French elections, and one from Bill Maher.

The French had their 2nd round presidential election on Sunday, choosing the centre-right candidate Nicolas Sarkozy over the Socialist Segolene Royal by a margin of 53% to 47 (roughly 2 million vote difference). Bill Maher had this to say in critique of undeserved American critique of France (hat tip to Thomas):

New Rule: Conservatives have to stop rolling their eyes every time they hear the word "France". Like just calling something French is the ultimate argument winner. As if to say, "Heh heh, what can you say about a country that was too stupid to get on board with our wonderfully conceived and brilliantly executed war in Iraq?" And yet, an American politician could not survive if he uttered the simple, true statement: "France has a better health care system than we do, and we should steal it." Because here, simply dismissing an idea as French passes for an argument. John Kerry? "Heh, couldn't vote for him, because he looked French." Yeah, as opposed to the other guy who just looked stupid.

Last week, France had an election and people over there approach an election differently. They vote. 85% of them turned out. You couldn't get 85% of Americans to get off the couch if there was an election between tits and bigger tits and they were handing out free samples.

Now, maybe the high turnout has something to do with the fact that the French candidates are never asked where they stand on evolution, prayer in school, abortions, stem cell research or gay marraige. If the candidate knows about a character in a book other than Jesus, it's not a drawback.

The electorate doesn't vote for the guy they want to have a croissant with, nor do they care about private lives. In the current race, Ségolène Royal has four kids but she never got married. And she's a Socialist. In America, if a Democrat even thinks you're calling him liberal, he grabs an orange vest and a rifle and heads into the woods to kill something.

Madame Royal's opponent is married but they live apart and lead separate lives and the people are okay with that for the same reason they're okay with nude beaches. They're not a nation of 6-year-olds who scream and giggle if they see pee-pee parts.

They have weird ideas about privacy; they think it should be private. In France, even the mistresses have mistresses. To not have a lady on the side says to the voters, "I'm no good at multi-tasking."

Now, like any country, France has its faults, like all that ridiculous accordian music. But, their health care is the best in the industrialized world, as is their poverty rate. They're completely independent of Mideast oil. They're the greenest country. They're not fat. They have public intellectuals in France; we have Dr. Phil. They invented sex during the day, lingerie and the tongue. Can't we admit we can learn something from them?

So, from now on, all of you high-ranking Bush administration officials: because the French are righter than you on most things, when France comes up in conversation, you are not allowed to roll your eyes. The only time you get to do that is when your hooker from Ms. Juliet is blowing you.

I'm with him.