The news in France today got a bit funnier. For those not familiar, the president, François Hollande, has added to his growing list of problems getting caught in an affair. Now, the affair itself would likely not be a problem - past French presidents made little effort to hide their indiscretions, and this sort of thing can be summed up in the two word response of former head of state François Mitterand, when confronted with his latest peccadillo: "Et alors?" (so what?)
The French news and public opinion are reacting not to the affair, but the rather classless way it's been handled by Hollande.
It seems that the economy and social order are just two among many affairs that he is incompetent at dealing with. Jokes about him sneaking off to a small apartment on a dingy scooter in a plastic helmet under dark of night, and having his security spirit in croissants the next morning are all about. (NB: in France, the croissant is a cheap breakfast food - the least Hollande could do would be to provide some decent coffee and a pain au chocolat).
The video above from a local news broadcast is making the rounds today in France. Sorry for the non-French speaker, but it is all in French. But no matter, the operative items here are when the reporter on camera asks the Primer Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault,
Comment avez-vous trouvé le Président de République (how did you find the president)one of the newsreaders back in the studio, in synch with the question, responds
moche et minable (gross and shabby)to a round of laughter. It seems she failed to note that her microphone was still on. Later, the male newsreader apologises for the audience having heard "the little joke of Michelle, who thought her microphone was off."
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