Politics | Nicolas Sarkozy 'Vive Sarko!' Say GOP Hopefuls French prez would be left of center in US, but Republican candidates are fans By Jonas Oransky Posted Sep 4, 2007 12:42 PM CDT Copied President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, talks to U.S. Senator and Republican candidate John McCain, right, during a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Thursday, July 5, 2007. Others are unidentified. (AP Photo/Patrick Kovarik, Pool) (Associated Press) See 1 more photo The American right may hate the French, but it loves Nicolas Sarkozy. Republican presidential hopefuls have put the Freedom Fries era behind them and embraced the rightish president, the AP reports—despite his occasional tough talk about the American system. Giuliani’s proud that Sarko's been dubbed “the French Rudy,” and Newt Gingrich praises “the boldest campaign in our lifetime.” Even Mitt Romney, the former missionary to France who uses the country as a generic socialist bogeyman, calls Sarko a “blood brother.” The Clinton campaign has had some fun with Mitt’s renversement: “Considering how often Governor Romney flip-flops," a spokesman said, "he'll be wearing a beret and eating baguettes on the Champs-Elysees next week." Read These Next A space capsule carrying ashes of 160 people crashed in the ocean. A lesson in minding your own business ... at 30,000 feet. The death toll in the Texas floods has risen to 27, including 9 kids. Desperate search for missing campers continues in Texas. See 1 more photo Report an error