Berlusconi Calls Rival an Obama Copycat

Silvio Berlusconi is calling his election opponent a Barack Obama copycat–and not in a good way. To keep his 7-point lead in the polls, Italy's former leader has distributed a package to his People of Freedom (PDL) candidates on how to bash Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni in the media. They prescribe ridiculing the onetime Roman mayor for "systemically" copying Obama's speeches.

The notes also charge Veltroni with plagiarizing the PDL's economic policies: He "has copied everything he can," say the notes. They were part of a package including a T-shirt a party flags distributed to PDL candidates–mostly business and media men ill-versed in political banter. Still, neither party may offer much hope for change with inflation at a new high, Reuters reports. Elections are in April. (More Silvio Berlusconi stories.)