On and off yesterday, but mostly off, I half-watched the President of France dodge the softest, easiest press love-in I have ever seen. The French press are beyond pathetic, they are supine, arse-licking poodles who make the majority of the American media which likes to regularly roll over and have its tummy tickled by Obama look like a real hound dog by comparison. What is the use or purpose of a press which fails to always treat politicians as the enemy. Paxman had it right when he told us that when interviewing a politician he always wonders, "Who is this person and why is he lying to me?" For a superb report on this orgy of mutual love, look no further than Quentin Letts in today's Mail. Mind you, in Hollande's favour it has to be said that he is only following the finest traditions of high office in France, as Patrick Marnham reminds us at The Coffee House:
Twenty years ago President Mitterrand was still employing a squad of security police to conceal the existence of his secret lovechild, Mazarine. Ten years ago President Chirac was still cruising around Paris in his limo being dropped off at various addresses by his chauffeur, the faithful Jean-Claude, who nicknamed him ‘Monsieur Ten Minutes Maximum (including the shower)’. Five years ago President Sarkozy, one year after being elected, had survived divorcing his wife (who had complained to the police about physical mistreatment), and subsequent re-marriage with an Italian folk singer. None of them was in the slightest bit perturbed in their public duties by any of this.
France is finished, or perhaps, putting it more crudely but in the circs more appropriately, France is fucked! The only good this man is doing is demonstrating to the world that socialism in practice doesn't work. I sincerely hope that this man continues with his malignant policies, which now include a desire for state-backed euthanasia, and that eventually as France reverts to the only thing they are really good at - revolution - they will haul this nasty little man away and guillotine, if not his head, then some other suitable part of his anatomy pour encourager les autres!
Pullleeeze DD, thou doest protest too much. France, one of the most civilised countries on Earth has a sensible attitude to politicians. The country is run by professionals - the Enarchs - and the politicians are left to do what politicians are good at - partying, sex games, corruption, lying and being a nuisance. Of course politicians lie, polite society would be mortally offended if a politician uttered the truth, so gauche mon brave. We in the UK will have reached such a level of insouciance when Mr C can indulge his most bizzarre passions on the steps of St Pauls in broad daylight and it fails to make the 6 o'clock news - all assuming Mr C has any passions worthy of the name.
Will France go down the tubes, I doubt it. Built on wine and cheese, wonderful countryside and the world's best architecture and weather why should the French bother themselves making those brutal German cars or those ridiculous Ipad thingies or demean themselves with 'Apps'. Non mon ami, le terroir - c'est la France, but they might have to cut back the social spending a little bit.
Posted by: rogerh | Wednesday, 15 January 2014 at 11:45
The papers repeat rumours that his doxy is pregnant. Now it all makes sense.
Posted by: dearieme | Wednesday, 15 January 2014 at 12:29
Well, Roger, the one thing the French do awfully well is revolution and they're long over-due one! Perhaps this time they will do it electorally in the EU vote in May and send Marine le Pen and her 'grognards' to Brussels 'en masse'. That should be fun!
But ... but ... DM, they're all doxies, more or less, which one do you mean? And imagine, if this sort of thing happened 'just over here' I really don't think Her Maj would be amused, do you?
Posted by: David Duff | Wednesday, 15 January 2014 at 12:54