Sarko was calm, clear, soft spoken, polite, respectful and courteous.
Royal, dressed in a Hillary-like Mao shirt and a man-tailored jacket was shrill, harsh, rude, and disrespectful, both of Sarko, and the rules of the debate. She showed herself to be the hard core Socialist she is, in almost Stalinist martinet fashion, like a school marm. Speaking to Sarko with disdain, mocking him, even laughing, she proved herself to be the BOBO 68ist she is, and what she represents. The undisciplined, smug, self superior elitist who knows what is best for everyone.
IMO she clearly lost the debate. Her fawning over the Centrist Bayrou forgotten, she alienated more moderate voters on the Left, and in the Center.
I would venture a guess and say she gave away at least two points.
Bookmarked for later, thanks.
Thanks for the post and analysis...
Unless there is something out of the ordinary Sarkozy is going to be another win for the free world. How great it is, now we just need Italy, Spain, and someone from the conservative party in Britain that believes in Iraq and the war on terror.
Suuuuuure you voted for Sarko in the first round. Suuuure. And are just now changing your mind dramatically. How do you say "seminar caller" in French?
“shrill, harsh, rude, and disrespectful,”
Sounds like most women in executive positions. Why do they turn that way Men are graceful and women become bitter and angry.
FYI, here is al-Reuters’ take on the debate(sounds like they could not spin it too much against Sarko): http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-05-02T213906Z_01_L01218647_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-FRANCE-ELECTION-COL.XML
ROYAL: “I want to raise small pensions straight away.”
SARKOZY: “How will you pay for it?”
ROYAL: “I will tell you. I will put extra funds in the pension funds reserve.”
SARKOZY: “Very good, where do you get the money from?”
ROYAL: “From a tax on stock exchange revenues.
SARKOZY: “Of how much?”
ROYAL: “The social partners (unions and business leaders) will discuss it. But at least the principle is established.”
SARKOZY: “How much will you put in the fund?”
ROYAL: “I’m just setting out the principle. I have a plan.”
SARKOZY: “No, no, hang on, this is very interesting. This tax you are creating, for us — when (Socialist prime minister) Lionel Jospin created this (pension reserve) fund, it was to have 120 billion euros. There are 36 billion in it, each year the state puts in 6 billion. Your tax, roughly, how much is it?
ROYAL: “My tax will be at the level necessary for social justice.”
SARKOZY: “That’s a stunning piece of detail. Can’t you give us a figure?”
ROYAL: “No I can’t.”
SARKOZY: “I see”
ROYAL: “Why not, why can’t I give you a figure?”
SARKOZY: “That’s your right.
ROYAL: “Why can’t I give you a figure? Because the resumption of growth will also create additional revenues.”
SARKOZY: “So you are going to create a tax without telling the French people how much it’s going to be, and how much you hope to gain from this tax? That’s really going to be a great help to the balance of our pension funds.”
Wouldn’t it be something if the French were to elect a strong and resolute leader who takes a tough stand against illegal immigrants and in favor of national sovereignty, and the US surrenders and retreats from Iraq?
Wasn’t that little thing NASTY of her at the end when the moderators asked the two to comment the other on their plusses (or something), and she totally blew him off by refusing to .
LOL! The French media version of phony "I'm a lifelong Republican but am now voting for the far, left kook."
Bump
Sound familiar? Something a little JFnkKish about it, no?
the solution for Royal is to hook up with Bill Clinton and tour the world solving the great problems of the era.
From Boz at French Election 2007:
Debate Debrief
UMP candidate Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist candidate Segolene Royal debated tonight in their first and final debate before this Sunday’s election runoff. Obviously I cannot summarize a two hour debate right now...I haven’t even watched it. But here’s some quotes for those who didn’t see it.
Sarkozy opened the debate after a random selection. Topics ranged from every domestic problem imaginable to foreign affairs. According to CNN:
Sarkozy often seemed to hold back in the debate, which ran over the scheduled two hours, rarely staring Royal in the eyes and talking instead to the pair of presiding journalists.
As a note, I am leaving sections out of these quotes, and they are not in order.
Royal: “There are democratic forces moving in Turkey which need to be consolidated.”
Sarkozy: “Even if it is a non-religious country, it is in Asia Minor. I will not explain to the French schoolboys that the borders of Europe are with Iraq and Syria. When one makes of Kurdistan a European problem, one will not have advanced things.”
(...)
Sarkozy: “On nuclear power, are you on the side of Mr. Chevènement or on the side of the Greens?”
Royal: “Do you know what is the share of the nuclear power?”
Sarkozy: “We have half of our electricity which is of nuclear origin.”
Royal: “No, 17% only.”
(...)
Royal: “To play with the handicap as you have just done is properly scandalous...One reaches the height of political immorality...It is your government which removed not only the Handiscol plan, which removed the assistance-teachers and who makes that today less than one child out of two who was accomodated five years ago in the school of the Republic are not it today.”
Sarkozy: “There are three times more handicapped children provided education for today than your time, to Madam.”
Royal: “It is not true!”
Sarkozy: “Do not point at me with your finger. To be a president of the Republic, it is necessary to be calm.”
Royal: “When there are injustices, there are healthy angers, there are angers which I will have even when I am a president of the Republic.”
IMO Royal consistently refused to answer the tough questions. She cannot alienate the Greens by saying yes to the Nuclear question, yet she has no alternative solution.
Royal came off like the schoolyard bully, and Sarko like the School principal.
"She (Royal) still thinks that you have to share out the work like pieces of a cake. Not a single country in the world accepts this logic, which is a monumental mistake," he said.Productivity (pretty much however it is accomplished) increases wealth and employment. If I were at home, I'd reprise the post about that Royal gaffe on her attitude toward the teacher's union in France.
Can a Socialist seriously try to defend such mandates and then claim to have a workaround?
Leftism isn’t a mental illness. It is just codified idiocy.
Can anyone help with an interpretation?
