May 3, 2012
The Presidential Debate

The debate between President Ncolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande was well-worth watching, especially at the UMP headquarters on Avenue Clemenceau. Various local officials arrive , and by the time the debate starts, the small storefront office is packed.

The debate is nothing like a Presidential debate in the United States. For one thing, the candidates are seated across from each other, with the two interlocutors, a man and a woman, between them. Secondly, the debate goes for al ost three hours. Fourth, the camera never shows the reaction of one of the candidates while the other is speaking. Fourth, the candidates interrupt each other constantly, arguing hammer and tong. However, tt is a debate in French, so despirte what might seem a free-for-all, there is actually a certain smoothness about the encounter: each man has his own way of calling the other to account, and making his point, but it is through the use of little phrases --Just one little point I want to make here; I must point out to you that, You will have to withstand my argument with which you are not in agreement....

Francis Hollande talks less about what he will do than about Sarkozy's many failures. He is not specific and talks in generalizations about being President of all France and of being someone all the French can rally around. He also distinguishes himself from Sarkozy's policies by saying I refuse to --accept whatever it is that is Sarkozy's thinking.

Nicolas Sarkozy, on the other hand, talks down to his opponent, always referring to him as Monsieur Hollande. He has, however, a superb grasp of his facts, and he is well-briefed on every aspect of Hollande's position. At one point he holds up a letter Hollande wrote regarding immigration judges which contradicts his present position on them. He also scores a major punch when, regarding the law to ban the burqa in France, he gets Hollande to say that he absented himself on the vote on the law, but voted for the resolution that preceded its enactment.

Each of them gets personal to a degree that would be unacceptable in a debate in teh United States: Sarkozy reminds voters that Hollande's supporters have likened him to Franco, Petai ...and why not Hitler? Hollande tries to associate Sarkozy personally with Lilliane Betancourt, the matriarch of the L'Oreal cosmetics empire, as well as indirectly commenting on Sarkozy's personal life by saying his personal life will be exemplary. (He has never married Segolene Royale, by whom he has several children, and who ran against Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007).

Sarkozy's experience as President is his strong suit: he argues he kept France from going the way of Spain, Italy and Greece. Hollande argues that France is in terrible shape and the reason is Sarkozy Sarkozy is ferocious in argument, relentless and intellectually incisive. Hollande is bland and oleaginous, although he has a dim relentnessness, too. Sarkozy wins the debate on substance and style. It is pure pleasure to watch him for almost three hours, he is a unique political figure Being able to masterfully gut Hollande's positions to show the lack of substance or thought behind them may not, however, be enough to compensate for the intense dislike so many French voters have for him. Which is regrettable, because of the two candidates, Sarkozy may the least likable, but he seems the better able to help France out of her present difficulties.


Friday there is to be a meeting to rally Sarkozy forces on the Promenade des Anglais, the famous beach promenade in Nice. Francois Fillon, the Prime Minister, and Nicolas Sarkozy's closest political ally, will be there. I am going to try to go.