One thing conservatives claim is that, under Ronald Reagan and lately under George Bush, Americans traveling abroad “haven’t had to apologize for being from the United States.” Frankly, I never felt like I had to apologize for anything. Even with things for which I should apologize, I’ve still been able to smile and walk out of the room.

But having just gotten back from Ireland, I will say that Americans traveling abroad have more opportunities to apologize.

Comedians more and more are mocking our whiny, plodding, earnest accent, the unique way we combine the prosaic tastes of middle management with the egocentricity of old-moneyed wealth, and our hurt bewilderment that European cities haven’t laid out their streets the way we do.

And there was something funny at Shannon Airport. The terminal has photos of all the major dignitaries who ever passed through there, including America’s last few presidents. (As in most Irish bars, interior decoration at Shannon and Dublin airports leans heavily on portraiture.) Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter are shown drinking what looks like ale. Bill Clinton is working the crowd. Reagan is giving a speech. All other dignitaries as well, be they Russian or Pakistani, also have a clear facial portrait.

But the only thing for George W. Bush – and this is literally true – is a picture of his plane. Not even him on the plane. Just the plane.

Did they not want a picture of him, or did he simply not get off the plane? The latter, at least, is somewhat understandable. Ireland may not be the easiest country for someone who can’t drink.

Also, the people I met on this trip never brought up our president to me directly. (They did the last time I went there – about three years ago. Oh boy, did they.) They’d just mention the election in general terms, and when I’d talk about Bush, they’d treat me with the delicacy that one usually reserves for the recently bereaved or newly arrested.

But by and large, one president doesn’t change Ireland’s attitude about America overnight. No matter how badly Irish comedians mock Americans, that’s nothing to the way they slap the water out of other Irish.

They still like us. They have to. We have more of their people than they do.

The four million Irish in Ireland are in pretty deep water if they ever pick a fight with the estimated 30 million Irish in America. For that matter, the Irish have been powerful in America for a lot longer than they’ve been powerful in Ireland.

How does that translate to the rest of the world? It doesn’t. Ireland is merely Ireland, not Saudi Arabia, and Ireland is all I saw last week – specifically Dublin. Specifically, those parts of Dublin that were still open when I’d finally drag myself out of bed every day at around noon.

But my point is that, if you think Americans abroad are less embarrassed than before, then apparently you haven’t stepped off the plane either.