French President Sarkozy Lavishes Praise On Obama

Paris, France (AHN) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy heaped praised for Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) during a press conference on Friday after meeting privately with the U.S. presidential candidate.

"The French have been following with passion the election campaign in the United States... Barack Obama's America is an adventure rings true in the hearts" of the French," Sarkozy is quoted by ABC as saying.

The French president also recalled his first meeting with Obama, during a 2006 visit to Washington where he also met Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). He earlier said in a interview with Le Figaro, "Obama? He's my pal...Unlike my diplomatic advisers, I never believed in Hillary Clinton's chances. I always said that Obama would be nominated."

Obama arrived in France Friday afternoon. He immediately proceeded to the Elysee Palace in Paris, where Sarkozy met him at the doorway and where hundreds of people gathered in the street to see the American who drew a crowd of 200,000 in a speech in Berlin.

The freshman senator requited Sarkozy's compliments during the joint presser, calling the Frenchman "a rockstar" and saying, "I can't imagine somebody who better captures the enthusiasm and energy of France than your president," according to Politico.

Obama also tried addressing criticisms that his international tour seems to much like that of an elected president's. The New York Times quotes him as responding to a question about American policies in Europe by saying, "Let me just remind everyone that I'm not the president. I'm a United States Senator. I'm a candidate for president... There's a wonderful tradition that's not always observed, but I think it's a good one. You don't spend time criticizing a president of the United States when you are overseas."

Obama will fly to Britain late Friday. He is scheduled to meet with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, opposition leader David Cameron and British former Prime Minister Tony Blair in London on Saturday before flying home to Chicago.