Lauren Bacall is one of the sexiest women who ever walked this planet. And she’s still walkin’ sexy, even though she was born in 1924…
Which brings me to John McCain. It’s looking like he will be the Republican nominee these days, although some crucial primaries have yet to take place. Maybe not all Republicans are bornagains after all. But we’ll see. Not that it matters much.
I remember that, back during the 2000 presidential campaign, some of my fellow Democrats said moderate McCain wouldn’t be such a horrible alternative (of course, he was contending with The Chimp for the nomination). But with time, McCain has certainly gotten more extreme. I remember the exact moment when my perception of him took a fatal turn for the worse. It was in 2003, shortly after Dominique de Villepin’s magnificent speech at the UN Security Council meeting about why France wouldn’t support the US attack on Iraq.
That was a beautiful day. The BBC called it “high diplomacy at its most elegant.” Yeah, Americans don’t get that very often.
So, in an interview with Tony Snow of Fox News, McCain said, “The French remind me a little bit of an aging actress of the 1940s who is still trying to dine out on her looks but doesn’t have the face for it.”
Now, that’s just rude (and not the kind of thing a lifelong francophile takes sitting down). It’s misogynistic. It’s arrogant. It’s lots of bad things, but what shocked me the most was that it came from the mouth of a US Senator. Diplomacy at its least elegant. The American way.
But we all know France still has the face, don’t we? It’s the most popular tourist destination and 4th 5th* strongest economy in the world (and it’s the size of Texas). Paris is the most visited city in the world. The US imports more stuff from France every year than the other way around ($13 billion more). And it’s the size of Texas! Girls faint when Frenchmen talk. And their dicks are bigger.
Must be why there are so many SUVs in America.
*Thanks for the correction, SuperFrenchie.
***********************************************
An aside… This was too good to resist. I went looking for info on that McCain quote for this post, and came across this right-wing moronic blather site. Look who they’re quoting… Think we should tell ‘em?
Me neither.
Pam–I’m so glad you are happy living in Paris, but it’s childish to dis the US. Please remind me after wine and fashion, including perfume, what France exports? Milan/Florence have so far out-paced Paris it’s hilarious. We here enjoy our culture and are enjoying our lives with hardly any input from France. So lay off! It’s tacky to show every US wrinkle. I’ve decide after 3 months of reading Parisian expats, and they’re some interesting ones who aren’t smug, that I’ll put that time in other things.)
Americans do enjoy their culture, and enjoyment is what their culture is all about. They enjoy a high standard of living, largely unconcerned that it results in 25% of the world’s greenhouse gases (while they only account for 5% of the world’s population). They do not enjoy hearing about that, though. They do enjoy hearing about the absence of panties on trashy singers and heiresses. Americans do not enjoy being provoked. The French, however, thrive on it. They are a thinking people. American culture values ideology over intellectual curiosity, possession over creativity. It is Americans who are childish, too busy playing in their sandboxes to realize that their country has become a fascist theocracy and lost the respect of the entire world.
My rants about America stem from bitter disappointment. I’m not alone, and I’ll keep on talking about it. It’s a free country.
I mean France, of course.
Thanks for a good laugh connecting me to Super Frenchie’s zizi link, though I got dizzy trying to read all the comments.
I wish I had time to read all the French-related blogs daily!
Damn, I thought ~ I ~ was the sexiest thing on this planet. ;) Way to shatter a girl’s illusions.
A terrible quote from McCain- you think they’d know when to shut up- it’s a little surprising the number of SUV’s rolling around Paris these days- I’ve even seen a few Hummers- like to see them try to roll through the streets of the Marais.
I’m enjoying your blog- thanks.
There’s enough generalities about Americans there to choke a horse. While you’re so proud of France look into the deficits its national health insurance system is running and has been running since 1985. People there 65 and over are estimated to increase from 16% (2003) to 24% by 2030, all the while the younger work force is barely keeping up in numbers.
But, if you’re bitterly disappointed in the US, then there’s no better place to sit on the side-lines and rant and rave than in Paris. From the expat blogs I’ve read, you have a lot of American malcontents to commiserate with. All the while you’re living amongst people who feel entitled to all the present governmental subsidies some of which are increasing their deficits annually. We in the US have loads of problems and a high deficit, but I’d never give up my life here to live anywhere else. Good-bye and good luck, Alice
Hi Misplaced. Thanks! I know, I am always shocked when I see the big cars here. They really stick out, for one thing, and ostentatious displays of wealth aren’t the traditional French way. More American influence, unfortunately. I sent you an e-mail about this post and your comment on Polly before I saw that you had been here already. Nice to meet you!
http://www.storyofstuff.com/
Thought you might find this interesting. :)
xoxox
Thanks Claudia! Incredible video. They need to show it in schools. And in Congress…
so many responses to this post and its comments that I have to make a list:
1. Lauren Bacall is so damn beautiful I’m proud to share her name
2. I think we’re looking at 4 years of McCain because I don’t see Hillary OR Barack sweeping the country
3. I’m not so sure about the veracity of that claim
4. ooh, conflict, I love it.
5. the US is so boring it’s not worth ranting and raving about (says this expat blogger). it’s a nice place, nice people, not bad if you can’t do better, end of story.
6. vive la france.
Hi maitresse. Nice to hear from you! I’m not sure which claim you’re questioning the veracity of…
As for ranting about America, I don’t see how you can say in the same breath that the country is likely to elect McCain (which I agree could easily happen) and that it’s not worth ranting about. Seems to me if they were all so nice, they wouldn’t have elected so many right-wing Democrats to Congress last time around and McCain wouldn’t stand a chance. On an individual level, yes, Americans are warm and friendly for the most part. But I detect a mean streak in the culture that is reflected in its increasing social conservatism.
And I disagree that America is boring. In fact, I think it’s a fascinating study of how democracy combined with free market capitalism form a culture. And it’s a very scary country these days. I think the Nice + Scary paradox as well as other aspects of the culture merit examination. I wouldn’t bother if it were some dinky, powerless country that had no influence on the rest of the world. But that’s not the case, so I rant!