Posted on 08/05/2007 2:20:22 AM PDT by Cincinna
The French president, who has already drawn howls of protests for his unashamedly pro-Anglo-Saxon stance, spurned his homeland and the Francophone destinations favoured by his predecessors when he arrived yesterday in the select lakeside town of Wolfeboro, north of Boston.
The choice of an American destination was seen by some as proof of his desire to bolster Franco-American ties sorely strained by the invasion of Iraq.
"Mr and Mrs Sarkozy are on holiday at the invitation of friends in a house situated two hours' drive from Boston. They went there as a family on a regular flight," said an Elysée spokesman.
Mr Sarkozy, 52, his wife Cécilia and their son Louis are reported to be staying in a luxurious villa owned by Mike Apple, a former Microsoft executive, which costs £15,000 a week to rent. The residence has a private beach, a marina with room for four boats, a spa, private cinema and video gaming room.
Wolfeboro is not far from President George W Bush's family estate in coastal Kennebunkport, Maine, sparking suggestions yesterday in the French press that the two leaders might use the opportunity to get to know each other, perhaps going running together. Both are keen joggers.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Nice houses on the lake, though...
They neglect to inform the reader of the super-extravagant vacations taken by Socialist President Mitterand, who installed his family in Egypt and had himself followed around and photographed with the pyramids.
Also not mentioned, Segolene Royal's double vacation...two weeks in Corsica, and a month in Guadaloupe after her resounding defeat. Chirac was also known for his long and exotic vacations in far off lands, mainly Arab, of course.
The Left is the same wherever it is, whether Hillary Clinton and her three McMansions, John Edwards and his $1200 haircuts, they are just "regular folks, right?"
Hypocrites one and all.
PARIS, Aug 6, 2007 (AFP) - France's opposition Socialist Party on Monday demanded to know who was covering the cost of President Nicolas Sarkozy's luxury lakeside holiday in the United States.
"Mr Sarkozy likes billionaires, their company and their generosity. That much we knew," said the party's national secretary Jean Glavany.
"But the French people have a right to know, in a democracy that aims to be transparent... which generous donor is spending this kind of sum on our president, and to whom he will have to show gratitude, one way or another."
He added that the parliamentary opposition was "exercising its duty of control over the executive," after Sarkozy dismissed questions about his allegedly lavish summer break.
Sarkozy broke from his vacation in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire on Sunday to deflect criticism about the stay at a 20,000 dollar-a-week vacation mansion, as well as a controversial arms deal with Libya.
"I have friends who have vacationed here for years. They rented a house and they invited us," said the French president, who was also blasted following his election in May for holidaying aboard a French billionaire's mega-yacht.
Glavany also accused Sarkozy of trying to muzzle the media, following an incident in which the president reportedly accosted the boat of photographers, berating them for trying to take pictures of the president and his family.
"You cannot summon people and then order them not to do their job," he said.
For the love of Pete, the man is the leader of France, do they expect him to stay at a Holiday Inn in Toledo?
I thought it was funny that Sarkozy would take such action against paparazzi that were in his families face taking pictures in such an obnoxious manner while on vacation.
$35,000 per week to rent. Just consider that figure for a moment. Wow.
Interesting. Thanks for posting.
He’s welcome at our home.
He’s got the legs of a soccer player. Wonder if he did?
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