French Pres. Sarkozy throws a Napoleonic fit on US vacation

Considering how Gallic imperiousness kept Franco-American relations on ice during the presidency of Jacques Chirac, I thought it augured well for a rapprochement between these begrudging old allies that the new French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, chose America as one of the first vacation destinations of his tenure.

Therefore, I was a little dismayed when I read about the international incident he caused on Sunday afternoon. Because Sarkozy launched a Napoleonic assault on two photographers from the Associated Press who were trying to capture money shots of him sun bathing on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire.

The AP reports that when Sarkozy spotted their photographers off in the distance, he commanded the captain of his boat to charge after them. And, one can only imagine the paralyzing shock they experienced when the French president boarded their boat like an overzealous coast guard patrolman. But here’s how they explained it:

…He climbed onto our boat…Quite agitated….Was yelling at us in French …started pointing at me.

They added that he ranted and raved despite their efforts to explain that they were AP photographers, not tabloid paparazzi, and, moreover, that neither one of them could understand a word of his French….

Of course, most Americans would understand this kind of outrage if he were charging after them for taking topless photos of his wife (or mistress as the case might well be…). But the notion of any man (except a young Sean Penn) throwing this kind of hissy fit over being photographed is as unseemly as it is incomprehensible.

Although, to be fair, perhaps Sarkozy assumed the entire lake was his private reserve; after all, he was staying at the country estate of Microsoft billionaire Michael Appe. No matter his mistaken assumptions, however, international reports of Sarkozy behaving more like a rabid Hollywood celebutante than a refined French president must have all Frenchmen rolling their eyes with embarrassment.

Meanwhile, he’s lucky these photographers weren’t members of the pugnacious paparazzi who routinely stalk American celebrities. Because I have no doubt that they would have knocked this wannabe Napoleon flat on his ass or thrown all 5’2″ of him overboard before his secret service bodyguards could handcuff (or shoot) them.

Quelle horreur!

NOTE: This episode vindicates just one of the many reasons why I endorsed his opponent, Segoelene Royal, to win the French presidential election a few months ago. But, c’est la vie!

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