Thursday, June 14, 2007

Schröder actually call girl

Recent disparaging remarks about former chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s dealings with Vladimir Putin and Gazprom made by US Democratic Congressman Tom Lantos have deeply offended German Social Democrats everywhere.



After leaving office as chancellor, Schröder immediately became chairman of the North European Gas Pipeline, a 51-percent Gazprom-owned company, a move which provoked outrage with literally dozens of Germans across the nation for nearly thirty-six hours on end. Being more of an honorary post with a mere symbolic salary of $300,000 a year, Schröder, referred to by many here (in my neighborhood, at least) as The Teflon Chancellor (Bismarck was the iron one) has yet to understand why anyone anywhere at anytime could ever have anything bad to say about his actions.

So imagine the surprise and the outrage here when Lantos actually said what so many other non-Germans have been thinking all along and charged that Schröder's close business ties to Russia's energy sector amounted to "political prostitution". He said he would like to call Schröder "a political prostitute, now that he's taking big checks from Putin. But the sex workers in my district objected."

“Political prostitute is an ugly and highly-inaccurate term,” said one of Schröder’s countless outraged supporters in Berlin, gasping for breath and foaming profusely about the lower mouth area. “Especially when, uh, you’re talking about all the incredible moves this guy can make and the giant sums of money involved here. We think political call girl is a much more appropriate designation in this case.”

Lass mich dich verwöhnen, Kleiner.

Kommentare auf Deutsch? Her damit!

Posted by clarsonimus at 07:28:48 | Permanent Link | Comments (6) |
Comments
1 - schroeder's actions are inexcusable and merely add to public cynicism and voter apathy. after all, he failed to wait 12 months before cashing in on his government-polished connections. Isn't that the time period US senators have to tough it out before they, too, get to stick their snouts in the trough? (Comment this)

Written by: letters at 2007/06/14 - 14:38:57
2 - I always liked Schröder - a model politician for this republic. Strong leadership qualities, getting all who think differently in his party in line. Using tricks and perfidy in foreign politics. Deceiving his electorate successfully. And presenting himself as the godfather of Deutschland AG.

Just the guy who stops listening to old tirades against our country and stands up for our rights in the world community. Disrespectful and courageous.

We need more like him to get things straight in Europe - Steinmeier for chancellor! :) (Comment this)

Written by: Zyme at 2007/06/14 - 14:58:40
3 - letters, good point. The difference in Germany is that nobody cares (teflon, get it? Like Reagan, just slides right off him) because Schröder is the enlightened European. Corrupt politicians are everywhere, of course, but I like to think that they get held accountable (if caught) in backwoods countries like the USA. And let's be honest here, if an American politician where to be caught doing this, the Germans would go absolutely ape and you couldn't get the story out of the news if you tried. (Comment this)

Written by: clarsonimus at 2007/06/14 - 15:00:39 in reply to: 1
4 - Zyme, I don't think he was necessarily disrespectable, as you say. I don't think he respects anything to begin with (other than votes), so how could he be? That Germany thankfully grasps at the first opportunity it finds to step out "from under us" (as in the US), so-to-speak, is perfectly understandable, although I'd need to ask a psychologist exactly why that is. That it was strictly Wahltatkisch (election tactics) and, I think, for the wrong reason, and that they still aren’t willing to admit that he used them like that, that’s less understandable. Let’s face it, Gerhard Schröder could rob a bank in broad daylight or rape somebody’s turtle or shoot the Pope and nobody would care here. He’s the guy that said no to the Amis and that’s all that matters. (Comment this)

Written by: clarsonimus at 2007/06/14 - 15:13:37 in reply to: 2
5 - Regaining sovereignty, courage, control and influence is simply something that is honored by the german people as much as it is in any other.
It was about time to realign our position in international politics, as the old alignment didn´t serve the interests anymore which emerged after re-unification. (Comment this)

Written by: Zyme at 2007/06/14 - 15:41:41
6 - clarsonimus, now you're heading down that well-skidded slippery slope employed at David's medienkritik, where what-if what-if rules the day. but that axe i've ground before here, no use carrying on. (Comment this)

Written by: letters at 2007/06/15 - 09:26:40
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