Is it wrong for a president to swear in public?

Nicolas Sarkozy's plummeting popularity rating just got another punch in the face this weekend. Snubbed by a bystander at Salon International de l'Agriculture, whose hand the president offered to shake, Sarkozy let out a string of abuse. Here's what was exchanged between the two:

Bystander: "Ah non, me touche pas, tu me salis" (Oh no, don't touch me, you soil me)
Sarkozy: "Casse-toi, casse-toi alors! Pauvre con va..." (Get lost, poor jerk, get lost then!)

You can watch the swear video here.

This has allowed opponents of Sarkozy to fire another round of criticism. Opposition Socialist leader Francois Hollande lead from the front, saying his behaviour wasn't beffiting that of a president. Can a president be always expected not to abuse, more so when rebuffed? Isn't it impolite to snub the head of the state int his fashion? And to play the devil's advocate, why should he not abuse when the people are free to do so? Moreover, wasn't Sarkozy's retort more "statesmanlike" than what it would have been had many of us been in his shoes? Whatever the answers, I am having the last laugh. A bright start to the week... And had it been in India, the politician's sidekicks would have beaten the man to pulp and the state machinery unleashed to legally hound the poor fellow!

And not to forget, the slew of PILs that would be filed seeking to prosecute the guy for dishonouring the state and disrespecting one of its highest symbols.