George Papandreou is nothing like his father. He tries sometimes when giving speeches to large crowds, but only in the mannerisms and style. The most important difference I would argue, is that he is not a womanizer. And before all female readers close this window offended I need to clarify that this is a serious political point.
Andreas Papandreou famously attached himself (though it was probably the other way around!) to a younger woman, Dimitra Liani, a stewardess at Olympic Airlines. His sizable grin, even after heart surgery, matched the size of her breasts as the story went around the world. I still get asked about it when travelling abroad!
It takes a certain kind of audacity to pull off moves like that. Sure, it can go too far, like Silvio Berlusconi has done. But with every timid public appearance of Giorgios Papandreou it is striking to think how we would handle an extramarital affair. I think it would do him good. He would have to stand up for something and wiggle his way around. He would have to add an aura, that star power that politicians use when necessary. He has been cast by friendly US media as “The Greek Thinker” but we all do way too much thinking. And talking. It is the actions that have been missing!
So get yourself a girlfriend please Mr Primeminister. Heck, get yourself a dozen, do a Tiger Woods on us. And while you are learning how to get out of that, you might get better at international negotiations rather than lying down and playing dead.