Reading the tea leaves in Ari Fleischer’s daily briefing, something positif might be quietly happening here, non?:

Q And to follow up on Deb’s point. During the German reelection campaign, it was spoken from your position and other positions around the government about how the relationship had been poisoned because of Chancellor Schroeder’s repeated public statements against the President. Has the President shared any thoughts of that nature with regard to President Chirac, and how he seems to be almost relishing his daily role as countering? MR. FLEISCHER: No, I think President Chirac has been very direct and open with President Bush. He has spoken to him, the two have spoken with each other on the phone and in person about how they see a common threat, but have different means to deal with that common threat, at least up to this point. And the President respects President Chirac, and he appreciates the fact that President Chirac told the President exactly what he thought, and did so privately. And what he said privately was also what he said publicly. Q So if Schroeder had called, it would be okay. MR. FLEISCHER: Let me — the issue, again, is what he said privately is also what he said publicly. And that’s why the President continues to respect President Chirac, even if we have differences on this.