[sarkozy and bruni] why not, for goodness sake?

If I were the French President and my wife refused to support her husband and then we were divorced, I'd imagine I'd be pretty down about it. It would sort of hurt deep down, even though I never showed it publicly.

Then, if a woman came into my life and she had a bit of a history people latched onto but I loved her, then that would be unfortunate but what could I do? We'd have to marry if she also loved me and who's to say she doesn't?

Now, if I were France, above all nations except maybe Italy, I'd understand implicitly that lasting relationships can't be politically packaged into time frames favoured by the press, even though I'd be well aware of the time constraints.

I'd also be well aware that if I'd just forced a political issue - in his case the strikes and in mine - well, the least said the better - then there'd be fallout, wouldn't there? It's pretty lonely doing that and if a loving woman came into my life, I'd make pretty sure to treat her right because, in the things I must do next for France, I'd need her softness like never before.

So what the hell are the press saying?

Sarkozy denied that he was using the ups and downs of his love life to draw attention from France's problems. He said he was astonished by some news reports that suggested his October divorce was timed to overshadow coverage of a nationwide strike that paralyzed the country. "I told myself that people who wrote such articles must never have been divorced," Sarkozy said, adding that he wasn't angry at them. "I was simply ashamed for them, for being so far removed from life's realities."

I'd go on to impress upon them:

«Vous l'avez compris, c'est du sérieux». Dès la deuxième question, le chef de l'Etat était interrogé sur sa relation avec l'ex-mannequin Carla Bruni, lors de sa conférence de presse de rentrée mardi. «Mais, ce n'est pas le JDD qui fixera la date», s'est empressé d'ajouter le chef de l'Etat devant un auditoire souriant.

All the same, he needs to be just a bit careful because even Le Figaro was not 100% enamoured of this stage of Sarko's presidency. Yet its photo of the happy couple seems to indicate some sort of rearguard action.

Personally, unless the leopard's changed her spots, I think he could be heading for the same problems as before. The woman is a known "easy girl" so one hopes he's not looking for marital fidelity from her but maybe he needs her perverse outlook in his position.

The French are in an interesting position themselves - the prospect of a Hungarian descendant and an Italian as 1st and 2nd persons in their republic.