Berlusconi: earthquake victims should view experience as camping weekend

[Ian David]

Source: The Guardian

Berlusconi: earthquake victims should view experience as camping weekend
Italian prime minister causes outrage over quip made during interview following Italy's worst earthquake in three decades

Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, is reported to have said the 17,000 people made homeless by Monday's earthquake should think of themselves as being on a "camping weekend". .

The website of the German television news channel N-TV said he had made the quip while being interviewed by one of its reporters on a visit to one of the emergency camps set up to take those who lost their homes in the disaster. But a video clip from the interview featured on the site did not contain the remark, which is bound to prompt intense controversy.

Berlusconi said they "lacked nothing. They have medicaments. They have hot food. They have shelter for the night," according to the video soundtrack.

His remarks, which seem to have been intended to reassure the public, scarcely correspond to the experiences of the homeless. Between Monday and Tuesday they had to endure a night of driving rain and hail in which the temperature fell to 4C (39F).

<snip>

Officials said today that the death toll from Italy's worst earthquake for more than 30 years now stood at 250, with 11 of the victims yet to be identified.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/08/italy-earthquake-berlusconi

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Barack Obama isn't the only one who can fill a stadium. Republicans can fill a stadium, too!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=6466448

[Warpy]

1. I guess he's been taking lessons from Ma Bush

I don't think much of his political longevity at this point.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

3. It's Italy.

There's no such thing as political longevity there.

[redqueen]

16. He says stuff like this all the time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3041288.stm

[roguevalley]

40. a trip that can last years. this man is a complete ass. come on, italy. you can do better.

you deserve better.

[ananda]

2. Fascist insensitivity...

Poor Italy has SO lost its way..

.. but then, so has corporate controlled
America.

[Democracyinkind]

8. Their pretty much connected - the first NSC

order we ever wrote concerning Europe was to meddle in favor of the Italian Fascists in the elections of 47.

As far as Belusconi goes. I find being a Nazi, hating Romanian immigrants ("Europe's Mexicans") and then implanting their hair on your bald head is slightly hypocritical.
But other than the Americans, the Italians want that. They know what they vote for, what to expect. So they kind of deserve him. Of course the American tax payer's money helps in keeping the Nazis in the up.
My 2 cents.

[KamaAina]

31. He is not a Nazi so stop saying that!

He is a Fascist. They were only allied with the Nazis. :eyes:

[Haole Girl]

4. What an asshole

He should be made to give up all his worldly possessions and live in a tent, on the hard frozen ground, for a few weeks. Bet it'd change his tune.

:grr:

[truebrit71]

5. "Let them eat cake"

..what a Grade-A douchebag..

[Sabriel]

28. Or s'mores, you mean

"Hey, everyone, come over to my cardboard box for s'mores and ghost stories!"

[Ken Burch]

43. "...and then we'll sing "Kumbaya" and "Michael, Row The Boat Ashore".

n/t.

[XemaSab]

35. .

[terisan]

6. The Billionaire Speaks....we need a custom of having leaders move into disaster areas

until they get set right---I suspect things would improve rapid,y/

[Democracyinkind]

10. I'd love to support that but my passion for the victims prevents that. One disaster a day...

[annabanana]

7. As disgusting as it is unsurprising from this a-hole. . . n/t

[Solly Mack]

9. Damn

[rcrush]

11. This guy is the W of Italy.

Only worse. If thats possible?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

12. He should join them in their fun little outing

and return to find no home waiting for him. Bastard.

[redqueen]

13. Don't forget Clayton Williams.

He said rape victims should just relax and enjoy it.

[LeftishBrit]

14. I always knew he was a nasty crude idiot...

but that's over the line.

Does anyone know if he's related to Barbara Bush???

[Hope And Change]

15. Yet, poeple still vote for this jerk.

[Ian David]

21. Well, he owns all the radio and television stations. n/t

[Hope And Change]

23. True, true...the power of media could never be ignored.

[bdamomma]

17. camping weekend??

that is rather rude and insensitive comment to make, he must of learned the arrogance/ignorance from bushie.

[alcibiades_mystery]

18. Ma, che imbecile!

Berlusconi clowning around like the clown he is again.

[Neo Atheist]

19. Somebody has apparently gotten tired of being in power

Of course Italy has had this government since about a year ago, it was due for a changing of the guard.

[JJ]

20. Seeing the headline, my first thought...

Is Berlusconi the Italian word for Bush?

[Vidar]

22. Give him the Mussolini treatment.

[bikebloke]

24. And those buried in rubble are on a spelunking outing?

Berulsconi, you may be rich, but you're still a little shit.

[FloridaJudy]

25. Nice to see that Americans aren't alone

In voting an incompetent clown into high office...

Oh, wait...that's right. Most of us did vote for Al Gore...

Never mind.

[antimatter98]

26. Channeling Barbara Bush, W. and general US attitudes toward the unfortunate.

Fascism on both sides of the Atlantic.

[DavidDvorkin]

27. Signor Sensitivity.

[damntexdem]

29. Doin' a heckuva a job, Berlusconi!

And displaying all the compassion of a Dick Cheney, too boot!

;-)

[Barack_America]

30. Good God. What a heartless thing to say.

These people lost their homes. They aren't "camping" and it's not just going to last for a weekend.

:grr:

[Stellabella]

32. Well, isn't that just typical of right wing assholes.

Let's knock your house down, BerlusCLOWNi, and see how you fare on the street.

[Amonester]

50. berlassconeee and billionaire rapacious friends don't care about one

home. They'd collect ins. and just go to one of their "other ones"

do they sell pitchforks somewhere around there?

(or guillotines?)

[DebbieCDC]

33. Berlusconi is a fucking idiot

makes me ashamed to be half-Italian. They should do to him what they did to Mussolini

[KamaAina]

34. Methinks Il Du(n)ce is taking this whole "big tent" thing a bit too seriously

:eyes:

[Cali_Democrat]

36. This guy is one of the strangest politicians I've ever seen. (nt)

[fascisthunter]

37. He's Fortunate Italians Don't Drag his fascist Ass out into the Streets

for a beating.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

38. Heck of a job, Berlusconi!

I'm sure his compassion will resonate with the masses wonderfully. :sarcasm:

[Stinky The Clown]

39. He must have just had dinner with the old bushbat, babs the elder

Fucking right wing assholes ......

[Ken Burch]

41. Is there a REASON Italians keep putting this guy back in power?

(Yeah, Yeah, I know, who are WE to talk, but still...)

With this kind of attitude, you'd think Vinnie Verducci could beat him.

[Wednesdays]

46. See post #21 nt

[wordpix]

42. Wasn't Berlusconi head of the Arabian Horse Association, or something?

[Wetzelbill]

44. This guy has to be related to the Bush family

[omega minimo]

45. LET THEM EAT QUAKE!!

Sure Thom Hartmann has some choice words for Berlescammi

[Tab]

47. I wasn't in that kind of earthquake

but last December, due to the major New England ice storm, we lost power for about 5 days.

The novelty of "camping" wears off real quick, let me tell you, and I had a lot more resources than those caught in that earthquake.

I think the "camping" analogy was good for about 24 hours. Then, when the toilets get full, and the heat is off, it ain't quite so fun anymore.

Frankly, for me, the "camping" lasted about 3 hours. For the sake of my son, I was able to stretch it out for 24 hours. After that, even he had to admit the novelty had worn off.

F*ck Silvio.

[Alamuti Lotus]

48. how the hell is this clown still breathing, anyway?

[BrightKnight]

49. Apparently Berlusconi is the new global village idiot. - n/t

[hay rick]

51. Sounds like Reagan.

Reagan on the homeless: "people who are sleeping on the grates, the homeless who are homeless, you might say, by choice."

An article on Ronnie's legacy here:http://www.albionmonitor.com/0406a/reaganhomeless.html

[burning rain]

52. Even W didn't have that much chutzpah during the New Orleans debacle.

It's as if he'd said that since many of those affected couldn't afford to go to the pool, they should be glad the flood made a pool of their city.

[northofdenali]

53. and Katrina was a day in the park - the water park

when do we get rid of the Bushlites? ever?

[LynnTheDem]

54. No wonder he & bUsh are such good buddies.

:wow:

[SkyDaddy7]

55. LOL!

I was going to post the exact thing...Him and Bush were buddies!

[nilram]

56. yes, they're certainly on the same wavelength