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Europe
Sarkozy stays ahead after TV presidential debate
2007-05-04
French conservative Nicolas Sarkozy extended his lead after a television debate with Socialist rival Segolene Royal and stayed on course for victory in Sunday's election, opinion polls showed on Thursday.

A poll for the Opinionway institute showed 53 percent of viewers found Sarkozy more convincing during the sometimes fiery debate, against 31 percent who judged Royal better. A separate survey by the same polling organization gave Sarkozy, who has come out on top in over 100 opinion polls since the start of the year, an eight point lead with 54 percent support, versus 46 percent for Royal.

But with just over two days left until voting begins on Sunday morning, neither candidate relented. Both were back on the campaign trail on Thursday evening, with Sarkozy hammering his favorite themes of security and pride in being French. "I want to be able to talk about the nation without being called a nationalist," he told a rally in the southern city of Montpellier. "I want to be able to talk about authority without being called an authoritarian."
For all our occasional divergence of interests, it would be nice see the Frenchies able to take pride in being French again.
Posted by:Fred

#13  I don't think this hissy fit hurts -- after all, France has been engaged in one for more than half a century.
Posted by: regular joe   2007-05-04 21:16  

#12  France's Royal warns of violence if Sarkozy wins

Nice way to play the politics of fear - generate a self-fulfilling prophecy!
Posted by: Grumenk Philalzabod0723   2007-05-04 17:29  

#11  I don't have a lot of illusions, but I think with Sarkozy, our relations will improve. They won't be good, but better than they are now.

With Royal, they would probably get worse than they are now, which isn't all that good.

"Beruit" probably would have been the worst, ignoring the unlikely, such as the commies.
Posted by: Jackal   2007-05-04 15:38  

#10  JFM, What are your thoughts about the outcome of this election? Do you think the French people are fed up with immigration, car burnings, and liberal policies? Do you think the election will go to Sarkozy?
Posted by: JohnQC   2007-05-04 13:43  

#9  Royal warns of violence if Sarkozy wins
So she's become the Al Sharpton of France.
Posted by: ed   2007-05-04 13:12  

#8  From Drudge...

France's Royal warns of violence if Sarkozy wins

PARIS (Reuters) - France risks violence and brutality if right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy wins Sunday's presidential election, Socialist opponent Segolene Royal said on Friday.

On the last day of official campaigning, opinion polls showed Sarkozy enjoyed a commanding lead over Royal, who accused the former interior minister of lying and polarizing France.

"Choosing Nicolas Sarkozy would be a dangerous choice," Royal told RTL radio. "It is my responsibility today to alert people to the risk of (his) candidature with regards to the violence and brutality that would be unleashed in the country (if he won)," she said.

Pressed on whether there would be actual violence, Royal said: "I think so, I think so," referring specifically to France's volatile suburbs hit by widespread rioting in 2005.

I'll take this to mean that she believes she's toast?
Posted by: tu3031   2007-05-04 11:36  

#7  Newc, don't over rejoice too fast. Sarkosy is going against decades of indoctrination coming from every side. It will take a lot of time before France becomes an ally again. For now all he can do is here and there cut the subsidies and advertaisements from stea controlled companies who are the lifeline keeping some chic-leftistantiameriacn MSM alive (the Liberation newspaper comes to mind). He can also carefully purge French history books from their violent antiamericanism.
Posted by: JFM   2007-05-04 11:33  

#6  Many people think Segolene's anger burst looked premeditate.
Posted by: JFM   2007-05-04 11:27  

#5  http://no-pasaran.blogspot.com/2007/05/sarko-vs-sgo-debate.html

Full debate in youtube format, meltdown in the 12th segment.
Posted by: anonymous5089   2007-05-04 09:59  

#4  I saw a clip on Britt Hume's show. Sego had a royal (pun intended) hissy, and Sarko kind of just sat back and let her self-destruct.
Posted by: Mike   2007-05-04 08:34  

#3  FOX NEWS > I wasn't able to get all of the specific news segment, but what I did see was Sarkozy politely but firmly accusing Segolene of "losing her cool", directly inferring that a "cool head" was necessary to be a National Leader of France.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2007-05-04 01:14  

#2  Yeah, but still, it is good to be proud of France again. I miss them.
Posted by: newc   2007-05-04 00:52  

#1  Let's hope Sarko wins. But to get France turned around will be as much challenge as pivoting an aircraft carrier on a dime.
Posted by: Woozle Elmeter2970   2007-05-04 00:43  

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