Personal traits

 Both impersonate their country in a way
 Both are lawyers

 Political traits

 Both are (post ?) cold war generation
 Both have fathers who were foreigners
 Both are charismatic leaders

 A popular American president in France

 Prestige of Pdt. Obama
 Intense interest for the American ballot in France
 Pdt. Obama Impersonates “soft power”
 A model for Minorities in France

 A candid love for the US

 First vacations of the French president : New Hampshire where he visited the Bush family
 Personally met the American candidates in 2008
 Adopts a “bossy type” of leadership centered on the presidency… While displaying a rather Mediterranean temper
 “Sarko the American” (does not speak English but has a colorful French)

 The first Pro-American politics in the history of modern France

 Full reintegration of France in NATO
 Not seen any more as opposed to a European autonomous defense
 Sent troops to Afghanistan to more dangerous missions
 More compatible views on Iran and on the middle East despite criticism over what is still felt as American bilateralism
 A greater role of the UN

 A new American administration better aware of the diversity of the world The new American administration

 Firm leadership
 More awareness of the diversity of the world
 More concern about the world stability multiple and more watchful of its stability

 The place of the US : two different perceptions

 A weak interest of the US administration for France
 As a candidate, B. Obama chose Berlin, not Paris to talk
 As a candidate, did not address the French opposition
 Ignored repetitive requests for a meeting with Pdt. Sarkozy
 Sent a letter to Pdt… Chirac
 The traditional “special relation” with the UK dominates over the interest for the “oldest ally of the Us”
 Pdt Obama did not respond immediately to the reintegration of France in NATO