Erwan is angry

• 19 November 2008 at 15:02
• Tombé pour la France, Politik Pop

Erwan is revolted.

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Quote of the day

• 18 November 2008 at 16:37
• Tombé pour la France, Politik Pop, Quote of the day

My clumsy translation for Ségolène Royal's clumsy words:

Talking of honour, Ségolène Royal attempted to defend Georges Frêche's, excluded from the Socialist Party (...) after controversial words on harkis, that he had called «inferior men».

«There has been a lot of unfairness towards Georges Frêche», Ségolène Royal said on France Inter (French radio), highlighting he had been cleared by «a justice court's decision». «He's an important politician, he's a mayor who transformed Montpellier (town in the South of France), he's cultured, he's clever», she added. Obviously, he said «clumsy words but if you had to exclude from the Party everyone who has been clumsy, especially on the candidate for the presidential election (herself, last year), much more blameworthy (...), well there would be a lot of people to exclude», Royal said. But «I don't want to exclude, I want to unite».

A deux jours du vote, le PS en ébullition [Libération]

Is she saying that saying racist words is not important but criticising her when she's a presidential candidate is?! I hope she's just been "clumsy" again...

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Go gay!

• 17 November 2008 at 18:31
• Politik Pop

An idea for a funny ad from Gay Times, born from a concept that plays with the stereotype that gays would want to "convert straight men" (or even make it universal).

Image credits: Gay Times

Via Matoo.

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Ségolène, candidate for-e-ver

• 16 November 2008 at 18:08
• Tombé pour la France, Politik Pop

Oh, I didn't see that cover of french satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.

Image credits: Riss for Charlie Hebdo

This drawing refer first of all to Ségolène Royal's candidacy for the job of leader of the Socialist Party, which is in a good way after her short but clear victory last week, but also to the rally she organised in Paris and where she insistingly repeated the word Fra-ter-ni-té (brotherhood).

You have to admit the people at Charlie Hebdo are very funny.

The Congress of Reims has been a series of conflicts among the socialists, particularly because of the refusal of many high-ranking members to rally Ségolène Royal. The only one who has been clever enough to admit his defeat and humble enough not to struggle for the competition in the end, is Bertrand Delanoë, who conceded. Martine Aubry and Benoît Hamon are still in the game, the first one thinking she's the only one who can unify the party, the second one thinking he's the only one who can renew it, both of them thinking they can beat Royal. This split is good news for Royal, who coould then be the presidential candidate in 2012.

2012... Beating Sarkozy at the presidential election will not be easy. Everybody knows the President is very skilled. His action as president of the European Union and his behaviour regarding the crisis are increasing his poll ratings big time. I read somewhere, I don't remember where, that some socialists were already pessimistic for the next presidential election and would let Ségolène Royal be the "sacrificial lamb"...

Anyway, nothing is decided yet.

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Hillary Secretary of State?

• 15 November 2008 at 14:04
• Politik Pop, U.S. '08

Image credits: AFP

Obama offered the job of Secretary of State to Hillary Clinton. This information surprised more than one but it seems to get popular... However, even though I'm a big fan of the Senator of New York, I'm not thrilled. Indeed, Obama won against Hillary in the democratic primaries for two reasons.

• First of all, Obama pledged for change. The change of Washington and its corrupt system, the change of politics themselves, the change of generation, and stuff. It was a very strong argument against Hillary who was perceived as a hypocrite by the opinion and she came from the Clinton era. For now, Obama recruited many clintonites. "Change We Can Believe In", we're still far from it...
• Then, the main disagreement between Hillary and Obama was the conception of foreign policy! Hillary was criticised for her vote on the Iraq war, Obama represented a redemption of the american people for opposing the war back in 2003. Hillary pledged for relaunching diplomatic ties with enemy countries, Obama wanted top-level meetings without preconditions. Also, Hillary threatened to "obliterate Iran" if this country attacked Israel, Obama said the United States could go and fight Al-Qaeda in Pakistan even if this country disagrees. Hillary had experience in the field, Obama had none, and that was his asset.

If this job matches Hillary's skills, it doesn't match her favourite field: health. Hillary Clinton has been the greatest activist for universal healthcare, we remember she tried to settle it when she was First Lady, but that she had failed. Also, Obama did not campaign for universal healthcare but lately, signs indicate he may do it. This is so confusing...

To finish, I invite you to read Slate's article imagining the ideal government for Obama.

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Obey is at it again... for LGBT people!

• 14 November 2008 at 16:12
• Politik Pop, U.S. '08

Obey, who designed the famous Obama poster, has just released a new one for gay marriage in California. This poster will be given away tomorrow at the nationwide protest in the US which should gather a lot of people.

Image credits: Obey Giant

I don't find it great though...

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W.

• 14 November 2008 at 13:24
• Music, cinema, TV, books..., Politik Pop, U.S. '08

Last Tuesday, I saw W. at the cinema with Ada and Peter.

Image credits: Lionsgate

I thought the film succeeded in its "documentary" goals in that it relates the story of the american president George W. Bush until the war on Iraq correctly, at least the way the world sees it: the story of a guy who doesn't have the intellectual abilities for his position, manipulated by his vice-president and who has got a tricky ambition of earning his family's approval, his father in particular.

Nevertheless, something was missing, I don't know what. I'm thinking this may be caused by the fact that I already knew what this movie would say, I didn't learn anything interesting. Had this movie been released 4 years later, maybe I would have had a different feeling, like "Wow, things were going so bad these days". Now, it's too fresh.

It's still a good movie though, but it's more like a testimony of one of the darkest times of american history, meant for future generations.

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Quote of the day

• 12 November 2008 at 20:56
• Politik Pop, U.S. '08, Quote of the day

I love Slate. I think it"s one of the best political magazines ever created.

Today, an article has been posted: which minority group will win the White House next? In the case of a gay candidate, they talk about the fact that younger generations are more tolerant of homosexuality and this is their advice:

We know what to do to improve a gay candidate's chances: murder an old person.

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Ségo comes out of the fridge...

• 11 November 2008 at 13:57
• Tombé pour la France, Politik Pop

Ségolène Royal will be a candidate for the position of leader of the Socialist Party.

I have to moderate what I was saying earlier, when I said I wanted her to win. Actually, I still support Benoît Hamon, it's just that it seems unlikely, his chances are unknown and we don't if other candidates may appear. A anti-Royal coalition would be a bad idea to me, because being against Royal is not a political orientation. If Ségolène Royal wins and manages to lead the party (like it took 2 years for Thatcher to become a credible opposition leader), that will be a good thing, but I frankly doubt Royal's skills (and then, Thatcher had a profile radically different from Royal's), I think she will fail in this position and will then be pushed out FOR GOOD, while still respecting her supporters. However, I remembered they kept supporting her despite her defeat at the presidential election and what she said about the minimum wage in France (she was pledging for a 1500 euros minimum wage during the presidential campaign and then blamed her defeat on it, saying the party forced her to include it in her programme, even though the French didn't believe in it according to her)... In the end, maybe her victory would not bring anything good...

Anyway, her candidacy is good news, because it clarifies things and gives the opportunity to beat her now. If Hamon finds himself the only one to face her, he can win.

Apart from that, I really liked some blog posts about it:

• L'inexorable ségolénisation du PS [Horizons]
• Ségolène sort du frigo : tout ça pour ça ! [Dedalus]

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