France and President Obama : towards a closer relationship ?
07 November 2008 à 17h10
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Yesterday, Barack Obama was elected President of the United States. Four months ago, the Democrat candidate made a European tour, stopping in France for less than a day. It is worth remembering what happened that day, which could lead to the question of the future relationship between France and the US.
When President elect -but at the time candidate- Barack Obama came to Paris last July, he was welcomed with star treatment. Why did French people love Obama so much? It may have something to do with his youth, his race or just that he was not President Bush. Obama’s visit to France was short –only a few hours.
While he had always been popular in France —French newspapers waxed rhapsodic over his visit, one with the headline “Obamania”– he didn’t seem interested in encouraging the rock-concert style reception he had had in Berlin a few days before. After all, it has not been so long since “Freedom fries” replaced French fries on menus in Washington D.C. and across America, and John Kerry’s French connections did him more harm than good during the last US presidential election.
Despite that, President Obama appeared with French President Nicolas Sarkozy for a short news conference in which he praised the French troops serving in Afghanistan, and said that he and President Sarkozy had agreed to work together toward the resolution of the civil war in Darfur. He also evoked Iran, which should accept the current international terms to end its nuclear program, adding that Iran should not wait for the next US president to show signs of good will.
He did not forget to show his admiration for the French leader, calling him « a rock star », thanking and praising him for his positive stance on America, not a popular one for a politician in France to take these last years.
To contribue to the mutual-admiration society, Nicolas Sarkozy treated him like an old friend and wished the candidate good-luck without endorsing him, adding that whomever the US would elect, France would be delighted to work with him. That said, the two men left the press conference with their arms around each other’s shoulders.
Eventually, France gave a warm welcome to President Obama when he was just a candidate. The French media feasted on Obama's visit. Obama's photo and reports made the front page in the newspapers, and some websites followed up his itinerary in reports. Internet users expressed their preference for Obama by initiating quite a bit of online discussion. Even books on Obama have been selling like hot cakes in Paris…. Enough food surely to encourage a calmer relationship between President Obama’s country and France.
When President elect -but at the time candidate- Barack Obama came to Paris last July, he was welcomed with star treatment. Why did French people love Obama so much? It may have something to do with his youth, his race or just that he was not President Bush. Obama’s visit to France was short –only a few hours.
While he had always been popular in France —French newspapers waxed rhapsodic over his visit, one with the headline “Obamania”– he didn’t seem interested in encouraging the rock-concert style reception he had had in Berlin a few days before. After all, it has not been so long since “Freedom fries” replaced French fries on menus in Washington D.C. and across America, and John Kerry’s French connections did him more harm than good during the last US presidential election.
The mutual-admiration society
Despite that, President Obama appeared with French President Nicolas Sarkozy for a short news conference in which he praised the French troops serving in Afghanistan, and said that he and President Sarkozy had agreed to work together toward the resolution of the civil war in Darfur. He also evoked Iran, which should accept the current international terms to end its nuclear program, adding that Iran should not wait for the next US president to show signs of good will.
He did not forget to show his admiration for the French leader, calling him « a rock star », thanking and praising him for his positive stance on America, not a popular one for a politician in France to take these last years.
To contribue to the mutual-admiration society, Nicolas Sarkozy treated him like an old friend and wished the candidate good-luck without endorsing him, adding that whomever the US would elect, France would be delighted to work with him. That said, the two men left the press conference with their arms around each other’s shoulders.
Eventually, France gave a warm welcome to President Obama when he was just a candidate. The French media feasted on Obama's visit. Obama's photo and reports made the front page in the newspapers, and some websites followed up his itinerary in reports. Internet users expressed their preference for Obama by initiating quite a bit of online discussion. Even books on Obama have been selling like hot cakes in Paris…. Enough food surely to encourage a calmer relationship between President Obama’s country and France.
