Jerome I've read that paragraph three times (the whole paragraph, not just the out of context sentence you present) and I still don't see how you got anti-intellectual propaganda out of it.  

Of course it's flattering to France.  Indirectly? Sure. It also indirectly slams America for her bad behaviour to the French since 9/11.  Because the last time anyone in France said anything about being American (We are all Americans now) America slammed the door in her face and idiots in the American government did rude things like rename French Fries "Freedom Fries".

Garrison Keillor has a sophisticated audience despite his folksy style.  His listeners and readers know this.

The best evidence for his statement that we won the jackpot is that someone representing France said such a nice thing despite the atrocious way we treated France the last time they said something similar.

At least that's how I read it the first time and how I still read it.