Sarkozy vs Obama

A very insightful analysis from Arthur Goldhammer. The money quote:

Sarkozy may think of himself as an outsider in French politics and bear resentment against the establishment, while Obama, though in obvious ways even more of an outsider, also made his way through elite schools and has never posed as an anti-elitist. He nevertheless enjoys the robust support of minorities, the real outsiders in American society, whereas Sarkozy has made a career of provoking their opposition.

Both are politicians with foreign sounding names and a history of parental immigration. But it is interesting that the one who spent his career complaining about the establishment received wide establishment backing and alienated minorities while the one who was comfortable in his role as an elite (although never phrased this way, of course) received wide support from minorities and the poor.