Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Berlusconi: So Sue Me, I Like Gorgeous Babes

'Greatest Italian PM in history' hits back at sex scandal allegations

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 11, 2009 6:54 AM CDT

(Newser) – Silvio Berlusconi says he's the best prime minister Italy's ever had and resigning has never crossed his mind, despite a string of sex scandals, the Wall Street Journal reports. Berlusconi scoffed at claims by businessman Giampaolo Tarantini that he invited women to Berlusconi's parties and paid them to sleep with with the prime minister, saying that while he had certainly been at the same events as Tarantini, where there were plenty of attractive women, he'd never paid for sex in his life.

Yes, Tarantini "came to some dinners bringing beautiful women with him," Berlusconi said at a joint news conference with the Spanish prime minister. "To my male colleagues present here I say: Raise your hand and tell me you don't think it's nice to rest your eyes on pleasant and enjoyable feminine presences, rather than sitting at a table with people lacking aesthetic qualities." The day before, at a gathering of party activists, Berlusconi joked that women in the audience who wanted to ask questions should leave their phone numbers with organizers.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (2)]

IItalian escort Patrizia D'Addario, claims she tape-recorded Berlusconi during a night she says they spent together at the premier's home last year, smiles during a party in Paris last month. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, files)

Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi gestures at an EU summit in Brussels earlier this year. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Never in my life, not even once, have I had to pay for a sexual encounter, And I'll tell you why: for someone who loves to conquer, the greatest joy is the conquest, so I ask, 'if you pay, what joy can there be?'
- Silvio Berlusconi

I sincerely believe I'm the best prime minister that Italy has had in its 150-year history, - Silvio Berlusconi

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

George Clooney Named as Berlusconi Witness

Star says he wasn't at Italian PM's 'bunga bunga' party

(NEWSER) - Coming soon to an Italian courtroom: The Berlusconi Bunga Bunga Trial, starring George Clooney, Silvio Berlusconi, a former belly dancer, and dozens of starlets and showgirls. Clooney is among the 214 defense witnesses to be called at the former Italian prime minister's trial on charges that he paid an underage prostitute, the Guardian reports. Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo and several government ministers will also be among the witnesses at the trial, which begins next week. More»

Italy's Monti Forms Politician-Free Government

He's sworn in as PM ... ciao, Berlusconi!

(AP) - It's a big day for Italy: Economist Mario Monti has been officially sworn in as PM—formally ending Silvio Berlusconi's 17-year-long run of political dominance—and he formed a new Italian government that doesn't include a single politician. Instead, he drew from the ranks of bankers, diplomats, and business executives. Explaining why his Cabinet contained no one from Italy's fractious political parties, Monti said that his talks with party leaders led him to the conclusion "that the non-presence of politicians in the government would help it." More»

On Last Day, Berlusconi Packs a Few Precious Items

Decides to keep sword, vase ... and photo of himself with George W. Bush

(NEWSER) - Today is Silvio Berlusconi's last day as the prime minister of Italy, and he did what any of us would do in our final moments on the job: packed up his stuff. But Berlusconi isn't exactly walking out with a cardboard box filled with picture frames and a stapler. AFP picks up a report by La Repubblica on what the billionaire decided to walk away with: a scimitar (a saber with a curved blade) from Kazakhstan and a Ming dynasty vase, two of the hundreds of gifts he was given while in office. More»

Berlusconi's Party Backs Economist as New PM

Mario Monti faces gargantuan task

(NEWSER) - Silvio Berlusconi's conservative party is backing economist Mario Monti to put together a new coalition, leaving the man they call "professor" some outlandish shoes to fill and Italy's towering financial crisis to dig out of. And there's a catch: Monti's got to do it all ASAP, with the call for new elections nipping at his heels. The backing is tenuous, notes the AP , with Berlusconi's Freedom People party also warning Monti against appointing members of the opposition to the Cabinet. Nevertheless, for the time being, "We have given our willingness to Professor Monti," says the party chair. More»

Berlusconi Quits; Hecklers Shout, 'Buffoon!'

Musicians perform chorus of Handel's 'Alleluia'

(AP) - Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi resigned today after parliament's lower chamber passed European-demanded reforms, ending a 17-year political era and setting in motion a transition aimed at bringing the country back from the brink of economic crisis. A chorus of Handel's "Alleluia," performed by a few dozen singers and classical musicians, rang out in front of the president's palace as thousands of Italians poured into downtown Rome to rejoice at the end of Berlusconi's scandal-marred reign . More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Berlusconi: So Sue Me, I Like Gorgeous Babes