The truth is that much of contemporary anti-Americanism is a manifestation of disgust with George W. Bush as an individual and will immediately dissipate as soon as a new president — Democrat or Republican — enters the Oval Office in 2009.
I must disagree with Mr. Kirchik here. Anti-Americanism, like anti-Semitism, has been around for a long, long time (as long as there has been a United States), and it’s here to stay. We will never be completely free of it. John McCain may find approval in Europe because he is not George Bush, but as soon as he starts pushing American interests (which he will), the honeymoon will be over, and we’ll see the same sneering disapproval we Americans have become used to. The problem for them is, since 911, most Americans no longer care whether the world approves of us or not. We have our own agenda (which does not include imperialism, or hegemony beyond our own natural self-interest, despite what the socialistic elitists continually trumpet). And most Americans no longer concede European superiority.
