Posted on 10/29/2007 12:44:10 AM PDT by Cincinna
(CBS) When Nicolas Sarkozy, France's new president, visits the White House next week it'll symbolize how much French-American relations have improved since the war in Iraq. Like most of the French, Sarkozy opposes the war, but he's a fan of almost everything else American: from Hollywood movies to the American work ethic. On issue after issue -- from Iran to Israel to the war on terror -- he sides with U.S. policy. He is so pro-U.S., the French call him "Sarko the American."
The son of an immigrant from Hungary, Sarkozy is a real departure from past French presidents: he's prone to flashes of quick temper, and as of last week, he's divorced. As correspondent Lesley Stahl found out, he's young, high energy, and thoroughly intriguing.
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When Sarkozy became president in May at age 52, he waved goodbye to the old political order and started his own. The inauguration was a dazzling beginning, after a tough election in which Sarkozy asked the French people for a mandate for radical change. And he got it.
Sarkozy showed off his family, happy with comparisons to the Kennedys: his glamorous wife Cecilia, a former model, her two daughters, his two sons from previous marriages, and their own 10-year-old, Louis. Sarkozy's affection for his wife was evident.
The five months since then have been a whirlwind of made-for-TV appearances: fiery speeches, a drop-in at a mosque, and meetings with a parade of world leaders. Sarkozy is so omnipresent, his countrymen have started calling him "super Sarko," the "energizer president." His style is something the French aren’t used to: plunging into crowds and glad-handing.
When Stahl first met him for a quick, impromptu conversation on his presidential airplane, he was in a playful mood, grabbing her notes.
"Égalité," he joked.
Which he said would put himself and Stahl on an equal footing. But he refused to wear a microphone, which made the audio difficult.
"They call you 'Sarko the American.' Why?" Stahl asked.
"‘Cause I love America. I want to be friend of America," the president replied.
"But the name?" she asked.
"I am proud of this nickname. J’aime musique Américaine," Sarkozy explained, saying he likes U.S. music.
"Elvis Presley of course," he said.
"This story will introduce you to the American people. What do you most want them to know about you?" Stahl asked.
"I want the Americans to know that they can count on us," Sarkozy explained. "But, at the same time, we want to be free to disagree."
U.S.-French relations have been sour for decades, but in 2003 disagreement over the war in Iraq plunged them to a new low when then-President Jacques Chirac openly opposed the Bush administration. In the U.S., all things French were denigrated: their cars were smashed, their wine was dumped and their fries renamed "Freedom Fries."
"It became very heated, unpleasant at times," remembers Jean David Lévitte, France's ambassador to Washington at the time.
Now Sarkozy’s national security adviser, Lévitte told 60 Minutes improving U.S. relations is a top Sarkozy priority.
"He even mentioned it in his acceptance speech the night he was elected president. Why did he go that far as to mention how much he likes America on that occasion?" Stahl asked.
"Well, because he thinks it’s important. He thinks that in his campaign he had to say to the French people, 'Beware, if you elect me, I will implement this program.' And part of the program is to rebuild strong, good, friendly relations with the U.S. And I think he's succeeding magnificently," Lévitte explained.
To underscore his message, Sarkozy went so far as to spend his first vacation as president of France on a lake in New Hampshire with his family. The Bushes, nearby in Kennebunkport, invited them over for hot dogs, hamburgers and a little Franco-American bonding. But Sarkozy's personal life and his own temperament began to intrude. His wife Cecilia created an embarrassing situation when she snubbed the Bushes by pulling out of the event at the last minute.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/26/60minutes/printable3416097.shtml
The network needed to narrate much of the program to insert their anti-Sarkozy slant. He did, after all, defeat their favorite candidate, the socialist Royal.
They made sure that the unflattering video of Sarkozy paddling a canoe was shown.
The network made sure the aside comments to his press guy were clearly audible.
There was no mention of significant legislation reform in education, taxes, or anti-strike measures. Although Sarkozy has overwhelming support as noted in polls, the network insisted on refering to his popularity as "a majority" and always with the caveat "not all agree", or "many disagree".
In short, the production was crude.
yitbos
Very interesting to read the comments on the interview on the CBS 60 Minutes website.
99% against Lesley Stahl for her National Enquirer style interview of the French President. Compared it to her interview of Brittany Spears.
There are times when I wish I had a TV. This is one of them. The last time I watched MSM was during the 94 election returns. Peter Jennings turning green is what I remember and cherish the most. Bravo Sarkozy, bravo!
The left-wing MSM cozies right up to murdering Commie Thug Dictators but gives a decent fellow from the right a hard time.
Lesley Stahl....an anti-american lib/dem puke posing as a journalist...total agenda of the c-bs network....
no wonder sarkozy walked off...he should have told her F-OFF!!!
Nicolas Sarkozy joins Madam Curie and Napolean as the greatest of the French.
Seems like Lesley Stahl...once he abruptly ended the interview...took it personally and thus produced it into a less than flattering segment.
Another Frenchman of note is Alexis de Tocqueville, the author of Democracy in America.
Just another day for Stahl creating news.
Republicans/Conservatives should take notes from this interview on how to fight back against the Drive Byes.
Sarko was fantastic!
Curie became a French citizen at age 24, her early studies and upbringing were in Poland. So Poland has a claim on her too!
When Sarkozy said “Bon COURAGE”, I thought I would bust a rib laughing. I bet it went right over her head.
Ah, le sarcasm! J’comprend, maintenant.
Srako walked out on Leslie, after she went to the trouble to have her hair all spiked for the occasion and everything! (LOL)
It would be nice to think so, but she has a long history of biased, clintonoid-style reporting, as does her employer, CBS. It was a done deal that the interview would be given as negative a slant as possible, before Sarkozy every showed up.
Perhaps there may have been a little extra venom because she felt personally insulted. It's her job to insult the guests, not vice versa.
Not to be forgotten as well, all the members of the Cincinnati Society. Members were originally French officers who fought in the American Revolution. Today, their descendants carry the flame.
Lafayette, Noailles, Rochambeau and many more.
“Bon Courage!” means “Good Luck” in French.
Left out of most of these reports is that Sarko politely thanked her for the interview. He did not storm out.
The MSM, really the LSM, will be all geared up for Sarko’s visit. They have been trying to turn people off, especially Conservatives, by telling us we are being deceived by Sarko’s pro-American, conservative views.
The visit with the Bush family in Kennebunkport damn near killed them.
When BDS and SDS collide....Mon Dieu!
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