I See A Pattern Here

Did you ever notice the number of articles in European papers about American officials wanting 'improved relations' with their European counterparts?

Today alone we have this, this, and this. Today they all involve Condi Rice but it seems every other day European media have another example of an American offical wanting 'closer ties'. The articles I link to here aren't negative in any way but I noticed this pattern quite a while ago. Everytime Colin Powell, G.W. Bush, or anyone else from the administration showed up on European soil, the European media took it as an opportunity to... well I'm not quite sure what.

It could be any number of things.

Is the European media trying to create the impression that the Americans are wrong and 'even they know it'. Why else would Americans endlessly have to come begging for European approval?

Or maybe it is a means of self gratification. Since most European countries (I won't name names...) don't have much to offer in terms of foreign influence maybe this is how the European media says 'see we are still important'. Even those nasty Americans care what we think.

Ah heck, maybe I'm just reading to much into this.