The protest turned violent on Friday, the second day of the European Union summit, but while Bush was in town it was pretty tame. A small group did congregate across from Bush’s tightly secured hotel and stage a “mass mooning.” Only a handful actually dropped trou, but it got plenty of coverage in the press (at least here in Europe where the mooning aired repeatedly on TV). Three mooners had written “We Hate Bush” across their collective behinds.
Now flash forward to today in Warsaw. As we were leaving the Presidential Palace this morning several of the Poles who had gathered along the street to greet Bush held signs that read “We Love Bush.” The only demonstrators we could see later while Bush was laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider waved U.S. flags and raised signs asking for help getting Lithuania into NATO. The only negative note was a big banner that took a hit at the president-the Polish president. It read: “Bush Yes, Kwasniewski No.”
At a news conference in Goteborg at the U.S.-EU summit, Bush-who is often playful with the press-was stern and serious. A man who transmits his feelings through his body language, Bush did not seem particularly at ease with the two European leaders-Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson and EU Commission President Romano Prodi-with whom he shared the podium. At one point, an American reporter asked why, if the Europeans are so enamored of the Kyoto Treaty, they hadn’t ratified it. Bush got a little grin on his face, leaned over to look at Prodi and said, “I would be interested in your answer.”
After the polite press conference, Persson stepped off the dais and immediately began slamming Bush to Swedish reporters, telling them how “disappointed” he was with the U.S. president on the topic of global warming. Then he happily agreed to translate his complaints into English for NBC News. All this before Bush was even back in his motorcade. Today in Warsaw, Bush was relaxed, jovial. He and President Aleksander Kwasniewski seemed to have the same typically feisty approach to press relations. While posing for a photo op, an American reporter shouted a question at Bush. Kwasniewski cut the reporter off, telling him to save it for the press conference. Bush chuckled approvingly of his Polish pal. He kidded the reporter, saying: “Get you some of that.” The translation, according to the “Bush to English Dictionary” as reporters-and some irreverent staffers-call our attempts to interpret Bushisms: “Take that!”
At the official press conference in Warsaw, Bush seemed confident, comfortable, maybe even cocky. “Mighty sharp today,” he told NBC’s dapper David Gregory before the reporter could even open his mouth. “Don’t you think so?” Bush asked Kwasniewski.
Bush’s big speech this afternoon, however, was no joke. It was expertly delivered and even moving. He played to the crowd at Warsaw University when he quoted the popular Polish country music band, Golec Orchestra: “On that wheat field, I’m gonna build my San Francisco; over by that molehill, I’m gonna build my bank.” He got several rounds of applause when he told the audience, “Our progress is great, our goals are large, and our differences, in comparison, are small.”
Then the president-who has so often refused to talk about his father’s influence for fear of looking ill-equipped and overshadowed-was quoting Dad. “Men and women have dreamed of what my father called a Europe ‘whole and free,’” he said.
Bush got choked up during his speech, which he ended with a resounding, “God bless,” even though the prepared text called for a simple “Thank you.” Was this the same President Bush who back in Goteborg seemed tired and occasionally bumbling, especially when he referred to Africa as a “nation?”
Clearly it helped that the White House scheduled the meeting in Sweden with a visit to one of America’s more loyal allies, Poland. Europe might be a Union, but it is diverse and divergent. Bush aides say he has grown more comfortable every day on the international stage this week. His biggest test comes Saturday in Slovenia, where he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time. Which Bush shows up-and which Europe will be there to greet him-may help rectify the split personality that has emerged of president and continent.
