"Difficult but fair" in the United States at mid-point: Trump's responsibility – Media

On the eve of the mid-term US elections, Frank Plasberg's tour is working on the US president. It is questionable whether Trump is now primarily attributable to economic success. Or a split in society.

"The mid-term elections have been boring, who has ever heard of them?" Says Donald Trump. "And now, they are the hottest thing!" While the US President welcomes the final election campaign in Cleveland, the guests of Frank Plasberg are trying at the same time to discuss this "hottest thing" with the necessary distance. So, less demagogic than sober German.

The opportunity is not only the midterm election of Tuesday, but the confusion on the way to the old American model democracy in general. Where German citizens at least hear about the credibility of the US president: only 10% of Germans trust Trump, according to a recent PEW poll. at Hard but just However, the usual parity in talk shows is maintained.

As a Trump critic, the Plasberg team has invited German-American TV actor Walter Sittler, who hopes that the "educated Republican people" will withdraw by 2020 by the latest . The linguist Elisabeth Wehling, who teaches in Berkeley, California, certifies that the US president is "competent in neuroscience and linguistic research". Which does not mean literally and certainly not as a compliment. She considers above all that Trump is an unscrupulous and cunning rhetorician who manipulates the electorate.

Ralph Freund arrived on the Pro Trump ticket, vice president of "Republicans Overseas Germany", the US Republican in Germany. He explains that Trump is not "his absolute favorite" but often does a good policy. Which roughly corresponds to the attitude of Republican Party staff on the other side of the ocean, where the internal opposition of the party "Never Trumper" in the interior of the party no longer plays any role.

Trump's responsibility

Trump's second supporter is Georg Pazderski, AFD's national spokesperson. Colonel a.D. is a staff officer with the Federal Armed Forces in the Central Command of the US Armed Forces in Florida. as a guest. As expected, the head of the AfD parliamentary group in the House of Representatives in Berlin defends the US President and his harsh anti-immigration rhetoric: "In the United States, one can speak a harder language than in Germany," says -he. And leave open it means that as a compliment.

Peter Beyer of the CDU sits between the chairs. The member of the German Bundestag is responsible for transatlantic cooperation as Commissioner of the Federal Government. His critique of unilateralism and Trump's trade policy reflects the attitude of the government. His disenchantment with American political decadence is personal: "It seems that you have no more ground for understanding in the political corridors of Republicans and Democrats" he regrets. This is neither a compliment nor a criticism, but a realistic statement.

During the 75 minutes, it is the responsibility of Trump: for the good economic situation, for example. All inherited from Obama, say the opponents of Trump. Once again powered by him, point out his lawyers. The increase in military spending of NATO countries? Only on the pressure, badets have emerged, says Pazderski, a man from the afD. Already accepted in 2014, meets the man of the CDU, Beyer. There is a difference between expression of will and action, says Plasberg.

But the debate on accountability also concerns Trump's rhetoric and hatred in the country. "Cowardly", actor Sittler calls the US president because he badumes no responsibility for his statements, not even after a trailer has sent bombs to political opponents.

The Republican friend, meanwhile, defends the President's rhetoric, including defamation of Central American immigrants as criminals and terrorists: "It hurts, but he puts his finger on the wound because the problems have not been resolved ". Maybe because it is not the most urgent problem? In the past two years, the proportion of Republicans has tripled, citing immigration as the main political issue. Is it really Trump who takes a mood or wags a mood?

A question of choice of words

The speech specialist, Wehling, describes the change of subject by "framing" several times during the evening, often in a rather thorough and scientific way, but in a useful way beyond the usual level of the talk show. That someone talking about "regulations" or "protective regulations" that he wants to get rid of makes a difference. A lie, repeated often enough, can become a perceived truth. And who, like Trump, talks every day about the imminent downfall and fear, just creates a corresponding climate.

At this moment, the program, in which it is pleasantly civilized and relatively close to the facts, is coming to an end and the debate has long since returned to Germany. Of course, it again addresses the issue of refugees and the political climate in this country.

Referring to the party's ongoing rhetorical escalation, Plasberg asks if the AfD deliberately uses language as a means of feeling in a good mood. "Language is a reflection of society," says AfDman Pazderski. Trump's usual advocates on US television would be delighted: if the Germans are already buying too few goods from the United States, some politicians have at least imported the trick to blur the difference between cause and effect.