Posted on 05/08/2008 6:46:16 PM PDT by PotatoHeadMick
It is not the sort of appointment Gordon Brown would make to his cabinet.
But then Mr Brown is no Silvio Berlusconi, playboy and man of ostentatious political gestures.
The Italian prime minister, long known for his fondness for pretty women, has named former topless model and beauty queen Mara Carfagna as equal opportunities minister in his new cabinet.
Miss Carfagna, 33, turned to politics after a career on TV following her sixth-place finish in the 1997 Miss Italy contest.
She has also posed topless and semi-naked for photoshoots but has always underlined her family values and stressed none of the pictures were "erotic".
Mr Berlusconi, 71, named her as one of four women ministers in his cabinet, which was officially installed yesterday.
The others are Stefania Prestigiacomo (environment), Maria Stella Gelmini (education) and Giorgia Meloni (youth).
At an awards dinner last year Mr Berlusconi told Miss Carfagna, who is single, that if he wasn't married he would "gladly marry" her.
His wife Veronica sent a letter to a national newspaper demanding he apologise for embarrassing her - which he duly did.
A law graduate from Salerno University, Miss Carfagna worked for Mediaset - Mr Berlusconi's TV company - where she appeared on several programmes before becoming an MP.
She has refused to talk of her modelling career but in an interview once said: "I am a bit of a prude and I found getting undressed in front of a camera not a pleasant experience."
Speaking of her appearance in Miss Italy she said: "That competition makes you as a woman, it matures you.
"All that stress, that desire to win, it makes you understand who you are."
Mr Berlusconi's People of Freedom party won a powerful mandate in last month's election.
Well, just not my cup of tea. Or in this case, quart. ;-)
In related news, will Sen. Kennedy join an Obama cabinet?
-PJ
Ping
How’d you get a picture of Helen Thomas in her undies?
It’s like rock climbing. You need hand holds.
Two word [actually, one letter and an abbreviation]: “J.LO”.
These pictures look like completely different women. Oh well, I guess I don’t mind.
And we got Shalayla, Janet Reno, Allbright from Clinton. At least Bush gave us Rice...
And you just KNOW those Italian babes have the whole package. Looks, gravy, bracciola, homemade pasta, gnocchi, meatballs, ravioli...
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