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Technorati'Tis a pity she's a whore.
- John Ford, Title of a play
Why can't Americans be more like the French? The slightly altered line from My Fair Lady is inspired by the fascination with which we in the United States have viewed the sexual peccadilloes of assorted leaders as compared with how such behaviour is perceived by the French.
On June 18, 2007, France had an election featuring beautiful women and assorted men in the two parties competing for the presidency. On one side was Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal and her partner of more than 20 years, François Hollande. During their time together they had four children and to all outward appearances were to live happily ever after. Within hours after the polls closed, the end of the partnership was announced. Mr. Holland said the separation was a private affair. A book published after the election quoted Ms. Royale as saying that: "I asked François Hollande to leave our home, to pursue his love interest, which is now laid bare in books and newspapers, on his own." The whole parting seemed, at least from this side of the Atlantic, remarkably tasteful.
Not to be outdone, her opponent and his wife-followed suit. During the campaign Cécilia Sarkozy, wife of Union for a Popular Movement candidate Nicolas Sarkozy was noticeably absent. Following the election she briefly played the role of first lady of France visiting Libya where she participated in obtaining the release of 6 health care workers who had been detained in Libya since 2004. Following their release she concluded that the world of politics was not for her, ended her marriage to Nicolas and resumed her relationship with Richard.
Divorced in October, Mr. Sarkozy and Carla Bruni, a singer and former model whom he met in November 2007 were wed on February 2, 2008. Upon learning of her former husband's marriage, instead of marrying in June as originally planned, Cécilia and Richard were married on March 22, and had a big reception the following day. One paper described the wedding as a "revenge", wedding, Ms. Sarkozy having been annoyed that Mr. Sarkozy's new wife was 10 years younger than she. How rushing the wedding corrects this perceived slight is unclear.
Both French partings were civilized. No prostitutes, no sad spouses standing stolidly by, and no stoical statements by any of the parties. Compare similar events on this side of the Atlantic. There are more examples from which to choose space in a column such as this.
Kwame Kilpatrick had a bright future. He is the mayor of Detroit. If he lived in France he would still have a bright future since it would have been unnecessary to lie about explicit e mails he and another government worker exchanged that affected no one but their respective partners. The city would not have negotiated the settlement of a whistleblower lawsuit that cost Detroit millions of taxpayer dollars. He and his wife would have said their private lives were their private lives. Instead he may be going to jail, not for sex but for lying about sex.
From Detroit we move to New York where two governors have made the news. Upon becoming governor on March 17th of this year, David Paterson held a press conference in which he described the challenges facing New York. On March 18 he held a press conference with his wife, Michelle, in which he described challenges they faced during their marriage including their respective acts of adultery. The affairs were consensual and no one had to pay anything as a result of the companionship or its disclosure thus making it more French than American.
Eliot Spitzer, former governor of New York is, of course, the pre-eminent example of how the French don't do it. He was robbed of his dignity and because of his behavior lost a good post-mortem photo opportunity.
If Eliot lived in France he could have had as many lovers as he wanted and still prosecuted prostitution rings in his official capacity without being called a hypocrite. Instead of standing awkwardly with a stalwart wife by his side, confessing to the fact that he had to pay for the kind of friendship many people routinely enjoy, he would have said with great dignity that he had begun an affair with X, but remained deeply in love with his wife and would/would not be divorcing her and would/would not marry his new friend. By consorting, instead, with prostitutes he deprived himself and his family of a dramatic post-death photo opportunity such as enjoyed by François Mitterand.
It is impossible to forget the touching images published around the world at François Mitterand's funeral. Standing side by side, sadly viewing the coffin, were Messieur Mitterand's wife, Danielle, and his mistress, Anne Pigeot and their illegitimate daughter, Mazarine. It was a touching scene, one Mr. Spitzer could not look forward to even if his nocturnal wanderings had not come to light. That's because prostitutes don't do funerals.
Christopher Brauchli
brauchli.56@post.harvard.edu
For political commentary see his web page http://humanraceandothersports.com
20 Comments so far
Show AllSIOUXROSE: You are one of us. I/we'd be foolish to exclude you, in my never humble opinion.
I have chores to do, so I got to get away from this computer. Go to David Sirota's article on the Ludlow Massacre and read the short post I made. I excluded the "black shirts' and the "brown shirts" for brevity but they could have been included as well.
Thomas Moore: With due respect, I think I understand your feelings though some of us have lived abroad for long stretches and are able to discern facts from fairytales.
There are dedicated folks across America doing their darndest WITH concrete solutions and real plans with achievable goals, but we are a tiny minority in the vast ocean of the uncaring and apathetic majority. How much more time, hard work and money should one spend before realizing things ain't gettin' better?
"There are times I wish the US was like allot of differnt places on this earth. I would spend more time there if it was."
For people that think our country is so bad and others so good, I too wish you'd spend a lot more time there than here.
This constant complaining without concrete solutions, real plans or achievable goals gets a bit old.
Reminds one of a fishwife in folklore.
GALEN: I might take you up on that... I plan on traveling to promote my new books; but right now I have to help my daughter with the new baby, etc. Makes me wonder if I need to find an "Indiana Jones" surrogate to cross the border with, even on a bicycle!
PEACEMAN: I am charmed that you extend concern to me. The ethnic element in my blood stream does recurrently advise me to get out before witnessing the latest rendition of "Where are your papers, frauline..." I met a woman in Miami who knew an elderly woman who still had the marks on her wrist (numbers) from the concentration camp in Germany that she had survived. She used to always say, "Don't think it can't happen here." I guess some neo con Jews are so glad not to be first in line, they've opted to allow for (and sometimes lend support to) another "scapegoat" population. The thing about divide and conquer that's so unconscionable is that somebody always gets the knife! The amoral version of "cut and paste."
Galen: I don't mind the cold. Maybe BC will do. Funny about flying thing, but then again the whole US is starting to look iffy.
Siouxrose and Peaceman: I keep inviting you to come to BC. But I think you might have to take the bus. Flying is starting to look iffy...
Siouxrose: I've been to the latter two but not P.R. Singapore is very regimentated, almost a benign dictatorship. England is becoming more like the U.S. so it's out. A month or two ago, I read an article in the 'International Herald Tribune' about small villages in the Tuscany area of Italy which are "underpopulated" as the young ones head off to the larger cities for fame and fortune. I'm almost certain we'd be welcome.
I don't care what the "free-market capitalist monopolists" say about Hugo Chavez, he's doing a fine job, against the odds, for the common people in his country. A possibility but I prefer Europe.
With the likes of Grover Norquist and the Christian funDUMBentalists and their version of the Taliban, our nation has set it's sails on a destructive course and will eventually pay the price.
We can ALL relocate and start a co-opperative. Many possibilities, Siouxrose.
America: a country where violent bloody death is more enjoyable than sex.
PEACEMAN: I've lived in Puerto Rico, Singapore and London; so I've had a taste of other cultures. The outcome of the pending election is definitely a "geography" trigger for me. My daughter just had a baby and she also has a 2 year old, and the family ties are rather binding; but that doesn't mean we can't ALL relocate. I just wonder if Europe would let us in? Global warming may take care of the "Canada" problem (for me, I hate the cold); and then there is the promise of Latin America... all the programs that advocate for a more equitable society. This is a fascinating planet, but will the borders close against us?
Mr Freeze-
Please get your facts straight before spouting off.
Contemporary France is largely a secular nation. Their countyside peppered with gothic cathedrals is largely an anachronism. The French have little need for your silly " confession & forgiveness" from some imaginary diety. I've never met one who would waste much time and thought on "guilt trips" that Americans are so preoccupied with - they are too busy enjoying life. Another concept which largely escapes Americans.
Umn, "Advice to a Young Man", by Ben Franklin needs to be updated.
"Young man, if you intend to aspire to high political office in this country later in life -- think ahead! Have yourself castrated before the male hormones kick in. You will then have a double benefit.
First of all, you will never get emroiled in a sex scandal which is political death in this country.
Second, if you bear the gene for male baldness, the gene will not be triggered by your hormones and you will have a full head of hair all through your adult life -- this is a prerequisite if you intend to ever run for President!
There are times I wish the US was like allot of differnt places on this earth. I would spend more time there if it was.
Siouxrose,
Good point about Bergman. I remember hearing stories in the early or mid- seventies about the young actress Maria Schneider being blackballed after certain scenes in the movie, 'Last Tango In Paris, with Marlon Brando. Some years later she was forgiven and returned to acting. Of course, no demerits were awarded to Brando for adding the controversial scene to Bertolucci's film.
When the resumption of the Salem Witch hunts begin, it will be the beginning of the end for our nation. The ones outraged over Bill's sexual indiscretions were mainly republicans and are probably the same people who justify the battering of children in Iraq. It's god's will. (small G on purpose)
Europa is looking better all the time, Siouxrose.
For some reason the life of Ingrid Bergman springs to mind, how her films were banned for a time in the U.S. because she had a "love child," the beautiful Isabella Rossellini.
Just from the whole clinton affair, we see the shadow of the puritans like ghosts over the conscience of our land. So many were outraged over Bill's sexual indiscretions, but do these same people find the footage of battered children in Iraq obscene?
ZERO POINT FIELD: Blatant anti-semitism is hardly progressive. Your comment has NOTHING to do with the article!
It is a cultural attitude that seperates the europeans from the US. These primitive forms of protestanism block out women's freedoms and we end up with Elliot Spitzer, Compounds of various orders in Texas, and sterile presidents with plastic wives.
Still, the US is one of the most inventive and creative cultures within the framework set up by this psycho-religious atmosphere. Who do we have to thank for that?
The Jews.
The barbarians on the right are infiltrating the likes of the national endowment of the arts.
Long Live Common Dreams.
But it is time to show the force on our side in other ways as well.
About Eliot Spitzer: He had to pay for the kind of friendship many people routinely enjoy.
How many people routinely enjoy the services of a 1000+ dollar a pop callgirl? Am I missing something? Are you all having a lot more fun than me?
Cécilia did not enjoy being expected to charm foreign dignitaries. Carla doesn't seem to mind charming the bejeezus out of everyone in her path. Kozy can do what he wants at any meeting - Carla seems to steal the show every time. Is everyone happy? Well, maybe not everyone...
Let's not forget the percentage of the French that vote... It is a high number. They also do not go hysterical over fake issues...although there was tons of Carla Sako articles...The French reacted only because they thought he wasn't showing the "gravitas" he should and was more like a playboy. It wasn't the morality but worry that he should be concentrating on the issues facing the country... Oh, and I spend about five months a year in France and the rest of the time I am on the Swiss/French border so I am speaking with on the ground knowledge
France is still essentially a Catholic country, where confession and forgiveness are routine.
But the United States is dominated by some of the most primitive forms of Protestantism, and confession is just a little detour on the way to Hell.
We forgive nothing, we remember nothing, we learn nothing, and our President is perfectly free to invent a God who instructs him to bomb Iran and torture prisoners, as long as he remains faithful to his insipid wife.
Somehow I think we citizens would be better served if the split-ups of the romantic relationships in lives of our high-level politicians came BEFORE rather after their election to office. We'd be disappointed less that way, and I think it would serve voters in France just as well as in the USA or anywhere else.
It was a slim majority that tilted France rightward with Sarkozy, a thing that many French may come to regret---and a thing that might never have happened if the soap opera had played first.