Perhaps, Americans aren't the only ones who have an irrational view of the person who holds the highest political office in their country. After reading this New York Times article, it looks like the French might be suffering with Sarkozy Derangement Syndrome. Here's a quote from the article:
The passion has soured, said Eric Empatz, editor in chief of Le Canard Enchaîné, a weekly newspaper that combines satire and investigative reporting. “This obsession of the French with Sarkozy has turned, and turned negative,” Mr. Empatz said. “The obsession continues, just as passionately, but now it’s negative. In that, too, it’s like a bad love affair.”
With his opinion poll ratings at historic lows, Mr. Sarkozy has
followed advice, including that of his wife, to appear more presidential in public, and to appear less often. The “bling-bling” of rich friends and extravagant, chunky watches has been largely replaced by discretion, seriousness and carefully managed appearances.“He fascinates everyone,” said a friend who knows Mr. Sarkozy well and did not want to be identified speaking about him.
“He’s passionate, and he polarizes people.”
Much of the source of discontent with Sarkozy appears to be driven by the French media:
A year after taking office, Mr. Sarkozy can appear to be everywhere, at least in the world of television and print. The daily newspaper Le Figaro counts at least 100 books devoted to the French president, his life and loves, with more than a million sold, for $25.1 million.
Some of the titles display the fury and fascination that Mr. Sarkozy has stimulated: “The King is Naked”; “The Man Who Doesn’t Know How to Pretend”; “The Liquidator”; “He Must Go!”; “The Duty of Insolence”; and “Somersaults and Flips at the Élysée.”
The amount of negative books towards Sarkozy sounds strikingly similar to what George W. Bush has been facing with an unfriendly U.S. media.
