The AP sees the defeat of the EU referendum as a defeat for...George Bush:

The United States is sitting out the argument in Europe this week over the fate of the long drive to unite 25 nations under a single constitution, but the Bush administration stands to lose if the drive collapses.

The United States, as the premier world power and Europe's closest ally, would prefer to deal with one main authority in Europe on trade, political and security matters. The proposed constitution also would smooth the way toward the U.S. goal of an expanded European alliance.

Apart from the benefits of the constitution itself, the momentum to ratify it coincided with an easing of trans—Atlantic tensions over the unpopular U.S.—led war

Ed Lasky   6 1 05