What you do know or think about him? (America)

[kadzbiz]

Guys, as an Aussie who currently has the American President visiting his country that is causing a number of protesters to bring various issues to the attention of the world (probably), I was actually wondering what you actually thought of our leader, Prime Minister John Howard? Do you know of him? What do you think of him? What do you think of the relationship that he and George W. Bush share?

[Booko]

We get very little of Howard beyond the mention of his name and a photo op with Bush. We're a pretty insular bunch, really.

What little opinion I've heard here is along the lines of PM Howard being on the hawkish side.

[kadzbiz]

Originally Posted by Booko

We get very little of Howard beyond the mention of his name and a photo op with Bush. We're a pretty insular bunch, really.

What little opinion I've heard here is along the lines of PM Howard being on the hawkish side.

What do you mean by Hawkish? Funny, we used to have a Prime Minister called Bob Hawke, who, you won't believe this, but held (maybe still does) a world record for drinking beer some years back.

[Booko]

Originally Posted by kadzbiz

What do you mean by Hawkish? Funny, we used to have a Prime Minister called Bob Hawke, who, you won't believe this, but held (maybe still does) a world record for drinking beer some years back.

Hawkish = warlike

Haha...geez, kadzbiz, don't you think having an Aussie PM who holds a beer drinking record is just bit *too* stereotypical?

He probably couldn't get elected here. He would be too...real.

[Shadow Wolf]

Don't know the guy.
America does not teach about the rest of the world that much. I often wonder if 9/11 really had as large of an impact of the world as the media portrayed, or it was just the typical American ego.

[kadzbiz]

Originally Posted by Booko

Hawkish = warlike....Haha...geez, kadzbiz, don't you think having an Aussie PM who holds a beer drinking record is just bit *too* stereotypical?..
He probably couldn't get elected here. He would be too...real.

He got the record before his political days, I think. I wouldn't say that Howard is warlike, more that he is eager to jump on the bandwagon with leaders like Bush. Probably a lot of reasons why that is, but mainly I guess so that we can rely on the support of the USA in case we get invaded.

Originally Posted by Luke Wolf

Don't know the guy. America does not teach about the rest of the world that much. I often wonder if 9/11 really had as large of an impact of the world as the media portrayed, or it was just the typical American ego.

Well, if I can be totally honest, and I apologise if I offend anyone, and I speak from having actually been in the USA myself, but I find Americans generally to be quite arrogant (although arrogance would suggest thinking that you're better than everyone else, but as my wife put it, "they don't think about anyone else") and egotistical. Of course, I said generally, and I will add that I have met and known many fine Americans. Some here at RF.

P.S. And now that I'd said that, I guess I should ask what you guys think of us Aussies.

[Terrywoodenpic]

Although the question was not asked...about the UK
There is a fair Gap In what we know about John Howard and Australian politics in general.
It seem like there is seldom much newsworthy stuff published over here about Australia.
Sport yes especially Rugby and Cricket and to a lesser extent Australian rules, and football.
Australian Soaps are very popular... but that is about it.
Even the Serious Daily papers give very little coverage.
Though I expect the same is true about British news getting to Australia.

[Kungfuzed]

Originally Posted by kadzbiz

Guys, as an Aussie who currently has the American President visiting his country that is causing a number of protesters to bring various issues to the attention of the world (probably), I was actually wondering what you actually thought of our leader, Prime Minister John Howard? Do you know of him? What do you think of him? What do you think of the relationship that he and George W. Bush share?

Never heard of him. I've seen Finding Nemo though. Movies are really the only exposure I've had to Australia.

[kadzbiz]

Well, I must say that our world news is pretty good. We get stories about all sorts of places and sorts of people. I don't know why, but maybe our multicultral society expects this sort of news and it is celebrated much more in Australia than perhaps other countries. I don't know.