November 24, 2004
CROWN IN HAND:
Spain's PM sends Bush message of goodwill (SCOTT LINDLAW, November 24, 2004, AP)
Spain's king brought President Bush a message of goodwill Wednesday from Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, whose vocal opposition to the Iraq war has chilled U.S.-Spanish relations.Zapatero, the head of the Spanish government, has written and called Bush to congratulate him on his re-election, but can't get past the White House switchboard. Bush sent him a note earlier this month thanking him.
By contrast, King Juan Carlos, who holds no political power, was ferried onto Bush's ranch aboard a Marine Corps helicopter bearing the U.S. presidential seal. The first king to visit Bush's ranch, he was accompanied by his wife, Queen Sofia, for the one-hour, 20-minute stay.
Bush drove his white pickup truck to the landing site, accompanied by his wife, Laura, and his father, former President George H.W. Bush. After a hearty handshake and a lingering pose for group pictures, Bush held the pickup's passenger door open for his royal guest; the king rode shotgun during a tour of the 1,600-acre ranch, the wives in the back seats.
You can just hear the European press reacting in horror to the notion of "riding shotgun." Posted by Orrin Judd at November 24, 2004 10:22 PM
Maybe if Zapatero ever gets to come calling Mr. Bush can fetch him on his tractor.
Posted by: Tom Wall at November 24, 2004 11:26 PMBush rode his white pickup truck...the wives in the back seats.
No way Kerry would have done something as down to earth as this.
Anyway we can get the King to can Zapatero or can Bush hire Anzar into his cabinet?
Posted by: AWW at November 24, 2004 11:33 PMWere it not for Bush's conversion at age 40 from his youthful wild ways, you could read this story and almost imagine his royal highness riding shotgun across the Bush ranch with the cooler of Lone Star or Pearl in the passnger seat's floorboard.
Posted by: John at November 25, 2004 12:38 AMJuan Carlos is one of the under-appreciated figures in world history, he was the guy who legitimized democratic rule in Spain at a time when elements of the military were poised to stage a coup.
Zapatero's government is weak, his majority small and fractious. Already, Spaniards are experiencing buyer's remorse. Thus, Bush is playing it right here, saying I'm a friend of Spain but no friend of Zapatero.
Posted by: Bart at November 25, 2004 8:27 AMHow do Europeans claim the front passenger seat when they are going for a group car ride? I don't think that "I'm riding shotgun" would translate so well.
Posted by: Robert Duquette at November 26, 2004 12:38 PM