Comments on: Not as the Hand directs, but as the Byass leads http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/104/ Tim King on French politics Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:35:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: marie-france http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/104/#comment-10046 Thu, 31 May 2007 17:53:34 +0000 http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/104/#comment-10046 So glad you're back. You say that Sarkozy is a doer, not a thinker; do you mean more than other politicians now elected? The French find him clever. Myself ,who campaigned for Mme Royal, am not too worried. People who know him for having worked with him may dislike him, and in time more and more will probably do so. But for the citizen at large things at last may get done - if he is left to his own devices. So glad you’re back. You say that Sarkozy is a doer, not a thinker; do you mean more than other politicians now elected? The French find him clever. Myself ,who campaigned for Mme Royal, am not too worried. People who know him for having worked with him may dislike him, and in time more and more will probably do so. But for the citizen at large things at last may get done - if he is left to his own devices.

]]> by: PJW http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/104/#comment-9939 Thu, 31 May 2007 12:43:15 +0000 http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/104/#comment-9939 Not sure if mine was the comment you wanted to see again (!), but I remarked that I hadn't noted a bias, in the sense of always finding negative things to say of X, and positive things to say of Y. Indeed, if you did favour Sarkozy, it didn't diminish my perception of a man who could start a fight in an empty room: if anything, I thought you gave a more nuanced view of Le Pen that most would have done, and showed a soft spot (if for anyone) for Bayrou. Clearly, you have a certain political worldview yourself and that framed your judgements, but I didn't feel it distorted them, even though I don't share it. Overall, the impression I got was that, as ever, the candidates had the weaknesses of their strengths and vice versa. Not sure if mine was the comment you wanted to see again (!), but I remarked that I hadn’t noted a bias, in the sense of always finding negative things to say of X, and positive things to say of Y. Indeed, if you did favour Sarkozy, it didn’t diminish my perception of a man who could start a fight in an empty room: if anything, I thought you gave a more nuanced view of Le Pen that most would have done, and showed a soft spot (if for anyone) for Bayrou. Clearly, you have a certain political worldview yourself and that framed your judgements, but I didn’t feel it distorted them, even though I don’t share it.

Overall, the impression I got was that, as ever, the candidates had the weaknesses of their strengths and vice versa.

]]> by: john h http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/104/#comment-9383 Wed, 30 May 2007 11:33:45 +0000 http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/blog/franceprofonde/104/#comment-9383 I only said that I thought the above was much fairer than the piece entitled "Sarkozy's poor start". I could have added previously that Sarkozy was not responsible for the car burning: who was the person who on the final day of the election campaign ranted about the violence which would sweep the country if he/she wasn't elected? "Cherchez la femme"! I only said that I thought the above was much fairer than the piece entitled “Sarkozy’s poor start”. I could have added previously that Sarkozy was not responsible for the car burning: who was the person who on the final day of the election campaign ranted about the violence which would sweep the country if he/she wasn’t elected? “Cherchez la femme”!

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