President Obama with French President Nicolas Sarkozy:
The U.S. leader
just ripped to shreds Sarkozy's self
serving explanation of his own defeat.
Obama Victory
Exposes Hubris of Sarkozy and French Right (Le
Monde, France)
"When Sarkozy's friend, Jean Michel Goudard,
returning from a trip to the United States as summer turned to autumn, deemed Barack
Obama’s re-election 'likely,' Sarkozy refused to
believe him - even giving Goudard the cold shoulder
for a few days. It was impossible. It had to be impossible. ... But yes! It was
possible! Barack Obama, the leader of the country that wreaked havoc with its "toxic"
borrowing, just managed to get re-elected president of the United States!"
By Francoise Fressoz
Translated By Katia Mohandi
November 9, 2012
France
– Le Monde – Original Article (French)
If Nicolas Sarkozy never really
appreciated Barack Obama, he likes him even less since November 7.
The re-election of the president of the United States has
come to destroy every argument the former French president had constructed to
explain his own defeat - which to him wasn’t one.
One after another, Nicolas Sarkozy
watched heads roll across Europe: Brown [UK], Socrates [Portugal], Papandreou
[Greece], Berlusconi [Italy], Zapatero [Spain] … Sarkozy said to those closest to him, "Can you believe
it. Zapatero was so unpopular that he couldn’t even
run for office again!," blaming the economic crisis for the wipeout that
affected so many other leaders across Europe, including British, Portuguese,
Greek, Italian and Spanish leaders between 2011 and 2012.
By contrast, his narrow May 6th defeat after receiving 48.38
percent of the vote appeared to him like an accolade. "Quite frankly,
taking the crisis into account, such a result is an achievement. Not a single
head of state has managed to be re-elected," Sarkozy
repeated all summer to those who came to visit.
So when his friend, Jean Michel Goudard, returning
from a trip to the United States as summer turned to autumn, deemed Barack
Obama’s re-election "likely," Sarkozy
refused to believe him - even giving Goudard the cold
shoulder for a few days. It was impossible. It had to be impossible.
But yes! It was possible! Barack Obama, the leader of the
country that wreaked havoc with its "toxic" borrowing, just managed
to get re-elected president of the United States at the age of 51!
SEE ALSO ON THIS:
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Estadao, Brazil: In Retaining Obama, Americans Choose 'Known' Over 'Dangerous'
Independent, U.K.: After the Battle, the
Wake: Inquest and Drink
for Reeling Romneyites
Independent, U.K.: Obama
Readies to Build Bridges, but
Needs New Allies
HN, Czech Republic: Obama Reelection Means 'More Bad News' for Europe
The Daily Nation, Kenya: After Victory is 'God's Plan' says Momma Sarah Obama
Liberation, France: After 'Giving Us a Scare' - Obama Wins Again
Guardian, U.K.: Mitt Romney Betrayed
By Hardline Republicans
Economist, U.K.: Obama's Win
Raises Questions for Republicans
There was a cyclical component that might explain Obama's performance: the U.S.
employment situation improved slightly in October, just before the election. In
France, it was not the case: on the eve of the presidential election, the April
figures showed a steady rise in unemployment for the previous eleven months, reaching
their highest level since 1999.
Posted
by Worldmeets.US
However, there are other reasons with which one might explain
Barack Obama’s victory, including divisions within the Republican camp between
doves and hawks, and centrists and the extremists driven to hysteria over defending
a White America that feels a loss in status.
This related directly to the debates now shaking the French right.
One part has reconstituted itself in the center. The other seems irresistibly
attracted to the National Front.
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