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Paris Politicking
The number one question proposed to me since arriving in Paris is “Who are you going to vote for in the U. S. presidential election?” Not surprising, the French have a definite opinion. The overall consensus here is that the perfect majority of those whom inquired said they would vote for Barack Obama, if given the chance.
Then there was that obscure moment, when people first asked where I was from. Realizing I was from Texas, they either mimed someone galloping on horseback waving a lasso in the empty air or they analyzed me in an awkward silence honoring their sixth sense that I must be personally related to George Bush.
In one discussion, a young man said, “the United States needs a big change.” While others began to affirm his opinion by nodding their heads, another interjected, “Yes, the United States definitely needs change. The U.S. economy is bad and that makes things bad for us.”
If this was only a select group of people and one experience during my stay, I might think this was an overstatement. Not so. This was quite a cross section of people with representation from diverse age groups, income levels, and education. Taxi drivers, waiters, chefs, managers, coworkers, professionals and educators in a variety of realms both personal and professional all cried, ‘Obama for president!’
Even a popular bookstore in Paris exhibited its opinion with an entourage of books on U.S. presidential candidates with four titles touting Obama and two showing McCain.
Just today, as a discussion took place within a gathering of people, the lead in the meeting stood up and said, “there are people in every nation of the world that have their fingers crossed on both hands just hoping Barack Obama is elected as the next president of the United States.”
Jean Pierre from the South of France, summed up his thoughts on one of the election dialogues. “Who really cares what I think? It is the election in the United States of America. Let them decide. I am French,” he grimaced stating the obvious, “I can’t even vote.”
So here it is, for my friends back in East Texas. This has been my experience when conversing about the U.S. presidential election in France with the French.
Democrats and Republicans both agree that the United States of America needs change. This Tuesday, November 4, 2008, we will get just that.
Comments
By cheryl
November 1, 2008 8:37 PM | Link to this
April it is always interesting reading your blog. Can’t wait till the next entry. cheryl from vegas
By Joe Murray
November 1, 2008 10:07 PM | Link to this
Last month when I was traveling in eastern France, a German-speaking man in his late 50s or earlier 60s asked an American friend of mine what he thought was McCain’s chances of winning. When he replied that it would be difficult for him to say since he was supporting Obama, the man made an exclamation of disgust, turned on his heel and walked away. For one brief moment it was almost like being back home in Lufkin.
By Sid
November 2, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this
Check out a great poster store called A L’IMAGERIE 60 rue Guy Moquet 75017 PARIS FRANCE Tel. : 33 (0)1 43 25 18 66
You will love it!
Sid