34,445 Euros

John Edwards has received his deserved share of ridicule. A barber on L Street in Washington advertises $400 Presidential Haircut Specials. But maybe the class crusader hasn’t been spending enough? The Spiegel reports our darling mini-Berlusconi in la France is claiming a 34,445 Euro refund from the electoral commission for his campaign’s make-up expenses. Calling them “excessively high,” the electoral commission will only refund a third.

Memo to John: if you want a shot, stop being stingy and spend the money like a real president. Call now to receive a free supermodel (while supplies last).

I’ll share my missiles with you

The Spiegel is reporting that Sarkozy offered Merkel and Steinmeier (the German foreign minister) a role in the French nuclear weapons program, aka force de frappe. Sarko’s argument appears to be that the French arsenal protects Germany as well. The report says that the two immediately rejected the offer, pointing to Germany’s signature in the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

Germany already has access to U.S. nukes in a time of crisis, which the German government has been delicately trying to get out of the country. Popular opinion is heavily against their stationing in Germany. It appears that after the recent removal of nukes from Ramstein, only about 20 remain.

I wonder if Sarko sees his suggestion as a way of creating a pan-European deterrent that is independent of the United States. That would be a terrible idea. Germany should get out of the nuclear weapon business and must encourage France to do the same. Even at the most theoretical levels, the French are intent on clinging to their arsenal until everyone else disarms all WMD. It doesn’t look like Sarko will be a maverick on that front.