Europeans already looking beyond Bush presidency

President Bush's motorcade will speed through European capitals next week, but for many Europeans, the Bush presidency already is in their rearview mirrors.

Trans-Atlantic relations are on the upswing as European leaders have moved beyond their anger over the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Still, anti-Bush sentiment runs high on the streets, though that is being mollified by Europeans' excitement about the race for Bush's successor.

Like many Americans, Europeans have Bush fatigue. Many believe Barack Obama and John McCain will have different positions — perhaps more favorable — than Bush on issues important to Europe. The president continues promoting his agenda on climate change, Mideast peace and world trade issues, yet his influence has ebbed.

"I'm sure there will be some protests, but I think people are just looking past this guy at this point and they're interested in what comes next," said James M. Goldgeier, an expert on Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Bush used to fly, on a regular basis, right over the home I often lived in, when he landed at Buckley Air Base in Colorado.

Guy never meant enough to me to step outside for a peek at Air Force One.

It is just easier to say Bush than to say administration.

I'm not sure I would bother to turn my head to see him in person.

He didn't care enough to try to keep America healthy...just said yes'mmm to Darth Cheney. Who says yes'mmm to Darth Kissinger. Who says yes'mmm to Rockefeller.

Neither would I. In fact, if I had the opportunity to do so, I'd deliberately turn my back on him like so many have (on him or on his reps) during the recent college graduation exercises. Wouldn't you like to see Bush snobbed by some important person who did it as a form of protest...and let it be known he or she did it as a form of protest? Somewhere within these forums there's a story about a French VIP and his family being far too "busy" to spend any time with Bush during one of his visits to France. Truth was, the VIP nor his wife had any desire to spend one moment with W or Pickles.

I was living and working in Orange County when Nixon died. They flew in his body to the Marine air station, El Toro, right by my work, using Air Force One. I was viewed as that "weird liberal" when I didn't go outside to see the plane land and pay my last respects to Tricky Dick. I thought it better not to be giving double birds in the midst of that Repug adulation.