This is part of my installment of old posts from 2008 and early 2009 which I have chosen to republish. Some links may be dead and I will try to fix them as I go.

Rachida Dati pulled a Sarah Palin this week at a conference for the UMP’s (her party) young members within the framework of the European elections where she is in an electable position on the Ile de France lists. I am all for fake it until you make it, but Ms. Dati was in Sarah Palin on Katie Couric territory. She alternated between bullshitting, laughing like a school girl (for which she replied that she has the “right to be funny”) and grasping for answers like a freshman who is trying to get the C. Supposedly she allowed herself to be casual because she was preaching to the choir in a non-hostile audience, but still. Personally, even if I was her biggest fan, if I had a special session with her one on one with like only seventy people, I would be more interested in getting an in depth talk about the issues, the type of talk that isn’t possible when talking to the general public. Instead it was comedy hour.
What I like in a politican is public service. Why was I a fan of Trent Lott? Yes I was anti his stance on a lot of things, but at the end of the day, no one can deny that homeboy worked for Mississippi. He funnelled money into the state, into my university, it was pork barrel city which worked for the state. He served his constitutents. That’s why people in Mississippi across party lines (like me, gauche caviar) loved him. He wasn’t just working for him trying to get to the next step like Rachida Dati does, he was working for the people who elected him. How can someone who does not even know WTF is going on, or does not care enough to give the future of her party straight and informed answers, be considered the proper candidate for a serious election?
So many decisions in Europe these days are no longer made at the state level. Yet European elections are the afterthought for the political ruling class. I *kind of* understand Sarkozy’s motivation- not only did he want her out of government for reasons unknown, putting her in the European elections is also a way to make sure someone who will stick to his wishes is in Strasbourg. Politically it is a smart move insofar as his power is concerned. But insofar as the best move for France, it is a super bad move because chick does not care and does not care to care, just like Sarah Palin.
Ok off soapbox now.