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Posted on 02/20/2012 11:44:32 AM PST by Cincinna
At a rally in Marseille on Sunday, Nicolas Sarkozy launches his campaign for a second term of the presidency Nicolas Sarkozy told his first major rally in his re-election campaign that he had saved France from "catastrophe" during the financial crisis and the only way to save the country from economic meltdown was to give him a second term.
The 7,000-strong meeting in Marseille marked a return to the political showmanship and verbal violence of Sarkozy's campaigning style. There was sea of tricolore flags, dramatic music, a new election slogan – "a strong France" – and a cheering Carla Bruni at her first political rally.
Despite four years of record unpopularity, disappointment in his reforms and the fact most French view his tenure negatively, Sarkozy tried to position himself as the "protector" of the nation while launching personal attacks on the Socialist frontrunner François Hollande, whom he accused of downplaying the crisis.
But Sarkozy told supporters his leadership had ensured the country was better off than its neighbours. He repeatedly used the word "catastrophe", suggesting if he had not been in power, France could have gone the way of Greece, Spain or Italy.
"A weak France cannot protect French people," he said. "France has resisted, France has held out!" He did not apologise for his record, but said: "I don't claim that we succeeded in everything. But I want to say we've avoided a catastrophe." He accused his opponents of "hiding" the crisis and being "dangerous" to France.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
It appears Nicky has stolen Barry the Kenyan Guy’s 2012 playbook. Hey! If it works with 50% of the voters living in America, surely it will work with ALL of the French voters.
Great kickoff to Sarko’s reelection campaign in very friendly territory in the magnificent city of Annecy in the Haute Savoie.
The évent in Marseilles was an incredible success with 10,000 cheering supporters inside the auditorium, led by cheerleader in chief, his wife,, Carla. An overflow crowd of 10,000 outside. A real mix of very young, middle aged and older folks.
No doubt thar Sarko faces an uphill battle battle, but if these early strong, powerful performances continue, he might send Hollande, the never elected to anything, bureaucrat/technocrat nerd protêgé of François Mitterrand, might just be sent back to a desk at PS HQ
I am inclined to believe him, if for no other reason that if he hadn’t won the French presidential election, the socialist candidate would have done.
Whatever might be said of the extent of Sarkozy’s conservatism, he won’t have been worse at aggravating the impact of a financial crisis on France than your average socialist...
they will kick him to the curb in favor of the first naked Socialist who promises to let them all start retiring at age 60 again
Thanks Cincinna. BTW, I picked up what appears to be Sarkozy’s book, in English, at the Dollar Tree today.
The opposition can hardly point to Greece's austerity measures and claim Sarkozy has that in mind for France.
He was elected on a platform of obviously necessary reforms.
It seems events of the last five years would only prove those reforms were correct but now incomplete. They should be good for another term.
yitbos
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