Sarkozy lashes out at U.S. photographers

[Squatch]

Link

CONCORD, N.H. - French President Nicolas Sarkozy lost his temper with two American news photographers covering his vacation Sunday, jumping onto their boat and scolding them loudly in French.

The confrontation came Sunday afternoon as Sarkozy and companions were headed for open water in a boat on Lake Winnipesaukee when he spotted Associated Press photographer Jim Cole and freelancer Vince DeWitt aboard Cole’s boat, which was outside a buoy barrier monitored by the New Hampshire Marine Patrol.

Before Sarkozy spotted him, Cole had driven his boat up to the patrol boat, identified himself and received permission to be there.

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I guess Mister Sarkozy isn't familiar with the long-cherished concept of Freedom of the Press that we enjoy in this country.

[malaise]

1. Send this to Jim Cole

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=15338

France #30; USA #44.

[Squatch]

2. I can't access the link...what is it?

[malaise]

3. Annual Press Freedom rankings

from Reporters without borders.

See if this works
http://www.rsf.org/country-47.php3?id_mot=246&Valider=OK

[dipsydoodle]

4. Link worked ok for me

Interesting to see Iraq so far down. So much for *U** giving them the USA's freedoms

[malaise]

8. Interesting to see the ranking of

America's allies in the Middle East.
Egypt#143, Pakistan #150, Saudi Arabia #154.

[dipsydoodle]

12. I think that contributes

to them being his allies - he likes to see the populations held at bay.

[SoCalDem]

6. What's his problem? Had his speedo on backwards?

:rofl:

[Mass]

5. He is very familiar. However, in France, politics is not about People Magazine.

Sarkozy is an idiot to have come in New Hampshire if he wanted to avoid reporters. This said, since when are papparazzi part of the Press. It just shows how American politics is phony is all the reporters wanted is photos of Sarkozy in a swimming trunk (the idea by itself is repugnant).

[Squatch]

11. Are you saying that photographers who report

on visiting foreign heads of state are NOT members of the press?

[Mass]

13. Reporting - Because taking a picture of Sarkozy in his swimming trunk is barely reporting.

This said, we agree he should not have lashed out (reporters or not), but this barely justify your title.

Yes, Sarkozy is fully aware of Freedom of the Press. Actually, it is probably more vibrant in France where media concentration is more controlled and therefore a large spectrum of opinion is allowed in the media.

[Squatch]

14. Your opinion of what constitutes "reporting" is immaterial

the fact is, that in THIS country, photographers in the press enjoy wide latitude in taking pictures of whatever subject matter *they* deem worthy of reporting on (so long as no relevant US laws are broken). To a (presumably) large number of people, Sarkozy in his swim trunks is what matters to *them*, and therefore they have a right to know. Sarkozy is enjoying his vacation IN PUBLIC and is, therefore, subject to PUBLIC scrutiny.

BTW, the OP was not *my* title, rather the one that I copied and pasted from the link provided.

[Mass]

15. I should have said " your comment about Freedom of the Press" .

If you want to be all worked up because Sarko lashes out, feel free. He is a total idiot, and, as I said, if he did not want reporters, he should not have come to NH. We agree totally on this.

[Squatch]

16. I'm not getting worked up

Apologies if I'm coming across that way.

[alcibiades_mystery]

18. Give it up...they just don't like Sarkozy

Had it been the hot French woman who'd gotten elected and did this, they'd be singing a different tune altogether. There's no use arguing, in other words, since they don't even really believe what they're saying. It's pure function.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

19. Just wait

When your child is killed in some horrific manner.

And some "reporter" sticks a camera in your face and shouts "how does it feel!".

I suspect you will change your thinking..

If the press is so damn free, why did they never report on Bush's absconding from the Air National Guard?

[Squatch]

22. What in the holy fuck are you talking about?

"When your child is killed in some horrific manner."

You can take that wishful statement and cram it squarely into your fourth point of contact.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

25. Are you saying that never happens?

[Bonobo]

20. So "The Press" has total freedom and in your world, a person isn't allowed to

yell at people who take compromising pictures of them in swimming trunks?

You would defend the right of these "reporters" to take personal photos of the man but NOT defend his right to get in their face?

It's not as if he enacted legislation, he was reacting as an individual. Got a prob with that, Squatch?

[Squatch]

23. Sarkozy BOARDED without permission a US Citizen's PRIVATE vessel

and then assaulted the owner.

Facts:

Sarkozy was out IN PUBLIC

The photographer HAD PERMISSION to be there by US Authorities

Sarkozy, a foreign head of state, assaulted a US Citizen, on US Waters, for exercising his US Constitutionally-protected right to freedom of the press

And you bet your ass I have a problem with all of that. I would have thrown him right into the drink.

[MonkeyFunk]

7. I think Sarkozy is well-familiar

with freedom of the Press - they have it in France, you know.

Did he demand the reporters be fired? Arrested? Executed? Or did he just yell at them? That's well within his rights, and isn't an infringement on freedom of the press. It's perfectly legal to yell at the paparazzi.

[Squatch]

10. It's within the rights of a foreign head of state

to board a private US Citizen's vessel without permission, handle his personal property, and deliver a verbal assault?

[Bonobo]

21. It's not within his rights?

What is your problem?

Take a photo of me in my swim trunks and I will board your boat, walk up to your car or whatever and give you a piece of my mind too.

[Squatch]

24. And then I will exercise my 2nd Amendment rights and defend myself

[Bonobo]

26. See Squatch, that's the thing.

All this talk about "rights" and "freedom of the press" is fine.

But if you cross my line, I will get in your face. Then, you will need more than political theories to defend yourself. That is why it is best to act like a reasonable human being. Or get better at defending yourself.

Please note: I am using the "I" and "You" as a rhetorical tool and do not mean to imply anything personal between me and you.

[Squatch]

27. In your opinion, who did not act reasonably in this instance?

The reporter or Sarkozy?

[Bonobo]

28. In my opinion, it is understandable that a person gets angry when

unwanted pictures of him in a bathing suit are taken. And I think yelling at such a person is an appropriate reaction.

Honestly, if someone was snapping pics of you and your family in bathing suits, wouldn't you be miffed?

[annabanana]

9. I'm sorry. .I would have paid to see this..

(I love watching people get hollered at in a language I'm not fluent in. . . )

[alcibiades_mystery]

17. Apparently, Diana wasn't familiar with it either

...:shrug: