4 ms·

Quite a lot of this goodwill went away after GWB was re-elected. We all thought you made a childish mistake at first (do the downvoters of this comment even rem

Quite a lot of this goodwill went away after GWB was re-elected. We all thought you made a childish mistake at first (do the downvoters of this comment even remember that campaign? perhaps they were in kindergarten), but the second time.. that was what burned bridges.

mindslight 10y ago
There were many people who voted for Bush II the first time, believing his marketing of no "nation building" etc, and were then completely appalled at what he proceeded to do. Unfortunately, the number of blind war-cheerleaders was far greater - tell people they're under attack, and they fall into line. Furthermore, it's not as if with the other party now in power, USG has actually stopped attacking other countries. I think another thing other nationalities (especially Europeans) need [0] to understand is that USians view the necessity of government differently. I believe you see the Democrats as being the reasonable bunch because their rhetoric is more compatible with what you generally expect from politicians. Whereas the Republicans' rhetoric is mainly opposed to the Democrats' version of "progress" rather than proposals of their own top-down solution. So you end up seeing it as progress vs anti-progress, while domestically we do not implicitly assume government structure is even needed. (This is certainly not an endorsement of either party's actual actions after they take office, but only analysis of how their marketing is perceived) [0] if you want to analyze US politics, that is.
wyager 10y ago
Actually, many non-US countries had extremely high approval of GWB. http://www.pewglobal.org/2008/12/18/global-public-opinion-in-the-bush-years-2001-2008/ http://www.pewglobal.org/2008/12/18/global-public-opinion-in... Bush was very generous with food aid to Africa, for example, which won him a lot of support there.
- adventured 10y ago
  Bush did more for Africa than any other world leader in history. There isn't a close second to that. The aid went far beyond just food as well: "When the Bush administration inaugurated the program [PEPFAR] in 2003, fewer than 50,000 HIV-infected people on the African continent were receiving the antiretroviral drugs that keep the virus in check and halt the progression toward full-blown AIDS. By the time Bush left office, the number had increased to nearly 2 million. Today, the United States is directly supporting antiretroviral treatment for more than 4 million men, women and children worldwide, primarily in Africa." http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/04/george-w-bushs-legacy-on-africa-wins-praise-even-from-foes/ http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/04/george-w-bushs-... https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-george-w-bushs-greatest-legacy--his-battle-against-aids/2012/07/26/gJQAumGKCX_story.html?utm_term=.363cbe2d825b https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-geor...
zaroth 10y ago
It's almost sad to think how history will peg GWB as the best US President in the first quarter of the 21st century.
- mindslight 10y ago
  I doubt the overarching narrative for this period in this country's history will be in terms of positive qualities such as "best".

mindslight 10y ago

There were many people who voted for Bush II the first time, believing his marketing of no "nation building" etc, and were then completely appalled at what he proceeded to do. Unfortunately, the number of blind war-cheerleaders was far greater - tell people they're under attack, and they fall into line. Furthermore, it's not as if with the other party now in power, USG has actually stopped attacking other countries. I think another thing other nationalities (especially Europeans) need [0] to understand is that USians view the necessity of government differently. I believe you see the Democrats as being the reasonable bunch because their rhetoric is more compatible with what you generally expect from politicians. Whereas the Republicans' rhetoric is mainly opposed to the Democrats' version of "progress" rather than proposals of their own top-down solution. So you end up seeing it as progress vs anti-progress, while domestically we do not implicitly assume government structure is even needed. (This is certainly not an endorsement of either party's actual actions after they take office, but only analysis of how their marketing is perceived) [0] if you want to analyze US politics, that is.

wyager 10y ago

Actually, many non-US countries had extremely high approval of GWB. http://www.pewglobal.org/2008/12/18/global-public-opinion-in-the-bush-years-2001-2008/ http://www.pewglobal.org/2008/12/18/global-public-opinion-in... Bush was very generous with food aid to Africa, for example, which won him a lot of support there.

adventured 10y ago
Bush did more for Africa than any other world leader in history. There isn't a close second to that. The aid went far beyond just food as well: "When the Bush administration inaugurated the program [PEPFAR] in 2003, fewer than 50,000 HIV-infected people on the African continent were receiving the antiretroviral drugs that keep the virus in check and halt the progression toward full-blown AIDS. By the time Bush left office, the number had increased to nearly 2 million. Today, the United States is directly supporting antiretroviral treatment for more than 4 million men, women and children worldwide, primarily in Africa." http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/04/george-w-bushs-legacy-on-africa-wins-praise-even-from-foes/ http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/04/george-w-bushs-... https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-george-w-bushs-greatest-legacy--his-battle-against-aids/2012/07/26/gJQAumGKCX_story.html?utm_term=.363cbe2d825b https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-geor...

zaroth 10y ago

It's almost sad to think how history will peg GWB as the best US President in the first quarter of the 21st century.

mindslight 10y ago
I doubt the overarching narrative for this period in this country's history will be in terms of positive qualities such as "best".