Ich Bin Ein Polyglott (John Kerry)

It was of course the key question of his Paris trip – failing revealing what Americans actually think about the French war in Mali or what they intend to do in Syria. New American Secretary of State John Kerry unveiled Wednesday that he spoke French “beautifully” and well (or almost-perfect; each person will judge).

Since his unfortunate 2004 presidential campaign where Bush’s entourage went as far to reproach his “French airs,” Kerry scrupulously maintained speaking French, at least in public and in the presence of cameras. To appreciate his grand entrance on the Francophone scene you can watch it here.

Also in the beginning of February, receiving his Canadian counterpart in Washington, Kerry had refused the question of a journalist who asked him for “a little French.” He pretended then a need to “refresh” his mastery of the language.

As French diplomats themselves emphasize, the French would have had otherwise been wrong to wait too long for John Kerry’s new-found Francophilie/Francophonie [spirit]. Even more… that he had achieved the same coup the other day in Berlin, digging up several German phrases (but we can rest assured that these all the same came off more rudimentary than his French).

John Kerry’s German can be listened to here (the comments are worth their weight in sauerkraut). Some of them already compare these efforts to JFK’s famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” (written Ish bin ein Bearleener to pronounce it easily).