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CNN Live At Daybreak

France Particularly Critical of U.S. Push for Attack on Iraq

Aired February 19, 2003 - 05:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: America's image is taking a beating around the world, as anti-war voices grow louder. Long time U.S. ally France is particularly critical of the U.S. push for an attack on Iraq.
Our Serena Altschul has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SERENA ALTSCHUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Bush on a stick? President Adolph? What's going on here? This is France, America's oldest ally. They even share a famous lady. But it's true that snubbing their noses at the unsophisticated Americans has always been a favorite national pastime. For many French, U.S. culture is not much more than le mec do (ph) or le coca (ph). You didn't expect her or him to buy into it, did you?

And by the way, they're not fond of being made fun of, says this security guard.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Always the same stereotype, French, froggies, they smell bad, they are not clean.

ALTSCHUL: Having said that, most French people, at least publicly, told us they like America.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a lot of American friends and I really like the people.

ALTSCHUL: And U.S. culture.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love American movies, you know?

ALTSCHUL: Yet take a look at these recently published books -- "The Anti-American Obsession," "After The Empire," "The American Enemy." Get the picture? Many resent what they call the American Rambo mentality.

NOEL NAMERE, FRENCH CONGRESSMAN: You are the first country in the world. You are the strongest, the strongest in military terms. You are the strongest in economic terms. You are the strongest in export terms. But you cannot impose your point of view and your way of life at all the world.

ALTSCHUL: But this French congressman is not referring to you there at home. Right now, there's only one American the French really love to hate. It's him, depicted here on the French TV network Canal Plus.

(VIDEO CLIP FROM CANAL PLUS)

NAMERE: I think that the Bush administration and his domestic policy and foreign policy are very dangerous for the American people and for the world.

ALTSCHUL (on camera): Is there anything that you like about President Bush?

NAMERE: Nothing.

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe.

ALTSCHUL (voice-over): Of course, the latest wave of anti- Frenchism in the U.S., well publicized here, hasn't helped much. But many French think it's nothing more than good old bickering.

CHRISTIAN MALARD, FRENCH JOURNALIST: It's not a story about old Europe, it's an old couple, Franco-American couple with ups and downs. Right now it's downs, but I'm convinced that in the coming future, we'll be in the ups again and that all this will belong to the past, believe me.

ALTSCHUL: An verabien (ph). As they say here, only time will tell.

Serena Altschul, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And stay tuned. Our State Department producer Elise Labott will join us for a wake up call in the 6:00 hour for more global reaction on all of this.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Iraq>


Aired February 19, 2003 - 05:52   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: America's image is taking a beating around the world, as anti-war voices grow louder. Long time U.S. ally France is particularly critical of the U.S. push for an attack on Iraq.
Our Serena Altschul has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SERENA ALTSCHUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Bush on a stick? President Adolph? What's going on here? This is France, America's oldest ally. They even share a famous lady. But it's true that snubbing their noses at the unsophisticated Americans has always been a favorite national pastime. For many French, U.S. culture is not much more than le mec do (ph) or le coca (ph). You didn't expect her or him to buy into it, did you?

And by the way, they're not fond of being made fun of, says this security guard.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Always the same stereotype, French, froggies, they smell bad, they are not clean.

ALTSCHUL: Having said that, most French people, at least publicly, told us they like America.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a lot of American friends and I really like the people.

ALTSCHUL: And U.S. culture.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love American movies, you know?

ALTSCHUL: Yet take a look at these recently published books -- "The Anti-American Obsession," "After The Empire," "The American Enemy." Get the picture? Many resent what they call the American Rambo mentality.

NOEL NAMERE, FRENCH CONGRESSMAN: You are the first country in the world. You are the strongest, the strongest in military terms. You are the strongest in economic terms. You are the strongest in export terms. But you cannot impose your point of view and your way of life at all the world.

ALTSCHUL: But this French congressman is not referring to you there at home. Right now, there's only one American the French really love to hate. It's him, depicted here on the French TV network Canal Plus.

(VIDEO CLIP FROM CANAL PLUS)

NAMERE: I think that the Bush administration and his domestic policy and foreign policy are very dangerous for the American people and for the world.

ALTSCHUL (on camera): Is there anything that you like about President Bush?

NAMERE: Nothing.

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe.

ALTSCHUL (voice-over): Of course, the latest wave of anti- Frenchism in the U.S., well publicized here, hasn't helped much. But many French think it's nothing more than good old bickering.

CHRISTIAN MALARD, FRENCH JOURNALIST: It's not a story about old Europe, it's an old couple, Franco-American couple with ups and downs. Right now it's downs, but I'm convinced that in the coming future, we'll be in the ups again and that all this will belong to the past, believe me.

ALTSCHUL: An verabien (ph). As they say here, only time will tell.

Serena Altschul, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And stay tuned. Our State Department producer Elise Labott will join us for a wake up call in the 6:00 hour for more global reaction on all of this.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Iraq>