DAILY EXPRESS: Italy’s bungling prime minister caused embarrassment last night when he complimented US President-elect Barack Obama on his “suntan”.
Silvio Berlusconi praised America’s first black president for being “young, handsome and tanned”.
Last night Mr Berlusconi, 72 – no stranger himself to a year-round suntan – was condemned for his remarks.
But he hit back at critics, saying: “What’s the problem? It was a compliment. If these people don’t have a sense of humour why don’t they just...”
Italian opposition MP Dario Franceschini said Mr Berlusconi’s remarks were “loaded with dangerous ambiguity”, adding: “They will be seen as offensive by the whole world.”
Mr Berlusconi has made regular gaffes, including labelling one German MEP a “prisoner of war camp guard” and saying that the West was “superior to Islam”. >>> By Nick Pisa | November 7, 2008
SPIEGELONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Austrian Journalist Slammed For Racist Obama Rant
Veteran Austrian television personality Klaus Emmerich has triggered a storm of criticism for his racist comments about Barack Obama, the US president-elect.
Klaus Emmerich has long been a figure in Austrian television news. His journalism career spans 61 years and includes a stint as a correspondent in Washington D.C. for ORF, Austria's public television station. He is something like the Wolf Blitzer of Austria.
Or, at least, he was. Now, the respected US expert has stained his own report card with a string of blatantly racist remarks regarding the election of Barack Obama in the US. Speaking on a talk show on the Austrian public channel ORF on Wednesday, he said: "I wouldn't want the Western world to be directed by a black man. When you say that is a racist remark: right, without a doubt."
Americans are "racists, now as before, and it must be going very badly for them that they so convincingly ... send a black man, and a black, very good-looking woman, into the White House," he said. >>> jas -- with wire reports | November 7, 2008
THE TELEGRAPH: Barack Obama ‘Not Civilised’ Enough to Rule, Says Austrian Pundit
The Austrian state broadcaster is refusing to sack its top US political commentator despite him claiming blacks were 'not civilised' enough to rule.
Klaus Emmerich, who until he retired was editor in chief of the Austrian broadcaster ORF's news and current affairs service, is a specialist in American politics and is still the station's top political commentator for US affairs.
But in coverage of the election in which Barack Obama was elected president he said: "I do not want the western world being directed by a black man. And if you say this is a racist remark, I say you are damn right it is."
Emmerich also said Obama's election was "a highly disturbing development" because "blacks are not as far advanced in the civilization process nor in their political progress." >>> | November 7, 2008
MAIL Online: New Obama Race Row as Austrian TV Pundit Says Black People ‘Are Not Civilised’ Enough to Rule
Austria's official state broadcaster is refusing to sack a senior political commentator who said blacks were not civilised enough to rule.
Klaus Emmerich, the retired editor-in-chief of Austrian broadcaster ORF's news and current affairs service, is the station's top political commentator for U.S. affairs. Der Spiegel likened him to Wolf Blitzer, CNN's legendary political commentator.
But covering the election in which Barack Obama was elected American president, Emmerich said: 'I do not want the western world being directed by a black man. And if you say this is a racist remark, I say you are damn right it is.'
Emmerich also said Obama's election was "a highly disturbing development" because "blacks are not as far advanced in the civilisation process nor in their political progress."
Following his outburst, the moderator prevented Emmerich from speaking again.
But Emmerich took an even harder line in newspaper interviews later, calling Mr Obama's victory 'a highly disturbing development' because 'blacks are not as far advanced in the civilisation process nor in their political progress'.
He went on to tell Die Presse that Mr Obama has 'a devil-like talent to present his rhetoric so effectively'. >>> | November 7, 2008
BBC: Berlusconi Says Obama Is ‘Tanned’
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has provoked criticism for describing Barack Obama as "young, handsome, and tanned".
He made the remarks after a meeting with the Russian president in Moscow.
Opposition politicians in Italy said Mr Berlusconi's remarks about the US president-elect were at worst, racist and at best, undiplomatic.
Mr Berlusconi shrugged off the criticism, saying those who disagreed with him were humourless "imbeciles".
'Great compliment'
Mr Berlusconi made the quip at a news conference with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
''Obama is young, handsome and also tanned, so he has all the qualities to agree with you,'' he told the Russian leader, speaking in Italian through a translator.
he Italian news agency Ansa said Mr Berlusconi later defended the remark, calling it "a great compliment".
Responding to a reporter's suggestion that the remark might be misunderstood, he accused his opponents of not having a sense of humour.
''God save us from imbeciles,'' he added. >>> | November 7, 2008
KURIER: Berlusconi und kein Ende
Er hat Obama als "gebräunt" bezeichnet – und will einfach nicht "Sorry" sagen. Viele Italiener schämen sich indes öffentlich für ihren Premier.
Schön, jung und sonnengebräunt" –Silvio Berlusconis Beschreibung von US-Wahlsieger Barack Obama sorgte in "Bella Italia" für Aufruhr. Nichts weiter als ein "witziges Kompliment" sei es gewesen, meinte Berlusconi, der immer noch so wirkt, als frage er sich, was all der Wirbel eigentlich soll.
"Warum haben die USA Obama und wir Berlusconi?", fragten sich indes jene Italiener, die am Freitag durch Roms Straßen zogen. Mit schwarzer Schuhcreme im Gesicht verliehen sie ihrem Protest gegen den Premier Ausdruck. "Sorry" sagten viele zu "Mr. Obama", nicht nur auf Plakaten, sondern auch im Internet. Auf der Website der New York Times entschuldigten sich Scharen von Italienern für ihren Premier. Luigi zum Beispiel: "Wir sind nicht solche Narren wie er".
"Sorry" sagten auch Oppositionspolitiker und griffen den Premier an: "Berlusconi hat alle Grenzen des Anstands überschritten. Er hält sich für Napoleon.", sagte der Massimo Donadi von der Zentrumspartei "Italien der Werte". Und weiter: ''Ein erbärmlicher Satz, durchtränkt von schlechtem Geschmack, der ein hässliches und negatives Bild von Italien vermittelt, das dieses Land nicht verdient.'' >>> sk | 7. November 2008
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