I'm more interested in the backroom phone calls he'll be making.  Chirac has known many powerful people and has many favors he can call in. He also has a history of behaving badly at election time.  I think he will be proud of himself if in his last act of political will he is able to cock-clock Sarkozy.  This is consistent with his strategy of delaying his announcement as well.  No matter how the media tries to portray it a failure of one party leader to support another is bad, especially if they are the outgoing President.  If Chirac himself doesn't think Sarkozy, a fellow UMP guy, is cut out for the job why should anyone else?  It would be so easy for Chirac to support him fakely, even unenthusiastically but support him nonetheless.  His silence on the matter speaks volumes.

Lastly, IIRC Villepin is pledging support for Sarkozy now, yes?  That's a case of giving a cat your fleas if I ever saw one...

All signs point to Chirac providing back-door support for another candidate.  The question is Bayrou or Royal?