Black, White and American, along the route of President-
Elect Obama's train on Saturday, January 17, 2009.
Le
Parisien, France
The French and the World Expect Much from
Obama
"The arrival of a youthful man at the head of the
world's leading power, fresh and open to dialog, is awaited like a breath of
fresh air. ... Seventy two percent of French believe that Obama's arrival to
power can bring peace to the world."
By
Philippe Martinat
Translated
By Sandrine Ageorges
January
18, 2009
France
- Le Parisien - Original Article (French)
Three days before his inauguration in Washington, in front
of three million people and billions of television viewers, Barack Obama
embarked yesterday on a triumphant journey from Philadelphia. The French are
putting a lot of faith in him.
On his way down from Philadelphia yesterday morning,
in the midst of a polar cold snap on the train that would take him to
Washington following the same itinerary as his political role model Abraham
Lincoln, Barack Obama probably felt the crushing weight of expectation created
by his election. Expectation that goes far beyond the borders
of America. All over the world, the arrival of a youthful man at the
head of the world's leading power, fresh and open to multilateral dialog, is
awaited like a breath of fresh air, while many countries continue to plunge
deeper into economic crisis.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
REAL MOMENTUM
The French aren't the last to sympathetically
observe George Bush’s successor's move
to the White House. According to our CSA poll, 70 percent admit to placing “a lot”
or “some” hope in Barack Obama. In a country that has long cultivated
ambivalent sentiments toward the Americans, the French assessment of the
approaching mandate of the new president is surprisingly lenient. Not only do
most of our citizens believe that the actions of Obama can improve the lot of
Americans, a third of them are betting that they, too, will feel the benefit of
these positive effects. At a time when the ceasefire agreed upon by Israel in
Gaza still appears fragile, and when war continues to ravage many parts of the
globe, 72 percent of French believe that Obama’s arrival to power can bring
peace to the world. Undoubtedly, relief at seeing Bush’s departure is no small
contributor to this result …
Three days before his inauguration as 44th president
of the United States, Barack Obama, who could feel assured by his journey by
train from Philadelphia to Washington that the crowds enthusiastically support
him, was moved, however, to recall that there will be “difficult days.” But the
momentum is there.
America's new leaders
and their wives, in Baltimore Maryland
on Saturday, during their
train ride to the capitol in Washington
CLICK HERE FOR FRENCH
VERSION
[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
January 19, 7:35pm]
