TV Criticism
The SPD candidate for chancellor appears to be a little closer than before in the “ARD election arena”. However, there are hardly any clear commitments, but a good swipe: The CDU should “now recover in the opposition for the time being”.
From Simone Deckner
The second edition of the “ARD-Wahlarena” is just a few minutes old when it rattles and rumbles in the Lübeck studio. Guests turn their heads questioningly. On Twitter, they fear the worst (as always). But the moderators Ellen Ehni and Andreas Cichowicz can quickly give the all-clear: “Only one outside camera fell over, everything ok.”
If you were angry, you could say that the loud crash of the camera was the most exciting thing in this 75-minute question time with SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz. But you don’t have to be as malicious as the former US ambassador John Kornblum, who said of Olaf Scholz that he was “the biggest bore” among the already boring candidates.
Nobody, at least not those people who still know Olaf Scholz as First Mayor of Hamburg (disclosure: the author is one of them) expects a firework of emotions or rhetorical refinements from the 62-year-old. That the man who became known as “Scholzomat”, according to Markus Söder, “grins smurfy” here and there must be enough with emotions.
It is all the more remarkable that Scholz expanded his repertoire on Tuesday evening. Pension, distance learning, care or vaccination rights expressed, Scholz first answered with a lot of understanding: “You are right!”, “First of all, I thank you for your commitment!” “It is really remarkable what you are doing!” Keyword, very clearly: Picking up people where they are.
Nod or nod away?
Once trust has been built up, you can answer more extravagantly, probably the tactics behind it. Scholz stifled a student’s critical question about phasing out coal electricity in 2038, for example, in what felt like a 20-minute lecture, in which a lot was about terawatt hours. He agrees with a troubled elderly flood helper with a bright yellow T-shirt that you definitely have to readjust the building permits for the reconstruction of bridges, for example. As usual, Scholz gave the confident, saddle-proof explainer. Did he reach people emotionally? Their reactions were at least noticeably similar: nodding, smiling, nodding – or were they perhaps already nodding away internally because they could no longer or did not want to follow the explanations?
Only once was the incumbent finance minister tackled harder, of all things by a tax official: “You have profited a lot from the mistakes of your competitors. Your mistakes are hardly communicated to the public,” said the man who on Cum-Ex, Wirecard and G20 and wanted to know straight out: “Can you trust them?” Scholz drew far again, but ended with: “My answer is yes.”
Tenant protection with a difference
The man who complained to Scholz about the fact that he had a three-month notice period: “That is far too long, one month is enough!” Scholz: “For most tenants the question is yes: ‘Do I have enough protection?’ The retail saleswoman, who was beaten by a customer, also hoped for a solution to her individual problem from Scholz. “The perpetrator only received a small fine. How are you going to ensure that victims do not become victims again in front of the judiciary?” Scholz appealed for trust in the courts and an examination in individual cases. The saleswoman did not seem satisfied and explained that she had already reported customers 35 times in individual cases. Even the trust teacher bonus was exhausted.
“Corona will be over soon”
Scholz was again in his element when it came to retirement: a higher retirement age than 67? “We won’t do that!” A stable pension level? “I guarantee it!” A clear commitment against the law was also to be elicited from him (“We must tackle this right-wing agitator together”), as well as the promise to do more for the schools. In an interview with a 15-year-old who pointed out that there were massive problems with digitization even before Corona, he replied: “Corona will soon be over, but then we shouldn’t stop with the digital structure in schools” . Corona will be over soon? Does Olaf Scholz know more than any scientist? The two moderators are also puzzled.
When asked whether the SPD would form a coalition with the left, Scholz only answered the flower (“For me there can only be one government that is clearly aligned with NATO”), but as an 18-year-old first-time voter, he wanted to know whether he was because we can assume that there will be no new Groko if he votes for the SPD, Scholz replies without any extravagant explanations: “I think”, according to the Chancellor candidate with the best prospects of victory at the moment, “the CDU should get in now the opposition recover. “
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
