[Guardian
Unlimited, U.K.]
L'Express,
France
'Our Future, Too,
Is Partially In the Balance in Denver'
"When I see a candidate who is
on the cutting edge of environmental issues, the defense of the middle class,
the international responsibilities of the United States, I'm interested."
--France's Secretary of State for Employment, Laurent Wauquiez
Interview by Thierry Dupont
Translated By Sandrine Ageorges
August 27, 2008
France
- L'Express - Original Article (French)
The Secretary of State for
Employment, Laurent Wauquiez, is one of the French politicians
have who made the trip to the convention in Denver, to attend the nomination of
Barack Obama as the Democratic candidate for the next presidential election.
Attracted as much by the personality of the Black senator as the American
savoir-faire for organizing such a mass event, he gives us his impressions and
expectations.
L'EXPRESS: Is this
your first American convention?
LAURENT WAUQUIEZ: Yes,
this is the first time I have attended this type of event. I am here for at least
two reasons. The first is that the Party plays an important role in the
upcoming election, as there are two different paths open to the United States.
When I see a candidate who is on the cutting edge of environmental issues, the
defense of the middle class, the international responsibilities of the United
States, I'm interested. Our future also partly hangs in the balance at this
convention.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
The other aspect is the
organization of such an event, which entails the very strong involvement of
civil society. The entire city has been besieged by groups that have organized
a series of forums on topics ranging from environmental protection to the
battle against diabetes. There are ideas we can use on how Americans manage to
unify this mass mobilization. With us [French], we don't know how to set up
such large events; our universities or our summer meetings are still too
formal.
L'EXPRESS: Why did
you choose the Democratic convention?
LAURENT WAUQUIEZ: For me
personally, I feel closer to the persona of Obama than that of John
McCain. It's somewhat difficult to superimpose American political patterns over
those of France, which sometimes seem archaic. Obama would be regarded by many
French socialists as a dangerous ultra-liberal. For American Democrats, it's
obvious that a system of healthcare insurance or unemployment insurance must be
controlled to prevent abuse. An impossible position for our Socialists … In her
speech on Monday, Michelle Obama demonstrated that she has no trouble assuming
that people must be given an incentive for their efforts.
L'EXPRESS: If Obama
is elected, how will that alter Franco-American relations?
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
LAURENT WAUQUIEZ: It
would permit us to rebuild our relationship on another basis. With a partner
like him, who has an attentive ear to those he speaks to, it would be possible
to lay the groundwork for a kind of trust that wouldn't exclude disagreements.
CLICK HERE FOR FRENCH
VERSION
[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US August 27, 6:30Pm]
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