What a difference four years make

French President Jacques Chirac today awarded Clint Eastwood (yes, that Clint Eastwood) a Knighthood in the distinguished Legion de Honour today. The Legion was created by Napoleon (yes, that Napoleon) in 1802 to recognize outstanding service to the French Republic. The Legionnaire need not be a French citizen. In fact, other distinguished Americans having received the award include Jerry Lewis (yes, that Jerry Lewis) and others that I don’t care enough about to look up.

I don’t much mind Mr. Eastwood, although his progressive pussification (see high water mark re:  Bridges of Madison County) has denigrated him somewhat on my scorecard. As for the award, good for him. Nice to have an American not burned in effigy in Europe these days. I do, however, have one point.

Mr. Eastwood would not have had the stones to accept this award four years ago had it been offered. Oh yes, four years ago. Georgie was trying to muster up support for the invasion of Iraq, and France and Germany weren’t playing along. Remember Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast? By the way, if you ever ordered either of these by name, please make sure the shotgun is placed at a 35 degree angle underneath your chin before pulling the trigger. Back on topic. The American proletariat was making a sport of hating the French. Can you imagine what a career suicide it would have been for tough-guy Clint to be shown on TV back then getting kissed on both cheeks by a Froggy?