What’s the difference between a Barack Obama event in the United States and one in France?
The president and Mrs. Obama arrived in Strasbourg, France Tuesday morning, headed toward a NATO summit.
But the highlight on his schedule Thursday was a U.S.-style town  hall meeting with Obama.
It has all the feel of a U.S. campaign event, with heavy security outside, a stage in the middle inside and a podium set up with teleprompter for Obama’s opening remarks before he starts taking questions.
But there are two big differences as more than 1,000 people started arriving at the gym-like hall.
First, the introduction was in French. That wouldn’t work in Iowa.
Second, there’s no blaring rock music to pump up the crowd. Instead, there’s a sole woman playing a folk guitar and singing songs. Nobody looks very pumped up yet.
But that will surely change the moment Obama walks in. Earlier, he was greeted with cheers and waves when he and Mrs. Obama were welcomed to France and greeted outside the Palais Rohan by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Sarkozy.