Schadenfreude

This BBC NEWS story about press reaction to Chirac's latest attempt to convince the French people was an enjoyable read. I found this bit especially interesting:

The left-wing daily Liberation sees irony in the fact that the centre-right Mr Chirac used the 'spectre' of US-style economic ultra-liberalism to try to convince left-wing voters to support the constitution. The French president stressed that the constitution sets a goal of full employment, and he told his audience that he opposed an 'Anglo-Saxon, Atlanticist Europe'. The president 'strongly promoted a 'humanist and organised' economic model which the Constitution can guarantee, according to him,' the paper says.

United States Unemployment: 6% (2003) United Kingdom Unemployment: 5% (2003 est.) French Unemployment: 9.7% (2003 est.) Yes, it is obvious that anyone with a goal of full employment would certainly fear the 'spectre' of US-style economics.