White House forced to say sorry to Italy over Silvio Berlusconi insults

Times Online ^ | Paul Bompard

[indcons]

The staffer responsible for this gaffe must be fired ASAP.

[Westbrook]

Obviously a Donkey-crat mole.

Bolsheviks, every stinking one of them.

[1rudeboy]

This has Wikipedia written all over it.

[Brilliant]

Why hand this stuff out at all? Make the media work for its pay.

[livius]

The White House was today investigating how the four-page biography was included in the pack after apparently being pulled directly from an encyclopaedia without the wording having been checked.

Probably a hostile wikipedia article.

Who the heck was in charge of doing this?

[Slapshot68]

“The White House was today forced to apologise to Italy after distributing a biography of Silvio Berlusconi to journalists which alleged that he only gained high office because of his “considerable influence” on the media.”

Here it’s the other way around....the media considerably influences the choice for high office. In our case, Obama.

[Berlin_Freeper]

“He earned money by organising puppet shows and making people pay a ticket,...”

THE B*STARD!!!

[johnnycap]

Amateurs briefing amateurs.

[johnnycap]

Amateurs briefing amateurs.

[rrrod]

This was done on purpose....another successful mission by the RATS

[mbarker12474]

Well dang. Our own Obama has rather considerable influence over the media. What is so offensive to the Italians? Are they defending the fact that their media must be bought off for influence, while the U.S. media can be suckered by mere stupidity?

[wideawake]

Some idiot staffer cut-and-pasted an internet profile, probably from Wikipedia, into an official handout - and didn't even think to check the content, let alone grammar.

[Resolute Conservative]

I have always said stop letting the press fly on Air Force 1. They need to pay their own way and do their own leg work.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Likely. How do these folks get these jobs when they don’t have the intelligence and political savvy of a cabbage? < /rhetorical>

[toddlintown]

Should’ve opened up the hatch for Air Force One and dumped this guy’s ass over the Atlantic.

[Shermy]

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5229/is_2003/ai_n19152873

[Ben Reyes]

Another Democrat plant in the White House press office. Damn!

[M203M4]

I'm not keen to defend Berlusconi - some of these accusations have merit (but obviously they have no place in the official documentation of the government, at least when leveled at an ally). The entire Italian political apparatus is incredibly corrupt (the most corrupt in Europe), corrupt even by Louisiana or New Jersey standards. I'd rather not be affiliated in any way with any mainstream Italian political group, Berlusconi and his party/coalition included. Some local parties in the Lombardy and North-Eastern regions have my sympathies.

Yes, I am happy the pinkos and the greens got whipped last time around, and I credit Berlusconi with causing enough fear amongst the furthest left socialists to abandon Rainbow/Communist and instead vote in greater numbers with center-left parties. There, I said something good about him.

[OldNavyVet]

“done on purpose”

I think you’re right; it smells.

[Lancey Howard]

Silvio Berlusconi? Who cares?