Francois Hollande Headed for State Visit to US

First state visit by a French president since 1996

For a down-on-his-luck leader such as François Hollande, this week's state visit to the US - the first by a French president since 1996 - is just what the spin doctor ordered at a time when Hollande's approval rating has sunk to a new historic low.

Foreign leaders have long been known to lobby hard for the honour of a US state visit and a chance for some of that Obama stardust to rub off.

But that was when Obama had stardust to spare.