No Country for Sex Scandals

Via Jonathan Kulick, The Mail On Sunday reports that "Finnish Minister admits sending 200 dirty texts to erotic dancer from taxpayer-funded phone". It looks, however, like the minister in question is going to be alright, since "Though some MPs have voiced their displeasure at the latest scandal, the chairman of Kanerva's National Coalition Party said merely that if the story was true, he hoped Kanerva would use more consideration in the future." Meanwhile:

Earlier this month Finland's prime minister, who accused his former lover of hurting his feelings by writing a steamy kiss-and-tell account of their relationship, lost a court case over the book but unexpectedly gained popularity. Matti Vanhanen, 52, prime minister since 2003, has been enjoying a wave of support since the disclosure that he likes to take a sauna before sex and enjoys his favourite meal of beef and baked potatoes afterward.

Do we think that's really as steamy as the book gets? Unfortunately, I assume there won't be an English translation.

Comments

I lived in Finland for a summer in high school, and I tell you they are wild.

Posted by lotosesser | March 13, 2008 12:50 PM

...and enjoys his favourite meal of beef and baked potatoes afterward

My man!

Posted by dry_fish | March 13, 2008 12:55 PM

Remember that the minister used his government-paid phone for *hundreds* of private text-messages. That's the equivalent of embezzling something like $3.14 from the public treasury!

Yep, those sounds like the typical Scandinavanian-type level of government corruption-and-sex scandals.

Posted by RKU | March 13, 2008 12:57 PM

Belle & Sebastian's "Meat and Potatoes" comes to mind here.

Posted by Glenn | March 13, 2008 12:58 PM

It appears "steamy" is meant to be taken literally.

Posted by ibid | March 13, 2008 1:00 PM

The Finns are a mighty race of warrior intellectuals, with an awesomely prosperous welfare state, and an efficiently run public and private sphere. Let us all worship the Finns with simultaneous irony and earnestness.

Posted by JH | March 13, 2008 1:04 PM

Well, what is more steamy than sauna? Although steam rises from baked potatoes as well. (Gosh, ibid got it first).

Posted by piotrb | March 13, 2008 1:08 PM

As much as I hate to be "that guy," a good steam beforehand doesn't sound like a bad idea.

Posted by Reality Man | March 13, 2008 1:23 PM

It would be more controversial if it turned out the phone he was using wasn't made by Nokia.

Posted by pseudonymous in nc | March 13, 2008 1:27 PM

"and I tell you they are wild."

I'll second that. They are also some of nicest people you'll meet.

Posted by fostert | March 13, 2008 1:36 PM

As much as I hate to be "that guy," a good steam beforehand doesn't sound like a bad idea.

I think afterwards would be better. You don't want to be too relaxed.

Posted by mpowell | March 13, 2008 1:44 PM

Beef and baked potatoes? Hmmm. I've always found pastrami to be the most sensual of all the salted, cured meats.

Posted by Pesto | March 13, 2008 1:53 PM

Next week's headline in the Helsinki Daily Fishwrap: "PM Matti Vanhanen Dead of Massive Heart Attack"

Posted by Aaron S. Veenstra | March 13, 2008 1:58 PM

Finnish women are the prettiest lot, so I don't blame these guys. But hey, just texting? Don't they have hotels in Finland with room service and minibar?

Posted by gregor | March 13, 2008 2:07 PM

Silly me. And I thought the Danes were the true Latin lovers of Scandinavia.

Posted by jonp72 | March 13, 2008 2:08 PM

Silly me. And I thought the Danes were the true Latin lovers of Scandinavia.

Posted by jonp72 | March 13, 2008 2:09 PM

Silly me. And I thought the Danes were the true Latin lovers of Scandinavia.

Posted by jonp72 | March 13, 2008 2:12 PM

Beef and baked potatos?

I'm strong and I'm Finnish,
And I don't eat spinach,
I'm Matti the PM-man! Toot-toot!

Posted by rea | March 13, 2008 2:45 PM

Let's hear it for my Finnish brethern (on my mother's side).

Posted by CJColucci | March 13, 2008 2:56 PM

By the way, Matti Vanhanen, the Prime Minister of Finland, is the son of Prof. Tatu Vanhanen, co-author with Richard Lynn of the underground social science classic "IQ and the Wealth of Nations."

Posted by Steve Sailer | March 13, 2008 4:15 PM

The Finns are a mighty race of warrior intellectuals, with an awesomely prosperous welfare state, and an efficiently run public and private sphere. Let us all worship the Finns with simultaneous irony and earnestness.

Yeah, yeah, that's nice, he said in a dismissive way, but the real success story for Finland in the last 10-20 years is their symphonic and opera composers and conductors, like Aulis Sallinen, Kaija Saariaho, Magnus Lindberg and Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Posted by Henry Holland | March 13, 2008 7:48 PM

Matti Vanhanen, I believe, had been seen as one of the dullest men in Finland before the book. If he's who I think he is he's a teetotaler who wears glasses. Foreign leaders grumbled that he didn't even offer alcohol for them.

So the details you list were probably enough to be exciting or surprising to people. (Although she also said that he praised her for "tasting like a baked potato." I guess the guy's really into potatoes) And that might have caused sympathy. Dorky guys could sympathize with embarassment about something private being revealed or they could take pride in the sexual exploits of a fellow dork. Women could feel bad for his kids and sympathize with his desire to protect them from embarrassment. Added to that he was divorced at the time and didn't break any laws.

I don't know the case with the foreign minister as well, but it doesn't sound like he committed a major crime either. These women were over 18 if I read it right and he didn't embezzle large amounts of money to them. I'd be a bit annoyed by that kind of behavior in a President, but with a Cabinet member I'm not sure. (The difference is the US President is Head of State so is sort-of supposed to set an example. If Condoleeza Rice was having a torrid affair with a male stripper I'd be shocked, but whether it says anything about her job I don't know)

Posted by Thomas R | March 13, 2008 11:38 PM

["Finnish Minister admits sending 200 dirty texts to erotic dancer from taxpayer-funded phone".]

given the price of mobile telecoms in Finland, this means that the Finnish taxpayer may have been subsidising this guy's sex life by as much as $12.

Posted by dsquared | March 14, 2008 3:48 AM

I prefer having notorious womanizer Mr. Kanerva as my foreign minister. Sure, he may gleefully step into every foreign power honeytrap laid in his way, but he can also shrug with indifference when blackhats show him the racy photos. "LOL! Go ahead, see if anyone cares!" (Incidentally, he's also living across the street from here. Thanks to internet, I can now hear my neighborhood gossip from major blogs.)

Similarly, think of how hard it would be to tarnish Sen. Craig now with any scandal.

Posted by Teemu | March 14, 2008 10:41 AM