Obama in Berlin | 47 comments (47 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (4.00 / 7)

The Obama speech issue got more interesting for me when it turned from foreign policy into a German domestic politics issue (well, kinda').

One thing I love about German politics is its entertainment value; fuelled mainly by politicians' predilection for rhetorical hyperbole and use of rare edgy words (you may have noticed in my diaries). A more severe case of this is when politicians try to fill the summer news drought - AFAIK English has the word "silly season" for this, but the German equivalent Sommertheater ( = summer theatre) seems stronger and much more in use.

I wanted to write a diary with this title (had no time); but in the meantime, CSU foreign policy specialist Karl-Theodor Freiherr beat me to it to describe the fight over the Obama speech.

This seems much ado about nothing. Then again, it is also about campaigning - campaigning for elections in Germany. Merkel inadvertedly gave the SPD an opportunity to catch the Union flat-footed, and hunt for voters as The Pro-Obama Party when everyone is crazy about Obama. Now, the next elections in Germany are the regional elections in Bavaria (28 September), where CSU looks to have its supermajority reduced - which explains why it was Huber who reacted most strongly (see my reply to Martin upthread).

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Fri Jul 18th, 2008 at 02:03:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (4.00 / 3)

One thing I love about German politics is its entertainment value; fuelled mainly by politicians' predilection for rhetorical hyperbole and use of rare edgy words (you may have noticed in my diaries). A more severe case of this is when politicians try to fill the summer news drought - AFAIK English has the word "silly season" for this, but the German equivalent Sommertheater ( = summer theatre) seems stronger and much more in use.

Ah, gotcha.

But Merkel being perceived as getting in Obama's way could actually be a German electoral issue?

Just to refresh my memory, help me out here: The SPD is the socialist party, and the CSU is basically synonymous at the federal level with the Christian Dems (led by Merkel)?

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Fri Jul 18th, 2008 at 02:16:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (4.00 / 2)

Close: SPD = Social Democrats, CSU = Christian Socialists; CDU and CSU don't differ in level, instead they are in a permanent alliance based on territorial exclusivity (CSU only in Bavaria, CDU only in the remaining 15 states), and they have a joint faction in the federal parliament.

And yes, when Obama is perceived as a vote-getter, events around him are bound to become a German electoral issue...

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Fri Jul 18th, 2008 at 02:34:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (4.00 / 2)

And yes, when Obama is perceived as a vote-getter, events around him are bound to become a German electoral issue...

I guess I never would've thought he'd be a vote-getter there. Reading about public attitudes over there around the Interwebz, maybe the speech is a good idea. Huh.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Fri Jul 18th, 2008 at 02:51:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (4.00 / 3)

I completely agree that Obama is a vote-getter, if his popularity remains high during the next 18 months. But I think as well Obama will mention in his speech the 'necessity' that Europe takes more responsibility in Afghanistan.
This is walking a tightrope. Probably there will be audible objection on this issue from the audience (I think about 80% of Germans would like to withdraw as fast as possible from Afghanistan). Either he will quite strongly insist on that. Which could strongly dampen the effect as a vote-getter. Or he is weak on this, which will mean, that the US media will portray him as incapable of getting European support despite alleged pro-Europeaness.

Der Amerikaner ist die Orchidee unter den Menschen
Volker Pispers

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Fri Jul 18th, 2008 at 08:12:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (4.00 / 2)

Ah, you have it already in your piece of spiegel-online. But this is really a center piece. I can very well live without Obama speaking about health care in the US, and I disagree with spiegel's estimate, that Obama will ask for European responsibility in Iraq.
I guess so far, that Obama will not only disappoint the European left-wing, but will be a disappointment across the political spectrum, unless he becomes much more extreme in turning around US policy in climate change and militarism.

Der Amerikaner ist die Orchidee unter den Menschen
Volker Pispers

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Fri Jul 18th, 2008 at 08:42:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (none / 1)

That about Iraq was written in conditional before Obama's recent policy speech about refocusing from Iraq ( = lost) to Afghanistan ( = still winnable), so certainly, it was a wrong estimation.

Your prediction of public reaction to Obama's expected demands on Europe is shared by Karl-Theodor Freiherr/CSU, whom I cited above with "Sommertheater". (BTW I forgot to make clear: he is also criticising his own camp there, and deviates from the party line.)

Die "neue Begeisterung" der SPD für die USA sei an sich "begrüßenswert", sagte er. Allerdings bleibe abzuwarten, ob sich der "Enthusiasmus erschöpft, wenn Senator Obama in dieser oder einer künftigen Rede einen höheren deutschen Beitrag in internationalen Operationen einfordert".

The "new enthusiasm" of the SPD for the USA is "welcome" in itself, he said. However, it remains to be seen whether the "enthusiasm will be exhausted once Senator Obama demands a higher German contribution to international operations in this or any future speech".

As for the German left-wing's, rather than the SPD's reaction, what I wonder about is the position of the Left Party and its voters in general. Perhaps jandsm or Jeffersonian Democrat can tell us more about the mood in the party. Would the Left Party profile itself early on with some criticism of Obama, the eventual disillusion of SPD voters with him that you and Freiherr predict could lead to some shift of balance within the German left-wing.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sat Jul 19th, 2008 at 01:32:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (none / 0)

I think it's unlikely Obama will go to Berlin and make these kinds of demands about Afghanistan. That would be presumptuous at this stage of the game, far more so than wanting to speak at Brandenburg Gate. More likely it'll be a speech about "bringing the world together" and a mix of the usual DFH and KumbayObama stuff.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Sat Jul 19th, 2008 at 10:31:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (none / 1)

well, that'd be fine...

what wouldn't would be some finger-wagging exceptionalist b.s. for the redneck domestic consumption, instrumentalising europe for a purely u.s. agenda.

i wish i could totally trust obama on this, we really need an american president who doesn't pretend to look down on us, (or over-venerate us for that matter!)

on. the. level. please barry. no trumpeted platitudes about how we should do anything. (or we'll tell you where to put yer war)

some tact, m'lad! be an example of a trans-nationalistic global citizen, if you really want us to warm to your cause more than we already do...

waving that tattered global hegemon flag over here will not win you any cookies.

save it for the rubes you need votes from back home, and just be your sweet self.

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Sat Jul 19th, 2008 at 10:48:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (4.00 / 6)

I think, on policy, I'd focus on climate change above anything else. Something to the effect of, "You've led, and now we're going to meet you halfway."

That would make for a good speech.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Sat Jul 19th, 2008 at 10:54:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (none / 0)

I would be very surprised, if Obama would say that.

US citizens could take it as insult, when a potential American president doesn't speak about "America has to lead", but in terms of following (see e.g. the flag pin debate on how sensitive Americans can react on issues, which can be interpreted critically towards them) // In any case he is not yet US president. So in a way his prime audience is still the US voter.
if he just wants to make his German and European followers happy, the KumbayObama (as you called it) will do it perfectly well. I think he can't do much to alienate them, except speaking about Afghanistan. So no need to alienate his voters at home.

Der Amerikaner ist die Orchidee unter den Menschen
Volker Pispers

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Sat Jul 19th, 2008 at 03:21:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (none / 1)

yeah, that is the most pressing issue, for sure.

i don't need him to be too humble, lol, but simply for him to accent unity and good faith in the same way he does back home.

he has a lot of savvy, i expect he'll finesse this ok.

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Sat Jul 19th, 2008 at 03:25:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (4.00 / 4)

"I completely agree that Obama is a vote-getter,"

Changing the subject somewhat, now that Clinton is NOT the dem candidate, I can't believe that I'll finally vote in a Presidential election (since Carter) when the choice is NOT between the lesser of two evils. I actually think we have a shot at a non-evil candidate for once. IN MY LIFETIME! Or am I being overly optimistic?

They tried to assimilate me. They failed.

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Sun Jul 20th, 2008 at 08:17:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 2: Sommertheater (none / 1)

Either you're too optimistic or I'm too cynical.

Putting him on par with Jimmy Carter is probably not unfair all things considered. Which is still unimpressive, but as recent US presidents go it's a big step forward.

I'm prepared to be surprised, but so far Obama doesn't look like more than a Carter with a snazzier marketing department and the advantage that the other wing of the Corporate Party has shot itself in both feet, a kneecap and one arm with an elephant gun.

Still, Obama is preferable to John "Nuke Iran" McCain.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 at 11:56:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 3: Wowi (4.00 / 6)

The year is 2001. The Grand Coalition government of German capital Berlin, which also constitutes one of Germany's 16 federal states, was raked by a big corruption and mismanagement scandal chiefly connected to the CDU (which also resulted in record indebtment). The SPD goes into early elections with a barely known grey candidate who is more or less in Schröder's Third Wayist direction.

Then when the candidate held his first big campaign speech before party delegates, he finished with the abrupt coming-out: "...and by the way: I am gay." Then, seeing the puzzled faces, he famously added: "...und das ist auch gut so." (c. = and that's fine that way, too). This became an instant catchphrase used to this day, and helped nicely to establish him in public consciousness. (It was allegedly a clever move to come before a newspaper leak.)

Klaus "Wowi" Wowereit, that's his name, then became Berlin's major, and proved himself to be not only popular but an expert tactician. He first got the Left Party (which is big in Berlin) to support his government from the outside, then next elections he coalitioned with them - and got them to support a not-at-all hard-leftist austerity programme. Basically: all the voter loss risk in the government was the Left Party's (even Left Party star Gregor Gysi saw it wiser to flee into federal politics). Thus, funnily, whenever the SPD was ritually tearing itself apart over the issue of relations with the Left Party, Wowereit was always the unlikely foremost advocate of stronger ties.

This cunning power pragmatist also excelled in stoking the fire of the Obama speech debate, by repeatedly declaring that he is favorable. He is in a golden position, as the location of the speech is ultimately the decision of his government.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Fri Jul 18th, 2008 at 02:29:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 3: Wowi (4.00 / 3)

It was allegedly a clever move to come before a newspaper leak.

Ack that was horrible. In proper English:

It was allegedly a clever move to pre-empt a newspaper disclosure.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Fri Jul 18th, 2008 at 02:41:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 3: Wowi (none / 0)

It was allegedly a clever move to pre-empt a newspaper disclosure.

Maybe...
But was it really needed?
I don´t see that it hurt Westerwelle (leader of the liberal FDP party) and von Beust (conservative CDU mayor of Hamburg).
In my opinion it looked more like political advertising.

by Detlef (Detlef1961_at_yahoo_dot_de) on Tue Jul 22nd, 2008 at 11:12:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 3: Wowi (none / 0)

Well, but the revelations about both Westerwelle and von Beust came after Wowi's self-outing, and I do think that the presence and acceptance of the first openly gay major politician 'prepared the ground' for the public reaction on the latter two.

But, was it political advertising? Definitely. Pre-empting the disclosure while turning it into one's advantage - hence, clever. Then again, I think it wouldn't have had the effect without "Das ist auch gut so", which seemed spontaneous.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Tue Jul 22nd, 2008 at 04:54:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 3: Wowi (none / 1)

Already read you comments farther down.

So in short, as a German I was puzzled by his "Das ist auch gut so" remark.

What do I care about his private life? His sexual orientation is neither an advantage or disadvantage.
Either he is competent or not.

Trying to market his sexual orientation as a political advantage did insult me a bit. Why in the world would his being gay make him a superior mayor of Berlin?
"Das ist auch gut so"
Being a former POW doesn´t make McCain the best Presidential candidate. Likewise being gay - on its own - didn´t make Wowereit the best candidate for mayor in Berlin.

by Detlef (Detlef1961_at_yahoo_dot_de) on Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 at 04:59:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 3: Wowi (none / 1)

What do I care about his private life?

You don't, I don't - but conservatives do, media does, the Church does. See the Berliner Morgenpost article I linked downthread -- he was pursued by the media before, and attacked by a bishop and receiving hate mail afterwards (not to mention the East German local politician who spoke about the Nazi death camps). That you are now in the position to not care about von Beust's and Westerwelle's private life (as in: it won't influence their political fortunes) is a result of how Wowereit's coming-out was taken.

Why in the world would his being gay make him a superior mayor of Berlin?

I agree (with the minor difference that I see the marketing kicking off only after they saw the majority positive reaction).

My position may not be clear to you from my top-level comment, so a little more explicit. I would site myself on the hard-left, in German politics somewhere between the Fundi Greens and the Left Party, so "in Schröder's Third Wayist direction" is not exactly an endorsement from me. Media politics and celebrity politics is another thing shared with Schröder (who for example made use of public appearances of his fourth wife in First-Lady style). As for his real political achievements, again, a "not-at-all hard-leftist austerity programme" and making the Left Party bear all the risk for the latter aren't exactly endorsements from my quarter.

That said, I'm still conflicted. There's that I see more significance to Wowi's coming-out than you do, and I believe he has the potential for a better chancellor than Schröder, who, despite his record, might be more progressive (because of being less beholden to some old allegiances than his North/Western German counterparts).

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Jul 24th, 2008 at 03:34:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 3: Wowi (none / 0)

FDP and CDU isn't in the SpringerPresse crosshair.

I don't know how much BildZeitung has civilised since they got Rudi Dutschke killed, but if I had to bet money I'd say "not much."

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 at 12:03:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 3: Wowi (none / 0)

I checked the backstory again, and found a good long article in the Berliner Morgenpost.

The outing by the media actually preceded the self-outing, and came from an entirely different direction: it was a stupid (and later excused) indiscretion of the leader of the Berlin SPD's gay-lesbian wing towards gay-lesbian media, from which the Frankfurter Rundschau picked up the news and printed it one Saturday. However, that same article also claimed that the SPD suspected the CDU plans a negative campaign over Wowi's homosexuality.

Now the fun thing is that while the Springer media are the same jackals as in Dutschke's time (more recently, they used the beat-up in the Munich subway for some anti-Turkish-immigrants sedition), they made money out of Wowereit's coming-out by being sympathetic.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 at 01:41:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 3: Wowi (none / 1)

Just to mention it, attacking a politician on his or her private life isn´t that common or popular in Germany.

You´ve got Brandt, Schroeder, Fischer or Wulff as examples. Trying to use the private life of a politician against him always involves the risk of a back-lash.
That´s why most media won´t use that knowledge.

What do I care about their private life?
Are they competent or not?

Also, consider the case of Ole von Beust. Conservative CDU politician. As far as I can make it out, his father outed him unintentionally in an interview. Just like Wowereit according to your search. :)
And his popularity soared after he fired Schill allegedly trying to blackmail him.

And to say the truth if I didn´t follow the news seriously I doubt that I would know that von Beust or Westerwelle are gay. It´s just not a page 1 story.
Different to Wowereit, I admit. But only because of his "Und das is gut so" comment.

by Detlef (Detlef1961_at_yahoo_dot_de) on Wed Jul 23rd, 2008 at 05:29:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 3: Wowi (none / 1)

I checked, the order of events was the opposite. First von Beust announced Schill's attempted blackmail, denying corruption (e.g. Schill's claim that he gave a job to his alleged partner in life just like Schill did) but not confirming or denying his relationship (which I consider an even more clever publicity move than Wowereit's); the unapproved outing by the father (in this Die Welt article) came two weeks later - and all of this was two years after Wowereit's self-outing.

Now, speaking of the CDU and gays, von Beust is one example, Anette Schavan another - there is a reason she felt the need to deny the rumours (her voters); and despite all the denials from his camp, the lesbian rumours may well have tipped the balance towards Oettinger in 2004.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Jul 24th, 2008 at 04:30:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 3: Wowi (none / 0)

There are two different situations. One is the election level. I don't think traditional conservatives would vote for a left candidate, because the conservative candidate is gay or lesbian. Indeed I think it is an advantage for any candidate to be homosexual, except the candidate is from 'Die Linke'. It is like moving left without really moving left on any issues. Merkel had as well an advantage because she was a woman in 2005 in the general election, because feminists have voted for her without agreeing with her on issues.

The other is an inner party decision. There a heterosexual candidate has clearly an advantage in conservative circles against a homosexual one. This was the case for Schavan.

Der Amerikaner ist die Orchidee unter den Menschen
Volker Pispers

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Thu Jul 24th, 2008 at 01:03:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 3: Wowi (none / 1)

On the election level, not voting is a possibility (and protest vote for an also-ran party too).

Schavan's case is more complicated and mean in that she denied being homosexual, it was only rumours spread by some circles.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Jul 24th, 2008 at 02:41:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bits from an unwritten diary 3: Wowi (none / 0)

I know it were just rumours. But if the rumours do damage, an outing of a candidate in the same situation would have been as well damaging.

Der Amerikaner ist die Orchidee unter den Menschen
Volker Pispers

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Thu Jul 24th, 2008 at 05:15:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Obama in Berlin | 47 comments (47 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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