President Sarkozy Welcomes Candidate Obama to Paris

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(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.

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by geisler5 July 27, 2008 11:32 AM EDT: President Sarkozy may have greeted Barack Obama as a foreign leader on Friday, but as a French person, I can tell you, there were not a lot of fans in Paris, waiting for him, outside the Elysie. There may have been thousands of people in Berlin the day before : here about fifty "Obamaniacs" were hoping to see him ! That''s not a big crowd !
In fact, the French are very critical of the way Obama behaved during his Parisian visit.
We have been deeply offended by the fact that Obama only stayed a couple of hours in our country : it''s a sign of scorn and disdain toward our great nation. Moreover, a lot of French journalists have found him very bad, hesitating, looking at his notes, during the press conference. They think that Sarkozy has given him a lesson of political communication.
Finally Obama really showed a lack of respect for the French opposition party, the Socialists, by refusing to meet their leaders whereas he agreed to speak to David Cameron,leader of the Conservative Party in Britain. He behaved as if he thought the Socialists had no chance of winning the future election : once again, I think it shows his lack of knowledge of the French political situation...; Reply to this comment


by ariel133 July 26, 2008 10:41 AM EDT: But, there is one lingering question that hangs over this whole business. If McCain''s gaffes are a result of his being old and tired, how is it they can use being "tired" as an excuse to paper over the mistakes of the supposedly virile and vital Obama? And if Obama''s are ascribed to mere exhaustion then why can''t we say that McCain is just as tired? After all, McCain is an 71-year-old man. Is Obama so weak that he tires as easily as a man of such advanced years as McCain?

The left''s excuse making is weak indeed. Weak and tired.; Reply to this comment


by juliekay44 July 26, 2008 5:16 AM EDT: This American is delighted to see Obama repairing our much damaged image in Europe. It is a global world, the US cannot function in isolation from the rest of the world.

It was amazing to see German''s waving American flags, instead of burning flags to protest Bush.

July 25, 2008
Auckland University students in New Zealand offered a $5000 reward if they are able to make a successful citizen''s arrest of United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her visit to Auckland over the weekend, for her role in overseeing the illegal invasion and continued occupation of Iraq.; Reply to this comment


by standlee5 July 26, 2008 3:20 AM EDT: 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.

Oh really. I watched it and didn''t see all this adoration. It looked to me like a silly event designed by Obama to prop up his ego and give him more media face time.; Reply to this comment


by lottobee July 26, 2008 1:16 AM EDT: Entres nous, Obama, ya better get your tushka back to the mainland because Americans do not like to elect a candidate chosen by foreigners. Bad move on your part --- going to Berlin to apologize for your country and to criticize the great country which enabled you. Don''t you think before you speak? Your comments were offensive to many Americans and did not serve your ambitions well. What is the point here? Do you believe that impressing Europeans will get you elected? Americans are not impressed at all.; Reply to this comment