Paris Journal 2008

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In response to her request, I sent the following report to Sandy Parker, the co-founder of Collier County Citizens for Obama (CCCO), in southwest Florida: Barack Obama arrived in France yesterday afternoon for a meeting with Bernard Kouchner, the French minister of foreign and European affairs, and President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Élysées Palace.  Afterwards, Obama and Sarkozy held a news conference during which Obama gave an eloquent summary of all that the three of them had discussed during the preceding hour. Many of the topics covered were also included in Obama's impressive speech to a crowd of over 200,000 people in Berlin the preceding day.  Contrary to what was reported in the global edition of the New York Times, the news media here in France did not report that Obama's speech in Berlin lacked substance.  On the contrary, the media coverage of both events, in Germany and in France, is overwhelmingly positive.  I was impressed by the level of support Obama gave to NATO in his speech and at the news conference.  The only negative remarks made by the news media here were to express bitter disappointment that Obama could not stay longer in Paris.  He was here for only a little over two hours before flying to London to dine with prime minister Gordon Brown.  Obama's response was perfect; he said, "I don't know of anyone who doesn't want to spend more time in Paris," and he explained the need to be back in the U.S. for his campaign.  He also made it clear that in Berlin, he was speaking to all of Europe. Sarkozy was very complimentary about America, and Obama was very complimentary about Europe.  Their body language when they met in front of the Élysées Palace made it clear that these two men are truly good friends.  Obama enjoys vast popularity especially in France, where his approval rating is over 80 percent.  When I wear my Obama t-shirt or button in Paris, the response I receive is always positive.  I've been doing fist bumps all over this city.  The enthusiasm for Obama is palpable. Officials here in France especially welcome Obama's desire for the US to work as a team with Europe on problems such as climate change, the Middle East, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan.  Sarkozy frequently stated that he is in agreement with Obama on these issues.   Obama said that the US cannot solve these problems alone.  We must work together. I was fascinated by Sarkozy’s response to the first question from a reporter at the news conference. Christiane Amanpour of CNN Europe asked an acerbic question having to do with Sarkozy’s remark, when he was interior minister, in which he called suburban rioters “scum.” Her implication was that it was a racist remark. He responded most emphatically that there has been no rioting since he has been president, and that his administration is very diverse, with names like Rachida Dati, etc., in key positions. Then he said that only in a country like France or the US could someone with a name like Sarkozy and someone with a name like Obama aspire to be president. Amazing. He, a white European male, considers himself to be a minority in France as Obama is as an African-American in the US. The barriers against immigrants like Sarkozy’s family, from Hungary, are still present in French society. In the US, of course, Sarkozy would not be considered a member of a minority class at all. But here, Sarkozy identifies with Obama as a minority. When Christiane Amanpour referred later to minorities in France, she made reference to “Africans” who live in France. I realize from the context of her remarks that she is referring to not just black people but also to North Africans. Such is the nature of prejudice here in France. It still matters what your name sounds like; if it doesn’t sound French, many will still consider you to be – a stranger. While it was clear from the lines in his face and the tension in his voice that Amanpour’s question and the way she asked it angered him, Sarkozy kept his anger in check and said, with exquisite and emphatic courtesy, at the end of his response, “I don’t know if you meant for your question to please me, but it did. I’m very glad you asked it.” It gave him the opportunity to speak his mind on this subject. Wow. We are not exactly Sarkozy fans, but one thing that Tom and I give him great credit for is that in the constitutional changes that he recently pushed through the legislature here, he has limited the presidency to two terms. He has limited his own tenure in the presidency to two terms, not just the tenure of future presidents. Last night we went walking through the Champ and through the 7^th arrondissement and dined at Le Bourbon (see restaurant recommendations), a restaurant across the street from the National Assembly. There is a new chef named “Dino” there, and the food was superb. But the service was very bad. What do you do in a case like that? I guess we look to see if this horrible server is there before we walk in next time. In addition to the food, one of the things I like about Le Bourbon is the ambiance. I love the chandeliers, the warm colors, and the huge flower arrangement in the middle of the dining room. And I like the fact that on the TV screen high up in one corner, they play the French version of C-Span, showing the legislators of the National Assembly at work. The staff keeps the volume turned all the way down, but the effect is one of being able to see what’s happening inside the stately building across the street. At right, a chandelier and flowers in the restaurant Le Bourbon.

Saturday, July 26, 2008 Yellow roses in the Place Adolphe Chérioux in the 15^th arrondissement. Below are two pigeon-laden statues in the same Place. A Wallace Fountain in the square in front of the 15^th arrondissement’s town hall. These fountains operate from March 15 to November 15. Sign my guestbook. View my guestbook.

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