All Fraternité for Sarkozy At a Cozy White House Fete

Yeah, uh, contraire, frere. This clinchy White House doesn't cooperate with the free-ranging dinner party reportage of yore. We go now to the pool reports, and the Associated Press: Once the guests were all in, the president offered a toast to Sarkozy in French. For his part, Sarkozy kept his aim true: "I've come to Washington to bear a very simple, straightforward message," he said. "I wish to reconquer the heart of America. I want to reconquer the heart of America in a lasting fashion."

We can tell you what was served, and what the first lady wore, because that's what we do at these things, roped off as we are like beef on the hoof . Dinner, according to the menu, was a Maine lobster bisque soup, followed by lamb (with an heirloom tomato fondue, a ragout of green beans, chanterelles and carmelized shallots, and a sweet potato casserole), served with a 2004 Hyde de Villaine Chardonnay, from a French- and American-owned vineyard in Napa Valley. Laura Bush wore a midnight blue Oscar de la Renta gown, with Sarkozy seated at her side.

What we're less sure about is exactly why he's in Washington, other than to make Republicans swoon. Sarkozy and Bush will visit Mount Vernon today for photo ops and are expected to chat about mutual views (some more mutual than others), on such subjects as Iran's nuclear activities, Kosovo's independence from Serbia, climate change, global trade, maybe even getting France more involved with NATO.

Last night's guests seemed aware of the Sarkozy basics, having mostly just read about him in a clip file that has grown more entertaining since his election in May. We know about his good moods, his bad moods, his JFK-philia, his divorce three weeks ago from the uncooperative Cecilia, his conservative cuddliness, his un-French fondness for jogging. We've looked at his vacation snaps (shirtless in the canoe in New Hampshire, wifeless at Kennebunkport) and even the testy video clips of him cutting short an interview on "60 Minutes" last week . For certain Americans, Sarkozy is adorable-French, instead of, you know, ugh-French.

After dinner, guests moved to the East Room for a little acting out of old times -- two performers in the role of Washington and Lafayette. Sounds a little like dinner theater, or some ladies' luncheon entertainment we've sat through (like, when a historical figure comes in and starts talking to the audience?). But that part was reportedly short, followed by a performance of the Army Chorus. Guests were given souvenir Lafayette pins, and the president said they could stay and dance "if you wish."

France and the United States are now what-n'-what together, BFFs, so tight, like this.