Sarah, Duchess of York: "Cash for Access" - May 2010

[Russophile]

Originally Posted by Wisteria

Most children love their mothers,but it is a bit unusual for an ex-husband to love his ex-wife unconditionally, but that is what she said, so we have to try and believe that she knows what she is talking about even though she
doesn´t know much about living within her means

Russo thinks that Sarah dropped that so now Andrew HAS to act the gentleman (not that he hasn't all these times). What's he going to say to the press, "I'm sorry, but no, I don't love my ex wife unconditionally."

VM, I'm whispering dear!!

[Vasillisos Markos]

Heard you loud and clear, Dear Russo. VM thanks you (in the third person) very much.

[Iluvbertie]

Originally Posted by Russophile

President Bush did.

I read and still read lots of positive comments about both Presidents Bush.

I have seen none about Sarah since her wedding day - 24 years of the press and the public beating down on her.

[Russophile]

You must be reading from one of the *very* few Republican papers Bertie as the current administration has bashed Bush for every problem they are currently experienceing since before President Obama was elected. Not to mention the 8 years of bashing when he (Bush) was a sitting President from all the networks: CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC et. all.

I heard plenty of good things about Sarah until she got pregnant. Then they started in calling her too fat, etc. and it was all downhill since then.
Sarah hasn't helped her cause as I was very interested in all those schools she had opened in Europe through her Children in Crisis charity and wondered why we don't hear more of that. Education is the key to get children out of poverty.

[Jaya]

Originally Posted by Iluvbertie

I read and still read lots of positive comments about both Presidents Bush.

I have seen none about Sarah since her wedding day - 24 years of the press and the public beating down on her.

Iluvbertie
I have to agree with you . I too am hard pressed to remember reading anything positive either from the press or public regarding Sarah.Expect more of the same.

[NGalitzine]

Originally Posted by carlota

i think everyone is being quite harsh on sarah...

Its a Big Deal because not only is Andrew a memebr of the British Royal Family, he is a public official in his role as UK Special Representative for Trade and Investment.
It is very very different from her being paid to attend an event, its the attempt to influence a public official. As an American you may want to refer to the Abramoff affair as a point of reference for influence peddling.

[Penny Lane]

Originally Posted by Osipi

...One thing is clear to me too. There is no way that Sarah could or would ever say anything negative about Andrew or the BRF. She did say that she'd not be in that chair unless it was OK for her to do so in Andrew's eyes and how great the Boss is. As much as the style Duchess of York is important to her, so is the family that style belongs to. That is one part of the interview that came across crystal clear to me. Her face even seemed to go soft at the time she talked about them.

I agree it was as she was shellshocked by the events-her actions as well as the attention it was bringing I think what seems like a good idea at the time backfired on her and now she has to explain something she doesn't fully understand it seems.I don't think she would say anything negative against the Queen or Andrew either and her fondess of them seems in no way fake to me.

I look at her as being stuck between her life when she was a royal and can no longer be a part of but not know where else she fits in. I expect her to carry on with her charity work .I don't know how her money problems will be settled but it has to worked out for her and her girls.

[NGalitzine]

Originally Posted by Russophile

Because she doesn't really have a true friend. It's kind of like Michael Jackson in a way, everybody sucking off her.

I doubt if she would even have listened to someone telling her you are spedning too much, your lifestyle is to lavish, you have no money, you need to cut back. She never adjusted to the idea that the people she likes to socialize with have oodles of money and she couldn't match their lifestyle.
She could have gone back to the publishing business after the divorce and lived a comfortable life but it wasnt enough for her. Guess you can take the girl out of the palace but you cant take the palace out of the girl.

[Russophile]

I dunno, I listed the quantity of books she has had published written solely by her or in collaboration of another and it's formidible. One would think the residuals would leave her with a comfortable income if she were more finanically savvy.
I just keep thinking of all that money she made just WASTED. Blows my cookies, really. . .

[sesa]

well, I finally watched the interview and I have to say that I was watching Sarah very closley. She looked more embarrased of the situation being shown over and over. Not once did she show remorse over her actions. All she did was make excuses of self hatred and other remarks that had nothing to do with selling out her ex husband. Sure people make major mistakes, some land in jail because of them. But she did not apologize to her family or the queen for the embarrasment that her actions have caused. She lookes totally lost and broken. Someone who does know which way to turn because she is very desperate. But it seems as if she is desperate in a way that she only wants her money problems to be fixed by someone. She is desperate for someone to dig her out of the hole she created. By dragging up the past in ragards to her $20k allowance, it seems to me as if she is "trying" to lay guilt on someone so that they say "poor sarah" let's increase your allowance and that will help you out. She is trying to create sympathy for herself when it is the RF and her immediate family that should have the sympathy for having to be tied to someone who obviously can not control herself or her actions. i don't know. This whole thing is very tiresome and boring. I just wish they would cut off ties with her, and for her to get on with her life and try to earn back some respect and trust. It's all pretty sad that she saw what was happening, but did nothing about it. And now that it's too late to do something about it, she sits there and makes nothing but excuses for her actions. She is a very sad and pathetic person in my eyes. And I used to like her. But dragging your family down with you is where I draw the line.

[NGalitzine]

I agree.
Please invite her to move to LA, set her up on a date with some D List celebrity (with enough money) and let her live happily ever after in lala land.

[COUNTESS]

Originally Posted by Russophile

You must be reading from one of the *very* few Republican papers Bertie as the current administration has bashed Bush for every problem they are currently experienceing since before President Obama was elected. Not to mention the 8 years of bashing when he (Bush) was a sitting President from all the networks: CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC et. all.
I heard plenty of good things about Sarah until she got pregnant. Then they started in calling her too fat, etc. and it was all downhill since then.
Sarah hasn't helped her cause as I was very interested in all those schools she had opened in Europe through her Children in Crisis charity and wondered why we don't hear more of that. Education is the key to get children out of poverty.

Sarah is as innocent as George W. He started unfounded wars with lies, he spent a surplus into a large deficit, he helped remove regulations that kept the greed at bay. And, of course, the media is to blame for his unpopularity. Just like, poor, Sarah. You can't have it both ways. If you want Sarah to face the truth, why on earth do you use a man who has no intellectual curiosty, to be nice, made and left a big mess and use him as your paragon. By the way, his ratings before Mr. Obama was elected was 29%. So, the country blamed him, too.

[Iluvbertie]

Bush got a lot of positive press for many years especially when his approval rating amongst the voters was very high and he did get re-elected.

Sarah - wedding day and for a few weeks afterwards and then nothing positive. Even when she does something good e.g. Children in Crisis the press turns it into a negative.

[COUNTESS]

Bush's approval rating at the beginning of the Iraq war was 71% and dropped 40% when people learned the truth. Of course, many knew the truth beforehand. He got re-elected becuase they sold fear by the barrel load after 9/11.

Sarah always played in someone else wake. But, in the beginning she was very popular, because of her high spirits and lack of snootiness. She wasn't as pretty or as elegant as Diana, but she was fun. Then, "they" realized that she was open and high spirited. It didn't fit their mold. Her husband was a bore and she sought fun elsewhere. She was derided for her figure and her style sense. Yes, she had none, but for a woman, that kind of derision is terrible. The Duchess of Pork, when she was pregnant. She has made her bed, so to speak, so she has a tough road to hoe.

[NotAPretender]

I don't know that I buy into the "Sarah never got a break from nobuddy, nohow!" line of reasoning. One of the women I work with, in our Texas office, was the guest at her table at a function in Dallas I'm thinking late last year. Not only was everyone at the table complimentary of her and perhaps even a bit fawning, so was the coverage.

I also know that she got a LOT of kudos for her quick-thinking action on 11 Sept 2001.

So I cannot buy into the whole "Nobuddy gave Sarah nuttin' " line of reasoning - either in the way of a financial settlement or in the way of media accolades.

The causation of every bit of misery in this instance rightly belongs to her and her alone. I watched the tape again and the rubbing of the fingers together? Good Lord.

[jonc93]

Originally Posted by NotAPretender

I also know that she got a LOT of kudos for her quick-thinking action on 11 Sept 2001.

What exactly was her "quick-thinking action"?

[Lakshmi]

What's the embarrassment. It is not first and I am afraid not the last time when Sara had a problem with a judgment. Even if Andrew would be just a victim of her "transaction' it affects his credibility, exposing him to possible frauds, blackmails or just jeopardizing his work/mission.
I read comments in British media that what Sarah did was unethical but not illegal in UK. In US it would be considered criminal. Wonder if Duchess learned something from this history.

[CrownPrincess5]

Could it be that everyone in general was extremely hard on her. I read somewhere that even the royal court disliked her. I'm not taking up for her, but it seems like nothing she did was right.

[Iluvbertie]

Originally Posted by Lakshmi

What's the embarrassment. It is not first and I am afraid not the last time when Sara had a problem with a judgment. Even if Andrew would be just a victim of her "transaction' it affects his credibility, exposing him to possible frauds, blackmails or just jeopardizing his work/mission.
I read comments in British media that what Sarah did was unethical but not illegal in UK. In US it would be considered criminal. Wonder if Duchess learned something from this history.

So let me get this right - if I say to you that if you buy me a beer and I will introduce to my boss who might be able to give you a job I am a criminal?

Maybe she asked for more than that but in essence that is all she did. Where is the crime?

[Mermaid1962]

I wonder if this is the reason why Andrew seems to take care of her. There's also her mother-friend-than-mom relationship with her daughters. Remember the "tripod" comment of a couple of years ago or so? Perhaps she is simply incapable of fending for herself in the long-term. I remember he gave a speech recently in which he referred to Sarah as his third child. "Many a truth is spoken in jest."

Originally Posted by rmay286

It seems there's a part of Sarah that has never learned to grow up.