Sarkozy is an SDN member

[His Divine Shadow]

Nicolas Sarkozy loses his cool with heckler

By Peter Allen in Paris
Last Updated: 7:48am GMT 25/02/2008

As his popularity dwindles, has French President Nicolas Sarkozy lost his cool?

Greeted by both boos and cheers from different sections of the crowd at an agricultural fair in Paris on Saturday, Mr Sarkozy got into a verbal stoush with a member of the crowd who refused to shake his hand.

The passion was high and the language was bad, but the resulting footage - filmed by an amateur cameraman - has become an internet hit.

As he moved through the crowd, Mr Sarkozy drew near the man, who told him, "Oh no, don't touch me."

The president, who kept smiling, responded: "Get lost, then."

"You disgust me," the man said.

"Get lost, you stupid bastard," Mr Sarkozy responded.

The footage became an online sensation, with more than 330,000 people watching it by midday Sunday.

Mr Sarkozy's office refused to comment on the incident, but the leader of the opposition Socialists, François Hollande, said Mr Sarkozy's verbal exchange with the visitor showed he was failing as president to show "exemplary" behaviour.

"What is unbearable is that the president is not exemplary," Mr Hollande said in a television interview.

He "cannot behave like any ordinary citizen. He is the president of the Republic."

In November, Mr Sarkozy had a heated exchange with fishermen during protests over rising fuel costs.

The president challenged a fisherman who had insulted him.

"Come down and say that," Mr Sarkozy was quoted as saying.

"Don't think that by insulting me you will solve fishermen's problems."

After the incident, the president said he refused to have insults hurled at him and would only accept a dialogue between "civilised people."

Saturday's confrontation is not likely to be welcomed by Mr Sarkozy's fellow conservatives, who are already concerned that his sinking popularity rating could damage their chances in next month's municipal elections.

Mr Sarkozy's popularity has dropped to an all-time low of 38 percent, according to the most recent poll.

Well kinda tame really. I dunno though, I like a politician who swears.

[CaptainChewbacca]

I find it funny that while the French are shocked/horrified by Sarkozy's behavior, Americans would find it manly or acceptible.

I think its awesome.

[Singular Intellect]

"What is unbearable is that the president is not exemplary," Mr Hollande said in a television interview.

He "cannot behave like any ordinary citizen. He is the president of the Republic."

What a load of bullshit. I'd rather deal with a honest politician who can swear like the rest of us rather than a smooth talking liar and cheat.

[Colonel Olrik]

Sure, because the best way of winning public debates and show that you're capable of handling one of the most important and public jobs in the World is to lose your temper and shout profanities at small, ordinary people. In fact, it's obvious that the kind of talk you'd expect on the internet or from drunks in a bar is OK in a French Prime Minister.

[tim31]

Well kinda tame really. I dunno though, I like a politician who swears.

You would have liked former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating

[Wedge]

Sure, because the best way of winning public debates and show that you're capable of handling one of the most important and public jobs in the World is to lose your temper and shout profanities at small, ordinary people. In fact, it's obvious that the kind of talk you'd expect on the internet or from drunks in a bar is OK in a French Prime Minister.

I concur with Olrik. If you are president, you are expected to have more style than that. What did you expect entering politics, that everybody would love you? It kind of comes with the job being hated by some. I wouldn't do a drama about it and cut him some slack, because after all he is a man that is under stress and can make mistakes, but why would anyone go from there to actually thinking it's a good attitude?
I think things like this are also why Bush was reelected, this mentality "he is one of us", "he seems like a good guy to have a beer with". Of course nobody likes a pompous ass, but Presidents and prime ministers aren't supposed to act like a friend, you are not supposed to endorse their personality.
As for being a "role model" the President here in Germany has (in theory) to act like a "role model", but since France is semi-presidential I have no idea how they role.

[Adrian Laguna]

Hah! I knew I liked Sarkozy! Though I'd like him better if he'd exchange that attitude for some classy wit, like King Luis XIV, who had "Ultima Ratio Regium" engraved on his cannon.

As for being a "role model" the President here in Germany has (in theory) to act like a "role model", but since France is semi-presidential I have no idea how they role.

"Semi-presidential" doesn't quite cover it, the French government was once described as being an elected monarchy by a prominent politician (de Gaulle?).

[KlavoHunter]

Sarkozy, the best thing to happen to France since American boys spent their days killing Germans, and their nights in the Châteaus of lonely young French girls.

[Wedge]

Sarkozy, the best thing to happen to France since American boys spent their days killing Germans, and their nights in the Châteaus of lonely young French girls.

Are you trying to be offensive or just making a very stupid joke?
Besides, why do you think Sarkozy is so good again? for insulting someone on the street?

[Tanasinn]

Sure, because the best way of winning public debates and show that you're capable of handling one of the most important and public jobs in the World is to lose your temper and shout profanities at small, ordinary people. In fact, it's obvious that the kind of talk you'd expect on the internet or from drunks in a bar is OK in a French Prime Minister.

Well, it worked for Teddy Roosevelt.

[chitoryu12]

Sarkozy, the best thing to happen to France since American boys spent their days killing Germans, and their nights in the Châteaus of lonely young French girls.

Are you trying to be offensive or just making a very stupid joke?
Besides, why do you think Sarkozy is so good again? for insulting someone on the street?

There's a difference between insulting someone on the street and insulting someone who reacts to your touch like you're a leper.

[Wedge]

There's a difference between insulting someone on the street and insulting someone who reacts to your touch like you're a leper.

So? How does it affect in any way what KlavoHunter said? And as said above, grow some thicker skin if you want to lead a nation.

[chitoryu12]

There's a difference between insulting someone on the street and insulting someone who reacts to your touch like you're a leper.

So? How does it affect in any way what KlavoHunter said? And as said above, grow some thicker skin if you want to lead a nation.

What should he have done when someone didn't even want physical contact with him and, rather than simply staying back and ignoring him, instead go out and point out his disgust at simple contact with him?

[Knife]

Sure, because the best way of winning public debates and show that you're capable of handling one of the most important and public jobs in the World is to lose your temper and shout profanities at small, ordinary people. In fact, it's obvious that the kind of talk you'd expect on the internet or from drunks in a bar is OK in a French Prime Minister.

Gotcha, being presidential equals cutting out large swaths of the english language (insert what ever national language we're talking about) and refusing to call an asshole an asshole. Sure diplomacy has it's place and yet even in diplomacy, calling an asshole an asshole should still be reserved in certain situations.

[Wedge]

Are you people dumb? What is so difficult to comprehend?
While it's NOT okay to make a drama about a head of State swearing, because after all they are humans and have emotions and can make mistakes like letting one curse-word slip; it sure as hell is NOT something admirable or a good trait you want someone to have in that position.
You want your head of State to be BETTER than average.
Are in your world the Bush fuck-ups in his speeches fine? No? Why?
Maybe because you expect better from the President of any nation? It's the same thing, you expect him to know better and not getting so personal about what some stupid-ass in the street says to you, or how he reacts to you. Of course this doesn't apply to you, if are some idiot who wants an AVERAGE JOE* as your President or PM like President shit-for-brains aka Monkeyface Bush. If you would have reacted like Sarkozy there is nothing wrong with that, because you don't have to take shit from anyone, because you are not representing a nation, or in some cases even being a "role model" for that country. So shut your trap and stop saying "how good it was for him to act that way", unless you have ARGUMENTS that show WHY it was actually good to say that.

I repeat it again for you slow people to understand.
What Sarkozy made was:
Not something worth making a drama about, but definitely not something laudable. Also known as a mistake (even if it's a little one).


*Not in the sense that his family is average, because they have tons of cash, I refer to his intelligence and speaking (dis-)abilities.

[Thanas]

Hah! I knew I liked Sarkozy! Though I'd like him better if he'd exchange that attitude for some classy wit, like King Luis XIV, who had "Ultima Ratio Regium" engraved on his cannon.

"Ultimo Ratio Regum" was inscribed on the cannons of Frederick the Great.

Louis XIV had "ultimo ratio regis".

[Adrian Laguna]

"Ultimo Ratio Regum" was inscribed on the cannons of Frederick the Great.

Louis XIV had "ultimo ratio regis".

Ah, thanks for the correction. The closest thing to Latin I know is Spanish, so I get those things confused.