Cometh the hour cometh the men?
In wartime unexpected leaders, flawed leaders come to the fore, while men and women of moderation and apparent good sense can be broken.
Perhaps it is the same with financial crises.
may see a subtle shift in relations at the top table.
Gordon Brown, it's widely acknowledged, is having a good war. Both the Americans and other Europeans are adopting his plan. Other leaders defer to his economic knowledge.
Sarkozy, too, currently has a spring in his raised platforms. He's often regarded as a bit flighty, firing off ideas left, right and centre without thinking them through, or even bothering to tell his diplomats and civil servants. But his restless spirit has seen him restlessly searching for a way out of the crisis.
His first meeting in Paris was a dangerous gamble that didn't pay off. Without a clear outcome or agenda warm words failed to reassure the markets and preceded a week of turmoil (the worst day in history part 47). But last weekend's get-together was apparently on the money. Unity was agreed, and unity was what was required. In the words of one diplomat, "he's a high-wire act and so far he has stayed on the wire."
But Angela Merkel, with a very high reputation in Europe for cool, level-headed, unegotistical problem-solving, has rather come a cropper. Loudly protesting against the Irish bail-out of their banks during the first Paris summit, she appeared to adopt their scheme the next day, only to say she hadn't. Now she has gone along with the Sarkozy plan with some enthusiasm. But she clearly wasn't taking the lead.
This judgement comes hedged with caveats. I hate the journalistic practice of "build 'em up and knock 'em down". It's often based on exceedingly superficial observations, so David Miliband can't be prime minister because he waved a banana - good thing photographers weren't around to catch that shot of Bismarck with a pineapple. Or even Garibaldi with the biscuit. Of course if the markets go crazy in the next few days we will all shake our heads and wonder how Mr Brown didn't realise his plan was ludicrous.
When people start losing their homes and jobs they will be ready with the bucket of ordure to tip on his head. But for now he is something of a hero to other European leaders. It's not the first time of course: he was widely applauded in Brussels for keeping the Lisbon Treaty alive at the June summit, because he didn't call off British ratification. Careful Gordon, you might get a reputation as a Good European.
By the way, sorry I haven't commented on any of your recent replies and thoughts. Internet wasn't the best in Georgia and I didn't have a lot of time. I will read and reply to you soon.
I’m Mark Mardell, the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s North America editor. These are my reflections on American politics, some thoughts on being a Brit living in the USA, and who knows what else? My 
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