Nicolas Swear-kozy

The outcry over French President Nicolas Sarkozy's outburst seems to have caught the media's attention well and truly.

Mr Sarkozy was caught on camera verbally insulting a man at a farming fair in Paris for refusing to shake his hand. Analysis of the footage shows the man saying: "Oh no, don't touch me, you'll dirty me."

Sarkozy responded by saying: "Get lost then you bloody idiot, just get lost!"

The incident has given the media a field day, with newspapers and online news sites giving much attention to the incident.

Indeed, Mr Sarkozy has been a storming success in the press, particularly with regards to his romantic involvement with former model Carla Bruni. Sarkozy has been given the sort of publicity usually reserved for A-list celebrities.

Admittedly, Sarkozy's home life is unorthodox for a world leader and many sections of the media have seized on this. The Daily Mail, for instance, has been highly critical of the relationship. Many french newspapers have also reportedly been less than complementary about Ms Bruni.

Whether or not Sarkozy's politics will replace his personal life as the main focus of the media remains to be seen, but given time, the press will surely tone down their emphasis on his private life.

Links:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7175370.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7261834.stm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=455411&in_page_id=1879