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Home Front: Politix
John Kerry refuses to speak French at news conference
2013-02-11
[BBC.CO.UK] John Kerry has prompted a Gallic shrug by refusing to speak French at his maiden news conference as US Secretary of State.

Asked to answer a question with a "bit of French please", he said: "Not today. I got to refresh myself on that."

The response surprised some in the francophone world as Mr Kerry attended a Swiss boarding school and is known to speak the language well.

He was speaking after meeting his Canadian counterpart in Washington.

Mr Kerry's knowledge of French prompted scorn from the right-wing US press during his unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 2004, due to the souring of US-French ties over the war in Iraq.

Since then, he has played down his language proficiency, bolstered during childhood summers spent at his mother's family estate in Brittany.
Posted by:Fred

#8  LOL Snowman, that was mean.
Posted by: Shipman   2013-02-11 16:57  

#7  How droll. The American Phillipe Petain.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2013-02-11 16:43  

#6  Boy, those French: they have a different word for everything!


/Steve Martin
Posted by: Frank G   2013-02-11 14:56  

#5  Aidez-nous John Kerry, nous somee restes coinces dans Irak!

Ou est les VC?
Posted by: swksvolFF   2013-02-11 14:08  

#4  Asked to answer a question with a "bit of French please", he said: "Not today. I got to refresh myself on that." There's always Rosetta Stone for a refresher. In the meantime, a suggestion:

Je me contrefous de ce que tu penses! Tu es con a bouffer de la bite!
Posted by: JohnQC   2013-02-11 13:50  

#3  "J'ai l'air d'un gars intelligent, mais je suis vraiment un idiot du village perdu."

Finally, an honest comment by John Kerry.
Posted by: Winky Thaitch5539   2013-02-11 13:06  

#2  "bit of French please"

L'évasion fiscale?
Posted by: Pappy   2013-02-11 12:40  

#1  Awwwww, not even one French expression wid a John Wayne-ish "Pilgrim" at the end???

D *** NG IT - YA SEE, VIRGINA, THIS IS WHY UNCLE HUGO WEARS A RED BERET, NOT A BLUE ONE!
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2013-02-11 00:36  

00:00