Why It's Weird to be an American in Europe Right Now.

Explaining the US election to Europeans who think they know it all.

When someone in Europe asks me where I’m from, I hesitate before answering, “America.” Because I know what the next question will be.

What’s going on with your election?

Trying to answer that question is like talking to a friend who doesn’t follow US politics beyond the clickbait headlines. If they get any news at all, it’s only from CNN. Conservative-leaning media hasn’t really penetrated continental Europe. So most people have only heard one side of the story:

Trump is bad.

I mostly duck the question, especially if it’s a tour guide, a taxi driver or anyone that I don’t know well. “It’s crazy, right?” I say, hoping that my smile and an epic eye roll will end the conversation there.

But people — and especially my fellow journalists — expect a more enlightening answer from me if they know I was a TV reporter who covered politics for much of my career with CBS and NBC stations, plus a national talk show. So I have to give it a shot.

In Reykjavik, Iceland with a statue called the “Unknown Bureaucrat.” Even here, I faced questions about the US election. The statue is meant as a thank-you to Iceland’s hard-working civil servants, not a strategy for downsizing big government.

It’s Too Close to Call

I try to explain that the US is split right down the middle. The election is going to be close. And because of issues with vote-counting, neither side is likely to accept a losing result, contesting it in court or in the streets. So we’ll just have to wait and see. Plus, we don’t know who’s running the country with Biden in poor health but still holding the title of president.

But Trump wants to destroy NATO. What if he wins?

Oh, crap. I don’t want to be the fact-checking police for these well-meaning but misinformed people. Do they really think Trump would be worse for European security than a feeble president who can’t recall what flavor of ice cream he had for breakfast? Remember, their mainstream media is the left-leaning equivalent of CNN, so they may not realize that Biden is toast and his designated successor, Kamala Harris, is an unknown, to put it kindly.

But What About NATO?

According to Politico, Trump’s actual position is that European countries must pay a fair share of their defense by spending at least two percent of their GDP, instead of the debt-ridden US carrying most of the NATO expenses. But Trump being Trump, he also quipped that if European countries fail to spend for their own defense he would allow the Russians to “do whatever the hell they want.”

So I understand why Europe is nervous. Heaven forbid that they cut back on their massive Green Deal eco-projects to defend themselves in case the hot war in Ukraine morphs into World War III on the European continent. They expect the Americans to show up, just like they did in World Wars I and II. Do I really need to tell them that the Greatest Generation doesn’t exist in today’s America, where the military has trouble filling its ranks? Whoever is the next president, the Yanks might not be coming this time.

Rise of the “Far Right”

As for conservative views, they have been demonized in European media as “far-right.” Despite all the negative press, right-wing parties did well in the most recent EU election. But the left-leaning media still gives the impression that Europe is filling up with goose-stepping Nazis who must be stopped.

More likely, it’s just Europeans who want a strong economy without mass illegal migration where they can afford to raise their kids in peace. But never mind those voters — European politicians on the left and the liberal center have banded together to shut them out as “far-right.” Note that a “liberal” in Europe is not a leftist, but more like what Americans would call a RINO.

Voting in the EU Parliamentary election in June. I plan to vote by mail in Florida in the upcoming US election.

I’m am a dual citizen who can vote in both the USA and the EU. But it doesn’t matter how much I try to change the subject to their politics. The US election remains the talk of Europe this summer, especially among American tourists who are checking their phones constantly for the latest shocking developments.

“Kamala will be fine,” an American mom announced to her family at my hotel’s breakfast buffet. “It’s Biden’s fault that he never gave her anything to do.”

I guess she missed the part where the vice president was put in charge of migration issues at the southern US border. Probably another CNN viewer buying into the spin. On the flip side, the man sitting next to me on the tour bus cheered the resignation of failed Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle. He wanted to discuss the assassination attempt. I think I saw a tear in his eye as he talked about his fears for America if Trump is killed or loses the election.

“We’re on vacation,” I replied. “Let’s talk about something else.”

In Travel News This Month

The long, hot summer in Europe: Temperatures above 40 degrees centigrade (104 fahrenheit) have been the norm this year in much of Europe. In Italy, where more than a dozen cities were under a health alert, visitors can beat the heat by visiting landmarks like the Coliseum at night. This strategy won’t work everywhere, as many attractions like the nearby Roman Forum close while it’s still daylight.

My advice? Don’t even go to Europe in midsummer. The shoulder seasons in spring and fall have better weather and smaller crowds, with top things to do all year long in beautiful spots like Lake Bled.

Helmets Required: Reservations aren’t the only thing that’s required at Vintgar Gorge in Slovenia. New this year: visitors must now wear the FREE helmets handed out at the entrance. Read my updated post here. And there’s also a YouTube video, filmed before helmets were required.

Coming Soon on the Blog

I just spent three days in Iceland, an outrageously expensive but beautiful country with some great spas. Which is better, Sky Lagoon or the Blue Lagoon? Stay tuned to find out. And as promised last month, I’ll give you some very good reasons to try the Balkans for your next trip to Europe. Please subscribe so you don’t miss it. And don’t be a stranger!