Sarko The American

Lesley Stahl Interviews France's New Leader

(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.

[vince239]

I think this "report" is very interessant. Its shows the american vision of the France President.
In France we won''t do a report like that and that''s a good thing do see other points of view. But this report is not exhaustive. It doesn''t go deep. And that''s a problem. We can''t say a report, it''s a synthetic biography. That''s wird for a video magazine which is say as an investigation magazine ...
In France the last scene with the rude Interview has make a polemic but i think there is nothing to say about that. It''s just a polemic create by the media. It''s overmediatisaton. It''s just boring. We don''t talk about the real thing and that''s the problem ...

[vince239]

I think this "report" is very interessant. Its shows the american vision of the France President.
In France we won''t do a report like that and that''s a good thing do see other points of view. But this report is not exhaustive. It doesn''t go deep. And that''s a problem. We can''t say a report, it''s a synthetic biography. That''s wird for a video magazine which is say as an investigation magazine ...
In France the last scene with the rude Interview has make a polemic but i think there is nothing to say about that. It''s just a polemic create by the media. It''s overmediatisaton. It''s just boring. We don''t talk about the real thing and that''s the problem ...

[vivesarko]

Chaumont 3 :

I haven''t seen ANY French paper praising Leslie Stahl anywhere! Is this a joke? They were in fact very matter-of-fact and said that Mr. Sarkozy lost his patience after Leslie Stahl asked him impertinent questions. There was no judgment, just facts. And on LCI.fr, they remind us that a French journalist had previously asked him a similar question and that he had reacted in a similar manner.

[scorr88]

this is a perfect example of the problems of american media today and how deeply it has infiltrated what is suppposed to be investigative reporting like 60 minutes. investigative into what? someone''s personal life that has little bearing on political world issues, and has no relevant discourse to issues that one may think of asking a head of state. what a waste of an interview, what a perfect display of the pathetic state of american media, and an absolute failure of investigative jouralism. instead of a journalism, it is a diluted, self perpetuating cycle centering on the spectacle of media itself - which continually bears the question - why bother watching american news at all?

[scorr88]

this is a perfect example of the problems of american media today and how deeply it has infiltrated what is suppposed to be investigative reporting like 60 minutes. investigative into what? someone''s personal life that has little bearing on political world issues, and has no relevant discourse to issues that one may think of asking a head of state. what a waste of an interview, what a perfect display of the pathetic state of american media, and an absolute failure of investigative jouralism. instead of a journalism, it is a diluted, self perpetuating cycle centering on the spectacle of media itself - which continually bears the question - why bother watching american news at all?

[robroy2006]

chaumont3

American journalists daring to put questions is right but French papers showing admiration to Lesley Stahl is a pure invention. Which papers? Did not find any? Do we live in the same country?

[cabal_d]

I would like to agree with pabcbc. As an American, Leslie Stahl''s interview of Nicolas Sarkozy was mortifying to me. I had the impression that Ms. Stahl was a dignified and worldly journalist; however, her treatment of him was similar to that of school marm to pupil. Her questions about his marriage were completely inappropriate of a Head of State (maybe not for a rock star) and embarrassing to watch. I am troubled to see American journalists playing "hard hitters" with foreign dignitaries in facile interviews when they should be asking the tough questions on real issues of the Bush administration and the U.S. Congress here at home. (I watched the interview of Ahmedinejad a few weeks back and saw the same pattern in that interview.) Good for Sarkozy in telling Ms. Stahl in a very charming and polite way, one in which she did not show him the same treatment, to go jump in a lake. Politicians in other parts of the world don''t become religious, quit smoking, pretend to stop cheating on their wives or feign having to answer every question a journalist asks them by pretending to answer it like American politicians do. Sarkozy is a real person, not a piece of wood, a phantom of the media or the puppet of, say, the Republican party. Bravo, Sarko! Shame on you, Leslie Stahl and 60 Minutes for feeding into cheap sensationalism.

[botzaris]

Let me remind you that in French papers yesterday admiration was all for Lesley Stahl, because
"American journalists dare to put questions."
No American can understand how stifled matters are in France. A place where a spade is never ever a spade.

[vivesarko]

Noisett,

I will not try and convince you as it is very clear that we have different views. I just want to reply to what you wrote:

It is true that N. Sarkozy was a senior Minister under J. Chirac but as such, he didn''t have the ability to make choices outside of his jurisdiction.

I think he is a visionary because he has realized that we have made a big mistake, in France, over the last 25 years, by putting ideology before pragmatism. Don''t you agree that having a socialist government nationalize companies followed by a conservative government re-privatizing them and so on is ludicrous and has dire consequences on our economy? We need to do things differently and I think this is what the new President wants to do.

Also, I never compared Sarkozy to de Gaulle. I only said that I thought he would be the best president we have had since de Gaulle. And I agree that de Gaulle could have achieved nothing without the tremendous sacrifices made by our Allies.

Lastly, you may think what you want regarding the outcome of the last French Presidential elections - we are in a democracy - but you cannot deny the fact that the people has spoken very clearly and unequivocally for Nicolas Sarkozy. He has a clear mandate to carry out his program. Time will tell whether he is up to the job. Right now, it is far too early to draw pessimistic conclusions.

[robroy2006]

You are right alexone. The scene was far from being dramatic : Sarkozy shook her hand, told her ''bon courage''(good luck), patted her on the shoulder and walked out.
Noisett I think I won''t convince you as you won''t convince me either. Leftists (including Chirac who led a socialist policy) were in power for decades (Mitterand, Jospin, Chirac...). They all lost. This is why Sarkozy who is perceived as a pragmatic, non-ideological politician was elected 6 months ago.
Sarkozy was not free at all as interior minister in Chirac''s government. He had opposite views on many major matters (including on foreing policy and relationship with the US). Today 56% of the French (according to last poll - October the 30th) are still trusting Sarkozy though he is reforming the country in depth. This is far from being common.

As for social (ethnic) mobility, I think the USA are far more advanced than France.
Just tell me how many black presenters you have on French TV? only 1 appointed as substitute 8 march 1986 under pressure of Jack Chirac!!! How many arabs: none
- How many minister of Arab or Black origin under former governments (maybe 1 and from overseas French territories!)
This is why Sarkozy who appointed Blacks and an Arab justice minister! was citing the US as a model (talking about Rice and Powell). Sarkozy is pragmatic to such an extent he surrounded himself with some socialists only because they were capable he said.
No doubt Sarkozy will succeed.