[Guardian Unlimited, U.K.]

Rue 89, France

What If Our Darling Obama Doesn't Win?

"Remember the 2004 election and … what was his name? Ah, yes, John Kerry! He was supposed to make us love a new America. He spoke French, too. … George W. Bush was triumphantly re-elected."

By Samuel Ghiles Meilhac

By Sandrine Agoerges

August 25, 2008

France - Rue 89 - Original Article (French)

In France, the matter is settled: Barack Obama, our idol, the candidate of us all, in the strange political unanimity that we secretly adhere to when we look beyond our borders, will win triumphantly in November. In fact, we show almost no interest at all in John McCain, that old white-haired reactionary.

Nicolas Sarkozy also succumbed to Obamania, overdoing it by the ton during the Democratic candidate's very brief July 25th visit to France. In order to get the message in, he bragged about his meeting with the Illinois Senator in 2006 in Washington: "There were two of us in that office, and there were two of us in my office. And one of us became president. Well, let the other do likewise."

Posted by WORLDMEETS.US

OBAMA-SARKOZY PRESS CONFERENCE; REPORTERS' QUESTIONS

We feigned ignorance about the lack of interest he paid to France. That day, in the courtyard of the Elysée Palace, journalists from French television explained that if he was only spending four hours in Paris - while he was spending a night in London and had held a meeting in Berlin - it wasn't a sign that France now shined a little less in the concert of nations, it was simply a question of scheduling. Of course!

France had spoken: Barack was our man, and from St Jean-de-Luz to Saint-Germain-des-Près, his victory next November was beyond doubt. Unless …

THE DESIRES OF EUROPEANS ARE A LONG

WAY FROM AMERICAN POLITICAL REALITY

Remember the 2004 election and … what was his name? Ah, yes, John Kerry! He made headlines in Courrier International, Télérama and Nouvel Observateur. He was supposed to make us love a new America. He spoke French, too. We even went as far as reviving, politically and in the media, his cousin Brice Lalonde, to get him to tell us about his teenage vacations with him in Brittany. A whack in the face! George W. Bush was triumphantly re-elected. No need to recount the votes from Florida this time, the Republicans had thrashed the Democratic Party. Few people in France ever wondered why our desires and predictions were such a long way from American political reality.

  [Het Parool, The Netherlands]

Then came Obama. He had all the advantages: the charisma, the charm, a “yes we can” which made ridiculous the “peaceful rupture” of one and the “tomorrow won't happen without you” of the other. (Quotes refer first to Sarkozy's presidential campaign and the second to Segolène Royale's) He is Black or mixed-race - we don't really know which and it isn't important. He comes from a visible minority and that matters here, whereas in June 2007 France once again revealed its incapacity to bring some diversity to our 577 representatives at the National Assembly . It's easier to look across the Atlantic and dream by transference rather than question our own political practices.

We almost forgot that Afro-Americans Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice truly existed and that diversity isn't the exclusive preserve of the Democrats. In addition, Obama is being forgiven for a lot. He's for the carrying of weapons? Whatever, they say, he must have said that to please influential pressure groups. The recent French losses in Afghanistan remind us that it is this country that the Democratic candidate wants to transfer the bulk of the effort involved in the “war on terror,” and that he expects a lot from his European allies in this regard. 

Posted by WORLDMEETS.US

PRICE OF GASOLINE AND HEALTH

CARE ARE ALSO PRESSING ISSUES

In recent days, polls have shown that the duel is going to be much tighter than expected. It must be said that American voters don't vote according to the seduction that a candidate exerts overseas. The price of gasoline, health insurance, international security, taxes … these are the issues that matter in Ohio, Florida and Nevada, to name only a few key election states.

Of course, Obama would certainly be the ideal president for Euro-American reconciliation, and he is certainly less dogmatic than the Bush Administration, but by dint of seeing in him the incarnation of all our hopes, France has become incapable of understanding the issues of this campaign.

Let's hope that in future, we will look a little more lucidly at these realities. We shouldn't be disappointed if a President Obama isn't thinking about us while shaving in the White House, let alone have a falling out with John McCain, who may very well prevail.

CLICK HERE FOR FRENCH VERSION

[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US August 26, 6:30am]