Ségolène Royal chosen as Socialist candidate | 56 comments (56 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Ségolène Royal chosen as Socialist candidate (none / 1)

Not quite Margaret Thatcher or for that matter Angela Merkel. I wonder if the style of a nations first female political leader (executive President or head of government in a country without an executive President) affects how subsequent female leaders will be perceived.

New Zealand has had two female Prime Ministers but other "western" democracies have only had one female top leader (if that).

It is not obvious who, if anyone, amongst the current generation of female British politicians would be a credible candidate for Prime Minister. The previous generation had vivid political figures like Thatcher, Barbara Castle and Shirley Williams, but the Blair babes (ghastly public relations framing from 1997) seem to have been drowned out at the court of Tony the Phony.

by Gary J on Thu Nov 16th, 2006 at 09:32:41 PM EST

Re: Ségolène Royal chosen as Socialist candidate (none / 0)

Quite agree on the "Blair Babes", some of whom were as old as, or older than, Blair. (If you consider "babe" as a reference to youthful new arrival, of course, and not the pr0n variety...)

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Nov 17th, 2006 at 01:26:13 AM EST
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Re: Ségolène Royal chosen as Socialist candidate (none / 0)

Hm. My own impression was not that: my impression was that 'Bliar Babes' were selected for deference to Tony, those who dominated were more fans of Tony than politicians with own ambition and potential.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Fri Nov 17th, 2006 at 01:28:27 AM EST
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Re: Ségolène Royal chosen as Socialist candidate (none / 1)

Yes. So either "babies" in the sense dominated by a father-figure, or "babes" in the pr0n sense, ie submissive to men and Blair in particular.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Nov 17th, 2006 at 02:59:35 AM EST
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Re: Ségolène Royal chosen as Socialist candidate (none / 1)

"Pr0n"? Something to do with porn?

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Fri Nov 17th, 2006 at 05:03:36 AM EST
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Re: Ségolène Royal chosen as Socialist candidate (none / 1)

Yes, it's a standard Internet deformation of porn, presumably to get it past spam filters.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Nov 17th, 2006 at 05:34:55 AM EST
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Re: Ségolène Royal chosen as Socialist candidate (none / 0)

You forgot to mention Gro Harlem Brundtland.

Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides