Sarkozy has “It Factor”; Obama? Not so much, yet.
OP ED
WASHINGTON, DC (Herald de Paris) - Is anyone experiencing nationalistic jealousy? Why? Because the United States is not kewl, anymore. The so-called greatest nation on Earth no longer has its “It factor”.
Headlines here in the US are rampant with unemployment and recession, lay-offs and bail-outs, government mismanagement and corporate waste, cheaters, liars, and swindlers (and, of course, the “diversionary” headlines about Jessica Simpson’s weight, which are even too ridiculous and pathetic to discuss). All the award-winning actors this year are British or Indian or has-beens. The guy who won all the top Grammy Awards is a British has-been. More people know who English loudmouth Simon Cowell is than who the US Secretary of Commerce is, although at the moment, nobody with a clean track record really seems to want to be the US Secretary of Commerce. That’s another story.
Meanwhile, look at France. They have at least as many economic problems as the États-Unis do, runaway unemployment, striking union workers, inner-city ethnic gang violence, and nobody is buying automobiles there, either. But unlike the US, where the populous machine just elected a socialistic, community organizing, unproven shadow of Ward and June Clever and their creepy brand of “the American dream”, the French have Sarko, Monsieur le Président Nicholas Sarkozy – le Petit Prince.
Sarkozy, the arrogant, temperamental, muffin-topped capitalist, snaps at gaffers who do not say, “Bon matin,” in the television studios; controls the media through his vast network of cronies; and marries the previously untamable, sexy rock star, Carla Bruni, proposing to the Italian beauty on their first meeting. Sarko is a one-man brat-pack, with enough swagger and bravado for an entire république. Sure, the French people hate their little and outspoken leader, even comparing him to the dictatorial Napoléon Bonaparte, but it is certainly a love/hate relationship, as Sarkozy strips all the detente and dignity out of the presidency – he’s a Frenchman’s Frenchman, an individual who looms much larger than his party, his nation, or even his stature. For this old-skool swagger, people secretly admire him.
And Sarko is everywhere. Israel, Cairo, Northern Africa, Brussels, The Hague, he shows up for press conferences, says – unrehearsed – whatever the hell he wants to say, and walks off, hand-in-hand, with his Italian-born first lady, that, “look what I’ve got,” glint in his eye. The French will continue to grumble about things the French have always grumbled about – wages, work hours, and jobs. Still, the arrogant charm, the sophomoric, “I got the hot girl,” twinkle remains oddly charming.
Meanwhile, back in Washington is Obama. Sure, he’s grumpy in the morning, snaps at the White House Press Corps, and is probably sneaking a cigarette or two downstairs in the dark recesses of the White House bowling alley, but since ascending to the national stage, Obama has lost his swagger and his individualism – it seems that he is sitting back, content at allowing his Democratic National Party handlers to wind him up, each morning, and tell him what to say. Obama’s once-gifted speeches are stuttered with caution. Since taking the oath of office (which was bungled for the first time ever, and I sincerely hope is no omen), the only time Obama has looked comfortable was that morning he and Michelle slipped out to read to young children at the local library.
Washington has lost the presence of a president viewed as a rugged leader, and that may well be because much of the nation lost confidence in the last administration. This administration, however, picks up where the last one left off, with Nancy Pelosi and Barney Frank (A most unlikely duo, if you ask me) as the national mouthpieces, inside the Beltway. Need proof that there is a control issue going on? The Obama White House, and the Democrats in general, are actually afraid of criticism, waving the FCC fairness doctrine around in front of Republican-dominated talk radio. Please, they’re afraid of Rush Limbaugh? Since when did the tail wag the dog, especially when the hypocritical dog owns his own propaganda channel on satellite television. Buy the opposition its own network, Mr. Obama, and then we can talk about equal time on the radio. Since 9/11, the US has become a nation built on fear. It’s embarrassing.
By contrast, Sarkozy would never reach deep for some minor communications policy – instead, he has shown himself to be more inclined to pick up the phone, call his well-connected friends, and have someone fired without waving an FCC rule around while crying foul. Sarkozy may be an arrogant little tête brûlée, but he certainly has the, umm, goods to back it up.
Regardless, both countries have vast problems. Almost every country does, right now (except, it seems, for Russia – time to keep an eye on them again). Both France and the US have a long way to go to solve their respective and mounting problems. But France, in the person of their enigmatic leader, still have their identity. The US, meanwhile, can not seem to remember who they are as a nation, and a nation without an identiy is a recipe for nothing but disaster.
President Obama is more capable than the guy we’ve seen in this first month. He may be unproven, but he is intelligent. Now, he needs to get tough, find his confidence – his “it factor”. Barack Obama needs to be a little less of a democratic company man, and a little more like Sarko.
Andre Agassi was right – sometimes, image is everything.
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