The reason we French people are appalled by Sarkozy's behavior is because it is unspeakably vulgar.

Oh, his previous record as Minister of Finances and Minister of Interior was also abysmally awful, so why did the French elect such a buffon is beyond understanding. We collectively as a people lost our Cartesianisme.
See what happens when voters choose so-called charisma over a real program. Not speaking about the sexism hurled at women candidates.

Bonjour, Madame la Duchesse. When you say "see what happens when voter choose so-called charisma over a real program", are you saying that Mme. Royal had a "real program"? I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree on this one; my impression was that her "real program" consisted of comparing herself to Joan of Arc and saying things that sound pretty but really don't mean anything, e.g. "I want to be a lighthouse for the children..."

As to the "sexism hurled at women candidates", was it "sexism" to criticise the way Mme. Royal fell apart during the one-on-one presidential debates? I watched them live, and found it an amazing spectacle when she cried out, her voice almost breaking, "I'm not getting nervous, I'm not getting nervous; I'm ANGRY! And it's HEALTHY! It's a HEALTHY anger!" The whole time with a grimace-like smile frozen on her face.

Being a woman, I am inspired by seeing women in power -- our regional governor here in Madrid, Angela Merkel in Germany -- and, though I agree that they have to clear hurdles that men don't have to face, I wouldn't say that merely preferring a male candidate to a female one, for whatever reason, is sexism.

congrats on going belly up for terrorism after the madrid bombing...

very feminine.

as a female shopkeeper said to me (in english) while i was standing outside the libyan consulate in madrid after reagan whacked libya the first time -- on my way to a western business meeting (not in the consulate) -- 'reagan is right!'

worked with a lot of spaniards, both men and women, on behalf of the west and they were far from cowardly...wonder what's happened since?

hope the men assert themselves in the future...