U.S. Primaries: Romney’s Worst Fault? He Speaks French!

Published in Le Monde
(France) on 13 January 2012
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Kathleen McClure. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
The day after Mitt Romney’s big victory in New Hampshire, the camp of his rival, Newt Gingrich, refined its arguments against Romney in anticipation of the South Carolina primary.

After having attacked his past as a buyer and seller of businesses, the former Speaker of the House urged the voters of this Confederate and traditionally conservative state Thursday to scoff at him. "I don't believe any moderate can debate Barack Obama successfully because there is not a big enough gap between the two of them," Gingrich said during a public meeting at Rock Hill in front of about 250 partisans. "If you are going to defeat Barack Obama, you are only going to defeat him with a conservative."

“What’s the only thing worse for a Republican than being called a moderate?” asks The Daily Beast, who put online the latest clip posted my Gingrich’s campaign team. “Being accused of speaking French,” responds the American site. In a video entitled “French Connection,” which assures that Romney “the moderate...will say anything to win,” the former governor of Massachusetts is compared to Democrat John Kerry, who, like him, speaks French. The American paper called it a "baffling" clip.

By winning in Iowa and New Hampshire, the two first stages in the process of appointing a Republican candidate for the presidential election on Nov. 6, Mitt Romney has reinforced his status of favorite; a victory in South Carolina would place him in an ideal position for the nomination.

Newt Gingrich, arriving in fourth place in the New Hampshire with less than 10 percent of the vote, is currently in second place in the polls in South Carolina behind the ex-governor of Massachusetts, who is taking advantage of the division within the conservative camp.

“I believe I am the only conservative who has the capacity to unify the conservative movement,” insisted Gingrich, alluding to his rivals Rick Santorum and Rick Perry, who are fighting him for the position of champion of the Grand Old Party’s right wing. And because of that, no argument seems to scare him.

Romney doesn’t need to worry. He can count on major supporters like John McCain — who is not very sure anymore, however, whether he supports Obama or Romney...


Au lendemain de la large victoire de Mitt Romney dans le New Hampshire, le camp de son rival Newt Gingrich affûte ses arguments contre Mitt Romney en prévision de la primaire en Caroline du Sud.

Après s'en être pris à son passé de repreneur d'entreprises, l'ancien président de la Chambre des représentants a exhorté jeudi les électeurs de cet Etat sudiste traditionnellement conservateur à se rallier à lui. "Je ne crois pas qu'un modéré puisse affronter Barack Obama avec succès car il n'y aurait pas assez d'écart entre eux, a estimé Newt Gingrich lors d'une réunion publique à Rock Hill, devant quelque 250 partisans. Le seul moyen de battre Barack Obama est de le battre avec un conservateur."

"Mais quoi de pire pour un républicain que d'être comparé à un modéré ?", s'interroge The Daily Beast, qui met en ligne le dernier clip posté par l'équipe de campagne de Gingrich. "Etre accusé de parler français", répond le site américain.

Dans une vidéo, intitulée French connection, qui assure que Romney "le modéré" "dirait n'importe quoi pour gagner", l'ancien gouverneur du Massachusetts est comparé au démocrate John Kerry, qui comme lui parle français. Un clip "déroutant", selon le quotidien américain.

En remportant dans l'Iowa et le New Hampshire les deux premières étapes du processus de désignation du candidat républicain à la présidentielle du 6 novembre, Mitt Romney a conforté son statut de favori, et une victoire en Caroline du Sud le placerait en position idéale pour la nomination.

Newt Gingrich, arrivé en quatrième position dans le New Hampshire avec moins de 10 % des voix, est crédité de la deuxième place dans les sondages en Caroline du Sud derrière l'ex-gouverneur du Massachusetts, qui profite de la division du camp conservateur.
"Je crois que je suis le seul capable d'unir le mouvement conservateur", a insisté Newt Gingrich, allusion à ses rivaux Rick Santorum et Rick Perry, qui lui disputent la place de champion de l'aile droite du Grand Old Party. Et pour cela, aucun argument ne semble lui faire peur.

Romney n'a pas à s'en faire. Il peut compter sur des soutiens de poids comme John McCain, qui ne sait plus très bien toutefois s'il soutient Obama ou Romney…
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