THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO REPAINT THAT ROOF

And that picture pretty much sums up the European national feeling about former U.S. President George W. Bush.  I just returned from a great ski vacation in Austria.  While I was very much looking forward to skiing, seeing my friends, and going to Austria (I had never been before, so it's always exciting to go to a new country), there was something else I was curious to hear about.....the European take on Obama.

My German friends live all over Europe (Zurich, Vienna, and Munich).  I met most of them last September at Octoberfest.  (Let's just say that Octoberfest isn't exactly the best time to remember anything about anyone).  But this trip I found out these guys are quite accomplished.  Georg has his PhD in Business with an emphasis on finance and owns his own clothing company and textile business.  Mario works in computer programming and IT for BMW.  Ivo is a journalist working for a newspaper in Zurich.  Thomas is an architect with a doctorate to go along with his successful career.  Frederico works in the European patent office.  (I didn't ask what Karl does).  Obviously an intelligent, well educated group of Germans.  So what did they think?  I decided to not even bring it up and see what their opinions were.

I was in Georg's car not more than 5 minutes and he asked me what I thought about Obama.  He wasn't expecting my response, "Well, he really hasn't done anything yet, so I have nothing to base an opinion on."  (The stimulus package had not yet passed).  But I was more interested in his take on Obama.  After talking with Georg and my other friends over the weekend, let's just say that the Europeans are overjoyed with Obama.  They hated Bush so much, and they were serious about how much they did not like him.  (And I felt it every time I went over there for a vacation in the last 8 years.  Fortunately, I didn't vote for Bush either time, but that provided little cover).  Needless to say, the Europeans are expecting great things from Obama.  

While I was over there, Vice President Joe Biden was in Munich touting the new "more for more" U.S./European policy.  The U.S. will be asking a lot of Europe.  In return for new negotiations with Russia and Iran, serious talk on climate change, and the closing of Guantanamo, the Europeans will be expected to share in the heavy lifting, including sending more NATO troops to Afganistan and taking Guantanamo prisioners.  So let's see how long the bloom is on the rose for.

UPDATE April 2009: The "More for More" strategy did not work out. Europe gave only a tepid response and a meager troop count for Afghanistan.