Oooops he did it again!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/08/world/europe/08italy.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=berlusconi+obama&st=cse&oref=slogin
November 7, 2008 (Published also on the November 8 printed edition)
Obama Joke by Premier Has Italy in an Uproar
ROME — Italians never quite know whether to laugh or cry at Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi But many reacted with incredulity and outrage after the prime minister, visiting Moscow on Thursday, amiably called the first African-American president-elect in United States history “young, handsome and suntanned.”Mr. Berlusconi made the remark while meeting President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia, saying that Senator Barack Obama’s good looks, his youth and his so-called suntan were “all the qualities” for Mr. Medvedev and the future president to “develop a good working relationship.”
Many Italian newspapers gave the comment nearly as much front-page attention as Mr. Obama’s victory itself. The journalist Curzio Maltese wrote in the center-left La Repubblica that “bookmakers wouldn’t even take bets” on how long it would take for Mr. Berlusconi to let slip another of his famous gaffes. “Mr. Berlusconi never fails to live up to our worst expectations.”
Mr. Maltese added that just when Mr. Obama’s victory was “inspiring billions of people” to consider “democracy, the most extraordinary triumph of humanity after centuries of bloodshed and intolerance,” Mr. Berlusconi instead contributed “a miserable, vulgar and racist remark, for which he didn’t even have the courage to take responsibility or the dignity to apologize.”
A billionaire populist, Mr. Berlusconi excels at deflating such lofty talk. He said that his remark had been “a compliment” and that his critics lacked irony. “If you want to get a degree in idiocy, I won’t stop you,” La Repubblica quoted him as saying. “I say whatever I think.”
He said the Italian left was wrong about everything, “including their lack of a sense of humor.” He added: “Too bad for them. God save us from imbeciles.”
The center-left opposition leader, Water Veltroni, had earlier called such “cabaret one-liners” unworthy of a statesman and asked Mr. Berlusconi to apologize.
In Brussels on Friday, when Mr. Berlusconi was asked by a reporter if he would apologize, he said whoever had asked the question should be added to “the list” of imbeciles, Bloomberg News reported. “You should apologize to Italy,” it quoted him as saying.
Later on Friday, Mr. Obama, who has been calling world leaders, had a “long, cordial” telephone conversation with Mr. Berlusconi, according to the Italian news media. The two did not discuss the gaffe, the ANSA news agency reported.
The furor over Mr. Berlusconi’s remark has raised a question: Why, of all the problems Italy is facing — a weak economy, higher mortgage rates — would Mr. Berlusconi get more attention for his off-the-cuff remark than for his political program?
“Because it’s the last straw,” said a political commentator, Beppe Severgnini. “By now, Berlusconi isn’t a political case; he’s a psychological case.”
Mr. Berlusconi’s remark “wasn’t racist; it was infantile and untimely,” he added. “He has such a high opinion of himself that he thinks it’s acceptable to say anything to anyone.”
On Friday, Italy’s leading daily newspaper, Corriere della Sera, ran an illustrated display of Mr. Berlusconi’s most infamous gaffes. In 2002, he said that Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark was “so handsome I’m thinking of introducing him to my wife.”
In 2003, he compared a German in the European Parliament to a Nazi concentration camp guard. In 2005, he caused a diplomatic commotion after hinting that he had persuaded the Finnish president, Tarja Halonen, to back Italy to host the European Food Safety Authority by wooing her. “I had to use all my playboy tactics, even if they have not been used for some time,” he said.
Yet Mr. Berlusconi’s latest gaffe seemed to tap into a deep well of anger at him, which is at least as strong as his high approval ratings. A brief report on NYTimes.com abot the comment drew nearly 1,600 responses, most from upset Italians.
A reader named Alberto wrote, “Mr. Berlusconi’s stupid joke is a further demonstration of the racism and intolerance that grow inside Italian population, helped by the embarrassing attitude of Italian politics.”On British Media:
From Times on line, by corrispondent Richard Owen from Rome
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article5100973.ece
Silvio Berlusconi in racism row over 'suntanned' Barack Obama aside
Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's gaffe-prone Prime Minister, today found himself accused of racism after calling Barack Obama "suntanned".
Speaking in Moscow at a joint news conference with President Medvedev, Mr Berlusconi said Mr Obama's election had been "hailed by world public opinion as the arrival of a Messiah".
He added: "I will try to help relations between Russia and the United States, where a new generation has come to power. I don't see problems for Medvedev in establishing good relations with Obama, who is also handsome, young and suntanned".
Mr Berlusconi said he had intended the remark as a compliment and those who failed to understand this were "imbeciles".
Earlier Mr Berlusconi, 72, had said he would be in a position to offer Mr Obama advice on politics because of his age and experience. The Italian leader himself boasts a perma-tan, and has had plastic surgery in an attempt to make him look younger.
Dario Franceschini, a centre left deputy, called on Mr Berlusconi to apologise to Mr Obama and to avoid embarrassing Italy in future with remarks "in bad taste".
He said the flamboyant Italian leader and media tycoon "forgets that his words affect the image of our country in the world". He added: "To say that the US President is young, good looking and suntanned will sound offensive to many and charged with dangerous ambiguity."
Walter Veltroni, the opposition leader, said: "A statesman cannot allow himself to make cabaret jokes while abroad. Berlusconi is seriously damaging the image and dignity of our country." Massimo Donadi of the centre left Italy of Values party said Mr Berlusconì's "unhappy" remark had exposed the centre right's "creeping racism".
Mr Berlusconi's previous gaffes include remarking to businessmen on a trip to the US that Italy was a great country to invest in "because we have fewer Communists nowadays and beautiful secretaries, superb girls".
Meeting the Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen in 2002, Mr Berlusconi described him as "the best-looking Prime Minister in Europe" and suggested he should have an affair with his wife, the former actress Veronica Lario.
In 2005 Helsinki demanded an explanation when he said he had used "playboy tactics" to persuade the Finnish President Tarja Halonen to back Italy as the site of the European Food Safety Authority.
And other examples here: http://tv.repubblica.it/copeand here: http://www.repubblica.it/200
No, we can't!
At least now I understand the reason of all my failures: it's because i voted some "imbecilli" "coglioni"!!! (yeah... sadly this is partly true...)
(http://www.repubblica.it/2008/11/sezioni/esteri/italia-obama/berlusconi-imbecilli/berlusconi-imbecilli.html)
Labels: My country, Thoughts
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