Posted on 07/27/2008 3:43:19 PM PDT by kellynla
Editor’s note — Barack Obama is in Paris today, one day after his huge rally in Berlin. NRO’s Byron York was in Paris last month and saw firsthand a bit of the French love affair with Obama. This column originally appeared last month in The Hill.
Paris — “But why wouldn’t you vote for Obama?”
I’m having lunch with an Obama supporter at La Coupole, the venerable brasserie in Paris’s Montparnasse neighborhood. The woman who asked me that question, along with her fiance, has come to discuss something else, but the talk inevitably comes round to the U.S. presidential race. And the question here, as all across Europe, is:
What reason could there possibly be for Barack Obama not to be the next president of the United States?
Put another way, why would anyone vote for John McCain?
There are any number of reasons I could mention, but since we had just gotten word in the last few hours of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Boumediene case, in which the narrowest possible majority, 5-4, voted that prisoners in Guantanamo Bay can go to federal court to challenge the U.S. government’s right to detain them, I bring up the issue of judges.
A decision like Boumediene is bad enough from the current Court, I say. If Obama were elected, it would certainly get worse.
My lunch companion doesn’t agree. In the European mind, Guantanamo is one of the centers of evil in the world, a dungeon where George W. Bush commits unspeakable acts on innocent Muslims who just happened to be on a battlefield in Afghanistan or Pakistan when U.S. troops captured them.
She says the prisoners in Gitmo have been denied their constitutional rights.
I say they are enemy combatants; they have rights under international treaties, but not American constitutional rights.
But they have “global rights,” she insists.
What are “global rights”? I ask.
There’s no precise definition, but as far as I could tell, “global rights” appear to be American constitutional rights applied to the entire planet. It’s an astounding notion, given that American constitutional rights definitely do not apply across the entire planet — not even in places like, well, France.
Do you have “global rights,” I ask. What if you make some public statement offensive to Muslims? Here in France, you might be prosecuted. Do you have a “global right” to freedom of speech or not?
Is there a “global” First Amendment?
We went round and round without reaching any agreement on much of anything. And then things went downhill a little farther when the talk turned to the subject of Obama and race. She told me that in France there isn’t the racial segregation one finds in the United States.
I had to wonder about that. I saw almost no black faces around us in Montparnasse, but the day before, in a part of Montmartre, I saw almost all black faces.
And what about those almost entirely minority suburbs on the outskirts of Paris? Could it be that there are residential divisions of racial, ethnic, and religious groups — nothing dictated by law, just residential patterns — in France, too? Is it segregation in the U.S. but something else here?
And what about politics? A recent article in the New York Times discussed how there is “one black member representing continental France in the National Assembly among 555 members; no continental French senators out of some 300; only a handful of mayors out of some 36,000, and none from the poor Paris suburbs.”
So here in France they are very, very excited about Barack Obama, but have made it somewhat unlikely that an Obama of their own will emerge.
I have a friend in London, very Euro in outlook, who is terrifically frustrated and worried about the election.
His chief concern: the role of Americans. “It’s a pity that Americans are the ones who elect the president,” he says. “It would be much better if the people of the world voted on the American president.”
And guess who would be elected in such a scenario? Here’s a hint: It’s not John McCain.
But alas, our system works differently. We’re going to have a campaign, and then Americans will decide who will be president.
Whether Obama wins or loses, he will still be a hero here in France.
Just as long as he doesn’t try to run for office.
Just as long as he doesn’t try to run for office."
That's a "keeper!" LMAO
Too bad we Americans can't vote him to be the President of France!
This from a continent that "gave" the world Hitler, Marx, Stalin, Lenin, Mussolini, Hoxha, Franco, Honecker, Tito Cauceseau, Krushchev, Breznev...feel free to stop me at any time...Vidkun Quisling, Ken Livingstone, King George III, again you guys can stop any time you want...
The President of France is more Conservative than Black Whiteguilt Oblack.
Pray for W and Our Troops
And the fact that they would give us Obambi should give you pause in light of your list!
Perhaps he just doesn't realize how much of a Socialist Lefty Obambi is - someone needs to wake these people up (and ours).
I don’t recall any non-white heads of state in the entirety of Europe, and their countries have been in existence a lot longer than ours. What are they waiting for?
Why, a Marxist Socialist like Obambi, of course!
I wonder how Freud would diagnose Europeans these days.
“Put another way, why would anyone vote for John McCain?”
McCain is Pro-Life, Obama is for abortion thru the whole at 9 months. McCain’s support of our troops.
And who would I rather have select names for the Supreme Court, well McCain over Obama!
those are the TOP three reasons!
Why would any one vote for Obama is a better why to put it.
This from a continent that “gave” the world Hitler, Marx, Stalin, Lenin, Mussolini, Hoxha, Franco, Honecker, Tito Cauceseau, Krushchev, Breznev...feel free to stop me at any time...Vidkun Quisling, Ken Livingstone, King George III,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Mere pretenders all, none of them compare to the evil we unleashed on the Earth, the terrifying, venom dripping monster...George W. Bush!
Closed captioned for the sarcasm impaired.
mark
Here’s a thought—if B O gets elected, we’ll just trade with France for their president. After all, most BO orginates in France, anyway.
Yeah, we Americans are so unsophisticated, Neanderthal like, almost barbaric in nature, uncouth, beer swilling, pigs.
What an idiotic statement.............let Europeans elect the American President.........right you French nut case
Huh! Huh! Huh!
He said “brassire” Beavis.
AlGenius In France
by Al Yankovic
NOTE: Lyrics in ITALICS are in French.
NOTE: Translations of the French phrases are available by clicking here.
NOTE: Lyrics that are UNDERLINED were not sung by Al.
Lyrics:
I’m not the brightest crayon in the box
Everyone says I’m dumber than a bag of rocks
I barely even know how to put on my own pants
But I’m a genius in France (yeah), genius in France, genius in France
Hoom chaka laka
Hoom chaka laka
Hoom chaka
I may not be the sharpest hunk of cheese
I got a negative number on my SATs
I’m not good looking and I don’t know how to dance
But nevertheless and in spite of the evidence I am still widely considered to be
A genius in France, a genius in France, a genius in France
People say I’m a geek, a moronic little freak
An annoying pipsqueak with an unfortunate physique
If I was any dumber, they’d have to water me twice a week
But when the Mademoiselles see me, they all swoon and shriek
They dig my mystique, they say I’m c’est magnifique
When I’m in Par-ee, I’m the chic-est of the chic
They love my body odor and my bad toupee
They love my stripey shirt and my stupid beret
And when I’m sipping on a Perrier
In some cafe town in St. Tropez
It’s hard to keep the fans at bay
They say, “Sign my poodle, s’il vous plait”
“Sign my poodle, s’il vous plait”
Hemenene humenene
himenene homenene
Poodle... poodle...
Folks in my hometown think I’m a fool
Got too much chlorine in my gene pool
A few peas short of a casserole
A few buttons missing on my remote control
A few fries short of a happy meal
I couldn’t pour water out of a boot with instructions on the heel
Instructions on the heel
Instructions on the heel
But when I’m in Provence, I get free croissants
Yeah, I’m the guy every French lady wants
And if you ask ‘em why, you’re bound to get this response
(He’s a genius in France! Genius in France!)
That’s right
(He’s a genius in France, genius in France)
You know it
(He’s a genius in France, genius in France, genius in France)
I’m not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree
But the folks in France, they don’t seem to agree
They say, “Bonjour, Monsieur would you take ze picture with me?”
I say, “Oui, oui”
That’s right, I say, “Oui, oui”
“Oui, oui”
He says, “Oui, oui”
I’m dumber than a box of hair
But those Frenchies don’t seem to care
Don’t know why, mon frere
But they love me there
I’m a genius in France
Yeah, I’m a genius in France
Gonna make a big splash when I show up in Cannes
Gonna make those Frenchies scream
“You ze man! You ze man! You ze man!”
Like a fine Renoir (waa), I’ve got that je ne c’est quoi (quoi!)
Like a fine Renoir (ooh la la), I’ve got that je ne c’est ...
Quoi quoi quoi quoi quoi, oo-we-oo
Quoi quoi quoi quoi quoi, oo-we-oo
Bow diddy bow di bow di bow bow diddy
Bow diddy bow di bow di bow bow diddy
Bow
[snort]
I’m a taco short of a combo plate
But by some twist of fate, all the Frogs think I’m great
Oh, the men all faint and the women scream
They like me more than heavy cream
When I’m in Versailles, I’m a popular guy
My oh my, I’m as French as apple pie (apple pie)
They think I’m awfully witty, a riot and a half
When I tell a stupid joke, they laugh (haw haw haw haw haw)
And laugh (haw haw haw haw haw haw)
People in France have lots of attitude
They’re snotty and rude, they like disgusting food
But when they see me, they just come unglued
They think that I am one happening dude
Bowm ba ba bowm ba bowm ba bowm
I’m about as sharp as a bowling ball
But they like me better than Charles de Gaulle
Entre nous, it’s very true
The room temperature’s higher than my IQ
But they love me more than Gerard Depardieu
How did this happen; I don’t have a clue
Well, I’m not the quickest tractor on the farm
I don’t have any skills or grace or charm
And most people look at me like I’m all covered with ants
But I’m a genius in France (yeah), genius in France, genius in France
And I’m never goin’ back, I’m never goin’ back
I’m never never never never goin’ back home again
I’m tearin’ up my return flight ticket
Gonna tell the folks back here where they can stick it
‘Cause I’m never goin’ back
I’m never goin’ back
I’m never goin’ back
The girls back home never gave me a chance
But I sho’ ‘nuff got them Frogs in some kinda trance
And I’m aware that it’s a most improbable circumstance
But “Great Googily Moogily!”, I’m a genius in France
Every Frenchie that I meet
Just can’t wait to kiss my feet
Get in line, pucker up! Tout Suite!
Bowm diddy bowm diddy bowm diddy
I’m gettin’ even more famous by the hour
I’m stuffed with pastries and drunk with power
Now they’re puttin’ up my statue by the Eiffel Tower
A little more to the left, boys, a little more to the left
A little more to the left, boys, a little more to the left
I’m the biggest dork there is alive
My mom picked out my clothes for me ‘till I was 35
And I forgot to mention
I’m not even welcome at the Star Trek convention
But the Frenchies think
That my poop don’t stink
I’m a genius in France
Say, would you pass the Grey Poupon?
Merci beaucoup
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