This was May 2003, when Dubya, Cheney & the neocons showed whom they'd really like, by accepting Koch for a short-order visit after turning down Merkel for long. But ice-cold tactician Merkel even campaigned for Koch:
*Traitor*, n. A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
Damn. If only French politicians could copy them on that. Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
I would not be surprised if Koch does not step down. He's a pernicious [expletive] like that. But hopefully the CDU state party in Hessen is not entirely beholden.
Four of the current Minister-Presidents of the CDU are part of a political career pact (Andenpakt). A further Andenpakt member is in Merkel's government, and yet another is now President of the European Parliament. So speaking to Roland Koch is not like talking to the Governor of, say, Illinois. He was one of the most powerful politicians in German politics of the last 6-odd years.
Y:
