This Will Never See the Light of Day in the German Media

(By Ray D.)

AP Poll: Americans Hopeful on 2nd Bush Term

According to a recent Associated Press poll: 60% of Americans are hopeful about a second Bush term, while 39% said they were not hopeful. Most describe themselves as neither angry nor excited about his final four years in office, which seems to contradict the "divided nation" assumption claiming that Americans either deeply love or deeply hate the US President. Almost two-thirds of Americans described President Bush as likable, strong and intelligent. A majority said he is dependable and honest and that they are "not worried" about the next four years.

Not surprisingly, this positive news on Bush has been almost entirely ignored by the German media. In effect, there is a de facto ban on positive news about George W. Bush in the German media. The major headlines of late have all been about the negative results of the poll. For example, it has been widely reported that Iraq will cast a long shadow over Bush's second term. The relentless stream of negative reporting about the United States and Bush continues unabated with no end in sight.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Critics Say Bush Should Cancel Inauguration

SPIEGEL ONLINE is already frothing at the mouth for a second Bush term. The latest gimmick is to call for the cancellation of the President's inauguration. The most recent installation in the SPON diatribe is an article entitled "Bush-Fest with Pomp and Weapons" which begins with the following:

"The most comprehensive security program of all times is supposed to protect the self-proclaimed "War President" Bush, when he is inaugurated for a second time on Thursday. The celebrations cost 40 million dollars. Critics say the money would be better spent on the troops in Iraq or the tsunami victims." (emphasis SPON's) 

The story, written by SPON "Amerika Korrespondent and Ober Amerika Experte" Volker ter Haseborg, continues with the compelling and heartbreaking story of one Mike Yohannes. According to the article, Mr. Yohannes is yet another victim of the Bush administration's arrogance and overreach. His entire life has been thrown into turmoil by the President's insensitivity: He will have to move his hotdog stand two blocks to make way for the parade of gun-toting neocons and "militant Christians" marching down Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration day. What a tragedy! What a brilliant triumph of journalism to expose this profound injustice! Chapeau Mr. Haseborg!

Bush Supporters Branded "Militant Christians"

And what article on the inauguration would be complete without mentioning the planned anti-Bush protests. Haseborg writes:

"And also in the sights of the security services: Demonstrators who, on the occasion of the inauguration, want to display their dislike of the US President. The members of the anti-Bush group "Turn your back on Bush" want to find their way to the route and turn their backs to Bush when he passes. Environmental activists from the organization "Critical mass" are planning a bicycle tour through the city to draw attention to the deficient environmental policy of the Bush government. However, pro-Bush demonstrators are also expected in Washington: The "Cristian Defense Coalition," a militant Christian group, wants to support their President and counter the Bush opponents." (Cristian is SPON's spelling, not ours)

This reference serves two purposes: The first is to further brand Bush as an extreme religious zealot. The second is to brand all Bush supporters and pro-Bush demonstrators as "militant Christians." The strange reference to "Weapons" in the article's title is also a part of the branding process. After all, in SPON's world, if a Bush supporter isn't a "militant Christian" then he has got to be a neocon gun nut.

And so we come full circle. The German media is desperately afraid of accurately presenting Bush and the majority of his supporters as mainstream, everyday, middle-of-the-road Americans. That is exactly why they are avoiding the positive poll numbers mentioned at the beginning of this article like the plague. If publications like SPON actually acknowledged reality and reported on the results of the recent AP poll, it would shatter their ability to further stereotype Bush as an extremist, stupid cowboy, religious fanatic, war-monger, arrogant unilateralist, environment destroying, socially unjust panderer to the rich. That is why they scratched their collective heads in disbelief after the election and published articles entitled "How Could That Happen?"

They just don't get it: The majority of ordinary Americans, including millions of Democrats, Independents, women and minorities voted for President Bush. And make no mistake: SPIEGEL ONLINE doesn't want to get it because Bush-bashing and anti-Americanism are far too lucrative in Germany. To quote a SPON writer, the magazine is using anti-American bias "to please our million readers."

Never mind the truth.

Comments

[Tom Penn]

This is just disgusting.

[C. Lapide]

German media suffer greatly from inaccuracies in language and expression. They tend to mix facts and opinion on a regular base. Most of the time it's very well hidden and not as obvious as in the quoted article. The environmentalists plan "to draw attention to the deficient environmental policy of the Bush government." A good, unbiased journalist, who focussed on facts, would have written "to draw the attention to the environmental policy which they consider deficient."

[Karin Quade]

Hi Ray,

I am afraid you are right. The only thing I heard on German TV (must have been ZDF or ARD) about that poll was that President Bush meets least approval of all second-term U.S. Presidents ("die geringste Zustimmung von allen U.S. Präsidenten, die eine zweite Amtszeit angetreten haben"). Nothing else, and definitely no positive news.

[Gabi]

Deutsche Journalisten sind alle Möchtegern-Hershes. Immer auf der Suche, aus Mist eine Sensation zu machen und reich und berühmt zu werden. Starreporter eben, wie der Tagesspiegel heute Hersh beschreibt. Sie träumen alle davon, Starreporter zu werden. Dafür geben sie sogar die Wahrheit her.

[Joe N.]

"Pomp and weapons"?!? WTF!
Isn't it the European mind that invented and is so much in love of parades involving missiles and robotic marching instead of Shriners and Majorettes?

Their turn of phrase is revealing and quite accurate: Bush "Branded"... In their myopia and emotional wallowing around in this hatred that appears to be the European press' only story these days.
They need to look within - better still: heal the thumbsucking, envious, bitter creature within....

[beimami]

Kudos. This is probably the most intelligent and subtle dissection of bias in a SPON article that I have seen here. You guys just keep getting better. Nothing to add.

[Wuldorblogger]

And, regardless of what one thinks about the bible belt: Isn't it a little bit over the top to use the same adjective to describe Christian conservatives as is used for those who chop off heads and intentionally kill civilians in suicide bomb attacks? The latter are "militants" in media-speak. But Bush's evangelical supporters are also "militant". I see a little difference between those two groups, though.

[Joe]

I felt this comment was just too good not share. I know it is off topic but… Should SPON run out of things to report this would surely appeal not only to their editors but to their readers.

"Everyone knows it was the US that was responsible for the exinction of the dinosaurs. They could have stopped the asteroid but didn't. Have they denied it? No. Have they shown any proof of their innocence? No. Why? Because IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE OIL!….Jary.

[Karin Quade]

"Isn't it a little bit over the top to use the same adjective to describe Christian conservatives as is used for those who chop off heads and intentionally kill civilians in suicide bomb attacks?"

It is sad, but true. American Christians are regularly called fundamentalists in the German media. Just as if there was no difference. This must be due to a complete loss of any sense of reality.

[George M.]

"The most comprehensive security program of all times is supposed to protect the self-proclaimed "War President" Bush, when he is inaugurated for a second time on Thursday. The celebrations cost 40 million dollars. Critics say the money would be better spent on the troops in Iraq or the tsunami victims." (emphasis SPON's)

Wooooaaaaaaah. How much did the EU drop on security for the Olympics? The answer is 11 Billion Euros!

How much is Germany planning on spending for security for the so called "World Cup" of Soccer. The answer is 3 Billion Euros.

The 40 Million for the Bush inauguration was donnated mostly by private sources.

The 3 Billion Euros for World Cup Security will be stripped from the paychecks of honest Germans.

Which is money better spent? $40 million for "War President Bush" or 3 Billion Euros for hosting a championship of a game that is dominated by U.S. women!

Germany can save the 3 Billion Euros and better use these funds for check book diplomacy when the next 9 tsunamies hit!

[Chomskybot]

Na ja, was diese Christenmenschen da so alles an Schulen rumerzählen ist eher zum Schieflachen:

http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/mensch/0,1518,336375,00.html

Der Bericht des Abgeordneten Henry Waxman sagt folgendes:
"This report finds that over two-thirds of abstinence-only education programs funded by the largest federal abstinence initiative are using curricula with multiple scientific and medical inaccuracies. These curricula contain misinformation about condoms, abortion, and basic scientific facts. They also blur religion and science and present gender stereotypes as fact."

Jemanden, der für seine kruden Moralvorstellungen so sehr die Fakten und den gesunden Menschenverstand verbiegt und sie auch auch noch im Erziehungswesen durchzusetzen versucht, würde ich schon als "Fundamentalist" bezeichnen.

[Joe]

Gee.......are we childish... Figures given your other posts Coward... you really do not have much to offer and even less to share. Are you a product of the german education system?

[Joe]

I have always considered it to be you.......am I wrong in that assessment?

[Ray D.]

@ anonymous:

I would say that both parties, the Republicans as well as the Democrats have their "extreme" members. The point is that the vast majority of Bush supporters are mainstream, middle-of-the-road and are not religious fanatics or gun nuts. As I said in my article, many Democrats, Independents, women and minorities voted Bush. Just look at the statistics from the AP poll.

So do anonymous and Chomskybot think that 60% of the American people are "militant Christians" because they are hopeful about a second Bush term? Are the nearly two-thirds of Americans who consider Mr. Bush to be likable, strong and intelligent all hard-core right-wing wackos? If that is what you want to believe, don't expect any of us to take you seriously or start drinking the Kool-Aid along with you.

Anyone who makes those sorts of claims and fails to present a comprehensive, fair and balanced view of the US will be called exactly by name on this site: Biased, partisan hacks.

---Ray D.

[Ray D.]

"I think people attack me because they are fearful that I will then say that you're not equally as patriotic if you're not a religious person," Mr. Bush said. "I've never said that. I've never acted like that. I think that's just the way it is."

george dubya bush ,interview with the washington times

I've seen quotes (and we have quotes on this site) where he says the exact opposite. That is probably a typo or misquote. Just look at this interview of Bush by Brit Hume where he said the following:

HUME: How do you hold the situation in Iraq in juxtaposition to your faith?

BUSH: Well, I -- first of all, I would never justify -- I would never use God to promote foreign policy decisions.

Hardly reflective of the image the German media paints of Bush as a man who makes his every policy decision based on his faith. Yes, Bush is a man of deep faith. But what President was NOT a man of faith?

---Ray D.

[Wuldorblogger]

I wonder how anyone can still poke fun at the "stupid Americans" for their alleged lack of knowledge of history or geography when Berlin's (!) mayor doesn't even know when World War II began and ended, and when foreign minister Fischer doesn't know the capital of a fellow EU member (Malta). Funny that nobody seems to make a big deal out of such "Woweiterisms" or "Fischerism", whereas it is a year-long matter of derision and proof of his "stupidity" when President Bush mixes up Slovakia and Slovenia.

[Sandy P]

--that doesn´t change the fact that german foreign policie is no danger to anyone,--

except the Germans.

[Ray D.]

Anonymous writes:

no my silly friend , after all , they are just what they are - americans , stupid , arrogant , and 90% of them can´t find iraq on the map

This is the true face of the Angry Left in Europe. These are the sort of people SPON is catering too. Anonymous just happens to be a little more open about his/her feelings than others like him/her.

As to anonymous' claim that the German media never reports on Bush's faith, well, how do you explain the story above or this SPIEGEL cover? And that is just the tip of a very large iceberg.

[George M]

Remember, wacko Euro-leftist, that Hilary Clinton spoke during a seance to Eleanor Roosevelt (The wife of the guy who Hitler declared war on, for you that are PISA challegened) in the White House on several occasions. There was no declaration from the left that Mrs. Clinton lost her marbles.

[jane m]

If Americans are so stupid, arrogant and can't find Iraq on the map, how come we are so powerful and scarey to the poor little frightened
Euros? You have several really stupid misconceptions about the American people, my intelligent and humble Euro friend. Americans who vote know where Iraq is and most of the school children as well.

Yes, we have been stupid sometimes. Next time a bogeyman raises his head in Europe somewhere, don't expect the stupid Americans to come to your rescue again. We won't be saving the Euros again, ever. We're not that stupid. We're bringing our military home from Germany and soon. You deal with Islam and terrorists as best you can and we'll do the same. Germans are not only stupid about America, they are gullible too and believe whatever their left-wing government fed press tell them about things they are obviously too brainwashed to understand for themselves.

[Gabi]

Sehr guter Artikel in der FR:

URL: http://www.fr-aktuell.de/ressorts/nachrichten_und_politik/dokumentation/?cnt=617921

Nationale Interessen definieren
Für eine strategische Orientierung und bessere Verzahnung der Entwicklungs- und Sicherheitspolitik / Von Christian Ruck und Christian Schmidt

[Gabi]

Und auch das ist lesenswert:

URL: http://www.fr-aktuell.de/ressorts/kultur_und_medien/feuilleton/?cnt=618963

Die elegante Revolution
Wie Russland auf den Machtwechsel in der Ukraine reagiert
VON ANNA SCHOR-TSCHUDNOWSKAJA

[Gabi]

Auch der Spiegel bringt diesen lächerlichen Satz, den schon der Tagesspiegel gestern hatte:

"Bush habe die Vorbereitung für neue Kriege angeordnet, berichtete der US-Starreporter Seymour Hersh in der gestern erschienenen Ausgabe der angesehenen Zeitschrift."

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,337226,00.html

Jetzt bastelt man weiter am Bild des kriegswütigen US-Präsidenten. Was sollen diese öffentlichen Diskussionen? Ich halte das für sehr gefährlich.
Gerade wenn man den obigen Artikel von Ruck und Schmidt in der FR über die Gefahr von Massenvernichtungswaffen und die Versäumnisse in der derzeitigen Politk, kann einem Angst und bange werden, wohin die Medien uns treiben.

Hersh hat mein Vertrauen nicht. Der verkauft seine Seele für eine Story.

[Markus]

Kann sich noch jemand an den "Erstwähler-Check" erinnern, den Stefan Raab 2002 gemacht hat. Da gab es einen jungen Abiturienten namens Lukas, der keinen einzigen ehemaligen Bundeskanzler kannte und Berlin irgendwo im tiefsten Frankreich vermutete. Ok, es war eine Comedy-Show (und ich fand's ehrlich gesagt sau komisch), aber es war nichts gestellt.
Angeblich findet jeder siebte Amerikaner sein Land nicht auf dem Globus, jede Wette, dass es in Deutschland genauso ist.