For once I have to agree completely with you, David. My reading exactly. It’s only bigger fools who think that Berlusconi is a fool.

@ Andrea: Fact – Italy had 50 governments in 50 years, while Berlusconi’s 2002 legislature was the first to last the full five-year term, and his 2008 legislature will probably do so too. If you think Bruno Vespa supports Berlusconi, then I suggest you stick to German politics.

I have a suspicion, when every time Berlusconi was seen on TV lately, he was seen with his mobile phone to his right ear, as if hiding something. Could it be a hair transplant gone wrong?

Just had the same thoughts about your essay: easily influenced by the media. Berlusconi’s media.

http://www.repubblica.it/2003/e/gallerie/politica/villacert/1.html

…heard Paul McCartney (Wings)…

You’d Think That People Would Have Had Enough Of Silly Love Songs.
But I Look Around Me And I See It Isn’t So.
Some People Wanna Fill The World With Silly Love Songs.
And What’s Wrong With That?
I’d Like To Know, ‘Cause Here I Go Again
I Love You, I Love You,
I Love You, I Love You.

…and went for it

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/berlusconi-records-an-album-of-his-love-songs-to-captivate-italy-585122.html

I think he also had a hair transplant. Would fit right in with our follicle-challenged local ‘bigwigs’.

‘CL’ seems to be as damaging as botox.

Within months of his setting up of Forza Italia, it became the largest political party in Italy, and he is also a self-made billionaire – some idiot!

Berlusconi is averse to political correctness, so many deem his comments as gaffes. Gaffes are the stupidities uttered by George Bush.
Berlusconi has single-handedly transformed Italian politics. Last November he shocked his political opponents by announcing that he was dissolving his Forza Italia and he regrouped 13 centre-right parties to form Popolo della Liberta. The left has attempted a less coherent party called PD. For the first time in post-war Italy you have a semblance of a two-party democracy – some idiot.

Getting back to the earthquake: watching Porta a Porta (not Xarabank) the main criticism was that the authorities did not predict it, with Di Pietro going as far as criticising the Seismology Institute of “snobbismo”. It is in this context that Berlusconi said that within 48 hours, all 28,000 homeless had shelter, hot food and medication – without any outside help. Again, some idiot.

You then have The Financial Times stating that a quake like that in California would have resulted in no deaths – clearly the journalist forgot that Aquila and the surrounding medieval villages are some two centuries older than the American constitution.

Berlusconi, who did not climb the political ladder, probably finds leaders’ meetings so stuffy, he loves a bit of political incorrectness. Probably Richard Branson would be no different if he tried his hand at politics.

It appears that those commenting here are easily influenced by the media and all too ready to scoop some sensational “gaffe” by Berlusconi.