Earnest: Jeb ‘jealous’ of French lifestyle
White House press secretary Josh Earnest on Thursday had a little fun with a French reporter who asked him about former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s jab at her home nation.
The Republican presidential candidate’s comments about the “French work week” have stirred a major controversy in France, and Laurence Haïm, a reporter for France’s Canal+, asked Earnest whether President Obama is a fan of the French lifestyle.
{mosads}“Oh, you guys are so sensitive,” Earnest said. “I’ll bet you Gov. Bush is just jealous.”
The White House briefing room erupted in laughter at Earnest’s response.
Earnest said he has not spoken to Obama about the French work week, but he said “it certainly seems to be a quality of life that many French people have embraced, as they should.”
During Wednesday night’s Republican primary debate, Bush attacked his one-time political ally Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for missing votes in the Senate while campaigning for president.
“You should be showing up to work,” Bush told Rubio. “I mean, literally, the Senate — what is it, like a French work week? You get, like, three days where you have to show up?”
Rubio nimbly brushed aside Bush’s criticism, but many in France took offense.
“The French work an average of 39,6 hours a week compared to 39,2 for the Germans,” French ambassador to the United States Gérard Araud tweeted during the debate. “In any country, electoral campaigns offer the opportuniity [sic] for a lot of bombastic nonsense. Let’s be indulgent.”
Araud rejected Bush’s claim that the French work only three days a week and claimed worker productivity is on par with America’s.
“A French work week of 3 days? No but a pregnancy paid leave of 16 weeks yes! And proud of it,” he tweeted.
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