The Foreign Service Journal, September 2008

ship style, and a general lack of inspiring politicians, Germans long for a charismatic figure. The Christian Democratic par- liamentary leader Norbert Rött- gen says Obama has generated a mood that “makes it possible to believe in politics.” With mem- bership in all political parties hitting a historic low and half of the membership of the two big parties being 60 and older, there is a general frustration with politics. So many Germans are intrigued that Barack Obama can get people excited about politics and revive democracy that way. Coverage of John McCain is somewhat more limited. The senator is well-known inside political circles because he regularly attends an annual conference in Munich that draws members of the security community worldwide. It is the one high-level meeting in Germany where issues like NATO strategy, the fight against terrorism and many military issues are dis- cussed in depth. Those who know McCain view him as a realist in foreign policy, somebody strongly inter- ested in and supportive of the transatlantic alliance. Some worry about the prominent neo- conservatives among his advisers on foreign policy. But the general public in Germany knows little about him except that they associate him closely with Bush. Perhaps because party discipline is so much stronger in Germany than in the U.S., and Bush and McCain are both Republicans, there seems to be lit- tle curiosity among the German public about how, or even whether, the two men differ. Though McCain gets substantially less coverage than Obama, his life story — particularly his record as a war F O C U S S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 8 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 39 Despite their negative views of the Bush administration, Germans continue to like American popular culture. Interim Accommodations for Corporate and Government Markets Apartments, Townhouses & Single Family Homes “FOR THE EXECUTIVE ON THE MOVE” h finder5@IX.netcom.com Locations throughout Northern Virginia and D.C. Units fully furnished, equipped and accessorized Many “Walk to Metro” locations Pet Friendly 5105-L Backlick Road, Annandale, Virginia Tel: (703) 354-4070 Fax: (703) 642-3619 Executive Lodging Alternatives