A Pact Among Rogues

There is supposed to be honor among thieves, but not when it comes to Dominique Strauss-Kahn. In his interview Sunday on French television, he made a statement that has sent some shock waves through the Socialist Party, in particular Martine Aubry, second in the polls after François Hollande for the nomination in the presidential election.

Apparently, well before his arrest in New York, a "pact" had been made between Aubry and DSK ensuring that one or the other of them would get the nomination. While he was the first choice of the Party, if he didn't run she would become the candidate - a substitute candidate, as they are calling her. This places Martine Aubry's political future in the unenviable position of being inextricably linked to Dominique Strauss-Kahn, and dependent upon secret deals with him. Aubry has attempted to deny the existence of such a pact, but she has been betrayed again by rival François Hollande who says that the pact was an open secret - everyone knew. Here is a report from Le Point:

François Hollande affirmed on Monday that Dominique Strauss-Kahn had told the truth when he spoke of his "pact" with Martine Aubry for the Socialist primary, stressing that this "arrangement, this compromise was known to all."

When he was asked if it was a "relief" for him that DSK would not be participating in the primary, he answered that he had "no special fear" that the ex-chief of the IMF "intervene in one way or another", since his own position had "never been determined in relation to that of DSK."

" I believe that he told the truth: there was a pact between him, Martine Aubry, and Laurent Fabius," Hollande stated. According to the deputy from Corrèze, "this idea of an agreement - you can call it a pact, arrangement, compromise - was known to all, no one had ever denied it."

Note: No one denied it except Aubry herself after Strauss-Kahn pulled the rug out on Sunday. But by denying it, she only made matters worse, since, from the comments at the message boards, the French knew that she had spoken openly about it.

When Strauss-Kahn made his comment he was not only attempting to destroy Martine Aubry, but he was perhaps saying in the only way he knows how, that he would get back in the race.

Martine Aubry would be the worst choice after DSK. She has actively Islamized the city of Lille where she is mayor. She has the Algerian flag flying outside Lille Airport. She has agreed to special hours at swimming pools for Muslim girls, thus denying French girls their rights. And her lawyer husband has defended terrorists and rap singers.

The in-fighting among Socialist candidates will no doubt benefit Nicolas Sarkozy, unless Marine Le Pen can garner enough votes in the first round to destroy Sarkozy. She would then have to confront the Socialists in the second round. She would have not only the support of the Front National and its affiliates, but the support as well of a certain number of Sarkozy's constituents, who have the guts to vote for her. It would probably not be enough to win, since so many French people freak out at the mention of the name Le Pen. But it would be a major step forward for France.

The photo above shows Martine Aubry with François Hollande, who will probably get the nomination. He is the former civil union "partner" of Ségolène Royal, the candidate who lost the 2007 election to Nicolas Sarkozy. They lived together for 25 years and have four children.

Below the Great Rogue, with the Socialist logo behind him, seems to be laughing at his rivals.