Posted on 07/12/2006 12:38:29 PM PDT by Michael81Dus
ROSTOCK, Germany - The huge headline in Wednesday's edition of the German national newspaper Bild blared the question that inquiring minds in Germany wanted to know: "What Does Bush Find So Fascinating About His Girlfriend Angela?"
President Bush, who arrived Wednesday evening in this Baltic Sea coastal region of what once was communist East Germany, has formed a fast friendship with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that has made them the new odd couple of international politics.
He's the architect of the pre-emptive-strike war on Iraq and defender of the U.S.-operated prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She leads West Europe's biggest nation, one that staunchly opposes the war, and she emphatically wants the Guantanamo prison closed.
But those big differences don't seem to be a problem between the two leaders personally.
"There's a personal chemistry that works for them," said Helga Welsh, an associate political science professor at North Carolina State University who specializes in U.S.-Europe relations. "Merkel can bring up unpopular topics like Guantanamo Bay and not get mad."
While other European leaders, such as British Prime Minister Tony Blair and French President Jacques Chirac, are in the twilight of their political careers, Merkel is on the rise. She has forged a leading role in Europe's efforts to prevent Iran from resuming its nuclear program. Next year, she will head the G-8 - composed of leaders of eight major industrialized democracies - while holding the rotating European Union presidency for six months.
Merkel has been in office only eight months, but she's becoming the White House's go-to ally in Europe, experts in transatlantic relations say. She's already made the frosty relationship that Bush had with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder a distant memory.
"Tony Blair's position is waning by the day, by the hour," said Jackson Janes, the executive director of the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies in Washington. "Who can Bush look to for help in his remaining time in office? There's nobody in a better position than Angela Merkel."
Merkel is looking to deepen her friendship with Bush by showing him around her native province with the German version of the down-home hospitality that he extends to foreign leaders when they visit his ranch in Crawford, Texas.
"The president sees this visit as a gesture on her part to get into something he's interested in: her biography," Janes said.
Merkel is Germany's first female chancellor and the first East German to lead the country since the 1989 collapse of the Berlin Wall led to the reunification of East and West Germany.
She was born in Hamburg in 1954. Her family moved to a town about 50 miles north of Berlin in the communist German Democratic Republic when her father, a Lutheran minister, got a church there.
As a child, Merkel yearned for life on the other side of the Berlin Wall. She would hide in the school lavatory and listen on the radio to political speeches by West German leaders.
Since her election, Bush has held up Merkel as Exhibit A for why he's made advancing democracy and spreading liberty around the world a top priority for his administration.
"I find the chancellor to be a fascinating person who brings a unique perspective," Bush said during a White House news conference with Merkel in May. "A lot of us who grew up in the West take our liberties for granted. . . ."
Merkel is determined to give Bush, usually a reluctant tourist, the full flavor of East German culture. The president will receive a ceremonial barrel of herring after Merkel introduces him Thursday morning at the Old Market Square in Stralsund, the area's largest city and a shipbuilding center since medieval times.
After a working lunch, the two leaders will hold a news conference, then head to St. Nicholas church, a local landmark. That night, the president and first lady Laura Bush will feast on wild boar, venison and duck with Merkel in a restaurant in Trinwillershagen, a rural town of 1,380 that served as a model agricultural cooperative during communist rule.
Bush will visit some of Merkel's constituents while dining on local barbeque at the restaurant. He'll depart Friday for St. Petersburg, Russia, where he'll spend the day with President Vladimir Putin before the weekend G-8 summit begins.
WELCOME TO GERMANY, MR. PRESIDENT!
I´m surprised that they brought Marine One to Germany...
With the mideast about go up in flames any minute now, I suspect his stay will be rather short.
Why so? Israel is doing right, and any Arab country risking a war with Israel risks a war with the US - and most NATO members, I assume. The President and the Chancellor are strengthening the transatlantic partnership, he has a friend in continental Europe, now. They´ll have a good day tomorrow before he´ll head for the G-8 on Friday. Of course, the growing instability in Mideast will be a topic. I´m confident that Bush and Merkel show unity on this issue. There´s no question about Israel´s right to self-defense, even if a UN secretary general disagrees...
Thanks for the post Michael. I am astonished that you have been able to develop your own conservative worldview in the presence of such a left-wing, anti-American european media.
Hope you will visit our country someday....if you have not yet done so. I think you would be shocked to find out how much different America is than the way America is portrayed by the socialist crybabies and other European grievance hustlers.
Best Regards,
PresidentFelon
ps - you are welcome stay at my house if you should choose to visit the USA. I would enjoy the history lesson you could offer.
"Ich bin nicht ein herring-esser, verdammit."
I believe it is good for our president to give Ms Merkel special attention, since she does not sound to be a hard-left person and growing up in East Germany would help her appreciate the freedom we enjoy in the West
He will be able to set her straight on some things, since Europeans are so ill-informed about what makes US Conservatives tick.
I know I grew up in Europe. (Imagine if you would only get your news from CBS and similar media).
fortress
Guess what she becomes when boarding an airplane?
Hint: this is an obscure motor-vehicle joke.
Many thanks. I have been to the US twice and consider it to be my 2nd-most beloved country - right behind my home country of course. Americans are a friendly, self-conscious, hospitable people. Of course I´m all for intensifying the cultural exchange between both sides of the pond, after all, if not the two of us, who else are natural allies?
We surely still have many conservatives, although there are differences on social policy. I think there´s not much that divides conservatives of all countries in foreign affairs - following their own interests is quite normal. But Europe is traditionally more unfree than the US, puts more weight on solidarity within the society. I don´t think that it´s all bad, but that we could use less government and less taxes. The people know at best what to do with their money.
She isn´t left-wing, she´s advocating more freedom. If it weren´t for the Socialists she has in her government (bad outcome of the last election), her domestic politics would be better. But at least she has improved Germany´s foreign policy and ended the awful love affair with the former democracy Russia and the present communist China.
All I know is that my great great grandfather Carl Johann Jacob Heiden was baptized in Stralsund in 1833.
I always thought it was Pommern, not Prussia.
But you are probably right
That is good to hear. Thanks for the insights you are offering.
Keep us posted on the situation in Germany
fortress
Saw them describing this as I was flipping channels this morning on tv. It seems that even the commentator couldn't resist a bush jab, she started off the segment saying something like "Eventhough Bush grew up in a wealthy family and was a frat boy...." Will try to take some nausea medicine and attempt to watch CNN again to see if the same segment airs to get the full quote.
We really appreciate your insights.
My husband's ancestors were from there also.
Also, Splietsdorf, Mannhagen, Greifswald, Kreis Grimmen,
Small world
Michael81 gives good info., as long as the Brigadiers don't swarm the thread. Then Michael ends up in a big food fight, through no fault of his own.
Interesting isn't it?
Most of those towns were Hanse towns, a collection of trade centers all along the German and Dutch coast.
BTW, I found a site showing the history of that area.
http://members.tripod.com/~radde/HistoryPomerania.html
Enjoy.
fortress
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