Look at

Kerry Speaks French
But does anyone know what he said?
By Chris Suellentrop
Posted Monday, Oct. 18, 2004, at 8:47 PM PT


ORLANDO—Let's see: Your opponent is characterizing you as an effete internationalist willing to "turn America's national security decisions over to international bodies or leaders of other countries." In particular, he suggests, in all seriousness, that you want to call up Jacques Chirac for permission before deploying the military. At the Republican National Convention, you were portrayed as a beret-wearing poodle named "Fifi Kerry." How should you defend yourself against these slanders?

By speaking French on the stump, of course. Click here to hear John Kerry's foray into the language of Paris during a Monday rally here. I wasn't watching Kerry on stage when he made his remarks, but from the context he appears to have seen someone from Haiti and decided to acknowledge the person in his or her native tongue.

What does Kerry say? My knowledge of French is limited to the lyrics to "Lady Marmalade," so I consulted my friend John Wilkerson, a Washington journalist and French speaker. He translates the first part as, "You're Haitain? OK," but says the rest sounded like gibberish. "I think at that point he was just a character on Saturday Night Live," Wilkerson says.

Look at http://slate.msn.com/id/2108379/

i really didn't understand anything he said. neither the english nor the french sentences. i think i have to blame the bad sound quality. i studied french for 5 years so i should be able to understand at least smalltalk..

Look at http://www.dailyrecycler.com/blog/2004/10/f-is-for-frog.html

ok.. he says: "vous ętes d'haiti?" (you're from haiti?) in a horrible pronounciation.
the rest is gibberish.