Grumpy old man Franz Müntefering is the man world-famous for describing venture capitalists as "locusts"; but in truth he is a centrist and former right-hand man for Schröder, who was the architect of the current Grand Coalition and its first Vice-Chancellor. He then resigned last October, but grumbled about the leftward direction ever since.
Now, Münte couldn't keep himself from calling upon the party leadership to declare (again) that they won't cooperate with the Left Party after the next elections (September 2009)... keeping to a single message, no way with the SPD! Party leader Beck, as well as deputy party chairman and top party left figure Andrea Nahles responded by saying that the prior declaration on this should be enough.
Meanwhile, I give credit to SPIEGEL for writing down this:
Indeed Merkel, like Helmut Kohl before him, copies the habit of French Presidents to radiate the appearance of someone up and apart from daily political fights, instead of the party politician she is. *Traitor*, n. A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
If you want the job done right, get a woman to do it.
<snarking and running> Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. --Charu Saxena.
