Bush Brings Charm Offensive to Vienna

[joneschick]

USA-EU SUMMIT

Bush Brings Charm Offensive to Vienna

Protesters in Vienna were raging outside, but inside US President George W. Bush turned on the charm. He even through a bone to Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel: Guantanamo, Bush said, should be closed. But he didn't give a deadline for doing so.

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,422860,00.html

I was trying to find something (anything at all)in American media that was even mentioning Bush's reception in Vienna. nada. Ahh, but der Spiegel has an online English version. Be sure to take a look at the pictures.

what a friggin' embarassment.

[tenshi816]

1. "Bush" and "charm offensive"

shouldn't be used in the same sentence.

Edited to say that it works without the "charm" part.

[greatauntoftriplets]

2. "Offensive charm"???

:shrug:

[tenshi816]

4. No, just "offensive".

He offends the hell out of me every time he shows his face or opens his mouth.

[elehhhhna]

3. t was"charmng" to say Eurpoeans are "absurd"? WHO WRITES THIS CRAP?

Norah O'frigginDOnnell?

[Mist]

8. I have a hard time believing * uses words like "absurd" --

on a more serious note, I don't think it will do Cindy Sheehan any good to be in the vicinity of a burning American flag.

[Chipper Chat]

26. Some Repub photoshopper will fake Cindy

"standing" over the burning flag with a "match" in her hand. Then he'll send the picture to O'Reilly. Bill wont care if it's fake - he'll use it to stir up his minions.

[elehhhhna]

27. If they'd 'shop her torching a loofah it would

get his attention faster

[Chipper Chat]

28. I wish Loofah-boy had the guts to have Cindy on his show.

She could beat the crap outa him in more ways than one.

[Mist]

29. Yeah, sounds like something they'd do. nt

[JHB]

5. That means he charmed the US press...

and offended the Europeans. Who cares what they think?

[VolcanoJen]

7. Exactly. I expect another great Joe Klein headline...

... you know, something so ridiculous that it's cute, like, Why Bush Is (Still) Winning the War at Home, despite just about every poll taken in the last year.

:eyes:

[katty]

6. Charm?! ahaa, bulls*** PR wore off ages ago

[Beelzebud]

9. Pre-emptive Charm. Let's Kill those motherfuckers with kindness!!!

[warrens]

10. "Through" a bone?

I've been seeing more and more glaring typos in traditionally impeccable sources, such as WSJ, WP, NYT and CNN. All I can guess is that fewer people are doing more work on tighter deadlines.

[Clark2008]

13. Pink, poke. You owe me a Coke.

LOL. I think we were writing at the same time.

:rofl:

[Ken065]

15. Translation problems

Story is an English translation from der Spiegel

[benddem]

17. that's a translation

error, this was written in German "Der Spiegal."

[Clark2008]

11. He "through" a bone?

Shouldn't that be "threw" a bone?

(I know the OP didn't write it - it's from the "reporter." )

[Mandate My Ass]

12. *snort*

In the run-up to the meeting, Austria's conservative Christian Democratic chancellor, Wolfgang Schüssel was nervous. One word: Guantanamo. Three suicides. Deep skepticism in Austria and across Europe of Bush's policies. Indeed, in recent days the political opposition and media have put extreme pressure on Schüssel to remind the US of its responsibility to respect the human rights of prisoners at the US prison camp in Cuba. It would have been a symbolic act, of course. But it would have been one way for Schüssel to polish his foreign policy image, which took a beating during his country's EU presidency during the past six months.

But in the end, Bush leant Schüssel a helping hand. Indeed, he was free-flowing in his friendly, symbolic gestures to the Austrians and the Europeans. He extensively expressed his desire to close the Guantanamo camp. And he brought up the issue himself -- Schüssel didn't even have to mention it. Still, all he offered was a symbolic gesture. :rofl:

[madokie]

14. the photo gallery is awesome, the kid he is shaking hands with in pic

#4 looks like he is scared to death of him and pic #8, check out the size of the sign, it took a little time and effort to make that sucker. Yea little lord pissy pants is hated like no one else in recent history

[Lautremont]

19. But how does the sign in #9 end?

"Bush - My Cock Is Bigger Than..." and the rest is blocked by another sign. What's the punchline? Yours? Your brain? What?

[Blue Poppy]

I just posted that too!

I would love to know!!

[CottonBear]

22. Check out this picture: (great signs)

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,650012,00.jpg

I especially like the directness of "Stupid Asshole."

[NYC]

24. Website for the large banner organization.

http://www.resistanceforpeace.org/

I absolutely loved the 15th picture, the painted rooftop.

[demnan]

16. I love that people were spraypainting their roofs!

Did you look at the pictures. Protesters over there were amazing!

[CottonBear]

23. Here's the roof picture (It took quite an effort to make this sign.)

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,648160,00.jpg

[donco6]

18. Compared to N. Korea or Iran . . .

"It's quite grotesque to say America is a threat to peace in the world, compared to North Korea or Iran."

Well, when you put it THAT way . . .

[tanyev]

20. Hey, somebody in Vienna was burning an American flag.

That's why we need this constitutional amendment. That'll show 'em.

[Blue Poppy]

21. Too funny!

Check out pics #6 and #9.
:rofl:

in 6, asshole spelled with the SS symbol and in 9, check out the cardboard sign near the upper right hand corner of the picture. I would love to know what the whole sign said!!

[Hardrada]

25. Charm offensive. Another oxymoron!

[Generic Other]

30. Vienna welcomes the chimperor

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,649844,00.jpg

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,649858,00.jpg

[patricia92243]

31. I have not heard about his charm in years. I assumed it was all used up

If he is so charming, why on earth does he not charm the American public and his
poll number show how much everybody loves him?

[Selatius]

32. Der Fuehrer has returned to Vienna

Back then, he was loved:



Now he is hated.