Vive la Différence

Sarkozy Elected President of France
Conservative Says Relations With U.S. Will Improve
By ANGELA CHARLTON
AP

PARIS (May 6) - Nicolas Sarkozy, a blunt and uncompromising pro-American conservative, was elected president of France Sunday with a mandate to chart a new course for an economically sluggish nation struggling to incorporate immigrants and their children.

Sarkozy defeated Socialist Segolene Royal by by 53.06 percent to 46.94 percent with 84 percent turnout, according to final results released early Monday. It was a decisive victory for Sarkozy's vision of freer markets and toughness on crime and immigration , over Royal's gentler plan for preserving cherished welfare protections, including a 35-hour work week that Sarkozy called "absurd." "The people of France have chosen change," Sarkozy told cheering supporters in a victory speech that sketched out a stronger global role for France and renewed partnership with the United States.

Today's French election results come as encouraging news for the conservative movement in the United States. The American media, notably The New York Times, drew not-so-subtle parallels between Socialist Segolene Royal's bid for the French presidency and junior New York Senator Hillary Clinton's own presidential ambitions here in the U.S.

During the French campaign, I saw several stories on Mlle Royal and her picture was published everywhere. Royal's then-rival and now president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy was painted with the liberal broad brush as a right-wing conservative. Royal's candidacy was hailed as a breakthrough for women and further evidence of French's progressive politics. It was not to be.

I somehow doubt that we will read any stories about how unwise it is to underestimate conservatives and misrepresent their agenda during an election season. Or features that cast doubt on the electorate's willingness to elect a socialist woman to the office of president.

Will the media ever learn that it is not their role to prop one candidate or party over another? I think you know the answer.

Hillary, beware! Your party's nomination, not to mention your election, is by no means guaranteed. Particularly now that Illinois Senator Barack Obama has been granted Secret Service protection.