New Script for Spain's Director

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Obama's election "means that in countries where the U.S. flag was being burned before, it is being waved now," Zapatero said. "This is a historic opportunity for the United States to be better understood" abroad. Spain could be particularly helpful in Latin America. In Venezuela and Cuba, Spain wants to work with Europe and the United States "to strengthen democratic institutions."

Spain -- the world's eighth-largest economy -- is gripped by serious unemployment and by an oversupply of housing. But Zapatero proudly noted the strength of the country's banking system, "which did not fall for deregulation and for the ideological model" of free enterprise. "Such ideology does not accept facts and does not understand that history is contingent."

On Afghanistan, where Spain has 800 soldiers: "Europe needs to listen to Obama, and Obama needs to listen to Europe. We have been increasing troop numbers, not massively, but the fight for security becomes less successful. We have to have a global strategy" to bring political, social and security change at once.

And then Zapatero was off to the White House to shake hands with Bush, a surreal moment that would top Pedro Almodóvar at his best.

jimhoagland@washpost.com