They called Berlusconi what?

When President Bush travels, the White House distributes to those traveling with him State Department biographical sketches of the foreign leaders with whom he will meet and notes about their countries' economics and politics.

The portrait of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi may have been a little more, shall we say, frank, than diplomacy permits.

According to the Telegraph, a generally conservative and well-respected British national newspaper, the notes on Italy said it was a "country known for governmental corruption and vice."

Of Berlusconi, the notes said: "He is a businessman who was considered an amateur in politics but used his influence on the media to gain his permiership, which he lost in 2006." It added: "He is despised by many but respected for some for his bella figura (beautiful image.)"

Talk about whoops!

From Bush's perspective, Berlusconi has been one of the administration's most reliable allies, offering unquestioning support for the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and standing by Bush's side while in and out of government.

Tony Fratto, a deputy White House press secretary, was called upon to issue the requisite apology, saying, according to the Telegraph: "The sentiments expressed in the biography do not represent the views of President Bush, the American government, or the American people. We apologize to Italy and to the prime minister for this very unfortunate mistake."

-- James Gerstenzang

Photo: Pool photo of Berlusconi, Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. Credit: Koichi Kamoshida / EPA

Comments

[Aldo Violi]

Italy just like the USA are two paradoxical countries. Incensed, most Italians for failing to win the Euro 2008 Cup; aggressive, Bush’s Americans, for having their right to wear arms ridiculed. Politically immature both for having elected two bombastic individuals. Italians are paying the price for Berlusconi, and the world over is beginning to pay for Bush’s legacy of horrors

[TeleFrank]

That photo is amazing. "Yes, God? You want me to bomb who?"

[lordjeff]

Hilarious- I wonder if some Fed up liberal intern did that for revenge??!