Sarkozy is too friendly for the Germans

 

This is not a shot from a romantic movie or a new Singin' in the Rain. It's a glimpse of the Franco-German couple in action and part of why Nicolas Sarkozy gets on Angela Merkel's nerves.

In the picture, the French President is giving the German Chancellor his usual warm embrace when he arrived in Berlin for one of their regular summits on Monday. Sarko is a physical guy. He comes in close. Grabs, hugs and back-slaps are his tools for connecting with people -- like Bill Clinton. Presidents Bush and Putin have both been subjected lately to the Sarko hand-pump with arm around the shoulders.

When you receive the Sarko treatment, you sense the desire to dominate as well as the friendliness. I experienced it backstage in a TV studio after interviewing him in May. The slight menace and Sarko's small stature inevitably bring Hollywood gangsters to mind. With women, there is a patronising side.

[Sarko welcomes yachtswoman Maude Fontenoy]

Merkel feels that Sarkozy has been pushing her around since he won the presidency in May and began trying to impose himself as boss of Europe. She has now had enough of his Tigger-like antics and her people are making it known that she resents the excessive greetings.

Le Parisien newspaper relayed the complaint today: "Angela Merkel, who is very reserved, does not greatly value the outpouring of affection from her French opposite number -- his way of kissing her on every meeting and touching her and handling her shoulders in front of the cameras."

The Germans might normally accept the Sarko style as Gallic warmth, but they see it as part of a power game in which the French president is breaking the rules of the Franco-German relationship. These require Paris and Berlin to treat one-another as equal senior partners, the "motor" of the European Union, even if their interests have diverged since the end of the Cold War.

In the past few months Sarko has, in German eyes, committed the following offences. He grabbed the limelight during Germany's six-month presidency of the EU last June and claimed as a personal triumph an agreement on a new constitutional treaty. He flouted the rules of the EU single currency by raising the national debt with tax breaks. He foisted a French candidate on Europe as next boss of the International Monetary fund. He brokered the release of foreign medical workers from Libya after all the groundwork had been done by the European Union. He imposed his French priorities in the revamp of the management structure of EADS, the Franco-German parent of the Airbus company. He is indulging in protectionism by creating French industrial champions, such as the energy giant born with the merger between Suez and Gaz de France. On Monday, Sarkozy instructed Merkel to drop German hostility to nuclear energy. The list goes on.

Old hands are not too fussed about the friction because French and German leaders usually get off to a bad start before settling into a decent working relationship. The climate between Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schroder, the last pair, was execrable at the beginning, with the French leader restarting nuclear testing and bullying the German on EU spending. They were almost friends at the end. The usual image of the Franco-German partnership is an old bickering couple who always avoid divorce because they cannot live apart.

But Sarko would be advised to stop grabbing the Chancellor. Chirac showed the right way to greet a lady.

Comments

[starling]

*shudder*

I find the guy a bit of a creep (heck, even his NAME sounds like a Hollywood gangster!)

[VisitorHK]

Very amusing post! –

« Sarkozy instructed Merkel to drop German hostility to nuclear energy » -

In fact, the German headlines read : « Sarkozy asks Merkel to withdraw from her withdrawal from nuclear energy. »
The media enjoy the Sarko show! Nice photos…

[sarah]

Interessant cette analyse du Times!!

[Alice David]

I think we French(women) like Sarko's masculine energy. He is protective and it's sort of nice: But I can see why Madame Merkel does not appreciate it. But your account est très drôle, Charles.

[Tara_Lane]

I'm surprised Sarkozy didn't learn from Bush's faux pas with Merkel - - when Bush massaged (a visibly uncomfortable) Merkel's shoulders. Poor woman. Probably had no idea her position would bring her so much contact (literally!) with her world leader counterparts.

And also: What is Sarkozy doing to Fontenoy??? Someone please tell me it looks worse than it is. Good grief.

[Terry]

"Grabs, hugs and back-slaps are his tools for connecting with people -- like Bill Clinton."

Hugs and back-slaps weren't the only tools in Bill Clinton's repertoire. Let's just hope Sarko doesn't take out the same tools Clinton was so fond of using.

This is not the first time Merkel has been groped by another head of state either. Merkel gave our hamhanded president the "Beggar Off" after he started giving her a backrub. The video of the assault is here:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5384914920064411014&q=merkel+backrub&total=32&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1

Maybe the word on Merkel is out that she's easy pickings. Perhaps Gordon Brown can get in on the action.

[e_widiner]

Perhaps advocating a change of the German legal law system, forced on to the Germans via Napoleonic Law, by implementing the british common law, darivat of Magna Carta librtatum, could actually unfreeze there tension there and liberate the Middle Europaeens from repeating a unsucsessfull pasture and on top gain Britain the global goal it needs to strife and successfully influence the future of Europe more positively for all participants in the EU and in the Global_Village

[John Hornsby]

According to a French TV programme about etiquette, Chirac got the 'baise-main' wrong: one shouldn't place one's left hand over the back of the lady's hand; nor should one actually touch her hand with one's lips, which should be prevented from doing so by the kisser's thumb.

[Ros]

Let's wait and see what he does when he meets the Queen - which will be her fate sooner or later ?

[Elizabeth]

You Brits don't even wrinkle the sheets, do you?

[azloon]

is sarko grabbing that yachtwoman's breast or is this appearance only?

she seems to be enjoying it, or else is too embarrassed to resist.

with each new outrageous revelation, my admiration for sarko grows. his behavior is that of an exuberant adolescent who really isn't sure what is the right thing to do in any given situation but isn't overly concerned about it.

boris yeltsin would approve.

(it wouldn' surprise me if sarko ends up on the first sex video featuring a 'sitting' major president)

.

[Helen]

I find Chirac's baise-main wwwwaaaayyy creepier than Sarkozy's (wo)man-handling ways. That's just funny. He always genuinely looks terribly excited to be meeting his fellow leaders!

[corinne]

The supposedly new France smells like old elephant's attitudes. For God sakes we are in 2007 and women are not cows, and machism is passé.....

[Frank Schnittger]

I don't know if this is all that serious. Bush has been rubbing people up the wrong way with his faux pas for years. Bill's repertoire was even wider. Some might regard it as a Franco-Latin conspiracy to undermine the uptight Anglo-Saxons - to hark back to an earlier theme. (Bush and Clinton were southerners and not true WASPs - white Anglo-Saxon protestants). Is there such an acronym as BLECS (Brown Latin European Catholics) we can use in opposition the WASP stereotype?

Brown, like Merkel, is a child of the Manse (Clergyman's child) and will also not appreciate the groping. I suggest Brown not wear a kilt at their first meeting. The Queen, will, of course wear gloves. She will not be amused.

[A. Schelberg]

Hilarious! It seems that it goes both ways: Yesterday, German newspapers reported rumours that it is Merkel and the German treasurer who are straining Sarkozy's nerves.

[Joan]

I think Nicolas is charming. I like to be touched, and I think Angela should like it too. I envy Cecilia such a husband!

[Robert Marchenoir]

Funny post, funny thread.

[A. Schelberg]

Hilarious! So, it is both ways: yesterday, German newspapers reported that it is Merkel and the German treasurer, who are getting on Sarkozy's nerves.

[Susannah Myers]

Is it just me, or is that picture of Sarko and Merkel pretty darn adorable? With her little orange suit and the ginormous umbrella and all -- it really *does* look like Singin' in the Rain.

[Jim P]

Hey, I like Sarko! So he projects a little masculine energy... so what? I can hardly wait for him to meet Condi Rice. But he needs to remember she has a temper and a black belt. Merkel was easy.

And don't compare him to Bill Clinton. Bill never paddled around a lake getting himself photographed with his shirt off.

You go, Mssr President! Viva la France!

[soso]

about Maud Fontenoy: he was giving her a decoration (Légion d'honneur or ordre du mérite I don't remember) and she had such a low decolleté (cleavage) this day that he searched for several seconds where he could attach the decoration; it made a lot of people laugh!

[azloon]

Bush and Clinton were southerners -- FRANK

you are right, sort of. but bush does have VERY deep wasp roots which he's done his best to hide, at least superficially. this ambivalence didn't stop him from yale and harvard and all the 'benies' that accrue from those elite associations. but really, he's a texas boy, a hell raiser, a beer drinkin', cocaine snorting, 'urinate off the balcony' at the wedding kinda guy. saved, regrettably, by his joining the army of jesus.

clinton is a good ole boy, but quite a nerdy one, not in the hell-raisin' southern tradition [which is closely akin to the texas (pron. 'tixas') 'kick ass' tradition]. Clinton was a mama's boy, played the sax, eagle scout, but apparently found at least one prominent outlet for his frustrations. blacks consider him the first and only black president of the u.s. he deeply identifies with blacks, grew up among them, went to church with them, were his best friends. aretha franklin spent more time at the white house than did the sec'y of state.

Hamilton Jordan, a highly prominent black democrat lawyer in DC, and clinton were best golfing buddies. reporters once asked jordan what the two of them talked about during golf and jordan smiled and said 'great pussy."

note: if blacks had occupied the majority of seats in congress, there never would have been the hue and cry about monica lewinsky, nor would there have been an impeachment attempt. blacks, even devoutly religious ones, have many fewer hangups about sex than do waspy whites. many of whom believe they are he product of a virgin birth.

[azloon]

[I envy Cecilia such a husband] Joan

perhaps that touching feels alot better when you are not one of a stable of females who are enjoying the same sort of attention.

[Monika]

"with each new outrageous revelation, my admiration for sarko grows. his behavior is that of an exuberant adolescent who really isn't sure what is the right thing to do in any given situation but isn't overly concerned about it."

Azloon comes very close to my own thinking (hilarious article, Charles!). Just watch him how he moves around when talking: nervously waving to and fro with cascades of shall-I-smile-or-shall-I-not-smiles.

And it is true, yesterday a German newspaper wrote that it's Merkel and her treasurer who were told the unnerve Sarko.

I must admit as a comparatively uptight German I never really got used to "faire la bize", I still prefer a short and firm hand shake.

[rocket]

Alice

"I think we French(women) like Sarko's masculine energy. He is protective and it's sort of nice: "

If I may say so I don't think the Germans are overly concerned about being protected by the French.

Azloon

"she seems to be enjoying it, or else is too embarrassed to resist."

Most likely too scared shitless to say anything for fear of having a tax audit if she does.

Joan

"I think Nicolas is charming. I like to be touched, and I think Angela should like it too. I envy Cecilia such a husband!"

Oh Pleeeeaaase!

Corinne

"The supposedly new France smells like old elephant's attitudes. For God sakes we are in 2007 and women are not cows, and machism is passé...."

I entire agree with your comments. Unfortunately in France, even in 2007 the male species still thinks that they can have the free hand and treat women like objects. Rather sad and backwards I find.

[Frank Schnittger]

Congratulations on Scotland's soccer win over France in the Parc des Princes, Charles. Scotland are now ahead of both France and Italy in the qualifying group - not a bad performance from a team which has been in the doldrums for so long. Any photos of you leaping about in a kilt?

[Unknown]

Given the choice of having a dinner for two with any world leader, I would strike the tactile Sarkozy and smarmy Bush immediately off my list of preferences.

[Gracie Dijkhuyzen]

For crying out loud,everyone is different when showing your hospitality or compassion whether in private or in politics!Stop this nonsense thinking,it's already a bad world,a little caring is badly needed this days!!!

[John Gregory Flinn]

"On Monday, Sarkozy instructed Merkel to drop German hostility to nuclear energy."

I think this originates from the interest Siemens have for EDF and which is not welcome in France. Because EDF, of course, is predominantly nuclear whereas Germany is in hock to the oxymoron 'Greens' and anti-nuclear. Something which Frau Merkel may want to extricate herself from.

Frank - your BLEC sounds like that old Guardian parody of the afrikaner description of black africans as 'blecks'.
No connection intended was there?

[Heinz H. Koenig]

I am glad there is a theme beyond the Nazi'ism in a British paper. I am not so glad about the shade Sarko's behaviour sheds over the true problems. The list of disagreement between Germany and France is long. Sarko attempts to live up to his nickname - lets hope he does not end like him. But I hopingly agree, in the end the German French leader team will be back in harmony. There is no alternative - and that's good.
I am afraid the Germans will stick to the napolonic law and the Brits have to look further for another competitve edge to gain the role they so intensively accuse the Germans of striving for i.e dominant influence in Europe and the world.

[Marina]

As a woman I think we all are different, some enjoy a touchy communication and some don't. If an important figure in politics is not sensitive to that after a first encounter the person is just as ignorant as any other person you can come across in your ordinary life.

As a political human, I am sure that polititians have an image or a "mascara" which helps them not only hide but project power.

The british media would mock Tony Blair with the title "Call me Tony"

Each man or woman of state has their style. Some styles are pretty neutral and some feel extreme

Personally, I think Sarkozy's sucks!!! I'm glad I am not alone in this.

By the way, is not to do with being French -I am a latin-american not a French by the way- but with being "macho" But who said that people in power are evolved?

[Edward Johns]

This touching non -touching business is all about national stereotyping.
A fine example of a German going against the stereotypical image is Boris Becker the champion tennis player conceiving his illegitimate daughter in a restaurant broom cupboard. (The name of thr Restaurant being " NOBU ". perhaps he was only obeying orders )
Come on someone, let's have an example from the French model stereotype to equal that one !

[John Hornsby]

What is wrong with Sarkozy's name, Starling? It is a habitation name, since Sarköz is a small town in Northern Hungary. By the way, the Starling isn't my favourite bird: they bombard people from the treetops. You ought to change your pseudonym!

[Sandrine]

"As a woman I think we all are different, some enjoy a touchy communication and some don't."

I totally agree Marina, Sarko should know when to stop. Who is he to touch women like that ? I hate when guys start doing creepy things like that. I wouldn't stay here like a cow with this guys' hands around me. President or not !

Clearly Angela has no choice (diplomatically speaking) but she can't totally hide what she thinks about that. Poor woman !

At least Chirac's "baise-main" was less intrusive.

I too would like to see Sarko meet the Queen, Ros !! ;o)

Rocket, I totally agree... ! Except for the last part, I'm not sure only Frenchmen think like that nowadays.

[Christophe Egea]

Where did u get the info ?
I checked 'Le parisien' today and nothing about that!!!
Very Strange isn't it ?

Is that HOAX ?

From now I won't read the TIMES anymore....

Cordialement
[Dear Mr Egea. I suggest you read yesterday's Parisien, not today's. CB]

[Helen]

"Given the choice of having a dinner for two with any world leader, I would strike the tactile Sarkozy and smarmy Bush immediately off my list of preferences."

-Sarko would be at the TOP of mine! I think my litany of questions for him would go on forever, and I bet he'd be hilarious.

[hicham moha7]

Womanizer

Being a womanizer and politician goes perfectly hand in hand.in fact, by By insisting on Cuddling, hugging and kissing Merkel Sarko remove all doubts about who really is. he is a mere failure despite the aura that might surround him.

[Frank Schnittger]

“Frank - your BLEC sounds like that old Guardian parody of the afrikaner description of black africans as 'blecks'. No connection intended was there?”
- John Gregory Flinn

Yes - the allusion was intentional, as WASPS do have a tendency to look down on BLECS.

Azloon is right. Bush did rather try to overcome his WASPISH roots by overcompensating as a Tixas hell-raiser who was then saved by Jesus - also not a very WASPISH thing to do. It meant he could appeal to the east coast WASP, southern trailer trash, and bible belt saved votes all at the same time. Given that his father was an architypal WASP, it was a triumph of self-re-branding and not a bad election strategy!

[concedo nulli]

I am sorry to say why do you non-French readers of this blog bother to have negative opinions of Sarkozy. You are unable to get him right and will remain so Your cultural references are not relevant. Sarkozy happen to feel warmly towards women (I know as a former female supporter of Ségolène Royal) ; it seems he has a very nice cultural inheritance there. In order to make you understand he is probably as faithful to his wife as Tony to Cherie Blair.

[azloon]

[why do you non-French readers of this blog bother to have negative opinions of Sarkozy. You are unable to get him right and will remain so Your cultural references are not relevant] Concedo

i'm not french and i love the guy. and what's not to like?

he's 'over the top,' a bull in a china shop, 50 years old and going on 18, shoot now, ask questions later, never met a women he didn't want to sleep with. in short, a model for all of us to emulate.

france has been so insufferably boring and predictable for so long, they ought to think about making this guy president for life.

[mike caplanis]

i knew sarkozy as a child. his parents--low level hungarian diplomats who worked in administration --spent six years at the embassy in washington and the family lived in a neighborhood that was full of embassy families from all over the world. my grandmother lived next door and i remember him at the age of six or seven, always dressed up in american cowboy gear, looking not a little like steve martin in that one memorable scene from 'parenthood' where he entertains at his kid's birthday party. sarkozy was fat and clumsy and with the chaps and six guns on each hip, he easily lost his balance. a little (and slighly older) italian girl that he was smitten with (of all the kids in the neighborhood, i was the only american) used to push him down whenever she got the chance. he'd cry and come back for more. clearly, love of whatever attention a female was willing to offer him was evident at a very early age. it might explain his 'reach out reflex' whenever in the presence of a powerful woman. he's worried about losing his equilibrium. all in all, a beneficial reaction.

[mike caplanis]

by the way, clinton's pussy admiring pal wasn't hamilton jordan, it was vernon jordan.

hamilton jordan was jimmy carter's communications director and press secretary. he was known, however, as something of a 'hound' and played a round of golf or two himself, so to speak.

[azloon]

Mike Caplanis -- thx for picking up on my error. i remembered it was vernon, not hamilton, about three minutes after posting. glad to know we have proofreaders in our midst.

re your early knowledge of sarko

it's essential you stay on this blog so we can measure his future antics against your early observations.

it must have been not the least bit surprising for you when he leaped onto the photographers boat and personally confiscated a camera.

this guy is a real piece of work.

[Frank Schnittger]

How come Sarkozy couldn't speak english to the photographers if he had spent 6 years of his childhood in Washington?

[Zetscho]

Well, Merkel is a German woman and without trying to review old clichees, Germans often just don't appreciate physical contact that much. And our chancellor seems to be one of those uptight types.

Anyway, I just don't know who I hat more: Sarkozy who looks amd acts like a criminal to me, or Merkel who seems to be some kind of a political patsy.

Anyway, nice article, made me laugh!

[mike caplanis]

dunno frank, except that like more than few politicians, maybe he likes to hide behind ignorance when convenient. he was jabberin' a plenty at lake winnipesaukee this summer

[VisitorHK]

“…Merkel who seems to be some kind of political patsy” (Zetscho)

« For the second year in a row Angela Merkel, the first woman to become chancellor of Germany, ranks No. 1 on our list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. She continued to impress the world with her cool leadership at two back-to-back summits, and stuck to her principles,…” (Forbes, 30.08.2007)

[Maynard]

A truly great man. At last the French will experience the joys that Americans -- the non-childish ones, at any rate -- knew during the Clinton years. And the French will of course handle it with both grace and zest.

[isobel]

Frank Schnittger asks "How come Sarkozy couldn't speak english to the photographers if he had spent 6 years of his childhood in Washington?"
Presumably he went to a French school and so didn't have much contact with English speakers; he was only 6 - and it's perfectly possible, even as an adult, to live in a foreign country without speaking the native language. He had the press following him and I would be very hesitant about speaking a foreign language ( for fear of sounding stupid)in front of them - wouldn't you?

[Daniel Strohl]

Mike Caplanis,

Could the young Sarkozy you are talking about be an homonym ? As far as I know, "our" Sarkozy has two brothers and they have grown up in France.

In a text written prior to the elections to the presidency and called "Ensemble, tout devient possible" (Together, everything becomes possible), Sarkozy says : "J'ai été élevé d'abord à Paris, puis à Neuilly, où j'habite jusqu'à ce jour" (I have grown up first in Paris, then in Neuilly, where I live up to now").

Source : Wikipedia

If I believe the same source, Sarkozy's father fled Hungary after WWII, through Austria and Germany, then came to France where he volunteered in the Légion Etrangère. He was demobilised in 1948 and started a successful career as a "publicitaire" (adman). He married a Frenchwoman who was studying law and who became a lawyer.

PS : The word "diplomat(s)" does not appear in the texts I have read.

Azloon,

"this guy is a real piece of work" - or of cake ?

[Elissa]

I was just reading a posting that said Bush is not a true WASP because he is from the South. In fact, he is a true WASP, he was born in Connecticut and both of his parents were from wealthy, established New England families. Bushie lived in Connecticut until the 1950s when his Dad decided to make oil investments in TX and he moved his family to the South West.

[JOHN]

WTF DO YOU HAVE AGAINST THE WASPS?!
DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS

[James Montgomery]

Pinning a medal on her, err, chest, I think. Also, please note the position of the sailor's hand, uncomfortably close to old presidential tiller, eh what?

[James Montgomery]

If Bush were really a Texan, he wouldn't cry so much. Or maybe he's just drunk.

[azloon]

Frank had it right about GWB and waspishness.

dybya's father, #42, was wasp to the core, in the best sense, imo. highly developed sense of noblesse oblige, modest in speech and behavior, moderate in political belief. but #42 moved the whole family to texas after his political career in part becasue he wanted someting a little more rough-hewn, and economically rewarding, for himself, a little less of new england blue blood atmosphere. so his children, dubya and jedd (governor of florida) were texans from the beginning, albeit wealthy, priveleged ones. as is customary with such folks, they often send their children, when at the secondary school level, 'back to their roots." the british did this as well, as a son of prominent british indian civil servant would return to england to attend eton, for instance. bush went back to attend phillips andover academy (or exeter?), then on the yale. but by this time, he was 'tixas' in mannerism and 'shit-kicker' behavior, an amusing combination. my guess is that this 'split' in his upbringing and roots were a source of conflict for him, and he opted to exxagerate the wild, and anti-intellectual, sides of himself because he resented the blue-blood types he was newly associated with (they are a bit wearying to be around, imo -- imagine having to spend a month with hugh grant, [guys only]).

dubya is quite a complicated sort, but not one who is especially intesting because of it.

[vdoxon]

Charles,
I would like to comment on the last sentence of your post"But Sarko would be advised to stop grabbing the Chancellor. Chirac showed the right way to greet a lady."
Here some decoding of the French etiquette.
When Sarko kisses Merkel, it is a warm greeting between equals, intimate friends, and sincere ( at least, frank).
By contrast, When Chirac does the "baise main", it shows a condescending manner to women. Let me explain. Chirac uses baise main (some old fashioned trick from bourgeoisie), he does it in a mechanical way, just to show how little he thinks of Merkel. To be delicate with women means that you must not take them seriously. That was the case of Chrirac.
Right, i sympathize with Merkel: Bush wants to massage her shoulders, Sarko kisses her, it is too much for the daughter of the preacherman. it is hard for women to impose oneself in the world politics. but she does good. sometimes she is too aggressive, she is the head of powerful Germany, right?
But i don't think the Franco German relations are suffering for a "greeting quarrel", today even greetings are at the centre of attention, as signs of more deeper power battles.

[James of England]

Azloon, that's a pretty confused account of the Bush migration.

So, "#42 moved the whole family to texas after his political career".

Actually, Bush Snr. was 41, Clinton 42, and we now have 43, but I'm going to assume you know that Clinton isn't Bush's Father.

41's political career ended in early 1989. The Bush family migrate to TX in 1948 (41 was a war hero, then went to Yale, then went to work in the oil trade). You suggest that you know that the '89 figure is wrong, because you grasp that Bush grew up in TX and, while you may not realise he was 40 in '89, you probably know that he was not "at the beginning of his life".

43 went to Phillips Andover for Sixth Form, not for secondary schooling.

43's brother is John Ellis "Jeb" Bush, not "Jedd". In case it helps you remember, it's his initials.

There was no clear pattern of sending the kids back to New England. 41's other kids went to school at UT Austin, Tulane, Virginia, and Boston.

Dubya's upbringing isn't as atypical for his class as you appear to think, but you're right that false complexity does not add interest.

[Michael]

Great article but Sarko's enthusiasm may break all the rules and get me to actually like him despite his leaning to the right. Ms Merkel should have known that the job would bring her into contact with the tactile French ( and others) although a Bush back rub seems to be going a tad too far. Viva la Sarko !.

[Luis H.]

You have to appreciate a guy like that. I think Zarkozy is a cool name.

Luis H.
United States.

[Rick]

This is B.S. -- pap for the paparazzi. These two people are among the most powerful politicians on earth. Given that we cannot be rid altogether of powerful politicians, this coverage of who greets whom in what manner -- is nonsense. Even if they are politicians, they are adults. Let us deal instead with their promises and lies.

[Marianne]

En tant que française de 50 ans, je trouve merveilleux d'avoir enfin un président décontracté et naturel, son allure bon enfant font partie de son caractère, ses gestes démonstratifs sont très habituels en France, les gens qui tiennent ces propos négatifs et mesquins sur notre président Mr Sarkosy devraient venir passer leurs vacances dans notre beau pays, même la rigueur papale a disparue en Italie et n'est plus de mise, et pour finir, je dirais on ne juge de toute façon pas quelqu'un a ses gestes amicaux, mais à ses actes et sa réussite ... Kiss of France!

[Marianne]

Française depuis 50 ans, je dirais que nous avons enfin en la personne de notre Président, Mr Sarkosy, un homme décontracté et naturel, décidé et à l'allure bon enfant, dont les gestes sympathiques font authentiquement partie de sa façon d'étre... Ce genre de propos négatifs des médias ne peuvent venir de personnes qui connaissent la France car ces gestes sont "très habituels" dans notre beau pays, et pays aux racines latines, nous ne sommes pas des noordiques, et même la rigueur Papale en Italie n'est plus de mise, je conseille d'ailleurs de venir en vacances dans nos belles régions pour retrouver un peu de cette convialité qui fait aussi la France en sus de l'excellence de sa gastronomie... Par ailleurs, on ne juge pas un homme à ses gestes affectueux mais à ses résultats et sa réussite, Kiss of France!

[Daniel Strohl]

James of England,

Referring to another article of CB, our friend Azloon shall be sentenced to copy 100 times the POTUS list in neatly written capitals. This will keep him busy for a while and in the process, he will get a better understanding of the French pedagogic methods and, may be, he will possibly begin to like them...

[Lee, Istanbul (ex-pat)]

We are talking about a man who while officiating at a wedding, during the course of his then duties as mayor, decided he liked the bride and started pursuing her - marrying her, Cecilia, himself 4 years later.

That tells me everything I need to know about this scumbag.

[Misanthrope]

What utter rubbish...

Does Merkel not get touched by the German woman and man? why do you not look in the German newspaper.

[azloon]

Ok James of England, Daniel --

a thousand mea culpas for my factual inaccuracies.

i will NOT write them down correctly 1000 times because i enjoy being a shoot from the hip american. i am thinking of this as sort of a wikipedia deal, with James having the last laugh.

James of England (are your related to THE James of England, as in bible fame? you do have an authoritative sound to you).

as i told another 'corrector' of info i posted the other day (vernon jordan vs. hamilton jordan), i am more than happy to have proof readers on this site.

a couple of points: we don't have sixth form here, i don't believe. did you go to andover or exeter, and know that sixth form is what they call it? bush went to what we call high school, or prep school, there, yes? i had friends at exeter and never heard them speak of sixth form, though i may simply not have noticed, or they didn't bother to mention it to me.

yeah, i now remember that #41 was first a congressman from houston area so he would certainly have had to go there much earlier than post-career. his father was a sentator from connecticut, which i am sure you know more about than i.

there IS a pattern of western emigre's (to western u.s. from east coast) sending their children back to eastern universities. it exists in my family. didn't know one of 41's went to tulane, which my son from prescott attended, and loved (it sufferered horribly from katrina).

it is certainly true that clinton isn't bush's father, but as i am sure you know, 41 and 42 have become great buddies in their approaching dotage.

James, stick around this blog. you could be a good antidote to my sloppiness which is approaching legendary status.

jedd/jeb? jedd sounds more southern redneck, sort of a deliverance kinda guy (see post to pierre on
another blog piece). so i think i'll keep using it. :)

[Bursa]

Sarkozy is cool.

[Thomas of New York]

I think that 98.5 percent of you who have responded to this rather meaningless article truly do need a life and perhaps a problem or two to divert your attention. The rest of us have both but should remain alert. Most of you are criticizing these incredible and immensely talented men and a woman, each and every one of whom could be anything they wanted to be in life yet chose the most thankless jobs in the World; to be leaders of their respective democracies. Thank God for them. You need to stow your pettiness and grow-up.

[azloon]

Thomas of New York:

you may be the only person in the known universe to have publically described GWB as "incredible and immensely talented." there is an entire world anxiously awaiting your evidence to support this assertion.

are you related to James of England, by any chance?

[rocket]

Thomas

As Woody Allen said in Annie Hall

L-L-Lyndon Johns Lyndon Johnson is a
politician. You know the ethics those guys have? It's like-uh, a notch underneath child molester.

http://tinyurl.com/ykutkw

We will try to get a life!

[Michel Jutharat]

I don't think one can compare Nicolas Sarkozy to Bill Clinton. Until that day, he was never reported getting bj in the "bureau ovale" of Elysee from his "attachée de presse"...

[William]

Most entertaining, sometimes erudite and certainly life-enhancing (sorry Thomas of New York, YOU get a life!) as this thread is, (here speaks a non regular reader of CB's estimable blog) I do think there's an important element in the original subject matter which has escaped your attention so far: the divergent character types of leading politicians.
So far, people posting here have concentrated either on the tired olf "gender politics" issue (yawn) or Male Pol patronizing Female Pol with body language, or else a broadbrush comment on national cultural/social differences.
I'd say the most interesting strand in Sarkozy's "macho behaviour" with Merkel is about displaying (or rather asserting) his impulsive/ spontaneous manner, implicitly highlighting the (over) cautious/wooden manner of his co-protagonist. The implicit message being "impulsive/spontaneous" good, "cautious/wooden" bad in the political/public sphere.
The same little psychological game was endlessly played here in UK politics over the last 10/12 years between Tony Blair (impulsive/spontaneous - very good at "shooting from the hip, Texas style, Azloon!) and his chief rival Gordon Brown (cautoius/wooden): until his power base melted away, this game was almost always to show off, Tiggerish Tony Blair's advantage.
Now, howevere, the British electorate are so fed up with Blair's antics (and thus political manner) they actually appreciate new PM Brown for his Angela Merkel-like behaviour.
Another good example of this rivalry, was between the Centre-Right Prime Ministers of the two big Mediterranean democracies (BLECS or whatever) during the period 2001-2003 (ie, when both were in power at the same time), the impulsive/spontaneous show off Silvio Berlusconi and his political bed fellow and theoretical "political friend" in Madrid, the cautious/wooden Jose' Maria Aznar.
Berlusconi, never one to allow serious reflection get in the way of a bout of vulgar exhibitionism, was forever besting Aznar on the public stage. Aznar (whose list of long term political achievements is considerably longer than Berlusca's - like Brown's is vis-a-vis Blair's) is known to have loathed him for constantly upstaged him.
Berlusconi has been equally effective in finding ways of constantly humiliating his long term centre-left rival Romano-Prodi,(cautious/wooden to a "tee") despite being beaten at the polls twice by the dull-as-ditchwater (and incompetent) Academic-turned-Pol.
As many of you educated people will recall, the late great American Media analyst Neil Postman, in his 1987 book on the impact of TV on Political/cultural discourse "Amusing Ourselves to Death", noted that no "Since the introduction of TV, presidential elections have almost always been won by the candidate with the most hair" - a rule that obtains in many other countries too, these d ays - but I'd modestly add my observation, that in our 24hour News channel, Internet gossip-driven political era (which I dont think Postman lived to see), the sparky charismatic Pol almost always seems to triumph over the plodding thoughtful one.
I'd say that Reagan was the first example of this trend: Clinton, Blair, Bush Jnr, Gerhard Schroeder, Sarkozy. Junichiro Koizumi, and Berlusconi being amongst his "disciples". You wouldnt say that Chirac in any way looked to the Gipper for inspiration, but there was a very similar character there.
Clinton and Sarkozy are the most remarkable because they also display the ability to understand policy detail, and (in the case of Sarko at least) seem to understand long-term planning.
An exception seems to be Vladimir Putin - a cautious, secretive man who makes assertive gestures (the bare-chested fisherman, anyone?) almost out of character.
It's also hard to think of any female Pols who fit into this category - Thatcher wasnt impuslive or ever spontaneous, nor is Condi Rice; despite the intensive media grooming, Segolene Royal is/was an automaton, and frankly, Hillary (one or two L's I can never remember?!) is another walking stiff. Queen Elizabeth, anyone? Caution personified.
The only woman in Public Life (and way too ditzy to have ever been able to "do" normal politics) that springs to mind is Princess Diana: but look where her spontaneous/ impulsive streak took her...
What will be worth looking forward to in the future, will be a Sarkozy/Merkel dynamic between Poltical leaders in which it's the female of the species who does the assertive/impetuous schtick....

[Matt]

Ribbit, ribbit. But really, can you blame a frog for being a frog? Frogs eat insects and hop. How can you say it's a bad thing when it's just the nature of the beast?

When in the company of frogs, expect there to be hopping and insect-eating.

[Joshua]

Hahahahaha.

[jazzbow]

That's because Mr. Chirac made his studies in England and Mr. Sarkozy in... Paris!

[mike caplanis]

geez william, lotta gray.

i know a great editor..

[mark]

"41's political career ended in early 1989"

41's political career ended in early 1993. Clinton recieved a plurality of the popular vote and a majority of the electoral vote thanks in large part to that other fiesty Texan, Ross Perot.

Just to keep the facts straight.

[terry]

I think that 98.5 percent of you who have responded to this rather meaningless article truly do need a life and perhaps a problem or two to divert your attention.

Of course, that fact you need to comment on our responses to a meaningless article means that you need to re-examine your life.

[Judith]

The personal relationships which develop among heads of governments are important. We have just had a visit to Australia from the US President who spent most of his time telling us what a wonderful Prime Minister we have and what close friends they are. Whether that will be an electoral plus at our soon to be called election is doubtful.

Also watching the way leaders greet one another can be very revealing. I have watched with interest Angela Merkel and Nicoal Sarkozy greeting one another since that first visit on the evening of the passation of power, which, by my recollection, did involve a greeting with kisses. However on one occasion during the G8 meeting the Chancellor very neatly managed a handshake instead of the less formal kisses. I think that if she wished to stop the President of the Republic from greeting her with kisses she would be able to do it without any discomfort to either of them.

I also noted that the film taken on the occasion her first meeting with Gordon Brown after he became PM, she looked extremely dour.

[dougiegee]

What is Sarkoszy doing to Fontenoy? Heck, what is Fontenoy doing to Sarkoszy? It seems her left hand is doing at least as good a job as his right in trying to establish who's friendlier. Too bad the photo is cut off at the bottom -- we'll never know!

[Kevin Haynes]

Perhaps the French still secretly mourn the passing of the Lex Salica. With Elizabeth II, Beatrix, and Merkel, a female Royal in charge in France would have been just too much. Poor old Clovis must be turning in his grave.

Fortunately for Sarkozy, he never had the chance to make the grievous mistake of man-handling the Iron Lady. With memories of Boudica, Elizabeth I, Victoria, and Thatcher, the so-called WASP male has learnt to be somewhat more circumspect when it comes to dealing with powerful women.

[M]

my goodness everyone, lay off the dude and stop all this 'analysis'...and throwing notions around like it was this morning's catch...you arent getting paid for it aren you? then zip up and just read the darn news!
what works for us doesn't work for others so stop speakin as if you know whats on sarkozy's or angela's minds and what they should or should not be doin!

[mike caplanis]

wow another reason (the '60 minutes' tantrum) to like sarkozy. for once, a politician calls a spade a spade. so what if he's touchy about his divorce? it's refreshing to see someone tell the media to go to hell.

[Daniel Strohl]

Mike,

"it's refreshing to see someone tell the media to go to hell".

In this specific case (unprovoked intrusion in private life), I agree totally with you.

And the impression I got when Sarkozy scorned his spokesman is that the latter had probably arranged with the interviewer not to ask questions about the private sphere, but that "the deal" didn't work as expected - it is almost impossible for most of the journalists to refuse what they think could be a major scoop.

Mike, this is just an idea I have got - I have no info whatsoever.

[mike caplanis]

daniel,

they (the media) are like al sharpton...you can't criticize or stand up to the guy without being called a racist. you can't refuse to play the gotcha game with the media without looking like someone who has something to hide. and if you're not willing to offer up ownership of your life to these parasites, they'll hold you up to ridicule.

society needs them though, i guess. we need cops, too, but like the media, an awful lot of good cops are creeps. the willingness to wade into potentially dangerous situations takes bravery, but it can also come from something more base... like belligerence, and love of violence y'know?

when i was in high school i knew two brothers who became much-decorated cops. their father was a founding member of the american nazi party, and brother, they toed the line. loved hitler, hated blacks and jews...

the tattletales and crybabies on the schoolyard make the best reporters when they grow up and bullies make perhaps not the best cops but pretty effective ones. a compassionate nature seems like it SHOULD be the prime motivator for both, but i dunno...

strange--cops and reporters usually hate each other, but they have so much in common.