An embarrassed White House apologized on Tuesday for an “unfortunate mistake” — the distribution of less-than-flattering biography of Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi at the Group of Eight summit. Still, the gaffe led to headlines in Italy.
The summary of Berlusconi was buried in a nearly inch-thick tome of background that the White House distributed at the summit of major economic powers. The press kit was handed out to the White House traveling press corps.
The biography described Berlusconi as one of the “most controversial leaders in the history of a country known for government corruption and vice.”
The bio went on to say that after Berlusconi took office, “he and his fellow Forza Italia Party leaders soon found themselves accused of the very corruption he had vowed to eradicate.” Who wants to bet George gets an extra thorough security check on his first post-presidency trip to Rome?
