Sarkozy flaunts Bruni on the Nile

There is no respite from the Sarko show. Past French presidents used to disappear over the Christmas week to stay in expensive hotels in Egypt or the Indian Ocean. They were sometimes accompanied by women who were not their wives. François Mitterrand was a regular with Anne Pingeot, his mistresss, at the Old Cataract Hotel on the Nile at Aswan, where Agatha Christie wrote her Egyptian murder story. But the old presidents were always discreet and no-one knew where they were. Two months after his divorce, Nicolas Sarkozy has just descended on the Egyptian town of Luxor with Carla Bruni, his new girl-friend, and he wants everyone to know it.

The president's astonishing zest for self-exhibition is still amusing the French, according to opinion polls. A majority still believes that his splashy private life and taste for glitz are not a hindrance to his job, but I sense the tide turning. His antics with Bruni, presenting her to the country at Disneyland Paris last week and now holding hands with her on the Nile, seem, to use an old-fashioned word, unseemly.

[His majesty's new favourite is on the cover of almost every magazine]

An army of media is stationed outside the Old Winter Palace hotel at Luxor. As I write, a motorcade of 30 cars is taking Sarko and his fiancée as they call her, to visit the burial site of the Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings. She is wearing flat soles to minimise the height difference between her and "Little Big Man". That's the name that le Canard Enchaîné gave Sarko today in a fictional "Carla Bruni's Diary" that they have started running. Tomorrow, the couple are off to stay in a luxurious villa in Sharm El-Sheikh on the Red Sea. 

Under the freezing grey skies of France, political opponents and the commentariat are taking a bleak view of Sarko's Egyptian escapade. The main target is his choice of transport -- a Falcon business jet owned by Vincent Bolloré, a tycoon friend. Bolloré provided the same plane to fly Nicolas and Cécilia Sarkozy for that notorious break on his yacht off Malta after his election last May. What favour might the businessman expect in return for his generosity, people are wondering?  He is said to be keen to aquire TF1, France's biggest television channel. Midi Libre, the Montpellier newspaper, summed up the misgivings today, saying "There is an obvious lack of decency in these very nouveau riche presidential holidays." Le Monde this afternoon said that Sarkozy is "more Berlusconi than de Gaulle".

Beyond the favours from rich men, Sarkozy's almost child-like need to show off is beginning to raise eyebrows. "Is Nicolas Sarkozy trying to dazzle us or dazzle himself?" asked La République du Centre newspaper today. The Rue89 news site (run by ex-Libération journalists) has just posted a fierce attack on Sarko for breaching the sanctity of the presidency by confusing his private life with his role as head of state.  The French people are being invited into the private Sark-opera "to experience in live action the marital quarrels and the separations... and now the shacking up of the Prince with a new companion," it said. "When do we get the live bedroom scene?". Le Monde said that Sarko's exhibitionism is bringing the the presidency into disrepute.

That is a predictable line, coming from the anti-Sarko left, but the point is a good one. The French leader is not just a chief executive like any old prime minister. The Fifth Republic's powerful presidency has a monarchical side to it. Sarkozy says that he is modernising it -- by behaving like an ordinary super-successful guy with a flashy girl-friend and a taste for the good life. So far, his style is working, but he is courting a risk that tolerance could turn into ridicule.     

Comments

[Dominique]

Charles says :

"There is no respite from the Sarko show"

But wouldn't that rather be : "There is no respite from the press busy making out of Sarko's sex life a show" ?

I agree with Charles about the symbolic role of the french president. He is a head of state, not some simple prime minister. After all, would the UK citizens accept the Queen to be invited by some industrial lobbyist? I'm sure this could not even happen as she as her own yacht!

Let's make a proposal : let the republic ofer a yacht to Sarko so he will be freed from lobbyist corruption! Hum, sounds like an internal contradiction to me. Gosh, I'm bugging! Sarko's fault, once again.

I am afraid there is no way to escape these contradictions, even if we read foreign papers like the Times. We are witnessing a deadly mirror face to face between sarko and the press. It more and more feels like we should make a revolution once again and get rid of all of them!

Give us a break and start working! (Sarko, not you Charles...poor journalist victim of Sarko's schedule...;=))

[dot king]

The man is a user - everything to boost his image. I think he might also find that Ms Bruni has the same greed. And all this aside from the political implications of the daily presidential power-displays.

[Rocket]

It will be interesting to watch his next move when the verdict on the Arche de Zoé comes down supposedly tonight. Will he interrupt his holiday to come back to Paris or will he continue his holiday or.... will he fly of to Tchad to bring them back to France.

In any case. I agree that he is becoming a bit too flashy and I am measuring my words. He is not making a good example for the hardworking people who have to scrimp to make ends meet.

He may not have so much support of the general population the next time a strike comes down.

Which leaves me with one question.

Who is this guy's advisor?

[Terry]

Dominique said:

"But wouldn't that rather be : "There is no respite from the press busy making out of Sarko's sex life a show" ?

No need for my highlight, Dominique. I agree 100 percent with what you wrote.

Nothing to do with what you wrote, Charles. But I find it amazing that the paparazzi, and now some of the political paparazzi, justify their behavior by blaming the victim for being voyeured. These people make money writing and photographing him with his girlfriend. And then cry, "Look he is flaunting her".

Was Bruni supposed to wear a garbage bag over her head?

As to your comment, Dominique, about the private plane ride, I will say this. I went to Egypt right after the tourists were killed 9 or 10 years ago. I flew Luftansa or an autrian airline into Cairo to catch a connecting flight
to Luxor. I walked up the stairs and into the plane. Imagine walking onto a plane and seeing 300 arab men all wearing turbins, robes and sandals seated. I felt rather rather uncomfortable since they were looking at me like I was the terrorist. So, if Sarko takes a private plane, I understand. But you are right, the american public might not like it. Doesnt Sarko get his own plane?

BTW: I went to the Valley of the Kings. I would not advise wearing heels down into the tombs.

Charles, did UK-Times spring a free trip for you to Egypt? There's 5000 year old broken pottery lying all over the Karnak temple area. Dont forget to take some home with you.

[Daniel Strohl]

Charles,

Excellent article, as usual. However, out of curiosity, I had a look at your link of "rue89", in order to see how former journalists of "Libération" would handle the subject.

The "rue89" article is a pretentious display of "culture" based on quoting "intellectuals" - Kantorowizc (which I had never heard of up to now, of course contrary to Wikipedia ...), Régis Debray, and last but not least, BHL.

I am quite sure that if you were writing your articles and your blog in the same "cultural" style, you would by far not have so many happy readers as you have.
-------

"The Fifth Republic's powerful presidency has a monarchical side to it".

Yes, but may be that many people were fed up with the monarchical side and its "Grandeur affichée" used to try to hide la "Décadence constatée".

"So far, his style is working" : yes, but it is time "de mettre une sourdine" - everybody has now got the message.

Dominique,

"As she (the Queen) has her own yacht"

I am not quite sure, but I believe that this yacht is no more in use.

[dot king]

Dominique: Her Madge no longer has a yacht, nor a Royal Train. In fact she's been obliged to make a lot of cut-backs in recent years - for the country - (BTW I'm no royalist, just couldn't give a monkey's).
Sarkozy is asking the rest of France to "tighten their belt" (same expression once used by a UK Tory government) just as he jets off to Egypt in a private plane to stay in a palace with a glamour-girl. And the Restos du Coeur open their doors as part of the on-going temporary measures.
BTW the Arche de Zoé people have been condemned to 8 years' forced labour. Perhaps he'll do a round trip and bring them home like he promised, but he'd better not take his eyes off Carla for too long :)
Miaouw, Crrrr Crrrrr . . .

[azloon]

Dominique/Dot

as i commented on the Christmas post in response to Dominique, sarko is simply being obvious in areas that american presidents are more likely to be discreet, especially in accepting favors, money, influence from powerful citizens.

and he's saving french taxpayers who care (and i would imagine from comments read here that that many, if not most, don't) the cost of jet fuel by flying with his friend. where's the gratitude, i ask? :)

i am afraid that's how it's going to be, discreet or obvious. that just the way it works, i'm sorry.

is sarko supposed to be influenced by his detractors, rather than powerful friends?? i don't think so.

as the infamous mayor of chicago, richard j. daley, once said, when asked about his many relatives and friends on the city payroll: "so who would you rather i hire, total strangers?"

[Sam Young]

I took CB (that's Carla Bruni, by the way) on vacation to Villiers Le Bel last month; we walked about the place in full public view, hand in hand, and no-one batted an eyelid. Needless to say, i am somewhat huffed at the current media storm. It just goes to show the hypocrisy of it all. Or something like that.

[Lise in Brittany]

Oh dear, it's all rather OTT - A little discretion would be refreshing! For once I have to agree with Ségolène Royal - Sarko is definitely lacking in presidential "dignity".

[Valentin]

"He may not have so much support of the general population the next time a strike comes down."

I don't know on what are based this kind of remarks.
The last two polls (one - start of december, another just before Christmas) show Sarko's approval ratings UP by several points.
He is at 56% positive opinions, his reforms are approved too, his "flashy" style does not seem to bother people.
He's even appreciated by Bayrou's voters as well as those who didn't vote in the last presidential elections.

Also, US politicians benefit from the lobbying system, which is an institutionalized form of corruption.
Meanwhile detractors still have to show the profit Vincent Bolloré draws from letting the president use his yacht or plane.

[junius]

The Sarko show seems to me to be a brilliant political strategy. By monopolising media coverage, and focusing on trivial issues, the focus stays on Sarko and away from the socialists as well as serious issues which could reflect poorly on him. This makes the UMP more likely to do well in the upcoming municipal elections (which has been described as a referendum on Sarkozy). If UMP does well there will be many happy representatives in the Assembly (a lot of them are also mayors), which might give Sarkozy the necessary breathing space to carry out more serious reforms. So hopefully after the elections we'll see less show and more action.

[Maggie G]

"But I find it amazing that the paparazzi, and now some of the political paparazzi, justify their behavior by blaming the victim for being voyeured. These people make money writing and photographing him with his girlfriend. And then cry, "Look he is flaunting her". " (Terry)

I don't see Sarko as a victim here. He WANTS to show off his new relationship.

What I find surprising is that the press is so obedient and compliant. He says they can take pictures and they fall all over themselves rushing to do as he suggests.

Can't they come up with any stories on their own?

People phoning in to the radio all say that they just don't want to know this kind of stuff. They want something intelligent.

I've heard several elderly people say they still prefer the openess of Sarkozy to the opaqueness of Mitterrand and Chirac.

I still think Sarkozy is smart, and I still think he knows what he wants to do to carry out his reforms. I hope he won't let Carla Bruni get the better of him. So far, I think he knows what he's doing.

But I find the media frenzy pretty sickening. I still think I condemn the media more for being so compliant and easy to manipulate, than Sarkozy for showing off.

They COULD just ignore him.

[Dominique]

Of course Sarko has got his own plane! it's an Airbus Blue White Red with REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE written on it. But for some kind of a incomprehensible reversal of values since Sarko was elected, some believe that free of charge vaccations for the president is good for the republic! (Azloon believes this for example)

Of course the opposite is true : free vaccations for a president are never free of charge for the republic! The charges may be unknown, but they are still real...

corruption is the word! Haute trahison (Impeachment) should be the answer! Then, he'll get real free vaccations and will be able to sneack around with Bolloré as much as he wants!

[Dominique]

Valentin,

"Meanwhile detractors still have to show the profit Vincent Bolloré draws from letting the president use his yacht or plane."

That's really the reversal of real values! Now Sarko still have to show that Vincent Bolloré doesn't draw any profit from letting the president use his yacht or plane.

Don't reverse values! President is a serious job, and is therefore submitted to some rules in order to prevent corruption! Not following the rules opens the way to distrust, doubt and anger.

Presidents have no "friends", they only are target of "networks" and must be protected. Sarko doesn't know what the word corruption means.

[christopher muir]

Sarko still doing well in the polls? An ancient Greek philosopher has an explanation. "Characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner." (Aristophanes)

[Frogsmoker]

Sarkozy has been "Little Big Man" on the Frogsmoke blog since he became president:
http://frogsmoke.com/little-big-man/

[Valentin]

Maggie G:
"What I find surprising is that the press is so obedient and compliant. He says they can take pictures and they fall all over themselves rushing to do as he suggests."

He doesn't even need to say it. It suffices that they find out he'll be in Egypt, and they send off their reporters!
And it's not even from "obedience" or compliance: Sarko SELLS, it's as simple as that. Like Terry said, they know they'll boost their sales with him on the front page.
He doesn't need to do anything, they follow him because people WANT to know about him (that's why they buy papers).

[Dominique]

Maggie,

"I've heard several elderly people say they still prefer the openess of Sarkozy to the opaqueness of Mitterrand and Chirac"

Not quite in my backyard! People (both old and young) usually prefere modesty (what you call "opaqueness") to exhibition (what you call "openess") and we hear more and more people accusing Sarko of damaging the presidential institution. Many of those who voted for him think that way. Neither is seing Sarko yelling at fishermen like a "chartier" helping us to raise children and teach them proper language and the culture of debate...

By the way, did you notice that since Carla Bruni is with the president, we see everyday on the news good critics about Valeria Bruni-Todeschi theater show (the new president's sister in law). Valeria is our new Roger Hanin (Mitterand's brother in law) : the official artist!

[Valentin]

Dominique:
"President is a serious job, and is therefore submitted to some rules in order to prevent corruption!"

There are no such written rules. Mitterrand was friends with plenty of business people too - suffice it to look him up on Wikipedia.
When you do it openly, everybody knows, it's on purpose, and you tie yourself up, because you will thus never be able to help Bolloré.
What's the "haute trahison" about, can you name ONE thing, one contract, in which the Republic suffered a loss?

Christopher Muir:
George W Bush's approval ratings were quite low, the last time I looked :))

[Mads]

I think that I agree with Charles and that 'unseemly' does come to mind. Why not do what the British Royals have done in the past and have a grand photo-opportunity and then have a private holiday? Glamour, excitement and mystery all at the same time. Surely no-one wants to return to the opaque practices of past presidents but perhaps Sarko is taking transparency and availableness just a little too far. We know the French have a reputation to uphold in matters of romance and the art of love but with Carla in the Valley of the Kings?! The mind boggles at the disjunction of cultures ancient and modern!

[stephen Bull]

Maybe Sarkozy is leading a return to the more colourful past when figures like King Farouk and even further back, King Edward VII indulged themselves with rich industrialists and glossy girls. Or maybe he is doing it to provoke Calvinistic comments from the PS spokesmen, so rubbing it in that they are out of touch with public opinion; the public may mildly disapprove but can understand it "given the beauty of the current companion" (Midi Libre reader today).

[Frank Schnittger]

Those who live by the media, will die by the media. The very people who idolise him now will be the first to stamp on his grave when the going gets rough.

Sarkozy's "friends" will desert him as soon as his name becomes synonymous with defeat. As Enoch Powell once said, "all political careers end in failure".

Look at Blair, Berlusconi, Aznar now. Does anyone pine for their return? Who will mourne the political passing of Bush? Even Gorbachev was almost hounded out of Russia - and he is, in my view, one of the outstanding leaders of our time.

Sarko will find out who his real friends are when strikes cripple France for months on end, and he won't need a large Airbus Jet to fit them all in! In fact Charles' little two seater will probably do nicely...

[John Styx]

Daniel, Kantorowicz is most certainly not an intellectual! He was a leading medieval historian and his books had a major influence on students and later historians. It's quite normal you never heard of him if you're not interested in medieval history. Kantorowicz has nothing to do with Debray and BHL.

[Mauvezin]

Let's make a proposal : let the republic ofer a yacht to Sarko so he will be freed from lobbyist corruption!
*******************
Is the fort de Bregançon not enough for M Sarkozy !?

[Daisy]

When the Queen let cameras into Buckingham Palace the Queen Mum warned that it was like letting daylight into magic. The end was nigh. The mystique was lost and the Windsors decended into soap opera and ridicule. They are still struggling to rebuild their reputation and stature. Sarko will learn the hard way.

[dot king]

Perhaps Mr Bolloré could send his dinky little Falcon containing the dinky little President to Tchad to repatriate those poor-baby humanitarian workers so that they can be home to celebrate Le Saint Sylvèstre with their families. (In their dreams!) Which of course won't be the case for the fly-covered children they wanted to be so kind to, as it still has to be proved which parents they will re-belong to, and who are imprisoned in an orphanage just as much as the Arche de Zoë bunch in their Ndjamena cells.
As Tchad depends largely on French troops for its own security, the outcome will be due to political pressure rather than any notion of justice.
I heard today (France inter 13h) that the equivalent of "travaux forcés" doesn't exist in France and an equivalent would have to be found, which would be "réclusion criminelle", so 8 years in the jug, with the best they could hope for in the circumstances being 4 years before being released on "liberté conditionnelle" (jurisprudence Bertrand Cantat for ex.). If not there remains the possibility of Tchad pardoning them, which given public opinion in Tchad, could be risky.

We can therefore just wait for Sarkozy and Bolloré to arrange their rescue mission. Perhaps Carla could jet off to receive Ingrid Bétancourt's friend.
Or maybe not, she's inexperienced in these matters after all, but she could tip off the paparazzi, lend the humanitarian babes some designer tee-shirts to come home in. Something easy to get her over the First-Lady Starting Line.
***
In amongst all the polémique about Romance on the Nile has been another one about the "royal couple" being joined by an equally well-known couple of high-placed courtiers.
It had been announced that Nico et Carla (;0) would be joined for both a private sojourn in a luxury residence and for the official State Visit, by Bernard Kouchner and Christine Ockrent (his journalist wife).
Much to my relief, as I have always respected her as a political journalist, Christine Ockrent has announced that she has never "mélangé les genres" and will not be present either personally or officially.
That much at least seems clear.

Interesting that Bolloré is a would-be purchaser of TF1 - that definitely puts the frivolous picture into a more serious frame. There IS a serious debate here, the president flaunting his wealthy friends and his new glamorous conquest is politically clumsy, to say the least. His popularity is waning, prices are waxing, the homeless remain homeless. Time will tell.

[Terry]

Lise said:

"Oh dear, it's all rather OTT - A little discretion would be refreshing! For once I have to agree with Ségolène Royal - Sarko is definitely lacking in presidential "dignity"."

Has France gone Puritan on me? Didnt Jacques have all sorts of women? Didnt Mitterand openly have a mistress and a love child?

Sarko is a single, eligible bachelor. Is he supposed to hide her? My guess is that the double standard by some here is that they just dont like Sarko's politics.

Speaking of which, CBS morning news ran an article on Sarko's trip to egypt with his new girlfriend this morning. CBS is the same network that runs "60 Minutes", which Sarko walked off of when they asked about Cecelia and his marriage. It was a hit piece. They called Sarko's relationship "an affair", which in the US means someone's cheating. To me, this confirmed what I said about the Time article last week. The liberal media in America loved running around saying that the world and France in particular hate American foreign policy. With Sarko, they have lost that argument. So, they stick it to him when they can.

Segolene Royal is one to talk. Was she flaunting herself in a bikini to try to drum up the male vote?

P.S. I dont think so. But it's the same line of thinking.

[laurence]

as you say, "no respite from the show". Give us a break !

[qwerty]

It's all a bit gross...I'd really rather not know...ça me met un peu mal à l'aise...feel a bit sick...envie de throw up...

Why are we force-fed with these images of Sarko's affairs? If it were Brad Pitt or GC or Clive Owen, now --would probably be less disgusting. However.

I'd prefer to know what Sarkozy is going to do next to shake up France. So far, it's only been "mini-réformettes" because he's backed down on everything. Is it all going to be like this? That labour market needs to be liberated.

I heard a controversial interview with economists on France Info this morning saying that the tax reform (the infamous "paquet fiscal", "cadeau aux riches") didn't go far enough to create any jolt. Reaganomics and Thatcher tax cuts - that's the way to go forward. Did that really help in the UK and US? Is it really tax advantageous to live in the UK or in the US? Why am I still here?

[Valentin]

Pour ceux qui aiment les contes d'amour :

http://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2007/12/27/01002-20071227ARTFIG00271-j-ai-vecu-en-direct-le-coup-de-foudre-presidentiel.php

(dédicacé particulièrement à Dot King :))

[Standard Jean]

"His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it."

The more i hear about that Sarkozy guy the more i keep thinking about him as some sort of Zaphod BeebleBrox wannabe (without the cool).

"it is a well known fact, that those people who most want to rule
people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it."

D. Adams.

[Dominique]

Valentin,

"There are no such written rules."

-> All rules are not written. Especially those regarding adult behavior and vulgarity.

"When you do it openly, everybody knows, it's on purpose, and you tie yourself up, because you will thus never be able to help Bolloré."

-> ?? being tied to someone is the best way to be independant then? How come didn't we think about it earlier and remove all public finance for the parlement? All deputies could be "openly" tied up to business men!! that does not make sens. That is the very concept of lobbying you compared before to an institutionized corruption.

"What's the "haute trahison" about, can you name ONE thing, one contract, in which the Republic suffered a loss?"

-> Yes i can : the TRUST : a contract that was signed last May and that is already "caduque". The others are in Bolloré's head.

Terry,

Segolene is no better on these issues. She already wrote in her last book that she lost because of her broken heart!!! She also wrote that she is already working on 2012, but that in order to win, she'll need a "âme soeur" (sister soul) meaning a boy friend!

I am afraid this is where French politics is all about these days, thanks to (because of) the polls, the press, the ever narcissist sociologist nombrilist point of view of the medias looking at themselves or their wife/husband. Okrent (Kouchner's wife) is a good example of a journalist not even capable of understanding the very concept of "conflit d'intérêt"... Not to mention Marie Drucker and Arlette Chabot, also partners of prominent political leaders. What a shame...

[Valentin]

Terry's right, double standard it is. Mitterrand's mistress entertained by the Republic (in Egypt too!) becomes "modesty", cheating on your wife is apparently more respectable than being single, finding himself a girlfriend and taking her on a Christmas trip. (and I don't even want to bring up saint lady Di..)

Fortunately those who voted for Sarko still support him at 90%, and many others who didn't then do now.
People know the difference between his political actions (which they approve in large majority) and his private life (where they see nothing wrong - or vulgar - in going on a trip with a friend's plane, or having a famous girlfriend, without using public money, doing anything indecent or cheating on anybody).

[Frank Schnittger]

"Interesting that Bolloré is a would-be purchaser of TF1 - that definitely puts the frivolous picture into a more serious frame" Dot king

If Bolloré really wants TF1 he is vey silly to be cavorting with Sarko because their relationship disqualifies him from being a bidder. His provision of the plane to Sarko would be tantamount to attempted bribery if Sarko had a role in deciding on the takeover.

The very fact that it is all being done in the open tends to suggest that this is all about little boys wanting to play with the big boys. Great for selling newspapers and keeping bloggers exercised, but not a matter of public consequence - unless Bolloré DOES bid for TF1!

[christopher muir]

Valentin -

I imagine Aristophones might argue that Bush has been around so long that the population has finally caught up with him. Sarkozy has a newness about him, but will also be caught out in time.

I had a look at the Luxor Winter Palace web site. Sarko should be having a good time. The hotel blurb boasts: "What could be more romantic than a honeymoon stay for newlyweds? Luxuriate in a few days of perfect privacy in a sublime setting. You can have breakfast—complete with a glass of champagne—served in your room and arrange for a later departure time." (And then catch your loaned private jet, no doubt!)

[Daniel Strohl]

John,

I didn't know Kantorowicz prior to the rue89 article. Therefore, I had a look at Wikipedia and discovered that he was a respected historian (and of course not an "intellectuel" - the rue89 journalist himself spoke of "l'historien Kantorowicz"). The wording of my post was not especially clear since I mixed Kantorowicz ("qui ne m'a rien fait") with Debray and BHL. The latter is the type of "intellectuel" I don't like too much ...

Strangely, Kantorowicz is not mentioned in the Encyclopaedia Britannica - DVD edition 2006 - nor in Le Larousse en cinq volumes (1994).

I just had a look also at http://gutenberg.spiegel.de were texts of many German and foreign authors are available. Kantorowicz is not (yet ?) mentioned.

PS : I am interested in history and have read many books, but not especially regarding the Middle Ages

[Fernandez]

It is funny that the old geezers cheating on their wives received no opprobrium but the young single guy out with his hot girlfriend is scandalous!

[Cheat on your wife? Not a problem. Bang someone prettier than my wife? Big problem!]

[Fernandez]

BTW, Frogsmoke VERY FUNNY! Love it. Thanks for the recommendation.

[dot king]

Valentin, why darling! A particular dedication! How thoughtful of you - now everyone's suspicions will be confirmed :- that I have indeed become your little chouchou du blog!
It was bound to get out sooner or later, try to bear up, sweetie.
I shall treasure this always! ;0

[Emlyn]

If the right Royal prig says Sarkozy is lacking in "dignité" then "vive les indignes"!
Giscard, Mitterrand and Chirac were all philanderers - in secret, though Giscard was caught at it in a "Deux-Chevaux" by a "Canard Enchaîné" journalist. Another made a serious study of Mitterand's sex life and concluded he had had at least 300 women while in office - i.e. at over the age of 65 - specializing in journalists and actresses. He would only seem to have had one illegitimate child though, not four.

[textibule]

The mot juste just came to me: Sarko is 'tacky'.

This is unusual in France, where things can be, often are, over-the-top, silly, counter-productive, or lourdingue, but we hardly ever see anything or anyone being 'tacky'.

Hopefully, his 'reforms' will be a more memorable part of his reign.

[dot king]

Zaphod BeebleBrox wannabe (without the cool) - Great, wonderful comparison, but I wonder if many french bloggers will know who this is?

(and I don't even want to bring up saint lady Di..)
Jeez, what is it with you French? Di was une Princesse, s'il vous plait! Honestly - talk about living in the past! :)

unless Bolloré DOES bid for TF1!
Quite - we have to wait and see - in some Sarko situations he has simply parachuted his préféré(e) and had done with it.

[Dominique]

Fernandez,

"It is funny that the old geezers cheating on their wives received no opprobrium but the young single guy out with his hot girlfriend is scandalous!"

Well, the very concept of "cheating on their wifes" is sensless in France. Married people are adults and do what they want. Neither Mitterand nor Chirac did "cheat" on their wifes as their wifes were aware and choose to stay (read Bernadette Chirac & Danielle Mitterand about this).

Sarko's behavior is criticized not because he dates women. Who doesn't? That is not a problem, that's rather healthy! It is criticized because he doesn't make the difference between the person (him and his personal life and friends) and the function (president that should not accept gifts from anyone). He is also criticized because he does not protect the president's function from the "monaco-ization" of the Elysée palace as he should, therefore spoiling the entire concept of politics.

I agree that most of the responsibility of what happens comes from the press and the media, but he should now start to react and protect himself rather than enjoying it. That would be called "being reponsible".

More, the very first scandal that will come close to Bolloré will damage him and the presidency directly.

[Valentin]

Dominique: "Yes i can : the TRUST"

I don't remember seeing this listed as an "haute trahison" case. But then it seems those who lost trust in him are those who never gave it in the first place: the Left.

Frank:
"If Bolloré really wants TF1 he is vey silly to be cavorting with Sarko because their relationship disqualifies him"
That's why I said Sarko tied his own hands.

"not a matter of public consequence - unless Bolloré DOES bid for TF1!"
Hmm. And then the same Sarko will say: "why would he be discriminated, because he happens to be MY friend, even if he didn't do anything wrong?"
I admit Sarko is a master in turning this kind of logic around (even if I still agree with him! :))

"I imagine Aristophones might argue that Bush has been around so long that the population has finally caught up with him."

Or he would simply go on mocking everybody and everything and doing exactly what he criticized: using his freedom of speech and satiric power for his own glory.
Better trust people can make a difference between what matters and what not, between Sarko making his trips public and what would Really touch the dignity of his position.

"How thoughtful of you - now everyone's suspicions will be confirmed :- that I have indeed become your little chouchou du blog!"
Well! after Terry's flame for Mags and Sandrine's early (and regrettable) retreat, what else was one left to do - especially when the antiphrase in your charges could be smelled from a league away! ;o)

[Mads]

This is an interesting exchange of views! I suspect that the different views expressed are an accurate reflection of France and Europe/world (?) as a whole.

We live in a 'celebrity' culture whether we like it or not. However, those in the public eye can choose whether to play the media game or not. As Sarkozy has obviously decided to bypass any advice about using the media to his advantage (as seen by others) he has to live with the consequences.

Can he really have got where he is today without being an ace manipulator and hard-nosed politician?

Talking yesterday to a Paris journalist friend of mine who has written a number of articles on Sarkozy as well as Royal, she expressed the same view as Junius (post 12)above. A lot of media cover at the moment might provide a useful smokescreen whilst details of real reform can be worked on. Maybe. The problem could be that he likes the media spotlight and is so busy showing us what an attractive lad he is, that he forgets to show us how hard he can work on his country's behalf.

It is an interesting point also, I think, to look at the moral judgements inherent in Sakozy's behaviour. Why do we expect people in high political office to be straight-laced and moral? History would suggest that they never have been. (Terry, is it correct that a society lady of the time said that she wouldn't consider her cat safe in a room with Jefferson? Or have I got the wrong man again?)On the contrary, men and women in power are said to be highly attractive regardless of looks and personality as there is the evolutionary biological aspect of the strongest and fittest leading the pack etc.
So is Sarkozy in fact simply conforming to an evolutionary norm in a 21st century way? Does he 'just' want to be leader of the pack on a European and world stage and will use 21st century media to become so?

[nataliakurop]

* 7 Million living under the poverty line

* 31 Billion Deficit

* 11 Percent Unemployed

* The president gets a 140 Percent pay increase. The first act he puts through in Parliament.

It is disgraceful to flaunt his private life as he has in Egypt. Not only is it disrespectful to the Muslim culture but it is ostentatious.

When the French watches it pouvoir d'achat sink and sink and sink, and life getting harder, who needs to see a super-star, superego idiot flying around on private jets with super models clad in super hot pants with no super underpants on. They looked like they just got out of bed. This President seems to be everywhere, doing everything but not achieving anything. Except giving the coffers Tag Watches a huge boost. France needs a real President not a Lapid Chaud. So the Playboy President and his Butain de la Republique are making a joke of the French state internationally. Bring on the Revolution! We no longer live in the age of Emperors and Maitresse!

[Daniel Strohl]

Dot King,

"Time will tell"

Time (i.e less than 6 months) has already taught us that Sarkozy is the first president since many years who did not back down in front of our beloved CGT union and their associated storm troops.

Terry,

"Didnt Mitterand openly have a mistress and a love child?"

No, Terry, not openly. Mitterrand used all means available to him (including those linked with his position as a powerful and feared head of state) to keep this "liaison" secret as long as possible.

Of course, it was a "secret de polichinelle" for big parts of the Parisian press and intelligentsia. However, the secret was duly and tightly kept a long time for the "ordinary" French, of course only because of the "discrétion due à la vie privée", and not at all out of fear of the possible vengeance of Mitterrand ...

With Sarkozy, these hypothetical (physical) risks are judged negligible; therefore, some journalists and "intellectuels" do feel that it is their absolute duty to teach lessons of virtue to our head of state. They may even possibly feel that their righteous stands could be good for the circulation of their various papers.

[John Gregory Flinn]

I must say that I'm a little surprised at the veiled, and not so veiled criticism of 'Sarko' and his behaviour in his private life. After all he is Latin, in a Latin country and one should expect it.

Perhaps his manner is more reminiscent of a South-American playboy than that of French statesmen of the more recent past. But his life-style carries all those Latin elements we might expect - his mother, attractive women, power, potential scandal, politics, often rash, warmth, his mother, exhibitionism et alia.

His competence in affairs of state is still uncertain. An American (and consequently, western) recession may test this more than the usual French difficulties.
But one should'nt carp too much just yet......

[QCD]

When I'm feeling confident with myself I'll invite you all for some festive ch(j)eer in Cannes. That is, Maggie G, Terry, Daniel, Rocket, Charles (of course), Azloon, ...

But then if I were feeling confident I wouldn't be on this blog...

[Robert Marchenoir]

I don't get it, Charles. You write that Sarkozy goes to the same places than Mitterrand, and with a lover as well. Only Sarkozy is supposed to "flaunt" Carla Bruni, whereas Mitterrand used to hide Anne Pingeot and be "discreet".

The dispatches I read reported that the Egyptian police was intent on keeping journalists as far away from Sarkozy as possible. They cannot have decided that by themselves. Shots were fired in the air in order to prevent photographers from approaching the president's boat. There must be more obvious ways to court publicity.

I'm sorry, but any exhibition there is is the media's fault, if any.

If the French did not know about Anne Pingeot, Mitterrand's mistress, the media did. So, either the journalists were cowards for not telling (their fault), either Mitterrand intimidated them into silence (his fault); and probably both.

When Mitterrand finally allowed Paris-Match, from the height of his majesty, to spill the beans about his illegitimate child, it was with a method not different from the one Sarkozy used to tip photographers about Bruni at Euro Disney.

And I remember very well reading about Mitterrand's escapades in Egypt. He did not sleep at the YMCA, either.

The difference is he was married.

One has to laugh remembering the respect Carla Bruni earned from the chattering, liberal classes when she sang at the Zenith, in a rally against Sarkozy's immigration policies.

Now she has fallen in love with him, the same people cannot wait to tell how vulgar they find her, what a prostitute she is, how disgraceful it is for the president to be related to her, etc.

I did not especially like Carla Bruni before, and I do not especially like her now. (For that matter, I did not especially like Bernadette Chirac or Danielle Mitterrand either. Only I did not marry them.) I do not especially like Sarkozy's sunglasses, watches or manners.

But the sheer hypocrisy of the liberals' howls of outrage over the whole matter gives me great glee.

I say: go on, Sarko! Up theirs!

[azloon]

re Texibule comments about sarko being 'tacky."

welcome, france, to the concept of "tacky' in your higest public servants.

you've had an unwarranted exemption for waaaay to long!!

it warms my american heart to believe that france is finally going to have to confront what most of the rest of the world is bombarded with on a daily basis. btw, the u.s. is the world headquarters of 'tacky.'

as jack nicholson says in the wonderful eponymous movie: "this may be as good as it gets," i.e. it's all downhill from here.

:)

[dot king]

"After all he is Latin, in a Latin country and one should expect it."
he isn't Latin at all, he's the son of a Hungarian immigrant - is Hungary a Latin Country?

"especially when the antiphrase in your charges could be smelled from a league away! ;o)"
What, darling?
You sweet old fashioned thing "a league away" can't "fathom" your deep meaning there Valentin . . .

[terry]

Daniel said regarding Mitterand:

"Of course, it was a "secret de polichinelle" for big parts of the Parisian press and intelligentsia. However, the secret was duly and tightly kept a long time for the "ordinary" French, of course only because of the "discrétion due à la vie privée", and not at all out of fear of the possible" vengeance of Mitterrand ...

This may go to prove my point. Why does Sarkozy not get the same courtesy as Mitterand? In my view, it's probably because the leftist media elite covered it up because they were sympathetic to his politics. Since Sarkozy is from the right, this same media elite has no great urge to extend the same courtesy. In fact, it is quite the opposite. They'd prefer egg on Sarko's face because they dont like his policies.

The main point is that this is Sarko's girlfriend. He is single. So what if he goes on a trip with her? I heard he asked to marry her. Good for him. Since when did France get to be so prissy on dating.

I think is all leftist claptrap trying to besmirch Sarko anyway they can.

Fancy me thinking me that. Of all people.

BTW: I may be lurking in Paris again in early April. Beware.

[terry]

Mads asked:

(Terry, is it correct that a society lady of the time said that she wouldn't consider her cat safe in a room with Jefferson? Or have I got the wrong man again?)

Quite possibly. I have not heard that one. However, the sentiment is true of Jefferson whether or not the statement was directed at him. It could be Jefferson anyway. Albion's Seed, written by my professor who also wrote the pulitzer prize George Washington's Crossing, describes how southern "gentlemen" were practically encouraged to be sexual predators. This was discouraged in the colonial north. In fact, it used to be joked during that time that the definition of a virgin in Virginia was any girl who could run faster than her uncle. Your remarks about how attraction increases to power is quite correct.

[terry]

Valentin said:

"Well! after Terry's flame for Mags and Sandrine's early (and regrettable) retreat, what else was one left to do"

Flame for Mags? I do like agressive women. Especially, those that push your head down (remember that one Maggie?). But if she is going to be a socialist, she had better wear a bikini.

Where has Sandrine been?

I'm already WAY out of my league with my wife. So, I will just have to be content.

[terry]

Emylyn said:

"Giscard, Mitterrand and Chirac were all philanderers - in secret,".

Apparently, not since we all know about it.

[Rocket]

Daniel

"However, the secret was duly and tightly kept a long time for the "ordinary" French, of course only because of the "discrétion due à la vie privée", and not at all out of fear of the possible vengeance of Mitterrand ..."

Discrétion due à la vie privée?

You don't think we really believe that do you?

Terry

Believe me, the press was shaking in their boots to publish anything which would have revealed Mitterand's private life. They would have lost their job and maybe even their lives.

That's the way things work in a Monarchy.

[Daniel Strohl]

Rocket,

"That's the way things work in a Monarchy".

Yes, in Mitterrand's monarchy - up to now, not in Sarko's "monarchy".

[rocket]

QCD

Please feel confident quickly. I love the South of France.

PS - I'll bring the champagne!

[Daniel Strohl]

Maggie G,

"I still think Sarkozy is smart, and I still think he knows what he wants to do to carry out his reforms"

Yes, he is smart, and smarter than his opponents; that is the reason why he is disliked by many - they were (and still are) only able to criticize, but not to imagine any credible alternatives within the reach of our battered finances.

Furthermore, he is courageous, and not only in words ! May be that all this helps to get some success with ladies ...

[Dominique]

Rocket,

You may believe what you want, but facts are clear : laws in France are different than those outside. Thank God, privacy is protected by law, meaning that the "outing" of any kind of private event is submitted to the concerned person only.

Meaning :

- If You don't accept your private life to be in the papers, papers should not publish it

- If Mitterand does not accept his private life to be in the papers, papers should not publish it

- If You accept your private life to be in the papers, papers are allowed to publish it

- If Sarko accepts his private life to be in the papers, papers are allowed to publish it

Regarding French Law, i believe this is the best there is. This is the very opposite of what you describe : the law protects citizens from the press greed. Anglo saxon should definitly use that model! It would allow US presidents not to be spoiled by some kinkyphobic moralist!

Some resume from Wikipedia below, describing what is protected and what is not :

- Protected : adress, image, voice, pregnency, health, love affair, mail.

- Not protected : wealth of a public figure, religion, minutes of judiciary debates.

"Le seul texte capital concernant la vie privée en France est l'article 9 du Code civil français « Chacun a droit au respect de sa vie privée ». Il y aussi les articles R 226-1 et suivants du code pénal, pour les peines prévues. Le conseil constitutionnel considère que le droit à la vie privée découle de la liberté proclamée par l'article 2 de la Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen de 1789. Mais il n'y aucune définition légale de la vie privée. C'est la jurisprudence qui est chargée de dire ce qui est protégé. Elle inclut : le domicile, l'image, la voix, le fait d'être enceinte, l'état de santé, la vie sentimentale, la correspondance (y compris sur le lieu de travail)... La jurisprudence ne protège pas en revanche contre la divulgation de la situation patrimoniale d'une personne menant une vie publique (tel un dirigeant de grande entreprise), ni sa pratique religieuse... Les faits révélés par les comptes rendus de débats judiciaires ne sont pas protégés non plus.

Le fait que la personne ait elle même révélé des faits n'autorise pas la redivulgation de certains de ces faits (droit à l'oubli). La redivulgation est soumise à autorisation spéciale, sauf lorsque la publication des faits ne vise pas à nuire et obéit à un intérêt légitime."

[Maggie Millington]

Oh dear,
Dominique do keep up, the 'royal yacht ' was scrapped years ago !

[Valentin]

"liberal classes"

This is true in America. In France they are called Extreme Left. Not for nothing: recently they all celebrated Che Guevara.

"Now she has fallen in love with him, the same people cannot wait to tell how vulgar they find her"

Carla Bruni is treated the same way Mireille Mathieu was after singing at a Sarkomeeting. The hatred (and I measure my words) I saw from people like Laurent Ruquier and others was appaling. That's why French artists or intellectuals pretend to be on the left even if they feel differently - fear of Left nazis is too great.

Oh and Sarko is in part latin (French mother) and a southerner (Greek grandfather). Hence the dark glasses :)

[Maggie G]

"When I'm feeling confident with myself I'll invite you all for some festive ch(j)eer in Cannes." QCD

QCD, I am just down the road from you here, in VL, on the bord de mer near the hippodrome. But I don't think I would have the confidence either, to reveal myself to anyone on this blog.

I'm flattered though, to be included in your list.

(I wouldn't come on the same day as Terry, of course.)

[Rocket]

Daniel

"Yes, in Mitterrand's monarchy - up to now, not in Sarko's "monarchy".

Tout à fait d'accord

[mu]

I usually buy "Elle" and it makes me sick to go and buy it right now. Is that normal?

[Judith]

After watching the presidentielle closely and reading a biography of Nicolas Sarkozy, I am convinced that he is a consummate politician. So has he lost that skill since he became president or is he carefully managing the media around his love life. I tend to think that he has lost none of his political skills although I think the media display around his love life has a bit to do with the humiliation he must have felt after the divorce from Cecilia.
One thing for sure is that no future President of the republic will be able to have the kind of 'discrete' love affairs/mistresses/love children that were the prerogative of former presidents. There will be no going back for the media.

I know that the French people on this blog will castigate me but I do think that if presidents want to have lovers there should be no expectation that the press be complicit in hiding this from the French people. In my view it is OK to have lovers, if they absolutely must, but they should expect the details to be splashed across the television screens and newspapers.

My views could be influenced by the fact that our new Prime Minister seems determined to live a life of virtue. When the scandal broke during the election campaign that he had visited a 'gentleman's club' on one occasion some years ago there was a sigh of relief that he was not totally without blemish after all.

[terry]

Maggie says:

"(I wouldn't come on the same day as Terry, of course.)"

Many passionate marriages began this way. I think the lady doth protest too much.

[Florence Messi]

Please leave this guy alone.
At least he is not hypocrite like some other french presidents. It is the media that are turning Sarko's life into a show. This guy just want have a normal life, like taking his girl friend or fiancee to the beach. He is happy and in love, that's his way to express his feelings. Does that conflict with his duties and prevent him from to do his responsiblities? I don't think so.
Who does not like good things? Life is for living and Sarko is living the way he had always want to live.
That's his choice and people have to respect. He deserves to have some privacy like you and me. He the right to go wherever, whenever, with whoever he wants without having to be disturbed. Please give him some break.
F. Messi
Rockville MD

[Dominique]

Florence,

"At least he is not hypocrite like some other french presidents. [...] He deserves to have some privacy like you and me."

So what are you up to? Should he have privacy (like other presidents)? but on the same time you call other president's privacy being "hypocrite".

Contradiction is within your post! just like all medias contradicting themselves about this issue.

[dot king]

Florence "Life is for living and Sarko is living the way he had always want to live."
Was he living like this before he became president? I rather think he was living to become president, that was what he had always wanted. Now he's revelling in the power and the celebrity it's given him. I can find nothing other than narcissism in that.

[azloon]

re privacy and french laws/the media, etc.

Dominique -- as usual, your reasoning is highly logical, traditional and linear. but i am afraid you belong to a century which has passed into oblivion.

if you want to exercise your interest in privacy, forget politicians/their sex lives/other titillating details, and focus on something relevant: such as internet privacy, what marketers/insurance companies/police know about individuals from their online searches, blog comments, email. this is truly a 21st century privacy issue.

you're fighting a privacy battle that was decided long ago. france and the world WILL know every unseemely detail about sarko, bush, mick jagger, whoever. whether you like it or not.

you're like one of the japanese soldier's who hid themselves in caves in the last days of ww2, and didn't know for months/years that the war was over.

it's over.

[Dominique]

Azloon,

Of course i disagree with you and believe you are being very naive.

"france and the world WILL know every unseemely detail about sarko, bush, mick jagger, whoever. whether you like it or not."

Of course not! France and the world WILL know every unseemely detail about sarko, bush, mick jagger, if allowed by Sarko, bush, mick jagger only! whether you like it or not. Those people will always manage to hide what they want to hide. If you think you know everything about Sarko, i am affraid you're wrong.

C'est bien pour cela qu'il vaut mieux assumer la différence entre ce qui ressort du privé et ce qui ressort de la fonction et ainsi accepter de ne pas tout savoir. Le mélange des deux pollue la politique et l'action publique. Cela dévalorise la fonction politique et empêche les citoyens de juger un élu pour ce qu'il fait parce qu'on ne voit plus que ce qu'il est.

If you believe that what we are talking about is at Sarko's expense, you are completly wrong. He tells only what he wants and manipulates. How do you know that this so called "love story" is true or fake? you belive what they say? the papers? come on Azloon, don't let them spoil your brain, you deserve better than that. If medias were telling the truth, the all truth, nothing but the truth, we would have noticed! And today's medias are no better than those of 30 years ago, or even 100 years ago.

Regarding internet privacy, what marketers/insurance companies/police know about individuals from their online searches, please note that this is being considered in France since 1978 with the launching of the CNIL (Commission Nationale Informatique et Liberté). Eventhough It is probably not powerfull enough yet, it has no equivalent enywhere else and is very powerfull for controling the respect of the law "Informatique et Libertés" (Loi n°78-17 du 6 janvier 1978). For example, this commission is the one that forced internet sites to ask internet users whether they wanted to be remembered or removed from their lists.

http://www.cnil.fr/ in french
http://www.cnil.fr/index.php?id=4 in english

I know logic and honesty long passed into oblivion, but no one forces us to accept it! Unless you like the world the way it is Azloon...

[Mark]

"lobbying system, which is an institutionalized form of corruption."

I'm getting sick of reading ths attack from people who are obviously quite ignorant and not American or familiar with our system. Lobbying gives citizens who are not members of the gov't the ability to influence and affect legislation. Although there is and has always been cases where lobbyists use money, gifts, etc to pervert the system for the most part lobbying is essential to ensuring liberty by giving people a voice in the process. Taking that away would be courting fascism, which is something you Europeans should know a lot about.

[Lily]

I am really bored with Sarko’s love life. The only good thing about it is that his women are generally nice to look at from an aesthetic point of view. Dior and Prada will be very happy about the continued potential for publicity for haute couture.

Has anyone started betting or guesstimating whether or for how long Nicolas will stay with Carla? Are they getting married? His mother has said: No.

No one talks about Rachida. And shouldn’t Rama appear in the ‘Arche de Zoe’ case? (Have they been on anywhere?). Sarko might have given Rachida a few days off (where is she spending her holidays and who is with her?), telling her that he would satisfy the media’s hunger on his own in her absence. He’s quite successful at it.

BTW: I am not seriously interested in finding answers to my above questions.

BTW2: Is there any serious control in France over Bolloré’s business? Will there be any public outcry or more if he is getting (further?) involved with TF1? (I am interested in getting an answer.)

BTW3: Meanwhile Sarko has arranged for the development of North Africa’s civil nuclear power use. Who cares? -

Sarkmatism is the new word.

[Dominique]

Mark,

Don't get sick, get used to it!Lobbying system can be seen as an institutionalized form of corruption. That's called a "point of view". Not accepting different ways of looking at things is closer to fascism than any removal of the lobbying system.

"Lobbying gives citizens who are not members of the gov't the ability to influence and affect legislation"
Like allowing Mercedes, Peugeot and Volkswagen to forbid any kind of law preventing them from destroying the climat, thanks to this lobbying organisation of yours?

Lobbying helps those who can spend time & money doing it : industries and commercial interests mostly. Barely citizens who are busy working...

[Robert Marchenoir]

The crux of the matter is in this article of the Daily Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml;jsessionid=BSZIEZ2FEGVANQFIQMFCFF4AVCBQYIV0?xml=/arts/2007/12/30/svportraits130.xml&page=1

It explains how Nick Ut, the AP photographer who became famous by shooting a naked little girl burnt by napalm running away from a Vietnamese village, is now earning his living by snapping Paris Hilton and assorted celebrities. And not particularly liking it.

A French photographer just got his arm broken by an Egyptian policeman while trying to take pictures of Sarkozy jogging.

I suppose this is also part of the presidential plan to show off his formerly leftist girlfriend.

Why is it that John Kennedy was a famous philanderer, and got away with it? Why was he not pilloried by the leftist do-gooders who disapprove of Sarkozy's sex life? The very same people who blast the Pope for preaching chastity, or anyone who dares to profess second thoughts about homosexual marriage?

[azloon]

Dominique --

i meant my discription of you as a compliment (logical, etc.), not pitiable qualities hopelessly out-of-date.

i have a more mcluanesque (remember marshall m.?) outlook on this issue. imo, the zeitgeist of privacy has changed and evolved, and it isn't going back. the 'trivialization of everything' is upon us, and unless there is an intellectual revolution after which we are coerced into old-fashioned ethics, manners and morality, those things are long gone.

yes, media (plural in english -- a rare english error on your part) can be manipulated, but i don't have quite your level of paranoia about it. i think the timidity of the french press in the past, and perhaps continuing, has convinced you that you won't ever discover the truth by reading the newpaper, or watching tv. americans have a better chance of hearing the truth even if our system of investigative journalism has been degraded, and we may have to wait awhile before finding out. internet blogs are a new, valuable source of the truth behind media stories. is this so in france as well?

you are in the Age of Sarko. there's no going back, and this may be "as good as it gets."

god help us !

[ imagine One if you must :) ]

[Valentin]

Mark,

I'm sorry if my line about american lobbying sounded as an attack, far from me that idea.
Maybe what you say was the original purpose of the lobby system, but these years, ALL we hear here in Europe about american lobbying is always about big companies courting congressmen by means of retired congressmen and hidden gifts, be it in the form of cash, trips, business jobs, influence, party money and so on. And to precise even more, it is always about the industry approaching republicans in order to decide either the agenda or the direction the legislative is to take.

You'll need to give me at least one example of clean lobbying, before your defense albeit honourable of the lobbying system sound convincing.

regards
Valentin in Paris

[Marie]

At the end of the day whether he likes it or not (I suspect he does), dating a woman who is very famous in France is always going to draw media attention. Yes Sarkozy does have a flamboyant lifestyle but we should rather judge his policies than his private life. Whether his policies are effective or not, the man does work hard so noone can blame him for enjoying a holiday. People who are offended by his behaviour should just stop reading the magazine's talking about the whole Bruni love story, then the whole fuss might die down (though let's be honest this won't happen as 90% of us like a bit of gossip and I bet those criticising him still have a sneaky peek).

PS: I don't think Ségolène should talk considering how her and her ex-partner insulted each other in the media, her separation wasn't the most private either.

[Sarah-Maryse]

I had a dream, whilst Sarko was divorcing Wife No. 2, that Wife No. 3 would be a model and although, in the dream, she was not unlike Carla Bruni, I think she was supposed to have some South-Sea/Pacific ancestry.

[john o'doe]

Just got my daily dose of Sarko on the French TV evening news. His holiday's over and it's back to work looking tired (why?)and grumpy, meeting another celebrity, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, yet another leader who's taller than him so he has to reach up high to put his hand on his shoulder in the now usual gesture that means 'please love me'.
He looks really pissed off and ironically thanks the French press for their interest in his holiday which he says was never the case for his predecessors.
He really should decide if he wants full-on media coverage or none. He can't have it both ways.

[azloon]

Valentin --

you are basically correct about the american lobbying system, mark's objections notwithstanding. so you don't have to apologize for your unflattering comments about it.

lobbying is as hideously entrenched in our system as 'strikes' are in yours. mark has got to be a lobbyist himself, or the father of one. :)

bonne annee a vous et toutes les mondes !!

@+

[azloon]

'FAR FROM giving up her guitar to play the discreet presidential consort, Nicolas Sarkozy’s girlfriend Carla Bruni is working on a new album of love songs to be released next year and is already booking dates for a world tour.' timesonline today

ok, Dominique, if one is patient, one discovers what's REALLY going on.

now we know.

carla is promoting her new album.

her publicity agent is worth every euro she's paying him.

[Mata]

I am Egyptian and I am offended by Sarkozy's behavior. Does he not have any sensitivity to Egyptian culture AND its laws? Bringing a girlfriend with him and shacking up with her in a hotel is totally disrespectful. However, the fact that the Egyptian government tolerates it is an even bigger slap in our faces. I was shocked to learn from this article that previous French presidents were allowed to bring their mistresses to Egypt on vacation. That is even worse. The Egyptian government knew about this I am sure and the fact that they tolerated it is despicable and looks like kowtowing to the Europeans. Enough is enough!

[fra]

First of all, Carla is a younger mini me version of his ex wife.

Secondly, you become the most important man in the land and your wife leaves you for some one else - ouch!

Revenge is the best reward.

[John Gregory Flinn]

Really Charles, is this thread still going ? I would have thought you might have got onto recapping the old year's (Sarkozy) highlights, or even something about Belgium... oops sorry, is that taboo?

DOT KING's questioning of Sarko's Latin pedigree reminds me of that old saw (which I paraphrase) - "there's none so Latin as those newly converted"!
I believe even the English can become Latin if they live in, and absorb a Latin culture for long enough.

I think ROBERT MARCHENOIR's final paragraph sums things up pretty well.

A happy 2008 to our host and all bloggers.

[dot king]

Mata: does this mean that as an Egyptian you would not accept any unmarried couple holidaying together in Egypt?
As long as Ms Bruni wasn't part of the official visit, surely that doesn't upset political protocol and relations between France and Egypt.
But while they were taking a much-publicised holiday together, your quarrel is surely with your country's travel and tourist industry? If you are to have a successful tourist industry then you need to be able to accept that you will have visitors from different cultures. whilst in your culture you might tolerate a man having more than one wife, in ours we tolerate a couple not being married.
Despite the media coverage, N&C were simple tourists at the beginning of their stay. There must be countless thousands of unmarried couples who holiday in Egpyt every year, would you wish them not to come?
If anyone out there thinks I'm defending Sarkozy - don't get carried away! ;0

[Dominique]

John O'Doe

"He really should decide if he wants full-on media coverage or none. He can't have it both ways."

That's his problem : he acts like a 5 years old and wants it all!

Azloon,

"i think the timidity of the french press in the past, and perhaps continuing, has convinced you that you won't ever discover the truth by reading the newpaper, or watching tv. americans have a better chance of hearing the truth even if our system of investigative journalism has been degraded, and we may have to wait awhile before finding out"

I won't go through te old same debates about all this but i am afraid i wouldn't trust US medias either...Did they achieve anything about D.Cheney lobbying for Irak? Did they investigate? Didn't they alltogether back the false US administration's reports about WMD in Irak? did they investigate? This typical anglosaxon superiority complex is getting boring and out of date. After all, when i read the Times or the NYT, i read the same rubbish about Sarko's sex life. Nothing about real politics.

I believe the difference between you and me is not me being paranoïac, but you being naïve. Sorry.

"the 'trivialization of everything' is upon us, and unless there is an intellectual revolution after which we are coerced into old-fashioned ethics, manners and morality, those things are long gone"

That's probably one of the main difference between left and right : the left doesn't accept the world as it is while the right waits for an "intellectual revolution" that is supposed to appear "all of a sudden from nowhere".

Marie,

"Sarkozy does have a flamboyant lifestyle"

Hum...i don't see anything flamboyant here. Marrying twice and getting divorced twice and quite common. Mitterand's life, that was flamboyant! Of course, it probably did not suit all the politically correct moralists hanging around on this blog, but...flamboyant is the right word.

[Lucia Martino]

Happy New Year 2008

It comes to mind time and time again that the press and the rich continue to flaunt in our faces what they have and what we don't have as working class people. Will this ever stop?

Carla Bruni is a whole! Have you every read the bio on her! It seems as though she has slept around, a lot! I am
not impressed and I don't care about her sex life! It clearly obvious that she has issues with men! Perhaps she needs to see a therapist?

Did Sarko use his own money to have his fun in Egypt with
his new toy or did he use the money of the working class French people?

When are the rich and famous ever going to understand that working class people also deserve the best of everything, i.e. a trip to Egypt, a big house, extra income etc. Why does it always have to be the have and the have nothing? The people in power, like President Bush and President Sarko should really put people before profit and fix the problems in their countries and listen to the working class people and what our needs truly are instead of pushing wealth down are faces. Perhaps these president's could learn how to share and help the working class live healthy prosperous lives as well instead of being greedy!

By the way where were Carla Bruni's children while she was being a toy to the media? Perhaps with one of her nannies? Wouldn't it be nice for working class people to go on vacation and have a babysitter and be able to afford it? This is about money, the people in power have it and the rest of us working class folks slave away, not being notice for out contributions to society.

Big deal! So Carla Bruni can sing and sell CD's and she was a "famous" model. She is attractive, and she sells sex which sells products to continue the mass consumption and production of goods. I am not interested! How about giving back to society so that we can all share in the wealth?

I suggest that Carla Bruni and Sarko get "real" jobs and find out what it means to work for a living.

[azloon]

[That's probably one of the main difference between left and right : the left doesn't accept the world as it is while the right waits for an "intellectual revolution" that is supposed to appear "all of a sudden from nowhere".] Dominique

i am not of the 'right' and am not waiting for a revolution in ideas, manners. that's my point, ain't gonna happen.

you see the world in stereotypes, to a degree than even i disapprove of. :)

you indeed could find the point of view in american media that WMD didn't exist. it was not the prominent view presented, but it was there and reported. the point is that no one knew for certain. no one could disprove it, so bush exploited this gap in intelligence. that's how life works, mon ami. shit happens. i am afaid i am not the one who is naive.

[qwerty]

Does the editorial by Marc Lambron in the Fig Mag last weekend insinuate that Bruni and Sarkozy were already in an affair a decade ago? The last sentence is pretty enigmatic - does anyone understand what he means?
About escapades in Egypt, non-YMCA types etc., I stayed at the Winter Palace years ago and it had kind of a seedy charm (I suppose it's been done up since then).
Azloon: "this is as good as it gets - it's all downhill from here" was in "American Beauty" and it wasn't Jack Nicholson but..s***, I suddenly can't remember his name. The guy who also played in "Usual Suspects". Kevin Spacey, that's it.

[azloon]

Dot:

were we snoring???

seriously....yours and Maggie's comments don't convince me the french system is any good. i suspect the two of you defend it more than necessary because you work in it, and must accept it. i don't have to get along with french friends, neighbors, co-workers -- easier to see clearly, imo.

the system sounds quite dreadful to me, something designed for a century past.

[dot king]

Az, glad we weren't keeping you awake! Sit up straight and pay attention, arms folded, eyes front: "something designed for a century past" is exactly how it seems to me. Positively Dickensian.
I recently translated some school reports for a girl who is applying to finish her studies in Santa Barbara Ca. Quite apart from its being the most frustrating set of documents because of the format, tabulations on every page and no two alike, allowing no possibility of setting up a model, it drove me almost to distraction translating and typing up the negative comments of the teachers - and the girl had in fact done rather well. Somehow they manage to reduce every success to a warning.
I hope she is accepted and enjoys California Dreamin'.
Happy New Year . . .

[Dominique]

Azloon,

"I [...] am not waiting for a revolution in ideas, manners. that's my point, ain't gonna happen."

With people like you only, we'd still be living in caves...

[azloon]

Dominique --

it's interesting i am hearing a progressive point of view from you as you simultaneously and vigorously defend french institutions in their present form, thwarting all suggestions meant to modernize them.

i guess there is no accounting for taste and self-contradictory opinions.

btw, if you happen to be in arizona, please stop by my cave. i have great view out of the mouth if you are strong enough to move the large boulder. i am not, so usually just sit here in the dark.

is the war really over? :)

[azloon]

QWERTY --

having just googled it, i can say that 'as good as it gets' is the line from the eponymous film with jack nicholson (1997).

he utters the line as he accidentally walks through a group therapy session -- something like, "this may be as good as it gets," then grins his demonic grin as he walks out the door.

kevin spacey indeed was the star (and great) in american beauty (directed by a brit as are many of our best movies). did he have that same line as well? i don't recall.

[dot king]

Azloon, Dominique, I have been saying for some time to those who ask "where next?" that I am seeking out a cave to live in, that I will dress in smelly camelskins and speak in tongues and hurl rocks at hapless passers-by.
If you want to visit me, be sure to be hapful. TTFN . . . .;}

[qwerty]

Azloon:

I found the "American Beauty" script: it actually goes:

LESTER (VO) (amused) Look at me, jerking off in the shower.
(then)
This will be the highpoint of my day. It's all downhill from here.

Pretty close.

Alan Ball also wrote the "Six Feet Under" series. Major talent.

[John Styx]

As far as I know, the knowledge of Mitterand's double life was not restricted to intelligentsia and media. Kids who went to Lycée Henri-IV with Mazarine were well aware of it. People who knew Ms. Pingeot's family (a good family of the Auvergne bourgeoisie, descended from Maréchal Fayolle) knew it as well: her father used to talk about it in social dinners. My own parents knew it for instance. Gossip didn't spread much because everyone felt sorry for the Pingeot family.

All in all I'm rather surprised that drastic measures were taken against journalists when so much (relatively speaking) ordinary people knew about it.