Le bromance breaks out at Biden-macron state visit
Washington: Between the hugs, hand clasps, compliments and musings over love, it’s safe to say that Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron cemented le bromance.
This was a state visit with all the pomp and ceremony that the White House can muster.
Soldiers, airmen, more soldiers but wearing 18th century uniforms, complicated exchanges of presidential gifts, red carpets, and 200 live lobsters making the voyage from Maine to be eaten at a sumptuous dinner – they all played their roles.
But at the heart of the diplomatic razzmatazz were just two men in dark suits: 80-year-old Biden and his French guest, 44-year-old Macron.
And the clear verdict after hours together, including nearly two hours sitting by the cosy fireplace in the Oval Office, was that this duo really appreciate each other. First, the body language. Presidential handshakes in front of the media at the start of summits are a staple of news photography – the “grip-and-grin” shot.
And Biden made clear that his admiration goes well beyond the personal, saying “Emmanuel is not just the leader of France – he’s one of the leaders of Europe”. Macron, he said, is “very, very commanding in Europe”.
Not to be outdone, Macron took a compliment from the elder US statesman and batted it right back.
“Dear Joe, you elegantly thanked France for the role we played in the historical agreement between Israel and Lebanon,” Macron said, referring to a recent deal to demarcate the sea border between the two countries.
“Let me be honest: I think most of the work was yours.”
But Biden batted the same compliment back yet again.
“Well, thank you Emmanuel. I began to refer to you in private as my ‘closer,’ of that deal with Lebanon and Israel. We did negotiate, but we needed a closer to get the job done, and you did it.”
Meanwhile, Macron criticised Twitter’s new boss Elon Musk, saying the entrepreneur was wrong to drop the fight against Covid disinformation as he slashes back content moderation on the platform.
With his country facing a fresh surge in coronavirus infections, Macron said the subject of misleading Covid information should be addressed head-on, not swept under the rug.