and in Bermuda, President George Bush has lost his presidency, another victim of the recession. He is not the first president to be done in by hard economic times. When things get rough Americans blame their leaders.

Bermuda has enjoyed a rather cosy relationship with George Bush both as Vice President and as President and this has been strengthened by his visits to Bermuda and by his meetings in Bermuda with both Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Prime Minister John Major. President Bush's interest in Bermuda was emphasised by his appointment of his friend and supporter Ebersole Gaines as Consul General which gave local leaders a kind of unique "hot line'' to the US Republican leadership in Washington.

Some of this cosy relationship came about because turmoil in Haiti, the dramatic events in Grenada, Jamaica's flirtation with Cuba and with the drug culture and communist domination of Cuba made the United States aware that tiny neighbours could be troublesome and that it was helpful to nurture one's friends, no matter how small the friend. We think that George Bush was prone to look favourably on Bermuda because his wide foreign policy experience led him to appreciate friends and the Swan Government's support for the Reagan Administration's invasion of Grenada proved Bermuda's friendship.

Premier Sir John Swan had also been able to establish a personal relationship with President Bush during the visits to Bermuda and the Premier's visits to Washington which led to Sir John being a welcome guest in the White House.

There was some strange thinking when PLP Leader Frederick Wade supported Bill Clinton's election. First of all, that support seemed to totally ignore the general thinking, right or wrong, that a Republican administration in Washington is best for Bermuda. Aside from that, we find it hard to believe that a largely reactionary party like the PLP, which is deeply committed to fundamental churches and which opposes anything progressive, would not find such liberal stands as Bill Clinton's pro-choice support for abortion objectionable. The Opposition Leader now seems to be in the strange position of supporting one set of values in the United States and a totally opposite set at home. Stereotypes must have taken over PLP thinking.

These is no doubt that Bermuda has had virtually no association with Bill Clinton and that fact will be causing concern today. The Democrats could do two things which would seriously damage Bermuda, restrict tax breaks for overseas group meetings or conventions or change the laws as they apply to offshore insurance operations to the point that there was no cash advantage of locating companies in Bermuda. Either action would be a severe blow to Bermuda's economy.

However, Bermuda does start with some distinct advantages where the United States is concerned no matter who occupies the White House. There is a long history of friendly relations between Bermuda and the United States extending from before the American Revolution through the Second World War to today.

Those friendly relations predispose any leadership in the United States toward this tiny Island.

Bermuda has a second advantage. It has a progressive and responsive and integrated government which the Democrats should find appealing. That fact will give us the access to President Clinton's government to explain the over-riding importance to friendly Bermuda of its economic relationship with the United States.