I have a new favorite politician. I have no interest in his policy stance or effectiveness, but somehow that doesn’t matter. My new hero is French President Sarkozy.
Recently he was making his way through a crowd for some public event and went to shake the hand of a man who said, “Don’t touch me. You’ll make me dirty.” Sarkozy replied, “Then get out of here, you total a**hole.” Some have interpreted it as “jerk” and not “a**hole,” but that only makes the story better, knowing there is more than one interpretation. You get your reasonable deniability delivered on the fly. Impressive.
Here’s a link: http://blog.eitb24.com/odds/2008/02/24/-casse-toi-alors-pauvre-con-/
So I went to Wikipedia to see more about the Sarkozy cat, and found this gem: “As mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine, Sarkozy met former fashion model and public relations executive Cécilia Ciganer-Albéniz (great-granddaughter of composer Isaac Albéniz and of a Russian father), when he officiated at her wedding[15] to television host Jacques Martin. In 1988, she left her husband for Sarkozy, and divorced Martin one year later.”
Dude.
Sarkozy officiated at the former fashion model’s wedding and, I’m guessing, slipped the bride his phone number. Apparently that worked.
But the marriage didn’t, so after Sarkozy wore out one former model, he traded up to another, Carla Bruni, and married her recently.
I’m sure I would find plenty to dislike about Sarkozy if I bothered to read about his political views. But I’d hate to ruin a good first impression.
My point is that you shouldn’t let a French guy officiate your wedding.
Well let's say he moved to a newer model. HAR HAR.
Posted by: SJ | February 26, 2008 at 10:05 PM
"I think it's funny that Sarkozy was elected as a right-winger wanting France to be closer to the USA, and nobody in the USA has noticed or would care, probably."
This is a problem, USA needs to learn to care about the world!
If this had happened in the USA, he probably would have been impeached, or nearly so, boring.
It is also interesting the animosity Americans have towards French after they played such a big role in independence wars.
Posted by: Joe | February 26, 2008 at 09:56 PM
LOL! That is so funny.
I guess a lot of things are lost in translation.
The French can not be trusted. LOL!
Posted by: bapesta | February 26, 2008 at 09:30 PM
[You do realise that the last victory the US had on their own was when they were part of the British Empire, don't you?
Which wars did you win?
WW2 was Russia, so that doesn't count.
Posted by: Mark | February 26, 2008 at 09:24 AM ]
Mark, you should have Googled U.S. war victories before you posted.
Oddly enough, your picture comes up when I Google "dumbass".
Posted by: Kevin Kunreuther | February 26, 2008 at 09:15 PM
Cool!
Oh by the way, where can I officiate a French/ex-model bride of Russian descent? Any ceremony with Italian models in attendance would be fine.
Posted by: terry k | February 26, 2008 at 06:21 PM
I guess it's classier than Cheney's "go fuck yourself", and there was more provocation, but still, I'm just not that impressed with the decline and fall of dignity. It was fresh and funny 50 years or so ago when people were a lot stuffier.
D. Mented
Posted by: D. Mented | February 26, 2008 at 06:14 PM
This is simple.
Posted by: Richard | February 26, 2008 at 05:21 PM
Very simply. http://g-70dv5bc1d.looble.net
Posted by: Richard | February 26, 2008 at 05:18 PM
-10 points for supporting the French.
Posted by: Scott2 | February 26, 2008 at 04:58 PM
Whatever about Sarkozy, the title of this post is just really funny.
Posted by: Cathy Dee | February 26, 2008 at 04:28 PM
I'm also from Quebec.
"con" translates to "cunt":
http://www.cnrtl.fr/lexicographie/con?
It's a common insult around here.
Posted by: - | February 26, 2008 at 03:44 PM
>>Tim Hall: Here in Great Britain, all persons of substance know that the French are our natural enemies. As such, we are not at all surprised by this sort of behaviour, which is entertaining only to those of base morality and upbringing (and, of course, foreigners)
So which English politician was it a couple of years ago who, during campaigning, had an egg thrown at him and he responded by punching the guy?
Posted by: KiwiAtaahua | February 26, 2008 at 03:17 PM
I mentioned to an old man in Paris how much I liked the beautiful trees along the streets.
He said they gave nice shade to sit in and watch the Germans march through next time.
http://boskolives.wordpress.com/
Posted by: jerry w. | February 26, 2008 at 03:13 PM
Don't believe everything you read in an online encyclopedia that anyone can edit.
Posted by: Bill Tkach | February 26, 2008 at 03:01 PM
Our politicians are even less polite:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VRQDnGTcc4A
Posted by: Andy | February 26, 2008 at 02:27 PM
There's this series of ads here in australia where they have all these overconfident people doing ridiculous stuff and that tagline is something about 'you'd be confident to if you had a homeloan from...' (I can't remember the company, shows how effective their advertising is lol)
One of the ads has this bride getting out of the car outside the church and this guy in running gear comes up and does the whole 'I don't normally do this kind of thing but what are you doing tonight' the bride stands there dumbfounded and the guy grabs a pen out of the father of the brides pocket and writes down his phone number and says 'anyway just give me a call later'
Whatever advertising exec came up with that idea must have been at the wedding of this dudes wife.
Posted by: Zarna | February 26, 2008 at 02:11 PM
Yeah, Sarkozy's a bit of a dick'ead
Posted by: Conchúir | February 26, 2008 at 01:49 PM
I think "casse-toi" is between "beat it" and "fuck off".
A lesser known fact is that he added "Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time". I can't believe anyone brought this one up before me :)
Posted by: KickMe | February 26, 2008 at 01:48 PM
We've had a few prime ministers in Canada that were not always politically correct. One example is Pierre-Elliot Trudeau, as stated in a previous comment. My favorite though would be Jean Chretien. (also mentionned in a previous comment but the link is down)
There's even an article on wikipedia for what he did to Bill Clennett. It's called a "Shawinigan handshake", called thus because that's where Chretien comes from.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawinigan_Handshake
I mean, look at his sunglassed angry face, this guy means business! :)
Posted by: DK | February 26, 2008 at 01:32 PM
Always choose a leader who is quick-witted - then even if he/she is a jerk, you can still laugh at the quips.
Take former NZ Prime Minister David Lange: When a reporter came up to him and asked for a word, he said "Possum" and walked off in the other direction.
Posted by: KiwiAtaahua | February 26, 2008 at 01:28 PM
Oh, Scott, you would DEFINITELY not like his political views. He's a conservative who likes the US. He beat a socialist for the office, which also should make you dislike him.
One area where you agree, though, which should warm the cockles of your little heart, is that he is a believer in the anthropogenic global warming myth. Here's him being quoted, from his victory speech: "He then called on the United States "not to impede" in the fight against global warming. "On the contrary, they must lead this fight because humanity's fate is at stake here." Sure it is. The fact that the temperature of the Earth plateaued in 1998 has stayed steady until this year, and appears now to be actually cooling shouldn't impact his beliefs - or yours. Don't let the facts get in the way of your only religion.
He also understands economics, particularly the law of supply and demand. He leaned on French grocery stores to lower their prices 2-3% and Voila! (That's French, by the way), a mini-spending spree ensued that contributed to an estimated 2% growth in France's stagnant economy this year. This is sure to get him despised by all the socialist heads of other EU states.
He also plans on lowering taxes, making labor markets more flexible, providing a better environment for enterprise, and more equality for minorities (France, in case you didn't know it, is a racist society now, a big change since WWII).
Don't let Hillary or Barack know what's going on there, or their first action as president, assuming one of them wins, will be to declare war on France. Hmmm. Not that bad an idea. Unless Sarkozy stays in office, that is.
It's interesting that in our rush to socialism we fail to look at what it's done to old Europe, but hey, why should we? Everyone knows that America is the most horrible, unfair country on Earth. Everyone except Sarkozy, that is.
And thank you, once again, for not voting.
Posted by: Bruce Harrison | February 26, 2008 at 01:24 PM
Sarkozy is well-known to have a taste for beautiful women. Most men do actually, but few have the chance to prove it. I'm sure, i'd be easier being the president, especially in France. I'm told, that for an American president, having an affair would be a disgrace. For a French president, NOT having an affair would be a similar disgrace.
Posted by: Jonas EL | February 26, 2008 at 01:04 PM
Kind a funny these blogs : seem like the last time some of the peoples posting anything on history and politic was when they were in kidengarden at a show and tell of former US President totally irrelevant to todays life . What is amuszing all these Idiots posting insulting and negative message have forgotten to look at France economic situation , in a nut shell should the French a Nation barely the size of Texas may I add ,the US economy would simply collapse as they demonstrated by shutting down the mortgage industry and that is a fact .
Posted by: joel | February 26, 2008 at 12:49 PM
Also from Wikipedia:
The tragedy of Africa is that the African has never really entered into history... They have never really launched themselves into the future... The African peasant, who for thousands of years has lived according to the seasons, whose life ideal was to be in harmony with nature, only knew the eternal renewal of time... In this imaginary world, where everything starts over and over again, there is room neither for human endeavor, nor for the idea of progress... The problem of Africa... is to be found here. Africa's challenge is to enter to a greater extent into history... It is to realize that the golden age that Africa is forever recalling will not return, because it has never existed. ”
—Sarkozy, at a speech in Senegal, [89]
Posted by: Astrid | February 26, 2008 at 12:33 PM
Patti ponders this some more.
Gee. I am wondering, now.
Maybe, the French President was cheating on that poor man. Maybe, he said "don't touch me" kind of like .... a wife!
"I'll feel dirty" .."you'll make me dirty touching me with THAT HAND!" or something closely sounding like that.
So I ask you, "exactly, where HAS HIS HAND ... BEEN?? ..
Oh-oh. I DO think we could be, on to something?
SLAP HIS DIRTY FACE!!
Posted by: Patti | February 26, 2008 at 12:28 PM