United States: Americans celebrate crisis manager Angela Merkel

ANDUltimately, he found out who the foreseeable Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden might be as Vice President of the United States, New York Times columnist Bret Stephens wrote Tuesday: “Trust me, she’s perfect.” Its candidate heads one of the largest states, they have won four consecutive elections, and his leadership during the coronavirus crisis is widely recognized as outstanding.

Columnist Stephens praises her favorite political temperament and attraction, and she knows something about science. If something happened to a possible President Biden, “she would be ready the first day,” she could replace him as president. The only downside is that you have to change the American Constitution for this person: “Otherwise Angela Merkel is my choice.”

When the “New York Times” fantasizes about Angela Merkel as president of the White House, she does so with a wink and irony. But sympathy for Merkel doesn’t come from anywhere these days. In the Corona crisis, Americans see the German chancellor as an experienced, trustworthy, and rational head of government, and therefore an opposite of Donald Trump. Some media celebrate Merkel. It was in the fall of his political activity that “Merkelmania” prevailed in the United States.

Sure, Angela Merkel has long been a heroine to liberal left America. But when she resigned from the CDU presidency, even supporters regarded the chancellor as a “lame duck” and hoped to leave the chancery at any time. Some Americans even thought that Merkel had already resigned (she often gets weird). But now, in the midst of a global crisis, nothing seems more to Americans than Merkel’s farewell to the political scene.

Merkel’s “characteristic rationality”

“Angela Merkel’s scientific background could save Germany” was the title of a long text in “The Atlantic” magazine to read. Author Saskia Miller is enthusiastic about Merkel’s “characteristic rationality,” her “analytical, non-emotional and careful management style.” Merkel enjoyed “hard earned” confidence in Germany. In times of pandemic, “stable and sensible leadership is back in fashion.” Miller’s conclusion: As a scientist and with 30 years of political experience, “Merkel is in top shape.”

Who is talking about the chancellor, who had to sit in military honors as a result of her tremors? This news has been widely reported in the United States. In the United States, the health of your presidents and top politicians is always a big problem. But there is nothing to read about Merkel’s health problems anymore.

Perhaps also because Merkel, 65, is significantly younger than many of the top American politicians? President Trump will be 74 years old in a few weeks, and his likely challenger Biden is 78 years old, and would be the oldest president of all time. Biden prevailed against several competitors of his generation in the Democrats. House Representative Nancy Pelosi recently celebrated her 80th birthday. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is 78 years old.

CNN recently discussed what “Donald Trump can learn from Angela Merkel on how to deal with the crown virus.” The United States could target Germany because it is also a federal state, CNN argues. Federalism is not there to get rid of responsibility, according to Merkel. The situation is very different in the United States: there is much room for improvement in the relationship between Washington and the 50 states. Mutual blame is part of everyday business in the biggest crisis in decades.

Envious of the German response

Merkel, who is rare, sober, and brittle in public, is now seen in the United States as a beneficial counterexample for Trump. The President turned his daily “briefings” on the Corona crisis into multi-topic campaign rallies. Here he presents half-truths, attacks on the political opponent, including mocking nicknames, and faces reporters whom he asks to thank. Trump is talking about the wall to Mexico, his approval ratings, and his response on Facebook. You rarely hear those things from Merkel.

CNN, a diagnosed “fake news” station for Trump, Merkel and her words had helped bring Germany together behind the government’s decisions. The station quotes Green Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg Winfried Kretschmann: In the United States, some governors take matters into their own hands because “someone on top” has denied the dangers that Corona represents, Kretschmann says. Something like this would be “out of the question” in Germany. It is too early for a final evaluation, according to CNN judges, “but Germany’s response is envied worldwide.”

The New York Times wrote about Merkel’s appearance after federal and state government decisions last week that, in her deal with prime ministers, Merkel would again make Germany the “de facto leading nation on the continent” . The country would become “a kind of model for western nations.” Merkel’s approach is in stark contrast to the violent political divisions in the United States, between the federal and state governments, and Trump’s “erratic predictions” about the virus.

Merkel’s praises recall how the Chancellor received at Harvard Elite University almost a year ago and received an honorary doctorate. However, one difference was that Merkel was honored, among other things, by the marriage of all, against whom she had voted, and the minimum wage that the SPD had imposed on her. Merkel’s various weaknesses, her unwillingness to explain politics, to face debate – all of this is being overlooked in the United States.

New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, who ironically fantasized about her as vice president of the United States, wrote that he had viewed Angela Merkel’s refugee policy with a critical eye. But Merkel is now the leader at the right time, as evidenced by her approval rates.

Incidentally, Donald Trump recently refrained from attacking Germany and did not complain about unfair trade or insufficient defense spending. That doesn’t have to mean anything and it will change again. Presumably President Merkel’s regular career has been heard, which is full of polls.

On Monday, during his “briefing”, he was asked that some stores in Germany are now likely to reopen. “I spoke to Angela,” Trump said twice in a row. Yes, Germany is also starting the gradual opening process, Trump said, “and I am very happy about that.”