Barack Obama, the French American idol

If anyone needed proof of France's love for Barack Obama, le Figaro offered it today with an opinion poll. This finds that 80 percent of the French want the Democrat candidate to win the US presidency while only eight percent favour John McCain.

The poll was carried out by TNS Sofres on September 2 and 3, before McCain benefited from the Sarah Palin bounce but it gives an idea of the overwhelming wish in France to see a President Obama take office. Eighty-six percent have a good opinion of him compared with only 35 percent for McCain. The strong support cuts across social class and the political spectrum. The most senior French politicians at the Democratic convention came from President Sarkozy's rightwing UMP party, not the leftwing opposition.

The BBC found pro-Obama feeling to be strong worldwide in a poll this week, but the passion seems to run higher in France than anywhere. There are reasons for this.

France has an idealised and schizophrenic view of the United States that dates back to 1776 when King Louis XVI helped the colonial insurgents fight Britain's peace-keeping force. France feels that it has a founding share in the nation which bestowed jazz, GIs, cocktails, JFK and Clint Eastwood on Europe. It dislikes what it sees as the more primary, messianic and intolerant America that is represented by Republicans and personified by George W Bush.

Given the demonisation of Bush, it is surprising that the Figaro poll found that as many as 18 percent of the French hold a favourable opinion of him.

French misunderstanding of the USA has been glaring in the coverage of Sarah Palin. TV reporters have been at a loss to explain hockey moms and the excitement over a woman whose pitch is patriotism, religion and family values. France prefers American frontier heroes of the fictional kind, courtesy of John Ford or Sergio Leone. Few have noticed that Palin invented a French name for the company which she registered earlier in her career -- Rouge Cou. "It’s a classy way of saying redneck," she told The Anchorage Daily. "It’s a French word, rouge is red, cou is neck. It’s for marketing and consulting, in case I wanted to go that route" (No doubt she has been told that it should be Cou Rouge).

French readiness to take a dark, even irrational, view of America was on display again this week when Jean-Marie Bigard, a popular comic and actor, proclaimed his belief in the conspiracy version of September 11 2001.

"It is absolutely sure and certain now that the two planes that crashed on the (Pennsylvania) forest and the Pentagon never existed. There was never a plane... It is a vast lie", he said on Europe 1, a popular national radio station.  After a dressing down by his managers, Bigard apologised today but he did not retract the view, which is shared by many in France as we have seen here before (The New York Times had a good piece yesterday on the consensus in the Middle East that 9/11 was a US conspiracy).

You can dismiss Bigard's ideas as provocation by a loud-mouthed celebrity except that some people take him seriously. President Sarkozy is a friend and even invited him along on a recent trip to the Vatican and presented him to Pope Benedict XVI.

To take the argument full circle, Sarkozy is a good example of the French Americophile. He loves the ideal United States to the point of excess, as he showed in his rapturous speech to Congress last autumn. He admires the power, the can-do outlook and the style (His Hungarian-born father has even said that he would have preferred his boy to be president of the USA.)

But Sarko has trouble understanding the real America. He has never learnt its language. Carla Bruni, his supermodel wife, a one-time New York City resident, has been briefing him. She offered a telling glimpse the other day in a Europe 1 interview. She said that Sarko did not listen much to "Anglo-Saxon" music. He prefers French pop and rock artists because he understands the words, she said. One of his favourites is Johnny Hallyday, the evergreen rock idol. Known once as the "French Elvis", Hallyday has of course spent nearly 50 years perfecting his act as France's idea of an American.

Johnny even customized one of his great hits in Sarkozy's honour. Its title, Quelque chose de Tennessee became Quelque chose de Sarkozy.

Comments

[Cobalt]

"A cult of personality, a cult of personality, a cult of personaaaality..."

Europeans should stick to fixing their immigration policies and welfare states instead of worrying about America. If we needed their help we'd have their troops on our soil and not the other way around.

[bridget]

"(His Hungarian-born father has even said that he would have preferred his boy to be president of the USA.)"

I believe that he said someone with a name like "Sarkozy" would never become President of France and that it was more likely with this (Hungarian) name to become President of the USA.

[Thanks. I think Pol Sarko expressed both ideas. I can't put my hands on the original quote which was in VSD magazine, so I'll cut the line. CB]

----

The debate about Jean-Marie Bigard can be followed at Rue 89 (in French):
http://www.rue89.com/2008/09/08/bigard-accuse-les-etats-unis-davoir-orchestre-le-11-septembre

----

Obama's approval in Europe is very telling, given his "inexperience".

[Joan Arles]

I like the crack about American insurgents and British peace-keepers, Charles. I hope your US readers realize you're being funny...

[Greystone]

The French are looking out for their own self interest by wishing the USA to be weakened. Generally Losers are envious of winners.

Greystone

[schoendog]

That cinches it! If the white- flag waving French want Obama....that means McCain- Palin is the correct choice!

[Artemis Gordon]

Americans should vote for McCain purely on the basis of the French bias for Obama.

[DP]

Wow, if 80% of France wants Obama, then nothing is more clear that McCain needs to be elected.
We don't need a bunch of unshaven women and unbathed men to tell who should be president.

[TGC]

So let them have him, and we will keep McCain/Palin...it's a win-win situation! I'll even drive BO to the airport!

[Tommy D]

If you want the US to be a weak, third-world country, Obama is just the guy to make that happen.

[What?]

I heard there was an 8.0 earthquake in France today.........caused by all the American Soliders that died and were buried there in WWII, liberating the French from Germany, ROLLING OVER in their graves. Quit bowing to the EU and leave American politics to AMERICANS.

[Scott k]

The French, arrogant, snobbish people that they are, would love nothing more to see our country to become as polluted as theirs is now. Liberalism has wrecked Europe. It has been especially brutal in France. France is a disaster. Obama would bring this wreck to the US. So of course France supports Obama. Let Obama go live in France. psst... France... This is not France....THIS IS THE UNITED STATES. GO F YOURSELVES!

[Avery Won]

The Left somehow thinks Americans will go along with the opinions from other countries when its just the opposite!
192 countries - 168 theocracies or under totalitarian rule. Out of the few so called good ones remaining they are largely socialist corrupt bureaucracies - morally bankrupt and being over run at this instant by foreigners seeking to destroy them from within - its completely laughable. Go McCain with enemies like the leftist press who needs allies?

[tk]

Get lost. No more trips to Europe. We Americans are sending you a message: get f**ked.

[chantal]

"A cult of personality, a cult of personality, a cult of personaaaality..."

At least, most Europeans don't share the irrational cult of Palin that has helped McCain in US polls!

[Jon]

Since the French want Obama so bad, now I am voting for McCain.

[chris]

you said it Cobolt, if our country ran like the way they wanted we wouldn't be no. 1. Maybe France should take a lesson from us and toughen up a bit (alot). I'm sick of hearing HUSSEIN says "we need to GIVE" this and that to the poor....F that, earn should be the operative word. Keep what you have and earn what you need.

[Scott k]

The French, arrogant, snobbish people that they are, would love nothing more to see our country to become as polluted as theirs is now. Liberalism has wrecked Europe. It has been especially brutal in France. France is a disaster. Obama would bring this wreck to the US. So of course France supports Obama. Let Obama go live in France. psst... France... This is not France....THIS IS THE UNITED STATES. GO F YOURSELVES!

[Janet Fuls]

I can see why my great-grandmother left France and moved to the U.S. Thank you, Great-grandmother Aline!

[CarDriver]

10 out of 10 terriorist say anyone but McCain.

[bill]

The "planes didnt exist theory" is actually more widespread here in America and is not some sort of French whitewashing. And the conspiracy issue only arises due to the lack of cooperation the government showed during the 911 investigations. This article seems to me to be actually a Straw Man fallacy where Obama's approval in France and one French comic's theory are supposed to imply that the French must know something about Obama that we don't. It is meant as some vague indirect guilt by association and I feel is a piece of misleading propaganda.

[dennis]

F**K the French.

no one cares who the F**K you like.

We bail your asses out when there is a sqirmish and you think you can tell us whom you think should be or president...

[K.C.]

They should be thanking the U.S. that they aren't speaking German instead of griping about our politics.

They are jealous that New York is the center of the world culturally now as opposed to Paris prior to WWII.

[Dave]

If 80% of the French people are for Obama, that's more than enough reason not to vote for him. He can't be good for the country. (When did the French ever think about what was good for America)?

[Dan-o]

Has it occurred to anyone that France is a socialist country? Of course they'll endorse Obama. Obama has been endorsed by Hamas, The American Communist Party, the people of France.... Good God I hope that the American people wake up and reject this affront to American Liberty packaged so neatly as "Change we can believe in"

[John]

This is probably one of the best reasons NOT to elect Obaman. Why is it we never get USA opion polls about who the French should vote for? Would the French be insulted if we did have such polls?

[WE the People]

France with a huge population of Muslims, non? Well oui

McCain/Palin.

Obama is a weakling...and by Euro leaders as someone that is easy to manipulate.....they are right. No wonder they like him.
McCain is no lightweight and they know it.

[martin dijkema]

The french can gladly have Barack Osama as their next president.

[MB]

I hope more articles like this come out soon. This will surely sway more Americans towards the McCain-Palin camp.

[azloon]

the european view of obama is precisely what many americans don't like about him.

don't underestimate just how much of a 'rouge cou' nation we really are (incidentally, rouge cou is sarah's version of red neck, thus a new form of that expression has been created -- perhaps the french one day will adopt it themselves, if the academie francaise approves).

the french inclination toward belief in conspiracy about 9/11 show just how nuts the french really are, at least just as nuts as americans (and that's pretty nuts).

CB, it is just your opinion that NS loves the u.s. to 'the point of excess.' who says? and who says that because he doesn't speak english well that he doesn't know the real america. if you know john wayne and clint eastwood, you know a lot about present-day u.s.

btw, thanks for throwing we americans a bone. :)

[john walker]

"helped the colonial insurgents fight Britain's peace-keeping force."

That is very, very good; how churlish of us not to remember with gratitude.

All I can say is, thank God Europeans can't vote in an American Election.

Europeans are clueless!!

[dumdems]

no one counts in the french!..we saved them twice from Germany cause of their inability to defend themselves..if they want man-child obama they can have him..that will be a repayment for WW I and WW II

[John]

How can there are so many messages on your blog in such a short time? It has never happened before...

[cuchara]

Who gives a flip what the europeans want? I seem to remember they wanted to continue to appease Hitler and perform the lemming dance with Chamberlain... Churchill was widely unpopular but along with the U.S. saved europe as we know it. So go on, promote that Europe wants Obama. The Lemmings can't protect themselves, why should we expect them to think for themselves?

[manlyman]

Phuque les Français!

[spudder]

Of course they want Obama they want some more of those free thing as in a socialist government Perhaps if Obama get elected we will have a wave of Frenchy's looking to freeload. The new President of France is reforming those freebies and the Frenchy's can't stand it .

[Jimbo]

FRANCE!

Now THERE'S an endorsement.

[Teri O'Connor]

This is not a good sign for Obama. If there's anything Americans can't stand, it's being told what to do.
Especially by the French, who haven't a clue what America is about. Hollywood is not America. I'm sure they'll all be pissed off and amazed at how stupid we are when McCain wins.

[toxic]

looks good to me.. a country full of mostly cowards endorsing a man who doesnt want to fight..if obama wins and there was a war in europe who would come to save the little frogs ?..surely not themselves..they always look to the u.s.a. for help then trash us after we save there butt..A BUNCH OF COWARDS !

[Peter]

Strange, if they want the other party in office, why did they vote out for their leader that's Pro-Bush? You think they'd want the leader in their land that was Anti-Bush. Hmmm....

[Brian]

Why are there polls out there for other countries preference for the US President?

Why would we care what they want?

Maybe Obama should run for office in Europe since he is loved so much.

We don't want him in office here, that's for sure!

I find it quite repulsive when I hear an American say, I'm voting for Obama because he will help our reputation with the rest of the world.

The majority of Americans are decent people. The rest of the world should have a favorable image of us as we are already.

[Cartier]

The United States has become the power it is today by electing tough Republicans, and balances that with the compassion of the Democrats. They have struck that balance, Sarkozy is the first step France has taken in years towards reaching that balance. It is not up me, as a Frenchman, to tell the Americans who to vote for.

[Bruce]

Oh yeah... France giving us advice.

Look at your economy, your welfare programs and how you call the Islamic revolt in France, crimes of poverty.

[edfo]

Who really gives a rat's ass what the French want?

[Sharon]

80% of the French want Obama? Okay, now I have to vote for McCain!

Really, though, the arrogance is unbelievable. How would the French, or any other country for that matter, feel if Americans were telling them who to vote for in their national elections?

[eileen]

This is hillarious!!

Dave, K.C., Dennis, Cardriver, Scott K., Chris, Jon, TK, What?, Tommy D, TGC, DP, Schoendog, Greystone, Cobalt -

Wow! You don't have to worry!! We Europeans may not vote your President. You may calm down and each of you give your best choice one vote, - or all of you ONE vote, hopefully not more.

The other votes may go to Obama!

His voice UNITES people; McCain's divides.

My son's American. We love Obama as much as about half the American electorate, living in the US.

Charles - there you have it, ignoring IP addresses.

[Sonya B.]

Here's the solution: Obama should immigrate to France, England or Germany after he looses the US election in November. He can then run to be the leader of either of those countries and become Europe's "political redeemer."

An increasing number of US citizens see Obama for what he is: a lightweight, media creation with a socialist agenda and a huge Messiah-complex.

Europe, you can have him.

[richard]

Who cares what the french think..they are not the ones who have to live in america...in fact who cares what the world thinks...let them choose their own leaders

[gic]

Hey, what do you expect? The French also think that Jerry Lewis is a comic genius and that snails are good food.

[Dennis D]

Its too late for France. They have been Islamofied. It will be the first Caliphate in Europe