Bush Spreads Charm, Sincerity in European Debut
By Brian Williams

GOTHENBURG, Sweden (Reuters) - George W. Bush's debut on the European stage impressed commentators with what they saw as his charm, toughness and conviction, where once they had dismissed him as the bumbling ``Toxic Texan.''

In an image change for the U.S. president resulting from his first NATO and EU summit appearances this week, European editorial writers now mainly see him as a well-mannered ``nice man'' -- though with steel in him.

``George W. Bush is manifestly not the 'superficial buffoon and arrogant Texan' portrayed in the media,'' the left-wing French daily Liberation wrote.

``At the brief NATO summit in Brussels, the president succeeded in making his European allies' reservations about his missile defense plan look old-fashioned and from another era.''

However Liberation, like most newspapers, said the biggest problem for Bush's image make-over -- and the reason he earned the name ``Toxic Texan'' beforehand -- was still how he was locked into opposing the Kyoto Treaty on global warming.

Referring to the meeting with EU leaders in Gothenburg where Bush gave his final thumbs down to Kyoto, Liberation said:

``Bush did not succeed in repeating (in Gothenburg) the charm operation he pulled off in Brussels.''

But France's conservative Le Figaro had no reservations, even if the new U.S. President is not a wine drinker.

``Watch out for water drinkers. George W. Bush drinks it straight from the bottle, like a boxer who's gone back to his corner,'' the newspaper said of Bush's first meeting with European allies.

SIX-SHOOTER

In Germany, under a cartoon of a grinning Bush with Stetson and smoking six-shooter, Munich's liberal Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper titled its piece ``The Boss -- charming but tough.''

``The Europeans have learned three things from their first meetings with Bush...One, it is risky to underestimate him; Two, he can be very charming; Three, he is brutally tough and when he has made up his mind to get something, he usually gets it,'' the newspaper said.

The sober business daily Handelsblatt fell for Bush's Texan charm but noted it had limits.

``He's actually rather a nice fellow,'' it said of his relaxed style during encounters with Europe's leaders.

``But most of them are not just interested in having a chat. They want to be taken seriously and are looking for concessions. That's where Bush's charm offensive runs up against a wall.''

The Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad worried that Bush was still coming to terms with his power.

``In Brussels, people found the president's style strange, as if he himself is not yet comfortable with the idea that he is a world leader,'' the newspaper said.

``It is there, rather than in his opinions, that the danger lurks if an international crisis breaks out, because George W. Bush remains a bit of a talking doll.''

Britain's biggest selling Sun and the conservative Daily Telegraph fell over themselves in praising Bush.

The Sun said ``Dubya's'' debut Europe trip was ``a total success''

Under the headline ``W for Wit,'' the Sun said Bush ''surprised his critics with his wit and intelligence.''

Obviously not aware of the Europe-wide image change that was under way on Bush, the Sun added:

``As for the French and the Germans, who are less than enamored with George W and the Land of the Free, The Sun has this advice: It's your loss, not America's.''

The Daily Telegraph chided Sweden and its Prime Minister Goran Persson for ``getting on its high horse about the most benign of the superpowers.''

Referring to Persson's indirect warnings before Bush's arrival in Gothenburg that the EU must be a balance to Bush, the newspaper said:

``What a contrast Mr. Persson forms with Mr. Bush, who calmly reiterated his theme of 'Europe whole and free'. Who, then, is the isolationist and the confronter? Is it the well-mannered Texan, or this supposedly sophisticated Europhile who insults the leader of the Free World on his first visit to Europe?''

Sweden's own Aftenbladt newspaper found Bush ``charming''

``He leaned out and waved. That's how you win votes,'' the newspaper said.

It was only in Italy, where tradition can die hard, that newspapers were unmoved.

``Bush risks remaining hostage to his own caricature, a naive cowboy who is also arrogant, who confuses Slovenia with Slovakia, preserve with persevere, and calls Africa a country,'' an editorial in the daily Corriere della Sera said.

President Putin, as predicted, showing anger at President Bush's
missile defense and NATO policies.

Photo: Larry Downing/Reuters ____________________________________________________________________________________