Mark Steyn:

"The presidential election was meant to be a contest between the supposedly conservative Chirac and his supposedly socialist Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin. In practice, this boils down to a candidate who's left of right of left of centre, and a candidate who's right of left of right of left of centre. Chirac and Jospin ran on identical platforms -- they're both in favour of high taxes, high unemployment and high crime. [...] Europe's ruling class has effortlessly refined Voltaire: I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death my right not to have to listen to you say it. [...] In the two-party one-party states of Europe [...]: If the political culture forbids respectable politicians from raising certain topics, then the electorate will turn to unrespectable politicians [...] Le Pen is not an aberration but the logical consequence."

Wow, is this guy quotable! BTW, I just saw some demonstrators in downtown Bordeaux today. Bobo wannabes from the socialist party found no better allies to "defend democracy" than ATTAC members, LCR trotskyists and CNT anarcho-syndicalists. A red flag with a yellow hammer and sickle, as I just saw waved this afternoon, is such a wonderful symbol of Freedom and Republic. Poor France...