Some weeks back, Sarkozy told a meeting of rapatriés in Toulon that, if France owed an apology to anyone, it was to them. An obvious swipe at the Algerian people and, in institutional terms, the Algerian government. But no one in the media picks these things up.

This time he's having a gratuitous swipe at Germany, too. (That doesn't fit too well with his pretended groovy friendship with Angela.) Will the media notice this any more than the rest? Not that I can see for the moment...

After Le Pen's deliberate reference to Vichy in a speech this week, there was also Sarkozy's promise to create a Ministry of Immigration and National Identity, which has more than an echo of Vichyness about it. Ségolène Royal is at least reacting sharply to that - so the media have to talk about it a bit...

It's a stupid policy anyway. The opinion polls may still be showing Sarko at a sweet percentage compared to Le Pen, the chickens will come home to roost in the first round. Voters who really agree with what Sarko is saying will vote... Le Pen in Round One. By validating and echoing far-right positions, Nicolas is working for Jean-Marie.