In the fall of 1997 it has got to spend a few days in Rome together with my dad. Rivers was part of a delegation of the Senate Commission for foreign policy, and I just I leaved a stint two weeks at Normal Scuoala Superiore di Pisa, "little sister" of our school in Paris. During the day we saw each of the program. the first evening at the hotel came as a delighted italian senator intalnise to his liking, like himself, a smoker of pipa. More specifically, had been conquered by the way as we approached the italian colleague: "Je vous ai vu fumer at pipe, et je me suis dit: «Voilà a libéral!»" ("I've seen smoking his pipe and I said: ' here's a liberal"). They have from the first moment and fraternizing in the rest of the day were talking to each other so long how it has allowed official program. When I asked but my dad from what party was the honorable Member of the italian Senate, was able to tell me. For him, partisan affiliations were not too great importance and was not the man to ask others in the party are enrolled. Quite like the man he was, from the point of view of my father, "a true liberal". Later I learned that the senator was part of the Alleanza Nazionale, which, at first sight at least, there's the surest guarantee of liberalism. In fact, in Italy do not apply the usual classification of political currents: myself I'm fraternizing with a senator "post-Communist" (PDS), we talked to an entire evening in German about different matters of philosophy German policy (y compris Carl Schmitt: the Italians invented species policy called "marxisti schmittiani").
Retain this joke as my Dad for his pipe was more important than party card. Seems like an butada inspired by the famous eulogy of frivolitatii. Pipa, candy cane with a silver putter and white handkerchief to the chest are outer signs that "paleo-liberalism" represented by my father during his political career, tardivei. For him, being a liberal was a lifestyle, an attitude, an existential mode of behavior. As a human, he was neither an ideologue nor a party. Have a horror of activists and deplora always rezultase fact that pluralism in the post-Communist emergence "of several PCR". Of course, "PCR liberal ' enjoying his sympathies and LIBERAL in since 1945, after a brief episode of social-democrat, which some world remembers. He was a member not always disciplined, which does not hesitate to say up and thinks hard, often against their party line. It was tolerated but rebellious marginality of party leadership, who did not wear their red carpet shouting to under his second wife steps you senior liberal par excellence.
The most characteristic episode from this point of view is his candidacy in parliamentary elections in 2000 for criticizing plainly and in very tough line promoted at that time of Valeriu Stoica, for which otherwise have a great appreciation. But, talking about the French, "il faut savoir jusqu'la où on peut aller trop loin". I think his attitude has played a role in the prematurei torpedo and inutilei alliances with the party of Theodore Mady (later, it was joined to the classical liberal positions, why leaving the label gaunoasa "social-liberal"). For the National Liberal Party number one priority was to "sauver les meubles", and that "a fait don dad de sa personne": has engaged in the most difficult election campaign from his brief political career, asumand tops lists as a Senator. His campaign was utterly atypical (a series of meetings with students) and crowned by success: the list headed by he obtained over 100,000 votes, with more than 10,000 over the one headed by Theodor Stolojan and Valeriu Stoica for the Chamber of Deputies. But says he's the one who Stoicul Valerius thought this campaign, showing flair and flexibility.
Old and weak, Dad had no mood to engage in a strenuous election campaign. He did it but from a kind of fidelity: party girl, naturally, but primarily towards a group of youths who are guilty for him. Of these i would mention only Michael Ghyka and Petre Gandhi. Tartorul was me, 11.12 hours check, and my mom was mad at me for a long time that I've trained my father in such an adventure. Here is a very delicate game, namely a family ethos, which play an essential role in our involvement policy: all the men in the family of my father have made politics in one way or another. Conservatives, taranisti, but especially Liberals, Paleologii, Pennestii and Marzestii have served the common good. It is a way of determining the genetics that dad has not thought fit to sustraga. And about which "if not us, then who?".
Despite appearances, dad was an extremely conscientious mp. Participate regularly in the meetings of the Senate. in plenary seldom get the word, but when he does, his word have weight. in accordance with the tastes of his club, Dad spoke more often at meetings of the Commission of which was part. Best has been felt in the Foreign Office, where even I think its interventions had an impact. To refute, for example, successfully mamelucilor opposition towards the appointment of Michael-Ubert as Secretary of State, looking like a valuable young man should do. The hearings put substantive questions ambassadors, intended to highlight the qualities of those surveyed. in many sensitive discussions as well as Bessarabia, Kosovo or NATO, opinion or wise old man has contributed to cadrarea, moderating and tinting. It was less than inspired, naturally, its designation in the Committee on employment and Social Affairs, with which they have to be sure no gusset, no sleeve. He joked then Adrian Paunescu: "a Boyar was put to work". But significant detail, tata has established a relationship of exceptional quality with the Chair of that Commission, Machelle. I was moved to read in a text of dansei how forthcoming was he felt dad.
Here we are reaching another important topic: my father's relationship with women and, implicitly, with feminism. He was, as you know, a man of a haberdashery and not perfect as mira to know that the electorate was mostly female. I have met few young girls not amorezate simply octogenarul Carlisle ' Ab. How to be explaining the phenomenon, God knows. in any case, my dad was convinced himself of the superiority of women. That's not made it a feminist. On the contrary, believed that feminism denies femininity and represents a form of deghizata perceived misogyny. DATS if was right or not. But that explains his attitude towards reducing working women's involvement in politics. On the one hand, considering that women are less stupid ambitions of m. generating violence. On the other hand, i seem to be largely an activity in which transmit the stupid thrive. Men's vocation for politics was for him an expression is missing. It is simply to make policy in the light of that male family ethos that I was talking about. In short, women engaged in politics was courteous, helpful and, if necessary, even in blatant contradiction, with various grobianismul "petits mecs ' in local political life (it would be frowned upon, for example, to exclude the Monei bite of NLP). But that's not at all made him a follower of the counterpart in the distribution of elective mandates.
You might say, I mean, that was dad from another era. Old age was accepted by many excuses for impropriety and a systematic policy tonitruanta. When we teach French at Boston College, descoperisem an article by Jean Dutourd, which suited my father like a glove. E how can not be more evocative: Vieilles teignes. After 80 years, novelist and essayist, wrote the great, can you say what goes through your head without any embarrassment. Dad does not deprive any moment of this delicious privilege of old age. He was amused and even excited about the malicious presentation that i did a prestigious Swiss magazine: "ein erzreaktionärer alter Herr" ("an old gentleman ultrareactionar": the author of the report had been surprised by the way dad and elogiase ii's ex-Reagan). in his vision, intelligence was by definition "reactionanta" and nonconformist. But the truth is that the spirit or rebel react against conservatorismelor of all sorts.
Envy, to be sure, total freedom of expression, even if my father didn't share all his views. A 33-year-old still has a career. When it's over, and Ambassador "fermer sa gueule il doit." But I have my little rematch. Until now I never smoked again. I recently found in a drawer of my father's pipe. From a kind of nostalgia, I started using them. It's my little diplomatic protest against puritanical contemporary aseptizarii life. Maybe at the age when I have and I need a walking stick with a silver putter, I could take my role as the "vieille teigne" of democracy. Talking about Tolstoy's "Dieu me prête vie".