President Sarkozy Welcomes Candidate Obama to Paris

(PARIS) French President Nicolas Sarkozy greeted Barack Obama with open arms today, but the subtleties of their joint press conference made obvious who was already President.

For starters, there were no American flags present at the Elysee Palace, as there would have been for a head of state. French and European Union flags dressed the background of the presser, and stood slightly to Sarkozy's side. His podium was decorated with the seal of France while Obama's podium was blank. And the grandiose room where Sarkozy conducts press conferences was reduced to half its normal size.

But, despite the ceremonial differences, Sarko, as the French call their president, appeared to like his new American friend enough to almost immediately poke fun at him.

Speaking in French, Sarkozy quipped, "France is happy to welcome Barack Obama, first of all because he is American and the French love the Americans." The laughter that broke out by the French press made it immediately obvious that he was just kidding.

"Now, if I weren't to say this, they'd have been disappointed," Sarkozy said with smirk. He then told Obama that the French are following the U.S. election "with passion" noting similarities between the presumptive Democratic candidate and himself. "Not everyone here is called Sarkozy," he said, "I'm fully aware not everyone is called Obama in the United States.".

Obama countered Sarko's wit with some of his own. Looking back on a meeting with then French Interior Minister in Washington in 2006, Obama said that he and John McCain were the only two senators to have had a meeting with Sarkozy.

"I would suggest that for the reporters in the room, if you want to know something about elections, you should talk to the president of France," Obama joked.

He even described Sarko as somewhat a "rock star," joking that Americans added the French back to French fries because of him.

Despite all of the laughter and love in the room, Sarkozy stopped shy of endorsing Obama. He said the presidential election is up to the American people and not him.

"Good luck to Barack Obama," Sarko said, adding that France will always be a friend to the United States regardless of who is president.