[Tobbin]

Originally posted by Moiraine: Yes Vicotnik, I hope that people posting here (I mean in this thread or other political threads, or threads about religions, or other 'touchy' stuff) will all keep strongly in mind cultural differences, both when they read a post, and when they voice an opinion. I didn't post much, partly also because I happen to be, alas, the only Frenchie on this Board, and I don't want you people starting thinking "All French think that ..." from what I say. Also, having Latin roots, I usually discuss politics with French people with much heat, in fact hot politics discussions are kind of a tradition in my family, but I will never do that here ! But I say again that I have found what Americans here had to say very interesting. Take Clinton, for example. Not knowing any American personnally, I had always wondered why the fact that he had cheated on his wife was considered so important for them. The post written by BK has given me a very interesting point of view, saying that the fact that he had cheated on his wife made him think that he was able to lie to everybody else, that that made him a man who could not be trusted. I think I can say rather safely that most French people have a more cynical view of politics : we think that one cannot succeed in becoming an important politic personnality without having lied and cheated. So when we learn that our President has cheated on his wife, we think that at least he has proven human in one part of his life, that it proves that he has not sacrificed all his life to the race for power. I know that this point of view is shared by many French people. Anyway, I have been very careful of the phrasing of my answer to BK, but even then, I hope I haven't piss him off, have I ?

To show the slight difference to what we are talking about, most of the foreign (compared from America) diplomats that are caught in compromising positions at least admit to them, though, do they not? I may be seeing this from a certain amount of propoganda, but we had a special about this very topic about a year ago, and it was stated that extra-marital affairs are somewhat the norm for the other nations of the world. Right or Wrong, cultural difference in my opinion. But as to of the consequences, at least the foreign officials tended to hold themselves with dignity and admit to the affairs. Some were even rather bold about it. To me, that is the difference that Clinton failed to see.


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