Posted on 02/13/2007 10:21:42 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
PARIS -- During her campaign to become France's first woman president, Ségolène Royal has been photographed in turquoise bikini, appeared in a gay magazine with a naked man on the cover and suspended top campaign aide for poking fun at her longtime companion.
The 53-year-old mother of four has praised China for the efficiency of its justice system and criticized most sacred of French cows, the 35-hour workweek. Many senior members of her Socialist Party aren't sure whether to call Ms. Royal's campaign a bold or amateurish foray into the hallowed halls of French presidential politics.
Even party boss François Hollande is often irked -- and for him, it's personal as well as political. He is the father of Ms. Royal's children, though the two never married, and had his own designs on the French presidency. "I should have been the candidate," he said in an interview. "But I thought, if Ségolène has more of a chance, I won't stand in her way."
When Ms. Royal last year suggested ordinary citizens should oversee elected officials to improve French democracy, Mr. Hollande balked at his partner's populist bent. "I told her, 'Don't go around saying this. Why are you doing it?' " he recalled in an interview. The French public had a different reaction, he acknowledged: "They all came to her defense."
Since she first hinted at a run for the presidency in a French gossip magazine, Paris Match, in 2005, Ms. Royal's crowd-pleasing proposals and glamorous looks have transformed her from a back-bench Socialist politician into one of the two front-runners for France's highest office.
"It's the French people who have given me legitimacy," Ms. Royal said during a recent car ride between campaign stops. "After the Paris Match article, there was a popular uprising. The French people wanted me."
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Let's hope Hillary Clinton won't try this tactic.
She's not bad for 53. I think she's pretty far back in the polls, however. France needs a real right-winger if they're going to survive as a country. (But then, so do we)
I'm sure the sight of Hillary's thighs rubbing together until they met her knees would lose her a couple of percentage points, but it would "beef" up her support of the Rosie O'Donnell bull section of the electorate, as well as the millions of American Women with the same affliction.
So my analysis is this, Hillary Clinton in a bikini is worth roughly a 1.5 percentage point bump in the polls, so bring it on Hillary, we could use a 1000 post comedy thread.
I thought Sarkozy has a good chance of winning.
You heard it from here first but I think Sarkozy will win.
You can thank the Muslims for starting problems that brings to the rise of President Sarkozy.
she is the hussein obama of france...
the cause celebre
FOTFL.
Are either of these her? MAYBE both?
I hope she's elected. France is already a socialist toilet, so just let her finish the place off.
The French deserve exactly what they elect.
We really, really, really do not want France to tank. I'm just telling you now.
As bitter as their politicans can be, as arrogant and condescending, they're still France. And with men like Sarkozy, there is still hope.
Yeah, they're a fickle ally. But I'll take fickle over what could become of that nation, anyday.
Further, France is in soooo many ways a cradle of Western civilization and a forerunner to what has followed in the Latin West. To see that history completely decay would be beyond tragic. There are also many a good Frenchmen and women out there. I dated such a gal... ;)
The French deserve exactly what they elect.
So do we.
Doesn't mean I want the Beast, the RINO, or McInsane as POTUS.
Anyone who's willing to stand up to the muzzies is welcome as far as I'm concerned.
hallowed halls of French presidential politics.
heh
VOTE FOR THE MARXIST RED QUEEN OF YOUR CHOICE RIGHT HERE:
I hope she's elected. France is already a socialist toilet, so just let her finish the place off.
The French deserve exactly what they elect.
Not the smartest statement I have heard. France is very much part of many aspects of America and quite frankly we don't need them to fail. That is great right in the middle of Europe. Are you crazy?
Wishing the world away. Wow! If France goes down, it is only the beginning and America will only be ten years behind. Once France goes, the rest of Europe won't be far behind. You should rethink your comments.
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