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!