Gordon Brown’s new year relaunch has met with generally sullen reaction from the media, who seem less than enchanted with his rather dry emphasis on long-termism. By contrast, says Daily Mail political editor Benedict Brogan, look over the Channel to Nicolas Sarkozy.
Despite reports of a backlash in France over coverage of Le President having the time of his life with Carla Bruni in Egypt (e.g. see Blake’s write-up at ForeignPolicy.com), Sarkozy was reportedly on defiant and sparkling form at his start-the-year press conference – and clearly enjoying himself (though presumably not as much as at his debut press conference at the Russian G8 in 2006).
Brogan suggests that new No 10 strategy head Stephen Carter should get Brown to watch the replay for some snappy soundbites like these:
“Being president does not give you a right to happiness.”
“I forbid myself to think about a second term.”
“When there’s a mistake, I pay, and I pay cash.”
“If I were worried I wouldn’t be president. Frankly, it’s not a job for worriers.”
“I’m sincere in my words every minute.”
“You can read authenticity on my face. I don’t cheat, I don’t trick, in 30 years you’ve never caught me with my finger in the jam jar of lies.”
Brogan continues,
[Sarkozy] was particularly scathing about the culture of secrecy that surrounded the private life of his predecessors, and how the media – his audience – knew all about the affairs and scandals but never asked and never reported. “I want to break the deplorable tradition of hypocrisy and lies. You never asked my predecessors even though you knew about it. If you don’t want a media circus, then don’t send photographers to follow me to Egypt. I’ll still have a great holiday.”
He also denied he was the illegitimate son of Jacques Chirac.
