R-E-S-P-E-C-T, to and from Jacques, on his 10th anniversary

A round-up of articles about Jacques can’t help but give one the impression that things just aren’t too rosy on Jacques’s 10th anniversary as Président de la République. Just take a look at the headlines from the last 48 hours:
Swissinfo: Chirac lying over EU charter, say ‘No’ campaigners, and, when it comes to Raffarin, French PM’s future in doubt as EU vote looms
Financial Times: Chirac appeals to French stomach to gain Yes vote or maybe it should read, “for French to stomach” . . .
Taipei Times: The party’s almost over for Jacques Chirac, the underachiever. The French president has supporters asking what he has really accomplished in his time in office, apart from annoying the Americans over the war in Iraq
It’s not just the Americans Jacques’s been annoying. Forbes: Japan says ‘considering protest’ over Chirac statement on nuclear project. French newscasts have been talking about the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) going to France as a fait accompli, while obviously the Japanese don’t see it that way.

The top prize goes to the London Times, with Man with a certain je ne sais quoi: After a decade, France’s mercurial leader has few successes to celebrate beyond staying in office, with an itemization of some the things Jacques has said, and unsaid, on topics such as

MARGARET THATCHER

1988: “What more does that old bag want? My balls on a platter?”

1990: “I have always had the greatest respect for you.”

Except for when he doesn’t. As Aretha said,

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Take care, TCB

Oh (sock it to me, sock it to me,
sock it to me, sock it to me)
A little respect (sock it to me, sock it to me,
sock it to me, sock it to me)
Whoa, babe (just a little bit)
A little respect (just a little bit)
I get tired (just a little bit)
Keep on tryin’ (just a little bit)
You’re runnin’ out of foolin’ (just a little bit)
And I ain’t lyin’ (just a little bit)
(re, re, re, re) ‘spect
When you come home (re, re, re ,re)
Or you might walk in (respect, just a little bit)
And find out I’m gone (just a little bit)
I got to have (just a little bit)
A little respect (just a little bit)

Just a little bit!

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