"Prodi says Confindustria should be respected more (the association of big firms). He is aiming for the endorsement of confindustria (which would be amazing and is just possible)."

Robert Waldmann March 14th.

"Prodi Convince gli industriali"

[snip]

"Incassa gli applausi dalla platea dei cinqumilla di Vicenza e la "benedizione" del presidente Montezemolo che, pur predicando indipendenza dai poli si è detto "soddisfatto" del'intervento. In serata la colpa di scena. Berlusconi anulla il suo intervento di oggi al convengo di confindustria. "A causa di una lobmosciatolgia" fa sapere Palazzo Chigi "

La Repubblica 18 march 2006

I copied this from the print edition starting with the banner headline. The version on the web has been toned down.

Word for word translation

Prodi Convinces the Managers of Large Firms

He obtains the applause from the audience of 5000 in Vicenza and the "benediction*" of the President Montezemolo who, while preaching independence from the poles said he was satisfied by the speech. In the evening the plot twist. Berlusconi cancels his speech for today at the convention. "Due to pain in the lombar spine and the sciatic nerve" palazzo Chigi makes known**."


In English with explanations of the obscure synonyms used, because, in La Repubblica Italian, it is absolutely not allowed to use the same word twice to refer to the same thing.

Prodi convinces the audience at the convention of Confindustria (the association of large Italian firms)

Prodi obtained the applause from the audience at the convention of Confindustria and the "blessing"* of Confindustria's president Montezemolo who, while advocating independence from the two main political coalitions said he was satisfied by the public interview. In the evening there was a surprise. Berlusconi cancelled his appearance scheduled for today. His office claimed the issue was a "pain in the ass."

* Italian newspapers use scare quotes in news stories. The quotation marks do not in any way imply that anyone is actually being quoted.

** In Italian it is possible "sapere" (usually misstranslated as to know) something which is not true if one strongly believes it with good reason (so "sapere" means to know or, at least, strongly believe with good reason). Thus it is possible to make something known even if it is not true if the claim is a convincing lie (not this case) or from an official source which La Repubblica loathes and detests like loosing their jobs but about which maintains a feeble pretence of objectivity, because that's what the Washington Post does and they watched "All the President's Men" when they were kids.

An Official endorsement is unlikely, but they are winking with 5,000 eyes and nudging with 10,000 shoulders (actually maybe 10,000 eyes if they wink first with the right one and then with the left one to show that their endorsement of Prodi is not a sign of partisanship).

Actually, I was going to brag about my foresight, but reading what I typed on Tuesday, I realise that I just showed my naivité, since any Italian who paid attention would know that Prodi and Montezemola had already agreed on how much Prodi would praise Confindustria and how much Montezemola would praise Prodi.