Could Silvio Berlusconi possibly be feeling that his title as the Western world's most charmless political leader is under threat from Sarkozy? It's the only possible explanation. The French contender briefly raised interest in a genuine contest arising with a fusillade of petulant self-promoting remarks at the G20 summit, but surely Silvio had already seen him off back then through a veritable overbombing of crassness, arriving late to functions, chattering on his mobile and ignoring other leaders and rictusing away through all photo-ops. And that was even before he was given the opportunity to say anything. One can only conclude that the stumpy orange former cruise ship entertainer, turned despotic father-of-the-nation through the remarkably masochistic submissiveness of the Italian electorate, is a deeply insecure man.
A lesser mortal might well rest on his laurels after his past triumphs in offending the Germans, Jews, Finns and Argentines, plus all women and black people for good measure. But no, perhaps Silvio feels time's winged chariot drawing near and feels there is still work to be done to cement his reputation for all eternity. This is clearly why it was time to up the ante by offending the whole mankind with a masterclass in insensitivity. Yes, let them camp. The awe-inspiring fatuity of this both echoes and surpasses Marie-Antoinette's cake remarks. Is this the intention? Is he now competing only with historical apocrypha? Even Thatcher, Putin or Dubya wouldn't have dared to make light of such a disaster in their own nation. But this is why Silvio is unique: he can insult all and sundry, pervert the media and the legal system to trample all over his opponents and cling to power, and reel off one-liners about it at the same time. Oh, he's irrepressible!
It's apparent that the Italian electorate is still stricken with a cult of personality, like immature democracies generally are, and deserve the leader they have. Politics must seem a joke when all politicians are seen as irredeemably corrupt, and maybe it's just the biggest joker that wins. So when does the laughter end?
* 'Thank God for Silvio', more or less. Thanks to Mr. Mazzonis for the link.
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