Bush's European trips bring out crowds too, but they're usually calling enthusiastically for his

[Flabbergasted]

indictment.

United, not divided -- against Bush

American presidents used to make triumphal tours of Europe, where they'd be greeted by enthusiastic crowds. Bush's European trips bring out crowds too, but they're usually calling enthusiastically for his indictment.

Last week's presidential tour featured lots of protest and precious little adulation. In the Czech Republic, demonstrators greeted Bush with signs reading "Bush number one terrorist." In Italy, where more than two dozen CIA agents face criminal trial for the illegal "rendition" of terror suspects, tens of thousands of anti-Bush protesters took to the streets. At the Vatican, the pope took Bush to task over the Iraq war. Only in Albania did Bush receive a rapturous welcome — though video footage led to speculation that in the celebration an Albanian Bush "fan" may have relieved the president of his watch.

White House spokesman Tony Snow denies that the president got fleeced by his admirers. But let's be honest: Even if Bush made it home with watch untouched, it's not clear that wild enthusiasm from the Albanian public is something he should feel pleased about.

After all, the last time the Albanians showed wild enthusiasm, it was for the fraudulent Ponzi schemes that nearly destroyed their national economy. In the mid-1990s, two-thirds of the Albanian population got suckered into investing in get-rich-quick "investment companies." Built on trickery and empty promises, the pyramid schemes finally collapsed, leaving a shattered economy, millions of betrayed citizens and a discredited government.

Kind of reminiscent of the Bush presidency, actually.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday/la-oe-brooks15jun15,0,3710555.column?coll=la-util-opinion-sunday

[glowing]

1. Umm.. they are doing that here, too. but in Europe he didn't

have a 10 block radius to protect him from the "ugly" peasants.

[kurth]

2. Luckily the Albanians didn't steal his motorcade

in the throes of worship and adoration.

[whistle]

3. VP Richard Nixon had vegtables thrown at him when he toured South America

...and violent demonstrations in the streets in 1958

<snip>
Vice President Richard Nixon
Latin America Tour 1958

Click on the images




http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/nixon.htm