M. Jospin un-re-retires* to lead the Socialists. He pledges to stay true "to authentic left-wing politics" -- the sort of thing he campaigned on in 2002. His strategy is to couple his authentic left-wing agenda with his "sensitive man" appeal. The French love the "sensitive man". The French love the watery eye, the rivelette of snot, the tremolo -- the vulnerability -- they love the idea of a big marshmallow president. M. Jospin is betting the French will vote for a Socialist à la Bill Clinton.

TEARFUL JOSPIN ACCUSES ROYAL OF TRYING
TO HIJACK SOCIALISTS' RACE FOR PRESIDENCY

PARIS August 28, 2006 (Independent) - [Former Socialist prime minister Lionel] Jospin, 69, broke down as he explained to young socialists why he had retired from politics after a humiliating defeat in the first round of the presidential election in April 2002. The former prime minister, who has a reputation as a stiff and unemotional man, said that his low, third-place score in the first round - 17 per cent, just below the far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen - had been a "cruel, sudden and unexpected" blow.

He began to reject suggestions that he had abandoned the party, in the midst of a battle, leaving colleagues to fight on alone. Tears came into his eyes and M. Jospin was unable to go on until someone handed him a glass of water. A large part of the hall stood up and applauded.

You see, he is sensitive.

Perhaps more significantly, M. Jospin ended his appearance with a clear attack on the darling of the opinion polls. Mme Royal, 52, is accused by opponents of adopting a mish-mash of left and right positions to build up unassailable support in public opinion. They accuse her of side-stepping the usual methods of building up grassroots support within the party, in the hope that members will be railroaded into voting for her as the candidate most likely to defeat the right.

In a carefully formulated statement on Saturday, M. Jospin said that if he did return, it would be because he had "a vision of the party, a fidelity to authentic left-wing politics and an understanding and respect for grass-roots activism".

You see, he is sensitive but, like "sensitive man" Bill Clinton, he can still bitch-slap women that won't play.

* M. Jospin unretired briefly last year to lend his special brand of political magic to the French EU constitution campaign. Having lent a hand in its failed success, he re-retired.

PFFT (What is this?): Tears and daggers 4 | Rayonnement français 0