Sarkozy cozies up to the presidency

French media have only half-jokingly called the moment a "coronation" in reference to its lavish spectacle and to the aspirations of 49-year-old Sarkozy, who is easily the country's most popular politician.

According to reports Sunday, Sarkozy won 85 percent of the ballots cast by the UMP's 120,000 members, around a quarter of whom were attending the rally in a vast trade hall decked out in the TV-friendly style of US party conventions.

I watched a few minutes of a current events debate show this afternoon on the subject of Sarkozy and the presenter of the show just went on and on about how à l'Américaine the whole event was. LOL. This new Sarkozy-led party was being reborn as a 'right-wing party' à l'Américaine. LOL.

Sarkozy had made a video that was shown before his acceptance speech (well-wishers wishing him well, I think...I was distracted just then...) and UMP members were waving flags and posters. How terribly American is THAT, I ask you. Oh, and the national anthem was performed by 2 young ladies, one, if I'm not mistaken, the (daughter of Jeane Manson) who was insulted publicly while performing not too long ago because she's Jewish.

(Out and about this weekend with my mother in a fairly large university town near where I live, we both saw at the same moment a mini-protest on a sidewalk near downtown. A handwritten sign read 'Is France becoming neo-conservative?' My mom and I burst out laughing at the same time. Moonbats are just so out of it, aren't they.)