Cocktailhag, the blog

On the eve of the G-8 summit, set to convene Wednesday in Italy, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi threatened to fly to Alaska to advise Sarah Palin, the state’s resigning governor, on her political future amid reports that Italy may be bounced from G-8 membership.

Critics of the prime minister’s relationships with young starlets and models immediately pounced on the announcement, charging it was a diversion from the many allegations of philandering by Italy’s leader and his promotion of beautiful if inexperienced women to political positions in his government.

An unnamed Berlusconi aide, while confirming Berlusconi’s intention to go to Alaska if things don’t work out with the G-8,  denied late Tuesday any connection between Gov. Palin and the various Italian women friends of the prime minister.

“Gov. Palin is a beauty, no doubt; the prime minister likes her.  A lot!  He thinks she has … how do you say it – a beautiful mind.  His women friends here are all beautiful too … all intellectuals …  yes!  He likes them.  He loves all women!  But that doesn’t mean there’s a connection,”  the aide said.  “Don’t make a meal of this hot air from the prime minister’s opponents.  Two plus two doesn’t equal five in this case.”

CHNN world correspondent Harlan Harrington has confirmed the visual sighting of a bright red private aircraft fueling at an obscure hangar, known informally as “SilvioAir” headquarters, on the outskirts of Rome’s Da Vinci Airport.  Harrington reports the aircraft appears large enough to seat a contingent of twenty-five, which could accommodate a small number of aides and dancers, or a medium-size harem with no more than two aides.  Harrngton noted the aircraft had several fuel tanks strapped under the wings, indicating, he said, non-stop intercontinental flight capability.

“It’s too early to tell if the prime minister plans to bolt the G-8 conference in L’Aquila,” Harrington said.  “But we’ve just established that this plane is registered to one of Berlusconi’s dummy media outlets – Bimbomanagna4 – and we think he might abandon the conference if push comes to shove.  We’re going to be watching this plane 24-7.”

A quick call today to Wasilla, Alaska by CHNN world headquarters intern Courtney Willows, failed to reach Gov. Palin, who late this afternoon remained boat-ridden and fully adorned in her state issue executive bib overall hip boots and T-shirt, somewhere on Lake Lucille.  “We’ll keep trying her cell phone,” Willows said.  “The nation sure wants to know how the governor might benefit from unsolicited advice from Mr. Berlusconi.”

Late reports prior to the convening of the G-8 meeting – which will include President Obama, and leaders from Great Britain, France, and Germany – indicate considerable annoyance with Berlusconi.  G-8 officials say planning for the summit by Italy has been dismal, with no real agenda.  They also criticized the choice of the small town of L’Aquila as the site for the meeting.

L’Aquila was devastated by an April earthquake.  Berlusconi said he thought the town would be a good place to hold the G-8, as a way to show “sobriety” to the thousands who remain homeless in the area.

G-8 leaders say the various contingents from member states will be housed in what they say are barracks; and as pressure has mounted prior to the summit, G-8 officials have been conducting secure “sherpa calls” among themselves, to compare notes.  Such tactics are rare among G-8 members, but some say it’s a last ditch effort to inject “purpose” into the meetings in Italy.

“We don’t know anything about these ‘sherpas’,” said Antonio Gustamente, another Berlusconi aide.  “It’s unusual to be sure, and everyone knows Italians don’t like to be pressured; so we are concerned.  And prepared!  We do know there are many fine sherpa delicacies in Alaska, and I can tell you the prime minister has been looking at Alaskan restaurants on-line, with an eye to a fruitful first meeting with Gov. Palin if things go south in L’Aquila.”

On another front, the juiciest one according to Berlusconi analysts, a so-called “cold war” may be breaking out among other women associated with the prime minister as the L’Aquila summit begins.

Reports over the week-end that Berlusconi had selected Mara Carfagna, a former topless model turned “equal opportunities” minister, to stand in for his estranged wife as hostess to the wives of G-8 summit leaders, has apparently created a major rift among other female ministers.

Maxim, the men’s magazine, has called Carfagna “the world’s sexiest politician,” and Berlusconi has tapped her to host First Lady Michelle Obama and other G-8 wives at major summit events, including, reportedly, an audience with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.

Reports indicate Carfagna will be assisted by another member of Berlusconi’s cabinet, the education minister Maria Stella Geimini.

They are “staunch champions,” Berlusconi said last week, describing the appointments of the women, an apparent reference to the their support for him in his battles against allegations that he slept with a high-class call girl last year in his Rome apartment and that he has hosted scores of young women at his vacation villa in Sardinia, including two kissing lesbians, and scores of others, many in thongs, cavorting under outdoor showers, soaping themselves, each other, and others walking by.

However, two other women appointed to cabinet posts in the Berlusconi government say they have been snubbed and ignored as the summit approaches.

The two are Giorgia Meloni, the youth minister, and Stephania Prestigiacomo, the environment minister.

“I can’t see what the fuss is about,” Meloni said, as she faced reporters and appeared annoyed that she was asked to deny being snubbed over a G-8 posting.  Meloni said she had other G-8 duties to perform besides hosting wives of visiting ministers, walking away from rolling cameras in Rome.

“But truthfully, while I support the prime minister in all he does for the Italian peopke,” Meloni said, returning to the microphones with some irritation,  “I don’t know exactly what he can do for our country by leaving the summit and having a meeting with Gov. Palin.  She’s not an Italian woman, I can tell you that!  And the prime minister knows nothing about fly fishing or moose skinning or whatever.  So I don’t know what would be accomplished by him visiting there, unless I’m missing something.”

Prestigiacomo, the environment minister, told reporters she would be glad to do a crash study pf the migratory habits of salmon and moose if it would help the prime minister’s mission to Alaska.  “I’d like to go there.  With him,” she said.

A late call to Gov. Palin’s office in Juneau by CHNN intern Courtney Willows yielded little at press time.

“Her media aide says she doesn’t know where the governor is,” according to Willows.

“The aide cautioned that, with a pile of ethics complaints filed by opposition researchers, and pending fresh fish kill credit legislation, time was tight for a state visit by the leader of Italy just before the governor’s going away party, set for the end of this month,” Willows said.