Fallible itdol M. Mitterand, it seems, may come near it
after all. General de Gaulle has been shown to be fallible, vulnerable and above all capable of being defeated. Once this has happened, the current is almost bound to continue to run against him. Nor is there anything particularly remarkable in this: it is a tendency of all democratic politics, A democratic electorate has to be wooed to. be won, and this the General ignored. I do not believe that the majority of these who vote for M. Mitterand on Sunday will be voting for a programme, nor specifically against the General's broader policies. But they will be voting for the man who was prepared to go out and seek them. .
The General has only himself to blame, though not I think for his pride as much as for his in- decisiveness. I have always maintained that he did not make up his mind to stand again till late. He has written himself of the test of a statesman being to know .when he should go. He meant to go. He had given up appearing as if he even thought of canvassing. When he decided to stay, it was too late to mount a campaign. The General may also have thought of course that a campaign was unnecessary. But he has admitted his mis-. take in these past few days. He is trying to do in a week what should have taken several months. He may even achieve it.
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