October 19, 2007

"I met someone, I fell in love, I left."

"We tried everything, I tried everything. What happened to me has happened to millions of people: one day you no longer have your place in the couple. The couple is no longer the essential thing of your life. It no longer functions; it no longer works." And that's that, from Cecilia Sarkozy, now divorced from the President of France.

Maybe you think that's too blithe of an attitude to take toward marriage. But you never know what happens inside someone else's marriage.

I like what she's saying about the political spouse: "France elected a man, not a couple."

And from Nicolas Sarkozy:
"My state of mind is very simple: I was elected by the French people to solve their problems, not comment on my private life... If you think that the French people elected me for anything other than to work, work, and work more — for the rest, the French ask for no comment from me. It interests them much less than you [the press], and they are right. And perhaps they have a greater sense of propriety and more discretion, sir."
I know this is just what they say since they've broken up, but it made me wish we could get a lot less of the wives/husband of our various presidential candidates.

30 comments:

rhhardin said...

Bill Clinton is the whole point of the Hillary run.

It's not a wife/husband thing.

Laura Reynolds said...

Yes, we do not know what goes on in a couple's lives and yes things change and an end comes. That said, I have a problem with "I met someone, I fell in love, I left".

Sure, sure, sure I know it happens that way but if you want to go that route than leave first, and get on with your meeting and falling. Its part of the "how much can you trust a relationship with someone, started by them cheating on someone else" dilemma.

Giving into temptation and then realizing your marriage is over. No it was over before you gave in. Sorry, I'm not buying a movie plot.

dick said...

The problem with getting a whole lot less of the husband and wife thing of our presidential candidate is just who injects the husbands and wives into the mix - the candidates. Convince them first.

Anonymous said...

"Not easy to state the change you made.
If I'm alive now, then I was dead,
Though, like a stone, unbothered by it,
Staying put according to habit.
You didn't just tow me an inch, no--
Nor leave me to set my small bald eye
Skyward again, without hope, of course,
Of apprehending blueness, or stars.

That wasn't it."

MadisonMan said...

who injects the husbands and wives into the mix - the candidates.

And the lazy press laps it up. But isn't it easier to write fluff about a candidate's Loving! Family! than to write a serious piece about a position the candidate has and what the ramifications of that position might be.

Ralph L said...

It isn't a horse race without the hors.

Amexpat said...

I don't see any correlation between having a healthy, well functioning, monogamous marriage and being a good leader.

The two worst Presidents of my lifetime, Carter and Bush Jr., fall into the above category. What about some of the the great leaders, FDR, Lincoln, Churchill and Jefferson - did they have role model marriages?

Ralph L said...

Where's Trooper with the S&G lyrics?
Oh Cecilia! You're breaking my heart.

Come on home.

Ralph L said...

I'd have thought after losing the Congress, constant scandals, and his graceless and corrupt exit from the Presidency, the Democrats would be through with Bill. They sounded like it in Jan 2001. Battered Spouse Syndrome?

Mortimer Brezny said...

She shouldn't have divorced while he was in office, for the sake of appearances. I find her attention-seeking very tacky.

Drew W said...

I'm sorry that the Sarkozys' marriage ended.

But they are French, so as long as their relationships with their respective lovers are still sound, then all is well.

Anonymous said...

So what's Cecilia got that Clarence Thomas hasn't got, moral-privilege-wise?

paul a'barge said...

5 children and she looks like this?

Please. They're going to be lining up around the block for her.

What a hot babe, and the best part? She's FRENCH!

ricpic said...

Beautiful broads are always falling in love...and finding soulmates...and falling out of love...and falli...can you tell I'm jealous?

ron st.amant said...

Blithe about marital relationships...the French? No.....

For some entertainment, read Berenson's "The Trial of Madame Caillaux" and see how French politicians did things in the Belle Epoch!

Ralph L said...

Paul, I believe it was 3 children, 2 grown daughters and a 10 yo boy.

I can't believe I could smack Clinton and not get a rise out of LOS. He must have better things to do on Friday afternoon, LOS.

Methadras said...

I like Sarkozy. It's sad to see anyone get divorced. It's like watching a little type of death. Now, some people I know that are married should get divorced.

Trooper York said...

Se alguém soubesse nesse mundo
Pode ser um rei ou vagabundo
Que bem no coração do meu país
Namora e mora alguém que sabe e diz
Mesmo que não tenha o que falar
E a comunicação se faz presente
Em tudo que seu peito faz e sente
Procura demonstrar que não é triste
Procura um amor que não existe
E sabe que jamais vai encontrar

Ciça, Ciça, Cecília
Seu ídolo, seu mestre, seu santo padroeiro
Só pode, só pode ser o Velho Guerreiro

Seu sonho é ser um dia dica do Pasquim
Só ouve Caetano, Teixeirinha e Tim
É gente de verdade como deve ser

Ciça, Ciça, Cecília
E é mulher – criança insatisfeita

Que tem suas razões pra ser perfeita
O seu sorriso – riso é aberto
Seus olhos nos enxergam bem de perto
O mundo inteiro tem que conhecer
Ciça, Ciça, Cecília
Pode ser confusa, minha musa, que eu não ligo...
(Erasmo Carlos.... Ciça, Cecilia lyrics)

Trooper York said...

"It's not good to be too predictable"
Warren Buffertt

Maxine Weiss said...

You know, if readers never acknowledge the quotation marks in Althouse's posts, you can pretend it's all about Althouse.

Anonymous said...

I find it difficult to judge people by the success of their relationships. Afterall, relationships are two-way streets, not one-way. It's also pretty difficult to judge people from what you read about them in the news. Then again, these are French we're talking about, what else could we expect?

Bissage said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bissage said...

(1) “I met someone, I fell in love, I left."

That wasn’t what she said at all.

I was there.

What she really said was “I came, I came again, I’m staying.”

Oh, those dirty, dirty French!

(2) Methadras, la petite mort, indeed!

(3) That got me to thinking about death (and Trooper’s 6:55 was Greek to me) so I sought comfort from the Good Book.

Bissage 11:35 Burt Reynolds wept.

rhhardin said...

John Milton thought divorce was necessary so that the citizens don't become dispirited and useless on account of an unhappy marriage ; as a good for the state.

And as well that spirited participation is owed to the state by its citizens, from which that flows.

Anonymous said...

Ann,

Marriage ? How could the poor woman consent to marraige being as confused about everything -as a result of feminism- as she and all the so-called "modern" women are -like you, Ann ?

Tom

Trooper York said...

tc, why so reticent. Perhaps you can expand on your comments.

Anonymous said...

To Trooper York,

Everytime I expand on my comments, Ann or some godforsaken feminist working with and for her removes my comments. See my blog: jewsyonkersislamiii-tc.blogspot.com

Tom

Galvanized said...

1) Being blithe beats bitterness.

2) What a lady.

3) Way to espouse the general French public rather than play up to the media. Smart spin.

4) Honesty is a nice change.

Galvanized said...

and rhhardin,

Did Milton really say that?

Interesting.

Trooper York said...

"My mother never taught me anything about irons or even irony."
(Captain Literal, Space Cadet 1937)