The Spin Has Begun

Online at Spiegel:

The election marks a clear shift to the right in the country. But while Sarkozy likes to present himself as a unifier, the radical political and moral cure he wants to prescribe could instead trigger deep social conflicts in French society.

By modern standards, a 6% margin is immense, and yet they’re already starting with the “divider” routine that they wouldn’t dare mention had the left gotten %50.1 of the vote.

Elsewhere “the critics” think politics is, naturally, about their criticism. NYT starts by trying to script your point of reference: make Sarko quilty in the court of the ether, and expect him to make up for it somehow.

“Sarkozy Wins the Chance to Prove His Critics Wrong”

Arrogant, brutal, an authoritarian demagogue, a “perfect Iago”: the president-elect of France has been called a lot of unpleasant things in recent months and now has five years to prove his critics wrong.

That’s neither a reflection of opinion nor an analysis. Its’ intent is to eclipse any discussion of what the French were looking for in economic, social, and international policy. Sure sounds like they’re giving him a chance, doesn’t it?

I wonder though. Don’t the critics need to somehow prove themselves right?