Saturday, April 4, 2009
To kiss or not to kiss, why or why not
posted at 9:17 AM |
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It's no news and no different from usual but oh my goodness the stürm und drang over The Kiss That Wasn't. American and British press have reported on President Obama and Carla Bruni Sarkozy meeting and not kissing but how differently they seem to see it.
The background is that Michelle Obama and Carla (Mme Sarkozy) were meeting for the first time in Strassbourg because, according to the BritPress, Carla stayed away from the London G-20 gathering because she felt she would be overshadowed by Michelle as the latter's took to her first European stage. (Although another interpretation could be that Carla graciously held back in order to let Michelle have the style stage to heself.) So the leaders went on to Strassbourg, headquarters of the E.U., and the women met.
The two couples encountered each other outside the Palais Rohan. The French custom is to kiss (well, touch) both cheeks. The two presidents cheerily exchanged their kisses as the two wives did. Then Michelle crossed over and exchanged kisses with Nicolas while . . . uh-oh . . . Barack and Carla . . . what?! . . . shook hands. According to most European press reports, Carla backed off from the kiss (being the cold you-know-what that they like to portray her as). According to mos American report, Obama hesitated and apparently decided not to kiss her and then stuck out his hand to shake hers (being the unslick new guy on the European block that gossip columnists like to portray him as). Whatever the reason, they didn't do it. Oooh la la. (First Michelle puts her arm around Queen Elizabeth and then Barack does not kiss Mme Sarkozy. What obstreperous people this new first couple is, I mean, really.)
Surely it's eversomuch more important that Michelle's lacy black slip peeked out from under that nice black and white number she wore when the Obamas and the Browns stood for a photo op in front of 10 Downing Street a couple of nights ago? How come no one's freaking out over that?
The background is that Michelle Obama and Carla (Mme Sarkozy) were meeting for the first time in Strassbourg because, according to the BritPress, Carla stayed away from the London G-20 gathering because she felt she would be overshadowed by Michelle as the latter's took to her first European stage. (Although another interpretation could be that Carla graciously held back in order to let Michelle have the style stage to heself.) So the leaders went on to Strassbourg, headquarters of the E.U., and the women met.
The two couples encountered each other outside the Palais Rohan. The French custom is to kiss (well, touch) both cheeks. The two presidents cheerily exchanged their kisses as the two wives did. Then Michelle crossed over and exchanged kisses with Nicolas while . . . uh-oh . . . Barack and Carla . . . what?! . . . shook hands. According to most European press reports, Carla backed off from the kiss (being the cold you-know-what that they like to portray her as). According to mos American report, Obama hesitated and apparently decided not to kiss her and then stuck out his hand to shake hers (being the unslick new guy on the European block that gossip columnists like to portray him as). Whatever the reason, they didn't do it. Oooh la la. (First Michelle puts her arm around Queen Elizabeth and then Barack does not kiss Mme Sarkozy. What obstreperous people this new first couple is, I mean, really.)
Surely it's eversomuch more important that Michelle's lacy black slip peeked out from under that nice black and white number she wore when the Obamas and the Browns stood for a photo op in front of 10 Downing Street a couple of nights ago? How come no one's freaking out over that?
Labels: people of note, press
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