Posted on 09/25/2009 9:37:22 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Silvio Berlusconi is the 5ft 6ins ladies' man with the flair for the tactless remark, Michelle Obama is the 5ft 11 ins. tough cookie First Lady with a determination as steely as her arms.
The meeting between the pair at the opening reception for the G20 summit in Pittsburgh bore all the hallmarks of a classic US-European impasse, with the American president in the middle, looking daggers at his Italian counterpart.
While Mrs Obama exchanged hugs and kisses with Browns, the Sarkozys, the Medvedevs and Germany's Angela Merkel, she didn't appear to want to come too close to Mr Berlusconi.
The Italian prime minister came alone to the reception at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden, primarily because his wife is divorcing him.
He has been embroiled in a series of scandals involving call girls and a lingerie model, and even his staff have suggested he is a sex addict. Mr Berlusconi's mastership of the public gaffe has also been extended to President Obama, whom he memorably described as "young, handsome and tanned".
Mrs Obama may have decided that if any woman was going to be snapped with Mr Berlusconi on Thursday night, it wasn't going to be her.
A handshake, delivered with the caution of someone feeding a dead mouse to a crocodile, was all the Italian president got from her despite his best efforts to turn on the Latin charm.
As Barack Obama gestured to his wife in introduction, Mr Berlusconi threw up his arms in apparent delight.
It is not clear whether he was merely appraising her appearance or encouraging her to come to him for a hug but a severe-looking Mr Obama clearly wanted to move him along, dispatching Mr Berlusconi with a series of back pats which probably in no way made
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Gonna have to side with the FLOTUS on this one.
She’s happy to hug the socialists, dicators and commies, but a capitalist....uhg.
Just like her husband.
Yeah, after hanging with hot 17 year old Italian girls I’m sure he was broken hearted at not getting a snuggle from Mrs. Sunshine.
And yet she’d lay down for Chavez.
She hates white people. Thank you Rev. Wright.
Berlusconi is such a weasel. Even so, don’t ever expect a UK newspaper to treat an Italian well. Any Italian. Or Catholic for that matter.
Agreed. But what is she wearing this time? It looks like the Kleenex Inaugural Gown redux....
Mr Berlusconi, “ I like big butts...”
LOL. Michelle should be so flattered.
Silvio Berlusconi: “Where’s the suicide bomb double belt? What am I, chopped liver?”
Or possibly, “They promised Carla Bruni...”
FLOTUS is out of her league as usual and not being diplomatic. Showing distaste upon meeting someone is not only embarrassing to watch but it shows exactly the level of public and political manners one does or does not carry.
She flunked this one. She lacks the required cultural knowledge to carry off meeting Berlusconi successfully.
GRADE: F
I’m pretty sick of hearing about the sculpted abs, especially from those who ignore the enormous blob trailing behind them.
Her hairdresser must be on vacation. What do you call that lovely coiffure?
Berlusconi is a wolf.
Damn, Obama looks quite pissed here. LOL.
IMHO POTUS has one the most hateful looks I’ve seen on a person in a long time. He has been arrogant in a lot of photos but that look is pure hatred.
Much as I dislike the 0bamas, Berlusconi is the male version of the walking petri dish.
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