Berlusconi finds model spokesperson

The Times ^ | September 17, 2004 | Richard Owen

[MadIvan]

SILVIO BERLUSCONI yesterday chose an actress and former television presenter with little political experience to be the public face of his relaunched Forza Italia party.

Aides to the Italian Prime Minister said that he had appointed Elisabetta Gardini, 47, because he believed she would enhance the party’s faltering fortunes and increase its appeal to women voters.

Some Forza Italia politicians, however, had urged Signor Berlusconi not to appoint Signora Gardini, and La Repubblica quoted one as saying the Italian leader had a “weakness for tall, slim, beautiful women with long legs”.

Forza Italia officials said Signora Gardini, best known for her career as a television variety show compere and roles in television drama and the theatre, would replace Sandro Bondi, the present spokesman. Il Giornale, the newspaper owned by Signor Berlusconi’s brother Paolo, said Signora Gardini had been chosen “by the Prime Minister personally” over other women candidates with a proven political track record.

These included Isabella Bertolini, the Forza Italia spokeswoman in Emilia-Romagna, Tiziana Maiolo, a Forza Italia councillor in Milan, and Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, a Senator from the Veneto and deputy head of the Forza Italia group in the Senate.

Signor Bondi dismissed the criticism as “malicious and unjust”.

“A spokesperson is someone who can best speak to the country on behalf of the party” he said. “Women have a capacity for communicating concrete matters with greater feeling than men.” He admitted that Signora Gardini came from “the world of showbusiness”, but insisted she had “always had a real passion for politics, in its most noble sense”.

Signor Bondi said that Signora Gardini, a devout Catholic from Padua and anti-abortion campaigner, had a “far more solid” political background than Lilli Gruber, the former television newsreader and war reporter elected as a Euro MP for the opposition in June on an anti-war platform.

Last September Signor Berlusconi made headlines during a visit to New York by suggesting to American businessmen that they should invest in Italy “because we have the most beautiful secretaries, superb girls”.

This month Signora Gardini, addressing a Forza Italia conference at Gubbio in Umbria, blamed television for “a culture in which women are judged by their appearance.”

She added: “All too often women are judged by whether they have a nice bottom, which is not even an erogenous zone”, a remark described by some other women delegates as “a subjective judgment”.

[endthematrix]

If your talking Italian look no further than Monica Bellucci

[Happygal]

I don't think she is. I do think however, he does like having eye candy around.

Yeah, yeah, yeah! *L*
There was an italian director of our Opera Festival until recently. He was the same, liked having eye candy around. And enjoyed reclining on the 'casting couch', if you know what I mean! ;-)

[MadIvan]

And enjoyed reclining on the 'casting couch', if you know what I mean! ;-)

For the purposes of rehearsal, no doubt. ;)

Regards, Ivan

[Happygal]

Bellucci is a stunningly beautiful woman.

She was terrific in the Passion of The Christ. (Although not quite as glam!)

[Happygal]

Yeah.
BTW, have you seen my flying pig? ;-)

[RichInOC]

She's still hotter than Hillary in that picture.

[TheBigB]

I do think however, he does like having eye candy around

Of COURSE he does. He is, after all, a guy. :-)

[Happygal]

Hey! Us girls like a bit of eye candy too! ;-)

[TheBigB]

Us We girls like a bit of eye candy too

:o)

[Happygal]

~thwack~

Now post some cute pics for the girls! ;-)