A true case of desperation

“Desperate” is the single most overused word in today’s political lexicon, constantly employed by political actors and commentators, especially conservatives, to characterize the actions of their adversaries, often very inappropriately. If “desperate” were used in the World War II era the way Obama’s critics use it now, Hitler’s enemies would have called him “desperate” when he marched into the Rhineland. They would have called him “desperate” when he marched into Austria. They would have called him “desperate” when he made his ultimatum over Czechoslovakia. They would have called him “desperate” when he conquered Poland. They would have called him “desperate” when he conquered Norway. They would have called him “desperate” when he conquered the Low Countries and France. In other words, no matter how successful one’s adversary is, one calls him desperate so as to make him appear like a loser.

However, here is a true case of desperation: Nicholas Sarkozy, facing the prospect of being ejected as the president of France, is veering wildly to the right and adopting National Front themes of immigration restriction and concern about Islamization. So unabashed is he in his appeal to National Front voters that many of his own allies in the UMP party have expressed consternation. In a profession in which the more soulless a liar you are, the better you succeed, Sarkozy is at the top.

Also, on the basis of zero data, but only intuition, I still think Sarkozy will win nothstanding François (“Marshmellow Man”) Hollande’s lead in the polls. My reason is simply that Hollande is such a weak, insipid looking figure that’s it’s hard to visualize him as the president of France.

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Sent May 4, posted May 11

Paul K. writes:

Sarkozy has a special concern: if he swings to far to the right, will Carla ditch him to please her chichi friends?

Paul K. continues:

So, desperate to hold onto his presidency, Sarkozy adopts immigration restrictionist and anti-Muslim positions. Doesn’t that indicate that he knows those positions are what most of the people want? Perhaps, but they are so repugnant to the ruling elite that Sarkozy adopts them only in the face of a threat much more unbearable to him than the extinction of Western civilization: the loss of his own political position and power.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at May 04, 2012 09:36 PM | Send