Who you callin' a dilettante???

From the wires:

White House apologizes for insulting Italian premier in press kit

The White House apologized today for a press kit that describes Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as one of the "most controversial leaders in the history of a country known for government corruption and vice."

"The often thick, paper-bound briefing book is issued to all members of the White House press corps who travel on international trips," ABC News reports. "The book usually includes maps, country statistics, transcripts of relevant speeches and interviews and biographies of the leaders President Bush will meet while traveling."

Here are some of the phrases it used to describe Berlusconi:

• "hated by many but respected by all at least for his bella figura (personal style) and the sheer force of his will." (via Reuters)
• "Primarily a businessman with massive holdings and influence in international media, he was regarded by many as a political dilettante who gained his high office only through use of his considerable influence on the national media until he was forced out of office in 2006." (via Bloomberg)

The Associated Press says the offending passages came from Berlusconi's entry in the Encyclopedia of World Biography.

"The sentiments expressed in the biography do not represent the views of President Bush, the American government, or the American people," presidential spokesman Tony Fratto tells the wire service. "We apologize to Italy and to the prime minister for this very unfortunate mistake."

They thought those were good things to say about him.

But really, Silvio as most controversial? In a country that gave us Nero and Mussolini? Just goes to show what a bella figura will do for a man...