President Nicolas Sarkozy has benefited more than almost any other politician from the media's growing obsession with celebrity. France's “téléprésident” orchestrates politics like a reality show -- and now he intends to tighten his grip on public television.
Nicolas Sarkozy had something different in mind for his televised appearance on Monday last week. The French president intended to explain to journalists at France 3, the country's public network of regional broadcasters, how he would use his EU Council presidency to keep Europe from imploding and how he had smoothed things over with protesting French fishermen.
But it wasn't the one-hour interview that made a lasting impression on France. It was an episode that played out just before the interview, when cameras were rolling and Sarkozy said hello to a technician installing his microphone. The man did not return the greeting. The affronted president mumbled, "When you're a guest, the least you can expect is for people to say hello."
"Unbelievable," he added. "And appalling." And then, twice: "That's going to change."
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