Its all very interesting, for me the ability to speak French would mean the ability to communicate more effectively with nationals of several European countries, several African countries, several Island nations and Canada. Rather than meaning a person would have some kind of elitist attitude or affinity with another country's foreign policy.

We suffer some anti-intellectual attitudes here politicians are expected to have the common touch. Personally I think we should have the best academics and business leaders in our government but we seem to resent paying politicians the kind of money that would attract the best. So as one would expect the have, mostly, got monkeys because we are paying peanuts.