Ohiocore

CS Monitor does a good job sampling various reactions to Bush's lavish re-inauguration celebrations. The 10 different inaugural balls and the characteristic incompetence did catch my attention, but I admit I was more focused on watching Condi Rice... so this article is a good cross-section or catch-up.

Israel, Rupert Murdoch, the Wall Street Journal and some Polish paper like Bush's speech. WSJ invokes historical superlative, while justifying the war in Iraq:

Not since JFK in 1960 has an American President provided such an ambitious and unabashed case for the promotion of liberty at home and abroad.

To which the Toronto Star added, "unabashedly aggressive." Germany, Turkey and parts of Ireland, among others, were likewise more critical. Call me a pinko commie, but I thought the most interesting responses were from China.

Maybe it is just rhetorical style, or the doggedness of a rival, but try some of "People's Daily" on for size:

Judging from Bush's inauguration theme in 2005, being morally conceited and
militarily aggressive are two major elements of American nationalism.

Now that's style. But there was also poetic warning:

No banquet under the sun will last forever. After the firework fades away
Washington is still under a dark sky. The sole superpower sends a sense of inauspiciousness to the world when it's president is inaugurated under wartime security standards: America, where [are] you heading?

And even real insight!:

American nationalism displays the following characters.
First, it is originated from the worship to 'The American Creed', with liberty, democracy and the rule of law lying at its core. The Creed takes form along with the shaping and developing of the country, but has been taken by many Americans as a truth or standard that 'fits all'. From a religious perspective, many Americans indulge themselves in a sense of superiority, believing themselves 'men chosen by God.'
Second, due to the nation's superior natural and geographical conditions, and its history of never being invaded, American nationalism is void of historical bitterness found in typical nationalism of some other peoples.
Third, American nationalism shows a strong inclination of being self-centered, a combination of an isolationism tendency (being disdain to associate with other peoples) and a sense of mission to save 'the fettered world' by whatever means it desires. American nationalism rejects nationalism in other peoples, which doesn't, or unwilling to learn other people's emotions and thoughts, but adopts American standards in all cases.
Fourth, in foreign policy, American nationalism takes a form of a mixture of morality and pragmatism. Sometimes America holds ideology as the benchmark, deciding a friend or foe by American values, beliefs and political considerations; sometimes it exercises double standards for the sake of national interest, showing a certain degree of moral hypocrisy.

It seems like all four are fairly accurate descriptions (and not necessarily negative, either). Write on, red writer....