I was standing in the midst of the crowd while Bush talked. The crowd, especially the young people, were enthusiastically pro-Bush and pro-American. In fact, they got there quite early, and some waited hours for Bush to appear—despite the cold and the blowing snow flurries. If members of the crowd expressed any cynicism at all, they reserved it for their own leaders and not for Bush.

The Slovak people wanted to be there. The crowd was unbelievable. People came from small towns pleading for tickets to enter the square. The event staff could not get all the people through the security gates in time for the President’s speech.

There was small group of protesters who held a rally in the rear after Bush speech. A few protestors near the front held up hand-made signs that were quickly removed. All the protestors were largely ignored by the crowd who wanted to hear Bush speak. Even the young people in the crowd were largely pro-Bush. One young girl told me that was a day she would remember for the rest of her life.

Bush’s speech largely celebrated the U.S. partnership with Slovakia and Slovakia’s amazing emergence, in economic growth and as a political democracy. Many observers had predicted doom when the former Czechoslovakia broke into two states. In recent years, the country had pursued a pro-business economy and has witnessed one of the strongest growth rates in all of Europe.

The most important thing Bush talked about was the issue of visa waivers. It was a topic that drew the applause of the audience. The Slovaks, Czechs, Hungarian, and Poles are all upset that their citizens must apply for visas before they can enter the U.S, while citizens of the “Old Europe” can enter without a visa for short periods of time. In terms of international politics, the most important thing that Bush can do is really a small thing: reward our friends in the New Europe for their help and treat their citizens the way we treat the citizens of France, Germany, and other Old Europe nations.

The president and prime minister of Slovakia raised the visa issue with Bush. It’s that important here. Yet, while Bush promised to help, there is no guarantee that he can actually deliver. Congress would have to change the law that determines which countries are eligible for visa waivers for their citizens. Many Congressmen are reluctant to ease visa requirements as they fear the relaxation of the rules will lead to a new illegal immigration and job competition for American citizens. Other Congressmembers are still demanding that, in the post-9/11 environment, that entry restriction to the U.S. be tighten up—not eased—even though no one seriously thinks that Slovak citizens are inclined at all to terrorist activity.

Read Levine's column about Bush's visit in the Detroit Free Press