I almost (but not quite) feel sorry for all those highly paid 'fortune tellers' who daily tell us ignoramuses what is going to happen in the political mine field. Take La Belle France, for example. Very soon the French will be facing perhaps the most important election since the end of the war. Well, let's be honest, no-one much cared who ran France since those far off days. We all knew they would be prickly and contrary and would take any opportunity to poke us Brits in the eye with a sharp stick. So far, so normal!
But today, the times they are a-changin'! For very obvious reasons, it really matters to us who leads France for the next few years. It appears that the Leftie candidate has about the same chance of leading France as 'Jezza' has of becoming prime minister of Britain. At the other end of the scale we have Mde. le Pen, a sort of Gallic feminine Trump who, like 'The Donald' himself, is constantly written off by the 'experts' as a no-hoper. Sort of in the middle we have two prize examples of the worst sort of professional politician. One of them has just been accused of bunging his missus and kids hefty governmental salaries, whilst the other is an énarque, that is, a smooth, secretive operator who graduated from the École nationale d'administration, the establishment that is, in fact, the French establishment.
I am uneasy - I put it no higher - at the thought of Mde. le Pen running France but at least she will by sympathetic to our desire for Brexit, indeed, she may even follow us out of the door! The other two will be typically French - quelle horreur!
Over here, the graceful and fragrant Mde. le Pen only appears in the NY Times and the Guardian news pages. I learn more about her right here at D&N than I do the others. I gather the fear of her is centered in the largest cities and suburbs as opposed to the rest of France? Nothing like a candidate making a nation face its threats against its will it seems?
Posted by: Whitewall | Wednesday, 08 February 2017 at 14:14
D&N?! A dead dodgy source, better watch out!
Posted by: David Duff | Wednesday, 08 February 2017 at 15:11
Ha! I have sources in low places :)
Posted by: Whitewall | Wednesday, 08 February 2017 at 17:30
Chivalry does not fare well in Somerset, David. It's insulting to describe Le Pen as a female Trump. The only thing they have in common is unhinged nationalistic rhetoric. She's pro-choice, anti-death penalty, and has expelled the worst extremists from the FN. Trump has embraced extremists and even appointed one, Steve Bannon, a top advisor.
Posted by: Bob | Wednesday, 08 February 2017 at 20:46
Bob, my exact words were "a sort of" Trump. Nobody can be sure exactly what a Trump Trump is, we must all learn as he goes along!
Posted by: David Duff | Wednesday, 08 February 2017 at 21:38
Let's review what we know. Trump:
- lies constantly
- picks political fights with anyone
- picks political fights with whole branches of government
- is under investigation for his and his campaign's ties to Putin
- hasn't met the standards for conflicts of interest
- got fooled into signing an EO putting Bannon on the NSC
- has the lowest approval rating for any president at this point
- likes to grab women by their hoo haws
- takes a prostate drug to grow what kinda looks like hair
- thinks Arnold Schwarzenegger is a loser
- actually believes some of the conspiracy theories he spouts
- is probably crazy
Can anyone think of anything else?
Posted by: Bob | Wednesday, 08 February 2017 at 22:57
...and he beat Hillary
Posted by: Whitewall | Wednesday, 08 February 2017 at 23:08
He also beat 16 Republicans.
Posted by: Bob | Thursday, 09 February 2017 at 01:09
"takes a prostate drug to grow what kinda looks like hair"
I hear ♀bama takes a hair drug to grow a pair of balls.
Posted by: TheBigHenry | Thursday, 09 February 2017 at 02:48
Bob - get back on your meds, man.
Or has O'bamaaaacare made them too expensive for you?
Hey - that's socialism for you! It f@cks the poor!!
Posted by: Cuffleyburgers | Thursday, 09 February 2017 at 10:25
TheBigHenry & Cuffleyburgers,
No defense of Trump?
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2017/02/02/trumps-longtime-doctor-reveals-president-takes-hair-growth-drug-report-says.html
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/02/health/trump-drugs-propecia/
Posted by: Bob | Thursday, 09 February 2017 at 15:57
Cuffles,
Beware of pleasantries from trolls with spittle dripping off their chins. They are likely off their meds, though they understand they are being mocked. In such a scenario their go-to response is sandbagging.
Posted by: TheBigHenry | Thursday, 09 February 2017 at 16:56
TheBigHenry,
Please, please, please, please, please don't call me a troll with spittle dripping off my chin! Anything but that! Boo hoo hoo!
Posted by: Bob | Thursday, 09 February 2017 at 17:04