Video- President Obama and President Sarkozy at the White House

Complete Video- Obama, Sarkozy, and Brown on Iranian Nuclear Facility

Stern looks.

French President Sarkozy hospitalized

Good thoughts.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been taken to hospital after becoming ill while exercising, his office said.

The 54-year-old president, elected in 2007, began "feeling faint" while playing sports.

"He was immediately seen to by his doctor. He is currently undergoing extra examinations," his office said.

The incident happened at his weekend retreat near Versailles, outside Paris, AFP news agency reported. Elysee Palace had no further official information.

AFP also reported that he was taken to a military hospital.

Video- Scenes from the G8

Obamas turn down dinner with Sarkozys

Heh, the French are making it sound more like Sarkozy is a dick than Obama snubbed them.

PARIS, June 4 (UPI) -- U.S. President Obama has turned down a dinner invitation from French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris, and French media are calling it a snub.

Obama and his wife, Michelle, plan to spend Friday night at the U.S. Embassy in Paris after a day in Germany, The Times of London reported. On Saturday, they will participate in ceremonies in Normandy marking the 65th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.

(snip)

French newspapers and comedians have chosen to take Obama's refusal of dinner as a snub coming on top of Sarkozy's snub of Queen Elizabeth II, the only living head of state to have served in the military in World War II. In a last-minute face-saver, Prince Charles has agreed to join Obama and Sarkozy in Normandy.

"Sarkozy has pulled off a double hit: insulting Queen Elizabeth and exasperating Obama," the satirical weekly Canard Enchaine said on Wednesday.

Raw Video: Obamas Greeted by President Sarkozy

Source: Obama Plays Peacemaker in French-Chinese Smackdown Over Tax Havens

By GottaLaff

What a Communist peace-making hippie:

According to a source inside the room, President Obama just played peacemaker in a spat between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China.

Sarkozy and Hu were having a heated disagreement about tax havens. France and other European nations have been pushing for rules and regulations to apply to various tax havens; Germany's Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck has said "these tax havens are also places where unregulated financial market deals are made."

But Chinese leaders fear a crackdown would hurt banking centers in Macao and Hong Kong.

The exchange between Sarkozy and Hu got so heated, the source says, it was threatening the unity of the G-20 leaders' meeting.

But Mr. Obama, according to this account, stepped between the two men, urging them to try to find consensus, and giving them a "pep talk" about the importance of working together.

Sarkozy brokers plan between Israel/Palestine

Just announced on MSNBC, they called it a "plan", didn't come out and call it a ceasefire. Who's making fun of the French now? More details when I get it.

Update-

JERUSALEM - A government spokesman says Israel "welcomes" a proposal from France and Egypt to end fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Mark Regev says Israel could accept the proposal if it halts "hostile fire" from Gaza and includes measures to prevent Hamas from rearming.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Wednesday that Israel and the Palestinian Authority accepted the proposal. Israeli officials will not confirm that.

The precise details of the proposal remain unclear.

Everyone Loves Obama

And you thought Obamania was bad before the election? Via Ben.

Those mysterious, Obama-esque images of Nicolas Sarkozy popping up around Paris have been explained: It's a Greenpeace campaign.

The latest, which come in the form of giant posters in the Metro, call for the reduction of greenhouse gases by 30%.

Putin: “I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls"

By GottaLaff

The Chimpenfuhrer's legacy, Sarkozy/Putin edition:

With Russian tanks only 30 miles from Tbilisi on August 12, Mr Sarkozy told Mr Putin that the world would not accept the overthrow of Georgia’s Government. According to Mr Levitte, the Russian seemed unconcerned by international reaction. “I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls,” Mr Putin declared.

Mr Sarkozy thought he had misheard. “Hang him?” — he asked. “Why not?” Mr Putin replied. “The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein.”

Mr Sarkozy, using the familiar tu, tried to reason with him: “Yes but do you want to end up like [President] Bush?” Mr Putin was briefly lost for words, then said: “Ah — you have scored a point there.”

An historic moment: Bush (inadvertently) prevented the torture of another human being.

H/t: Bucky

Quote-O'-The-Day: Monsieur Sarkozy et Monsieur Obama edition

By GottaLaff

"Obviously one is interested in a candidate looking towards the future rather than the past."

-- French President Nicolas Sarkozy, quoted by ABC News, all but endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president.

Merci, et a bientot.