Those Wacky Italian Prime Ministers!

In my series of posts on wacky leaders, the next entry is Berlusconi. Slate has a good piece explaining why folks continue to vote for him despite (because of?) his corruption, his reputed orgies, his failed promises, etc.

While the lack of an alternative is one hypothesis, one of the keys seems to be media dominance that makes Fox look like a yapping chihuahua:

Of course, Berlusconi also has at least one tool that none of the others have: popular television. He controls three mainstream channels and various digital channels because he owns them. He also effectively controls state television because he is the prime minister.

The other explanation is that he is what Italians aspire to be--newly rich, a lover, a force in soccer, etc.

Either way, he keeps things interesting, and what more could you want from an Italian Prime Minister than that? All the Canadians have now is a dispute between the Prime Minister and the Governor General about whether the latter is head of state or not. Zzzzzz.