Re: did you read Matt's post?
Le Pen is known to hate Chirac.
And Le Pen is a good debater, if being a good debater is to be able to constantly interrupt the other, to quickly change the subject, to go so far as to use slurs.
I know many democrats who are scared to death debating with him.
Several years ago, Bernard Tapie, a charming self made man, soccer team manager, businessman, was asked by Mitterrand to confront Le Pen. He did it and for the first time, Le Pen was distabilized, much to the relief of those at power and Tapie got the post of urbanization ministry.
I'm sure Claude Chirac is very much aware of this.
Raoul