Is Bush Bud Sarko Now French "Toast"?

My, how the luster has worn off French president Nicolas Sarkozy!

I mean, wasn’t it almost a year ago when conservatives in this country were engaged in all kinds of gyrations (here) over the fact that we now had a leader of that country who they liked because he supposedly was going to stand up to those nasty unions and snap his people into action (work more, play less, get the guys to start watching “he man” stuff like the WWF and indoor monster truck rallies instead of sitting around by the Seine moping while eating brie and drinking mineral water and listening to Edith Piaf…or something)?

Gosh, whatever could have gone so wrong? Well, as noted here…

According to a CSA poll published Sunday, only 48 percent of the French trust the president to run the country - a fall of seven points in a month. Since last July, his approval rating has plunged by 17 percentage points.

"President Sarkozy is exposing his flamboyant personal life at the moment the French want him to deliver on his promises to improve the economy," said Stéphane Rozès, the director of CSA, in a telephone interview. "He has eliminated the line between public and private life, between his success in his personal life and his promises for the French people to succeed."

The decline in Sarkozy's approval rating was particularly dramatic among older people; it fell 9 points among the French people from 50 to 64 and 15 points among those over 65.

Indeed, while the French faced the New Year with higher retail prices and a decline in their buying power, Sarkozy was photographed with (model Carla) Bruni touring the pyramids of Egypt and the archeological sites in Jordan. There was Bruni, a beatific look on her face as her head leaned upon the president's shoulder; there was the president grabbing her around the waist, his fingers touching her exposed midriff.

Dubbed by some commentators President Bling-Bling, the twice-divorced Sarkozy is said to have given Bruni a heart-shaped, rose-colored diamond engagement ring designed by Victoire de Castellane at Dior; she is said to have given him a Swiss-made Patek Philippe watch.

Or, in the immortal words of Max Bialystock, “if you’ve got it, flaunt it, baby!” (and by the way, Sarkozy and Bruni were subsequently wed).

And the real kicker to me, as noted here, is that sex appears to be on the rise (ahem…) within that country. And as we know, Europe in general cares less about extramarital affairs among its leaders than this country does: again, I don’t encourage that, but I think that’s an enlightened attitude (the trick, though, is to keep it to yourself, it seems).

Yep, the more I read about France and Sarko, the more I think Eliot Spitzer picked the wrong country.