So he and another visitor, Samuel Zgobar, ambassador from Slovenia to the U.S., asked to speak to local Republican leaders.
There are no Republicans on city council.
So they met with county council members Vince Gastgeb and Matt Drozd and Tim Moury, council president for Bethel Park, the second largest municipality in the county, on April 10 in county council chambers.
Bruton and Zgobar were representing the European Union, a political and economic community of 27 member states that maintains a common trade and regional development policy. Fifteen of the member states have adopted the euro as their common currency.
Bruton, Irish prime minister from 1994 to 1997, is now the ambassador from the European Union to the U.S. Slovenia holds the organization's presidency, which rotates among the member states.
Gastgeb said he assumed that the duo had already met with local Democrats, but didn't really know if that was true.
Gastgeb of Bethel Park and Moury gave them packets of information about both the county and Bethel Park and told them how government works here.
Bruton and Zgobar wanted to know whom they favored as the next president. The answer was John McCain.
Gastgeb said there were a lot of issues to consider, but if he were voting and only considering his wallet he would support McCain.
Moury said Bruton told him he dealt with McCain several times and met with both Bill and Hillary Clinton when he was prime minister. He didn't know Barack Obama very well.
Moury said they appeared to be seeking useful background information since what happens in this county is very important to Europe. He and Gastgeb told them about local development opportunities and encouraged European businesses to relocate here.
Gastgeb said they wanted to know how local races could affect national ones. He answered that hot local contests could bring more turnout to the polls.
Moury chuckled when he recalled wearing his green suit to the meeting. Moury is of German and Irish descent. He took his parents to visit Ireland several years ago and found the country "beautiful, just like you see in the pictures." Gastgeb is of Italian, Czech and Italian descent.
Gastgeb said a county proclamation was issued to honor the European Union visitors.