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On the German election roller coaster
By CNN Frankfurt Bureau Chief Chris Burns
BERLIN, Germany (CNN) -- Gerhard Schroeder rides the Elbe River flood crest to rescue the former East -- and himself. Edmund Stoiber morphs from a so-called Bavarian pit bull to a kinder, gentler Prussian technocrat. And Joschka Fischer's fans try to save their party from becoming mere Green undergrowth. For political junkies, readers, viewers and myself, this election has been a fascinating and often amusing roller coaster, all in the context of very serious business -– how to fix a sick economy as millions go without jobs. In what increasingly looks like an American-style campaign, the high-powered advertising agencies have fashioned and tailored the candidates' look. Handlers are reportedly advising them on buzzwords, such as Stoiber's use of the phrase "master of disaster" for Labour Minister Walter Riester.
Schroeder won four years ago as the first real TV chancellor. He has met a formidable match -– a tanned and trim Bavarian backed by the second-biggest ad agency in the world. The television ads on both sides are quite sophisticated. The chancellor's ads focus on Schroeder as the man in charge with a quiet, steady hand. Never mind who's running locally for the Bundestag -- most posters suggest a vote for the SPD is a vote for Schroeder. Ditto for Joschka Fischer, his personal appeal sounding like a confessional in the movie "sex, lies and videotape" as he reaches out to the old guard Greens as well as the young and hip. On the other hand, Stoiber's TV ads show little of him, focussing instead on issues and ambience. On the posters as well, his likeness is used sparingly. In Frankfurt, for instance, the local Bundestag candidate for Stoiber's party is far more prominent in the ad campaign. But where are the issues in the ad blitz? Again, this is very much an American-style campaign. Push the personality, attitude and ambience. Don't clutter up a few seconds of public attention with too many facts. To be fair, the candidates hit hard at each other in their speeches. And each party has a specific platform of positions on employment, taxes, health care, pensions, immigration and other issues. But between the two major campaigns -- Stoiber's conservative CDU-CSU and Schroeder's centre-left SPD-Greens -- the gap is far narrower than it was in years past. Perhaps it's an indication of American-style consensus -- or just a "new left" that has moved toward the centre? In the final weeks of campaigning, Schroeder has pointed to a new commission report as a bold initiative to battle joblessness -- while being careful about espousing tough reforms that could alienate vital union support. On the other hand, Stoiber is easing up on calls for reforms of the labour market, a key issue in the debate over job-creation. Angering the rank-and-file is the last thing he needs right now. Both Stoiber and Schroeder have histories of government intervention to save or create jobs. So who is really the bolder reformer? Does it come down to style as opposed to nuts-and-bolts substance? The electorate, of course, will be the judge. This article first appeared as an editorial in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
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