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Berlusconi pulls a Berlusconi; Obama 'tan' joke falls flat
By April MacIntyre Nov 6, 2008, 18:20 GMT
Obama, he rocks a tan, no? Berlusconi\'s latest: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (R) and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (L) talk to each other during a news conference after their talks in Moscow\'s Kremlin, Russia, 06 November 2008. EPA/ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO
The Italian leader, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi made another one of his famous "remarks" while in jest with the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Berlusconi discussed the prospect for U.S.-Russian relations at a press conference today.
Berlusconi compared the young ages of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, 43, and Obama, 47, saying that their generational common ground could grease the currently taxed wheels of Russian-USA relations.
He followed that thought with his quip: "I told the president that (Obama) has everything needed in order to reach deals with him: he's young, handsome and even tanned."
Medvedev, according to the AP, had a poker face and "did not react."
The subsequent controversy over his "joke" has infuriated the Italian leader.
"Why are they taking it as something negative? ... If they have the vice of not having a sense of humor, worse for them," the ANSA news agency quoted him as saying.
Sky TV-24 Ore reports Berlusconi meant the remarks as "cute" and he lashed out at the "imbeciles, of which there are too many."
Berlusconi's words have been a reporter's dream of gaffes. The leader once criticized Spain for having too many women in its government, and the BBC had a nice round-up of some of his more entertaining ones:
On left-wing voters at a conference of retailers during the 2006 campaign:
SB: "I trust the intelligence of the Italian people too much to think that there are so many pricks around who would vote against their own best interests."
At the launch of the 2006 campaign:
SB "I am the Jesus Christ of politics. I am a patient victim, I put up with everyone, I sacrifice myself for everyone."
On a proposal to base an EU food standards agency in Finland, rather than the Italian city of Parma:
"Parma is synonymous with good cuisine. The Finns don't even know what prosciutto is. I cannot accept this."
Promising to put family values at the center of his campaign:
SB "I will try to meet your expectations, and I promise from now on, two-and-a-half months of absolute sexual abstinence, until [election day on] 9 April."
Italy's sole black lawmaker, Jean-Leonard Touadi, thought differently.
"In the United States, a joke like that wouldn't just be politically incorrect, but a great offense to this amazing example of integration, which it seems the Italian premier should take as an example," Touadi said to the AP.
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Older Talkback
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as an Italian I don't feel represented by someone like Mr Berlusconi and as he's not doing it I apologize for his gross and inadequate behaviour as a prime minister - and apart from averything else I find his 'sense of humour' embarrassing, grotesque and absolutely not funny
I apologize too... Day by day Berlusconi add an enormous load of shame on our shoulder, every day...
I'm sorry for us as italian people (considered as a whole) being giving power and a international role to such a idiot (aside being a criminal) man ...
Please be you sorry for us that are governed by such a man and his people, at least for all the italians that will never give a vote to a such man and that anyway are day by day offended by Berlusconi stupidity, behaviour and personal laws living here in italy....
Italy is embarassed, I am too, and I hope every of those who voted for him are feeling ashamed for any further gaffe like this.
After all this guy was voted into office by the Italian people.
So it's a fair assumption that most Italian share his view.
Not convinced...just watch these pricks on the soccer field
I wish I could confirm Marcus comment, i.e. Italy being ashamed of Berlusconi. Unfortunately, this is NOT completely true; only some Italians (myself is one of those) are embarrassed to have such a Prime Minister. There is still a large amount of my countrymen (about 60%) who not only support what Berlusconi does, but also what he says! We are a decadent society. America fought to give Italy freedom about 60 years ago and we misused to elect an arrogant and narcissist person to represent us (and this is the third time we do it!)
We are rappresented by worst politicians in the world, I think Berlusconi is too funny and needs to be calm... but evrything he said and he does, the opposition kick him continusly and this is incorrect too. They keep him stressed and he lost his concentration on everything...even in the only thing he is able, be a mappet...In Usa you give rispect to the elction winner, here in Italy the winner is the looser...and the daemocracy is lost
Berlusconi and the Italian center Right is one of the greatest friends of the United States in Europe and the Left hates him for that.
The people of the left are losers and in bad faith and they 'became' pro Americans just after november 4th 2008. Now after the cordial 20-minute phone call that Obama did to Berlusconi they don't know what to say.. Their Clown Boss Mr Veltroni (the leader of the Italian wannabe Democratic Party that thinks to have been determinant for the Obama's victory.. not joking..) is silent with the hope that the people forget the circus that they have put in place, a boomerang.
The Americans and Obama for first are not idiots, they know that it is the Left to burn U.S. flags generally at the anti US demonstrations..and for that they have never apologized, just like when one of their leaders called Mrs Rice a 'monkey'.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Berluscony was voted, that's true, but remember that about 25 million of italians feel ashamed by him.
25 million people is not nothing and remember also that berluscony has a great mediatic and economical power and this power, sometimes, is stronger than rationality.
So, please, accept our excuses and respect this 25 million like this 25 million respect you all.
Good morning, I am an italian citizen who did not vote for silvio berlusconi although I feel ashamed to be represented by such a parody of a prime minister. I have found something much worse than the comment about President Obama\'s tan, if you go to: wwwsilvioberlusconifansclub.org which is supposed to be an official fan club of prime minister silvio berlusconi (just do not know if laugh or poke thinking about that) there is a photomanipulation of President Obama which I think is highly offensive together with an article that makes foolish insinuations about Barack Obama not being a usa citizen and also about the money raised for his campaign that the author of the \'article\' a totally unknown Ercolina Milanesi suppose might come from \'middle east\' funds. I think this is both offensive and disgusting and I am surprised nobody did find it out before. Just to let you know, Regards Patrizia
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Marcus ItalyNov 6th, 2008 - 19:25:33
Please believe me: Italy is enormously ashamed of our 'prime minister' Berlusconi.
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