Ségolène loses again but fights on

Message de Ségolène Royal, le 25 novembre 2008

Take a look at this video and you will see why the French Socialist party is in big trouble. The smiling woman promising victory is Ségolène Royal, the loser in a vicious battle for leadership that is supposed to be over.

Royal was defeated last night when the party's governing council endorsed Martine Aubry as the winner of last Friday's disputed run-off vote. Aubry was deemed to have scored 102 votes more than Royal in a contest in which 135,000 party members cast ballots.

France's main opposition party is now supposed to climb out of the wreckage and start rallying fraternally behind the stolid Mayor of Lille. Aubry, 58, was never in the front line for the leadership but at the last minute she became the champion of a coalition determined to stop the evangelical Royal taking over the party and turning it into her fan club. Aubry inherits a Socialist family that is split down the middle after a contest that became an episode of Desperate Housewives or just an inconclusive referendum on Royal.

You can see why Royal, 55, drives the party regulars nuts. Every time she is knocked out, as she was by Nicolas Sarkozy in last year's presidential election, she gets up again as if nothing happened. Le Figaro predicted her reaction before Royal's video appeared today:

"She treated her clean defeat by Nicolas Sarkozy a quasi-victory. There is a good chance that she will see her narrow defeat by Aubry as a quasi-triumph."

The video is a defiant message in which she thanks the majority who, she claims, voted for her -- despite the ruling to the contrary. There is no call for unity or acceptance of the conciliatory hand offered to her by Aubry. She is, in her own eyes, the legitimate chief and she is leading her troops on to the 2012 presidential election. "After all, 2012 is tomorrow", she says.  In other words, the Socialists now have two candidates competing for the next presidency -- the party leader and the woman who thinks she was elected party leader. 

The Socialists should not be written off. They are still France's biggest party in the sense of active membership and holding power in cities and regions. But they now seem doomed to a civil war that could cripple their efforts to produce a credible alternative to Sarkozy and his government when they both come up for renewal in three and a half years time. Sarko has given orders to his people to avoid public gloating over the Socialist agony. He says they have nothing to gain by "shooting at the ambulance" -- French for kicking someone when they are down.

One man must be watching with pleasure from across the Atlantic ocean. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the Socialist whom Sarko exiled to the presidency of the International Monetary Fund, remains France's favourite leftwing candidate, according to opinion polls. He is narrowly beaten by Royal in polls of Socialist voters, but that could change. 

[Below: Aubry, the lucky winner]

Comments

[Do-re-mi]

Please someone send this woman " He's not into you" by Greg Behrendt. She is a very intelligent women, she will get the drift. Do they do interventions in France ( or is that too AA) ? Because friends and family need to tie this woman to a chair and tell her straight that she is one step away from the bunny's boiler look. Don't drink and dial I say, or rather don't drink and use the webcam, you will regret it. I know I did.

[Daniel Strohl]

"Take a look at this video and you will see why the French Socialist party is in big trouble" (CHARLES)

LOL - it is exactly that! Non French speakers are lucky enough to have been spared the contents of the "evangelical" sermon of Mme Marie-Ségolène Royal calling for a new and victorious crusade :).

PS : one reads in the press that a few foreign government chiefs do not always appreciate Sarkozy's manners. They may be don't know it, mais ils l'ont échappé(e :) belle ! Bien sûr, dans un autre registre ... :)

[azloon]

Sego's post-election stuff about winning is only quasi-pathological. Hillary did a bit of that, as have many other defeated pols. and talk about not going away -- if she follows the example of richard nixon, she could easliy haunt france for decades.

CB - maybe 'rallying sororally' (sororal is a word, i discovered)

DOREMI--

hilarious: don't drink and dial /use webcam !! (but not at all funny when it shows up on youtube, and you notice it's had 37,000 viewings :)).

"Sideways"?

[richard.jones]

Sad in a country that must have a strong and meaningful Parliamentary opposition to temper a constitutionally over-powerful President.

[PAUL 1st]

Put a sock in it, Ségo!

[Do-re-mi]

Azloon

Yep, Sideways. I so truly love that movie. I didn't know that what I had been doing for years, was called that. By the way I am also so relieved I did my growing up away from the internet. No videos of me in the gutter. In these times of permanent 360 degree feedback, your shame is in constant replay.

Alexander Payne does capture self loathing in males/humans very well and how it takes you a while to realise your are up to your ears in crap. Election was brilliant as well

[Gordon]

Well, it does look like Aubry cheated to get where she is now. And don't tell me it's never happened in Old Labour days that some branches kinda stuffed the ballot.
Not to mention that Aubry had the entire old guard with her - Jospin, Fabius, Hollande, all these guys - and she has been saying she represented 70% of the party... turns out that they got about the same percentage of the votes, whereas Royal was alone, without any internal support.
I can see why Royal's gloating: Aubry's got to deal with the mess, figure out what to do with power now that she has it, be careful with her "allies", all of whom want to shoot her down to get her position, and try to maintain the old guard's status quo while giving the impression of moving forward.
Seriously, wouldn't you be gloating too in her place?

[Fernandez]

She's like Monty Python's Black Knight!

[Romain]

Only 55% members voted, that is 135 000. When you know that there are 80 000 socialists elected in constituencies, districts etc. it tells you about the mobilizarion dynamics.
Le parti socialiste does not know where it stands on issues like capitalism, Europe, immigration, national security etc.
None of the two ladies will give up the fight, none of them can make it to presidential election : Segolene televangelist style is intolerable to many, Aubry as too strong a branding of ideology. BTW, the 35 hours week was one of the reasons why workers withdrew there support to Jospin in 2002 (limitation of overtime working hours).
Unless, le parti goes back to the black board, writes what it stands for, what it wants and how, it is a party to nowhere.

Fernandez
Just a fleshwound lol !

[Pierre]

It's time for me to use my newly learnt english expression:
once again Soeur Sego is trying to pull the wool over our eyes (or at least the french or the french "socialists" eyes).
Hopefully DSK will find a way back in the game. He's by far the potential social democrat candidate with the truest "stature d'homme d'état". Of course, he might love unreasonably women (and money too?).

[azloon]

DOREMI

yes, 'election' and 'sideways' are two of my favorites ever.

my son works in the entertainment biz and once sent a short note to (total stranger) payne to say how much he liked his work.

a few weeks later, my son got a phone call from payne who thanked him for the note and they chatted for awhile about his films and the biz in general.

so in addition to being a wonderful filmmaker, he's a good guy.

p.s. my relationship with a girlfriend broke up several years ago, ostensibly for sensible reasons, but really because she thought 'sideways' was a crappy movie. she failed my litmus test, and tho she didn't say anything, i probably did hers too. :)

[Daniel Strohl]

This afternoon, our couple of super-ladies had a one and a half hour talk which was described as being very friendly. Both smiled as if nothing had happened in the past few days !

This is definitely "l'alliance de la carpe et du lapin" (marriage between a carp and a rabbit)...

Or, as a person very close to me said : "c'est la peste et le choléra !" (plague & cholera) :)

[Pierre]

Azloon
'election' and 'sideways' are two of my favorites ever.'

You see: we can agree. (Sorry if I continue here another post's discussion but I just read your line upper). On Sideways surely. (For Election I haven't seen Payne's but would more than advice Jonny To's movie,same title other topic.)

[Gordon]

Romain: I predict that the European Election predictable debacle will spell the end of the Aubry coalition and the socialists will offer us another entertaining political soap next Fall.

Pierre: I know some people are waiting the "white helicopter" DSK to land and save them, but that ship has sailed. I really can't imagine him returning. I know the theory is popular in some restricted circles, but it doesn't fly in any of the socialist circles I know.
The strausskahniens no longer form a "courant" and they have Moscovici on the one hand, Cambadelis on the other - none of whom can run for president.

The same goes for Fabius, too - he miraculously came back from his self imposed exile this afternoon to call Martine and Segolene the highfalutin' equivalent of pigtail biyatches fighting over crayons. Nice way to support the new 1er secretaire, whom you allegedly pushed there.
Bartolone did his bit, too, speaking FOR Martine Aubry but without any request from her to do so. Not to mention he said a few damaging things.

On the other hand, someone on TV said that as soon as she'd be elected, Martine would be "assassinated" so that she can"t go higher than they want her to be....
So it may not be slip ups from the new executive office, but rather coordinated.

[Pierre]

Switch on the video. Close your eyes. Just listen to the voice, to the words clashing in disorder. Then think about Obama. Voice, substance, inspiration. Hear him. Feel the difference. Open your eyes. And, even once in your life, wish you were American.

[Gordon]

ps: I watched the nightly news and whereas SR appeared smiling and essentially, happy, Martine Aubry looked like she was forcing a smile over a worried look. I think it tells you a lot about the current dynamics: Martine's got the money but Segolene's got something else Martine can't buy.

[azloon]

[And, even once in your life, wish you were American] Pierre

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

Words engraved on the Statue of Liberty, a french gift to the u.s..

Pierre, you do indeed qualify under at least one of the requirements stated above:

surely you are tired (aren't we all?), even if you don't fall into the category of 'wretched refuse' or 'tempest-tossed.' and surely, after years of french socialist strictures, you 'yearn to breathe free.'

it's yours Pierre. all you have to do is 'go for it.' :)

p.s. never once in my life have i heard an american say that their immigrant forbears fell into the category of 'wretched refuse.'

[Romain]

I love the way US commentators pronounce Segoleene, it sounds like gasoline.
The best thing Martine could do is to entirely redraw the map, pick a new face and help him or her carry a new project.
That 19th century "socialist" label is a liability in the 21th century.
Martine is quite capable to do that, if she puts away ideological lunacies. They should begin with a broader view, E.G. European Union limitations and opportunities, same for economy, and then define a realistic project of their own with some left wing emphasis here and there like human rights, individual freedom, redistribution of wealth (oh my god!) within realistic limits. etc.
Our democracy, without a credible opposition, is a lame duck. Socialists can forget about 2012 elections, it is time to cut the deadwood, downsize to a smaller base with a credible plan.
Gordon,
I agree with you that next elections both European an Regional should blow a hard hit on socialists.

[Antoine Delord]

'Soeur Ségolène' is a great source of inspiration for France's funniest satirists - who, unlike their US counterparts, don't appear on late-night TV shows but on early-morning radio programmes. Here is a wonderful example (it dates back to before her defeat, but she doesn't seem to have changed so much...):
http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/Guillon%2Bsoeur%2Bsegolene/video/x7fxfl_soeur-sgolne_fun

[Gilles]

she begins to cut a sorry figure, I think.

Is it not a faillure of te french political institutions that whimsical characters should be brought to the front.

[christopher muir]

It ranks as one of the oddest camera pieces by a politician that I've ever seen. It's almost as though she mounted the camera on a tripod and did the session on her own. (The sound balance is poor.) The last ten seconds brought the word "unhinged" to mind.

[dot king]

give me your poor
your tired, your pimps
your carhops, your cowboys
your midgets, your chimps

(Mary C Brown and the Holly wood Sign - "she jumped off the letter H because she did not become a star, she died in less than a minute and a half, she looked a bit like Heddy Lamar . . . when Mary Cecilia jumped, she finally made the grade, her name was in the obituary columns of both of the Daily Trades")

for Azloon from Dory Previn :)

[Sigognac]

In both presidential elections, the good mrs Royal had to fight her own party and still manage to scrap more than a decent result. In the view of this, she is entitled to feel some satisfaction.
One can think what he/she wants about what she represents (ie her use of the media) and her supposed lack of content, but she has more guts than most men. Therefore she's more into WWF territory than "Desperate housewives" (probably a sexist snide comment)

[Do-re-mi]

Azloon,

litmus test:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frZQN28Iknw

[azloon]

[your pimps,
your carhops, your cowboys
your midgets, your chimps] dory previn song lyrics so graciously supplied by Dot

Pierre, Dot has brought to light several other qualifying categories in case 'tired' and 'poor' don't apply, and you don't 'yearn to breathe free.'

so thoughtful of you, Dot. (can't you just 'feel the love?')

incidentally, our 'lead' chimp is the current president, the 'lame duck' dubya. chimps are not to be confused with another primate species, the surrender monkey, which is rare on the north american continent. there have however been increasing numbers of sightings of 'withdrawal monkeys' in recent months. :)

[Pierre]

Gordon
French socialist tides and flows are uneasily predictable. I wouldn't wait for DSK as a messiah nore would I count him out. Never say never?

Azloon
Are you suggesting me to ask for a green card? :)
If Wiki's correct Lazarus lines up-quoted were added in 1903, so they were not originally part of the gift... The lyrical evocation of the "wretched refused" (you're right I'm not-yet- one of them) reminds me of that another epic long in competition with the american dream. En version originale it adresses to "les damnés de la terre"...

PS(criptum)Closing my eyes again I heard a different voice you, I (and the world) had to endure for 8 long years. The voice kept on talking of "weapons of mass destruction". Then I thought Obama was indeed a well deserved relief but wondered: was he worth the pain?
Wich came to remind me that this alliance of style, eloquence and lyrical substance, a grace that touched Obama as much as it ignored Soeur Sego, could at present times be found in one man on the french political scene. Unfortunately for him, he's been mixed up in some tricky occupations and is not currently in the game. But you might remember him...
http://storage.canalblog.com/51/76/245376/9997725.mp3
(strangely I didn't find the VO unmixed)

[dot king]

Do-Ré-Mi
litmus clip - I think you have Azloon to a tee and pegged! :)

Azloon, don't mention it, like a good little woman, I'm always here willing to serve, do what I can, you know . . . (phffffft)

DP also adds "your sad and your busted, give me your maladjusted".
(note that it's "your" and not "you're" - so nothing too personal :))
"The Hollywood sign seems to smile, like it's constantly saying "cheese"; I don't think the Statue of Liberty ever welcomed more refugees"

(from two albums one called "Mary C Brown and the Hollywood sign" the other being the better known "Mythical Kings and Iguanas". Both in my box of old vinyls, not even in alphabetical or music category order - disgraceful!)
;D

[Rick]

I’m no particular fan of the United States; but when Uncle Sam calls! Some of the anti-American sniping reflects poorly on its originators. Haven’t they heard about ‘compensatory activities’ or ‘the inferiority complex’?

[dot king]

And here she is! DP herself! Isn't internet wonderful? Didn't think this'd even exist.
I forgot the "blacklisted" which links up nicely with McCarthy on the other thread. One of those days when things just fall into place really . . .

Piece is rather dated, but the lyrics are excellent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofhaKy7DJGw

[Daniel Strohl]

AZLOON,

"the surrender monkey, which is rare on the north american continent"

LOL ! But one doesn't know for sure until the planned Chinese invasion has occurred and the horse-mounted Texas Rangers have been driven back over the Mexican border by hordes of Panzers (sorry, tanks) ...

PIERRE,

"he's been mixed up in some tricky occupations".

C'est le moins qu'on puisse dire :). But thanks for the quote - it is interesting.

I found this morning (en me rasant :) a new name for Soeur Sego : Soeur Ste Nitouche ...

Hereafter a link illustrating the point :

http://www.lepoint.fr/actualites-politique/le-non-qui-a-fait-perdre-delanoe/917/0/294901

[thinknoworpaylater]

Im getting abit tired of all this pesrsonal stuff about Segolene Royal. This doesnt represent the *militants* or even the poor old voters. Nearly half (47%) voted for her. I dont think shes that good at policy but then Obama wont decide many things because he wil appoint loads of people to do it for him - and any way Washington will decide. Sarko already had a majority in the U.M.P. and therefore I cant think how it would have worked if any one else had won the presidential. Sarko has a planto control major T.V. channels but it will cost money. These plans were constructed ( along with many others) many months ago. Yhey are in the pipeline but no longer have the same economic basis for their implementation. It will be spend, spend spend by the Govt not cuts and spending on support for the T.V. system should be the last of these projects. Even the U.M.P. is no longer united about these policies because they will lead to a reduction in *pub* and perhaps contributeto reduction in consumption. Some of them think that reducing the incentives for consumption at this time is a mistake (it will happen anyway but dont make it worse). There is trouble ahead for Sarko and the U.M.P. as the economic situation unfolds. Unfairly, perhaps, the Pres. and the U.M.P. will get the blame in 3 and a half years. Well see what the next major elections bring - but look out. After the recession blame will fly to the Gov. in charge and maybe the P.S. will have sorted itself out. Maybe not but the mood of the country (massive unemployment, collapse of business etc) will have changed. PIERRE -While Obama is impressive much of the talk is rhetoric. What exactly has he said he will do? Change is a fine word but to what? I agree hes a fine performer but what wil actually happen? Given the Military-industrial complex in the U.S.? He wont be working in the way people think - his hands are tied behind his back. In France the P.S. needs to develop new policies but in the deadlock of the last ten years in France there has been no new development apart from Sarkos (new labour) neo-liberal policies. (Now dead). All the European Govs. will be forced to spend more just to maintain the equilibrium. We shall see - but its still three and a half years to the next major elections.

[Do-re-mi]

"she has more guts than most men".

She has, to be where she is. Plenty of guys, like my mother says " lui ont savonné la planche". She had an amazing % result at the presidential election for a woman in France. She has taken a bruising, being dumped ( husband, party, you need to made of steel and dad being in the army that might have helped) after so many years when she did everything right.
Even Madonna can't have everything.

Sego Regal is a bit victim of her class, "I am left-wing but I am still superior to the plebe,I just can't help it", yet she can't win deal with it. I am a feminist and she is gets on my nerves. It's hard to be boss as a woman, people are hard on you, they want you to be Catherine the Great and Florence Nightingale at the same time, them moan when you are one or the other and when you try to be both. If you are boss you are loved or hated but you can't asked to be loved, you have to be boss and it's lonely at the top, the passive-aggressive is a sure pain.Aand she got an easy ride cause she is beautiful, has she been ugly she would not have gone this far.

Could we have someone new, not tied to the past, with fresh ideas, not someone who has not gone to l'Ena, then straight from there the rat-political-race & greasy pole, and doesn't talk to me like I am stupid. Man or woman, don't care.

[rocket]

Yes

The French often find a way to find a quantum of solace in losing. It's kinda like a victory anyway.

[thomasine]

nice to see Segolène compared to Hillary for a change

[Balbou]

"She's like Monty Python's Black Knight!"

Fernandez, that's a brilliant one ! I'm going to use it ! Do I need to pay any royalties ?

I wonder if one day we'll have jokes that comes with licenses... You must pay a fee, and when you tell it you're legally forced to add "this joke has been created by John Doe. if you want to use it please send your bank details to xxx"...

It's getting late and I should go back home...

[Pierre]

Azloon
"..the surrender monkey, which is rare on the north american continent".
Translation/undertitle: but so common in old France? Of course you don't mean it. You're just "tweaking"....

Rocket
Turning defeats in victories? Judging by hollywood self glorifying productions (We were soldiers, Black Hawk down aso) the US often perform very well. Remember that Kevin Kline's line in "A fish called Wanda": "We did not lose Vietnam, it was a tie"?
Another possibility is to claim popular glory for others achievements (brits in the present case).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-571_(film)#Americanization_of_real_historical_events

[susan durst]

DO-RE-MI : "I'm a feminist and she gets on my nerves". Me too ! I think Ségolène has done a lot of damage to women in politics, by relying solely on style and image (and that permanent smile with the expensively capped teeth) to see her through.

"It's hard to be boss as a woman, people are hard on you." Agreed, but you mustn't fall into the Royal trap of constantly casting yourself as a victim of macho prejudice. She has nobody to blame for her defeat but herself and those endless politically correct sermons on the "club de la fraternité" and the "universités populaires". Her "à très bientôt" at the end of the video fills me with dread !

[qwerty]

The thing with Ségolène Royal is that she appeals to the subconsciousness of the French, rather than any rational thinking: dressed in white, face upturned to some vision in the sky, perpetual ecstatic smile, subliminal religious references (aimez-vous les uns les autres....). And it works, because the French, in spite of all their laicité affichée, their supposed sophistication and enlightment, their rational thinking, are still basically a traditionally catholic society.

Royal combines the Church and the Military (her background, her presidential program, her morals). Voilà la France.

She's also a sort of mother figure, protective, and God knows the French need to feel protected. Welfare state, you know?

Daniel, on n'est pas sortis des bois, parce qu'avec le modèle social français telqu'il a été mis en place ces dernières décennies, the French welfare state, la France est exsangue. Sarkozy dit qu'il va dépenser des milliards pour le redressement; il n'a pas un sou pour le faire. Vous allez voir que ce sont ces immoraux de libéraux américains qui vont s'en sortir les premiers.

[Daniel Strohl]

QWERTY,

"Vous allez voir que ce sont ces immoraux de libéraux américains qui vont s'en sortir les premiers".

LOL ! Je le crois aussi, même s'ils ont des déficits (état et particuliers) bien plus élevés que les nôtres en proportion.

Sarkozy doit faire face non seulement à des déficits importants, mais surtout à un immobilisme généralisé et entretenu par tout un tas de lobbies puissants - CGT, fonctionnaires (Education Nationale), une partie du patronat, beaucoup de politiciens locaux (suppression des départements) etc. - qui ont intérêt (du moins le croient-ils :) à ce que rien ne bouge et qui tirent à boulets rouges sur tout ce qui bouge, i.e Sarkozy.

A titre d'exemple, Mme Aubry, à peine élue, a parlé de combattre la droite ! Le bateau France est à la cape, avec des avaries importantes et dans un très gros temps, et on s'inquiète des moyens qu'on pourrait mobiliser pour tirer sur le capitaine. C'est débile !

PS : puisqu'on parle de navire à la cape, il me vient à l'esprit qu'on pourrait baptiser nos deux amazones de gauche Charybde et Scylla :). Je propose qu'on les envoie dans le détroit de Messine, leur place d'origine ... Mais on risque de se brouiller avec nos amis italiens !

" And it works, because the French ..."

Fortunately, it didn't work last time (47/53 %). It didn't work this time either. Il passera encore beaucoup d'eau sous les ponts d'ici 2012 ...

[qwerty]

J'ai déjà été à la cape en pleine Méditerrannée au milieu d'un grain blanc... très impressionnant. Et très beau. Donc assez exaltant.

Martine Aubry est une intello scolaire et laborieuse alors que Royal marche à l'intuition. Totalement opposées. Je ne vois que DSK pour ce parti, encore qu'i soit un dilettante

Les américains ont en effet une dette énorme. Mais ils ont un "can do" attitude qui les tirera d'affaire.

[Do-re-mi]

Susan Durst

Ségolène has a French problem. French women are still in the oppressive carcan of "beauty" and rather untrusting of each other. The Madonna/Whore Catholic thing messes with your mind also. That she has suffered in the hands of men I believe it, yet a saintly manner can hide great repressed anger. She wasn't bold enough, not a ball-breaker. Opting instead for a non threatening sexy-desirable maman gig instead of telling us what kind of bitter medecine we need . I don't totally agree she has done a lot of damage to women in politics because she has gone quite far. Even my mother who is not a feminist was impressed. French women did not have the vote till 1948 and then only if their husband let them, many were afraid of the influence of the clergy on their grenouilles de bénitier.This is coming from the anarchist-socialo side of my family, sorry if I offend anyone.

Maybe Martine Aubry will surprise us, I wouldn't want her job, the backstabbing would get to me and I have a weak stomach.

We have been kicking the left but Sarko seem to be rearranging the chairs on the Titanic to me because there is no money for life boats.

As for the capped teeth, I am afraid I am a fan, sorry. Having had an accident where my head smashed the front shield of a car ( yeah, yeah, no belt) and all my front teeth are dead and chipped, lumineers are a smile saver. I mean if you are going to appear in Closer in your bikini at 53, a perfect set of pearly whites is a must, she is not in Shameless.

[Daniel Strohl]

QWERTY,

"J'ai déjà été à la cape en pleine Méditerrannée au milieu d'un grain blanc... très impressionnant".

Je le crois sans peine ! J'ai un autre souvenir de la Méditerranée, mais sur un cargo - ça remue moins et les vagues paraissent moins terrifiantes :). Nous étions au large des Baléares, par un temps très orageux, qui a provoqué des feux de Saint-Elme très impressionnants à la pointe des mâts; a l'époque (début des années soixante), une antenne d'émission était tendue entre les deux mâts, pour permettre les communications par ondes courtes et ondes moyennes - maintenant, tout se fait par satellite. Je n'avais jamais vu un phénomène naturel aussi curieux et je n'en ai pas revu depuis.

DSK a le niveau; a-t-il le sérieux nécessaire ? :). Sarkozy a la can-do attitude. C'est pour cela (entre autres :) qu'il déplait à beaucoup.

[susan durst]

DO-RE-MI : "French women are still in the oppressive carcan of beauty". This is not specifically French, you can pick up a magazine or switch on TV anywhere in the western world and be confronted with the same attitudes. Yes, Ségolène opted for a "non-threatening, sexy-desirable maman" image, but I don't think this was necessary in the French political environment today. I haven't noticed successful female figures like Christine Lagarde, Michèle Alliot-Marie or Elisabeth Guigou (to name just three) playing this little game, and Ségolène didn't have to either.

I'm also skeptical about the whole concept of educated ambitious women like Royal "suffering at the hands of men". Ségolène chose the life she wanted to live and has done very well for herself, men or no men. Her victim stance is wearing a little thin, there are plenty of successful women out there who don't use this argument to win sympathy. Royal has made herself an object of ridicule and therefore lost political credibility (just like Sarah Palin). Not good for women, in my view.

My little theory is that Ségolène is a late bloomer in the "sexy-desirable" stakes, and it's gone to her head ! Does anyone still remember how she looked when she was a junior minister in the Mitterrand government ? She was the original plain-jane, leftist intellectual : no make-up, hair scraped back unbecomingly, glasses, dowdy clothes ... need I go on ? Now that an army of style professionals is working on her day and night, she's thrilled that she can finally play Pretty Woman ! What she has forgotten (in the language of political marketing) is that looking attractive should be added value, not the core benefit ...

[FRANK]

"She wasn't bold enough, not a ball-breaker."
She certainly breaks mine!

[Romain]

She is a ball-buster, or like in that song "she's a maniac" is it breakdance ?

[Daniel Strohl]

SUSAN,

"Now that an army of style professionals is working on her day and night"

LOL !

"should be added value, not the core benefit ..."

Re LOL !

[qwerty]

My little theory is that Ségolène is a late bloomer in the "sexy-desirable" stakes and it's gone to her head (susan durst):

Correct. Plus she's still in the thralls of a "femme quittée" syndrome.

Now have you seen pictures of Anne Lauvergeon when she worked for Mitterrand and pictures from now? Night and day. a complete makeover in style.

But there's an example: Lauvergeon is a truly competent and powerful woman. Driven. Probably quite mad, as a woman you have to be to get to those heights (unfortunately).

[Do-re-mi]

Susan,

Christine Lagarde, Michèle Alliot-Marie or Elisabeth Guigou are quite attractive and photogenic women who look French a mile away. Sure they have not been shot in their bikinis. Nor have Michelle Bachelet or Angela Merkel. Have you seen Jacqui Smith? The woman got a lot on her plate, when you see her on TV she doesn't bother with YSL touche éclat to diminish the Vuitton suitcases piling up under her eyes. I kind of like that. Rachida Dati has got plenty of problems yet she looks amazing in this week Paris-Match posing like she does not have a care in the world.

"My little theory is that Ségolène is a late bloomer in the "sexy-desirable" stakes, and it's gone to her head !".

You may be right, but so what? Women have different velocity in the sexy-stake, some have it young others acquire late with confidence, money or when their husband leave them for a younger model. Ok not to be used as an excuse to run for high office if your head is empty. Maybe she was plain Jane because she did not want to trade on her looks or be accused to do so. Now of course things are different, you have to be good at your job and know what Pento-Peptides are.
She went overboard perhaps. Her game plan failed. Maybe she should have kept quiet about blaming the men, but it doesn't mean there is no truth in it. Successful women don't blame men because they are like actresses when they win the Oscars, they don't mention the bad times and the envy of others.

"Royal has made herself an object of ridicule and therefore lost political credibility (just like Sarah Palin). Not good for women, in my view"

Sego overreached and was a bit too ambitious kudos to her. Many men who are crap at their job bounce back, even getting promotions. Don't tell me there are no men politicians who are asleep at their jobs and just coasting. Maybe feminism mean women can fail dramatically and not be burned at the stake. I am contradicting myself because a few post back I said she was toast and I still mean it. I am playing devil's advocate here because " no hay mal que por bien no venga". Hopefully the turmoil she has helped to create will help somebody decent to emerge. It could be a woman learning from her mistakes.

[Romain]

Daniel

You must remember that song :"Madame la duchesse de la Trémouille, connue pour sa grande piété, a patiné plus de paire de c***lles que la grande armée n'a usé de souliers".

[dot king]

"What she has forgotten (in the language of political marketing) is that looking attractive should be added value, not the core benefit ..."

SUSAN DURST

Brilliant!

ROMAIN it's either "Flashdance" or maybe "Dirty Dancing" :D