A bomb scare near the White House on Tuesday delayed a speech by Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s interior minister, but only served to strengthen his personal pro-American, pro-Israel message while burnishing his presidential credentials overseas.

However, like David Cameron, leader of Britain’s opposition Conservatives in an address in London a day earlierMr Sarkozy was clearly looking towards the post-Bush era, directing his enthusiasm at the American nation and not its current administration.