[link|http://europe.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/02/17/jebbush.spain/|http://europe.cnn.co...17/jebbush.spain/]

Bush, the governor of Florida, was in Madrid to promote the state to Spanish businesses and to meet Prime Minister Aznar.

Speaking in Spanish, Bush said: "I want to thank the president of the Republic of Spain for his friendship with the United States."

Spain has not been a republic since the late 1930s, when General Francisco Franco crushed Republican troops in the Civil War.

And that after Spain sent that letter of unwaivering support to George... (or, maybe, is this an accidental leak of the compensation to Aznar for his support? ;-)