"Your eminence, you're looking good." photo by NAVROC Command

With a departing flight from Belfast back to Washington DC this morning George W. Bush ended his weeklong jaunt through Europe, beginning with Slovenia last Monday and ending in Ireland today. Journalists are united in calling it a farewell tour, notes the Atlantic Review.

Bush's visit to Europe, America's most valued ally, was marked by grand pronouncements and popular disinterest, spotty protests described in the hundreds rather than the tens of thousands that have greeted Bush in years past.

In Germany, meeting with Chancellor Merkel at Schloss Meseburg and at the press conference following the meeting, efforts were made to bolster a trans-Atlantic stand against Iran with renewed threats of sanctions regarding nuclear proliferation, lip service was given to quick completion of the long-frozen Doha trade round and, in a bizarre attempt at levity, Bush denied media reports that he dislikes German asparagus.

Meanwhile, distracted by the next White House occupant and the EURO 2008 football championship, Europeans couldn't be bothered. A Berliner friend of your correspondent, chatting over beer about the German team's prospects this year was reminded about the U.S. President's arrival the following day. "Ach ja." he said before returning to Fussball commentary.

As far as winning today's hearts and minds, Obama seems to have the lock on Europe. According to a new Pew survey, 82% of Germans (and 82% of French) believe the Democratic candidate would "do the right thing" regarding U.S. foreign policy -- a dramatic vote of confidence, considering that only 59% of Americans feel the same.