bush either, but you don't see ours venturing into flyover country to understand it. Instead all they do is scream at us day and night: "Kerry good, Bush bad."

Only a handful of U.S. media outlets are followed in Europe, and they are uniformly the most liberal... the New York Times, the Washington Post, and CNN International, which when it comes to Bush might as well be Al Jazeera.

If all you knew about the U.S. election was what you saw in the NY Times or on CNN, you'd wonder why anyone was for Bush, too. It doesn't sound possible that this horrible fellow, who hasn't done anything right, could have even one supporter. Especially when the suave, debonaire, brilliant, and sophisticated leftist in the race is a famous war hero to boot.

Let's give these European reporters some credit for at least crawling out of their cocoons to come talk to some people that aren't on the party circuit in upper Manhattan. That's something our own reporters haven't done yet, except to try to round up the three liberal residents of Junction Switch, WY and present them to us as the Voice of Rural America.

[Gunrunner2]

Why can't they just read the papers and stay the heck away:
http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pdupont/?id=110005810

[iopscusa]

Stop all foreign aid , move our troops out of anti-US Europe, send the UN away band the International court and all "Human Rights" or "Environmental" agencies asap.
On the other hand form an Anglo-american Freedom coalition and invite true free countries to join.

[1903A3]

Here in Belgium every political party and every media is anti-Bush
However among the population there is a lot of support for him
Mostly among those who live close to the areas populated by the Arabs "immigrant" who are actually considered more like invaders
My personal position ?
GO BUSH GO
And GOD BLESS AMERICA

[7.62 x 51mm]

Hey, dumbass Euro-weenies: INTERVIEW ME AND GET MORE THAN AN EARFUll, IDIOTS!

[Tom Bombadil]

"We are asking the American people, 'Why are you voting for Bush?'

'Would be nice if they were really interested in an answer.

What they are really asking is "why are you voting for bush? You dumkopf!"