France is an important nation, whether you love it or love to hate it. They are an important trading partner of the US, and an ally (albeit reluctantly). Here's why the Sunday runoff presidental election is important to Americans.
First, some brief background:
Presidential elections held in April 2007 pitted Socialist Segolene Royal against conservative Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, the nominee for the Union for a Popular Movement. Late in the race, centrist candidate Francois Bayrou of the Union for French Democracy emerged as a contender. Sarkozy, with 30.7%, and Royal, taking 25.2%, prevailed in the first round of voting and will face off in the second round in May. President Chirac announced in March that he would retire after more than 40 years in politics and 12 years as president. He endorsed the candidacy of Sarkozy. (from InfoPlease)
And a current news story. Here, we see an example of a Socialist spreading fear and veiled threats of violence:
PARIS: Socialist candidate Segolene Royal said on Friday France risked plunging into brutality and violence if right-wing frontrunner Nicolas Sarkozy wins Sunday’s presidential election. With opinion polls showing Sarkozy increasing his lead ahead of the second round run-off, Royal sought to raise the stakes on the last day of official campaigning, accusing her opponent of lying and manipulating the media. “I think that choosing Nicolas Sarkozy would be a dangerous choice. I do not want France to shift towards a system of brutality,” Royal told RTL radio. Le Full Story...
This reminds many of us in Chicago's 49th Ward of left-winger Joe Moore's screams that opponent Don Gordon and "Republicans want to take over our neighborhood." Seems like a standard tactic of the Left - make veiled threats but get people to be afraid that
the other guy might get violent.
And a current news story. Here, we see an example of a Socialist spreading fear and veiled threats of violence:
PARIS: Socialist candidate Segolene Royal said on Friday France risked plunging into brutality and violence if right-wing frontrunner Nicolas Sarkozy wins Sunday’s presidential election. With opinion polls showing Sarkozy increasing his lead ahead of the second round run-off, Royal sought to raise the stakes on the last day of official campaigning, accusing her opponent of lying and manipulating the media. “I think that choosing Nicolas Sarkozy would be a dangerous choice. I do not want France to shift towards a system of brutality,” Royal told RTL radio. Le Full Story...
This reminds many of us in Chicago's 49th Ward of left-winger Joe Moore's screams that opponent Don Gordon and "Republicans want to take over our neighborhood." Seems like a standard tactic of the Left - make veiled threats but get people to be afraid that the other guy might get violent.
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