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May 11, 2005
Bush ambivalant on what it takes to be a leader
Bush came, he saw and thank goodness he went away again. On his grand tour of Europe Bush also stopped by the Netherlands on the 7th and 8th of May, in order to attend a memorial service for American casualties in World War II.
Apart from enormous traffic chaos and several anti-Bush demonstrations, the visit went by without any major disturbances. But a visit by a foreign dignitary, especially an American President, is always a dream come true for pollsters. And so it was that we learnt that one third of Dutch people were against Bush´s visit to The Netherlands.
30 % of the population thought it was within the limits of propriety to demonstrate against Bush during the WWII commemoration service. Some people had even started legal proceedings to stop the visit, but the judge ruled that nothing could be done.
Polls evidently mean little to President Bush though. Before coming to the Netherlands Bush was interviewed by Dutch television. Confronted with the fact that many Dutch people oppose his international policies, he remarked that
"(This) doesn't frustrate me. I make decisions on what I think is right. That's what leaders do. The other day in a press conference I was asked about polls here in America. I said, a leader who tries to lead based upon polls is like a dog chasing his tail. That's not how you lead. No, I feel comfortable with the decisions I've made."
But only minutes later, when asked whether he disapproved of the Dutch liberal policies concerning euthanasia, gay marriage and abortion, Bush seemed to come back on his theory of leadership:
"Holland is a free country. It's a country where the people get to decide the policy. The government just reflects the will of the people. That's what democracies are all about. And that's what -- that's why we should continue to work for common interest to support government of the people, not government that dictates to people. And so if that's what the people of Holland want, that's what the government should reflect."
Now which is it Mr. President? Should a leader lead, or should a leader follow?
Posted May 11, 2005 08:14 AM
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