I need clarification wrote:

That congressman couldn't give two fucks about the French one way or the other. The fact of the matter is one of his constituents got it in his head that Freedom Fries were some sort of witty political commentary, and he saw an opportunity to score some points. Short of marrying his own sister, the fastest way to show his voting base that he is "one of them" is to emulate one of their inane jokes. I'm sure this stunt was preceded by his stopping the diner that first sported Freedom Fries and saying "Haw haw haw! That's a great idea! I'm gonna take that back to Capitol Hill with me!"

Now he gets some airtime out of the stunt, and some hick diner owner gets to tell the same boring story over and over about the time the congressman ate at his restaurant and used his joke back in Washington.