nhboy
08-07-2012, 05:30 AM
Link to original source. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/mitt-romney-france_n_1737845.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003)
"PARIS -- A swing through France was not on Mitt Romney's agenda during his recent trip abroad, but no one here seemed to be disappointed. With the election of President Francois Hollande, the summer holidays, the crisis in the euro zone and various social plans, the French have their heads elsewhere.
It's a stark contrast to the response to then-Democratic candidate Barack Obama's highly publicized trip almost four years ago. His brief visit to Paris drew dozens of onlookers outside the gates of the Elysée Palace. At the time, 84 percent of French people said they trusted him. "Obamania" permeated the highest levels of state, with then-President Nicolas Sarkozy openly displaying more than diplomatic support for his "friend" Barack.
Despite its ups and downs since then, Obamania has not dissipated here. In a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center in June 2012, 92 percent of respondents in France answered positively to the question "Does Obama deserve to be reelected?" This was the highest positive response rate among the 21 countries polled."
.....
"It will be difficult for Romney to improve his image. Even among the ranks of elected Americanophiles, he is struggling to stand out.
"I think for the French, Romney is first and foremost the opponent of Obama," said Corinne Narassiguin, a member of the French Parliament representing French citizens living in North America.
"On paper, he is not uninteresting. He is a moderate, almost classic, Republican," observed François de Rugy, a Green Party MP who served as vice president of the France-United States friendship organization in the previous legislature. But de Rugy added, "There is very little known about him because he has no international experience."
To make matters worse, the U.S. Republican label is not ideal in France.
"Republicans suffer from two stereotypes in France: one advocating a lawless capitalism and the other advocating racist policies. The Republican Party's opposition to affirmative action, for example, is very misunderstood," lamented Pierre Toullec, chairman of the Mitt Romney France political committee, which seeks to explain U.S. policy from the Republican perspective rather than to unite expatriated American voters in France."
"PARIS -- A swing through France was not on Mitt Romney's agenda during his recent trip abroad, but no one here seemed to be disappointed. With the election of President Francois Hollande, the summer holidays, the crisis in the euro zone and various social plans, the French have their heads elsewhere.
It's a stark contrast to the response to then-Democratic candidate Barack Obama's highly publicized trip almost four years ago. His brief visit to Paris drew dozens of onlookers outside the gates of the Elysée Palace. At the time, 84 percent of French people said they trusted him. "Obamania" permeated the highest levels of state, with then-President Nicolas Sarkozy openly displaying more than diplomatic support for his "friend" Barack.
Despite its ups and downs since then, Obamania has not dissipated here. In a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center in June 2012, 92 percent of respondents in France answered positively to the question "Does Obama deserve to be reelected?" This was the highest positive response rate among the 21 countries polled."
.....
"It will be difficult for Romney to improve his image. Even among the ranks of elected Americanophiles, he is struggling to stand out.
"I think for the French, Romney is first and foremost the opponent of Obama," said Corinne Narassiguin, a member of the French Parliament representing French citizens living in North America.
"On paper, he is not uninteresting. He is a moderate, almost classic, Republican," observed François de Rugy, a Green Party MP who served as vice president of the France-United States friendship organization in the previous legislature. But de Rugy added, "There is very little known about him because he has no international experience."
To make matters worse, the U.S. Republican label is not ideal in France.
"Republicans suffer from two stereotypes in France: one advocating a lawless capitalism and the other advocating racist policies. The Republican Party's opposition to affirmative action, for example, is very misunderstood," lamented Pierre Toullec, chairman of the Mitt Romney France political committee, which seeks to explain U.S. policy from the Republican perspective rather than to unite expatriated American voters in France."