French President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday lost it with two American news photographers covering his New Hampshire vacation – jumping onto their boat and loudly berated them.
The confrontation came as Sarkozy and his companions sailed along Lake Winnipesaukee.
He spotted Associated Press photographer Jim Cole and freelancer Vince DeWitt aboard Cole’s boat, which was outside a buoy barrier monitored by a patrol craft.
Before Sarkozy saw him, Cole had pulled up to the president’s boat and received permission to be there.
"He was happy and smiling and he waved at the security people as he was coming out," Cole said of Sarkozy. "And then he noticed us taking pictures and his happy demeanor diminished immediately."
The men watched through their lenses as Sarkozy pointed toward them and his boat began moving toward them. Coming alongside Cole’s boat, Sarkozy, clad only in swim trunks, jumped aboard and began shouting furiously in French.
"The president was very agitated, speaking French at a loud volume very rapidly," DeWitt said.
Both men repeatedly stated they did not speak French. Cole asked whether any of the passengers on Sarkozy’s boat spoke English.
A woman finally then spoke up in English and relayed Sarkozy’s request to be left alone.
Afterwards, Sarkozy and his young companion, Billy, went into Purgatory Cove to see if he could catch a trout named "Walter". They returned empty-handed, and spent the evening trying to urge Chelsea into doing a goddamned back flip.