American Hang-Ups

I find it fascinating how often I find cartoons and pictures from American (US) sources depicting Obama as a Frenchman (that is, as someone wearing a beret, holding a baguette, sporting a moustache and often a ciggie hanging from the lips - the Frenchman one only sees in American films and indeed, cartoons - a vicious circle). 

Looking into the matter, it seems that many Americans believe the French to be: rude, cowards, communists, un-democratic (meaning not respecting religious freedom), dirty and lazy (Google "American stereotypes Frenchmen" for lots more).
And obviously, keeping the above in mind, you can't insult your president better than by portraying him with a beret as a Frenchman. 

Reversing the search, the results are not overly positive either: dumb, insular, naive, overly religious, intolerant, loud, arrogant... and not many berets (and the last one, I take as a good measurement of a people).