Cablegate: Media Reaction: Haiti Earthquake, Obama Presidency;Berlin

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TAGS: ASEC KMDR US HA
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: HAITI EARTHQUAKE, OBAMA PRESIDENCY;BERLIN

1. Lead Stories Summary
2. Aftermath of Haiti Earthquake
3. Obama Presidency - One year On

1. Lead Stories Summary

ZDF-TV's and ARD-TV's primetime newscasts opened with reports on
Haiti, both of which emphasized two main points: the situation is
chaotic and U.S. aid efforts on the ground are getting underway.
Newspapers led with many different stories: Sueddeutsche and
Frankfurter Rundschau highlighted President Obama's first year in
office. Die Welt and Berliner Morgenpost showed a large photo of
pioneering Springer journalist Ernst Cramer, who died yesterday at
the age of 96. Frankfurter Allgemeine led with a story on the
parliamentary budget debate, headlined "A quarter of the budget
consists of new debts." Editorials focused on the budget debate and
the many appointments Germans have with doctors.

2. Aftermath of Haiti Earthquake

ARD-TV's primetime newscast Tagesschau reported: "A week after the
earthquake, international assistance is now in full swing, but is
reaching the people only slowly because many places are difficult to
get to. The UN has therefore set up an airlift and also the U.S.
air force is dropping food over Port-au-Prince." The newscast
emphasized that the situation in Haiti is "chaotic" and that "the
logistical challenges are enormous," adding: "Many just want to
leave the country. Hundreds are queuing in front of the U.S.
Embassy in the hope of getting a U.S. visa." Tagesschau showed a
Haitian man saying that the U.S. should take over the country. "The
U.S. presence is becoming increasingly visible and the U.S. army
announced the opening of a second airport in the seriously destroyed
city of Jacmel," a reporter stated.

Berliner Zeitung's report headlined "Help for Haiti from the air"
and noted in its intro that "the U.S. has begun to drop aid supplies
from the air for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. According
to the U.S. army, 15,000 liters of water and 14,000 food packages
reached the people in the northeast part of the capital of
Port-au-Prince." Tagesspiegel reported on its front-page that "a
U.S. plane that dropped food and water for the first time over
Port-au-Prince raised hope that the provision of supplies will
improve."

Handelsblatt editorialized: "Haiti has been an impoverished country
for a long time. It is now completely destroyed. Only a Marshall
Plan with global support could help the country emerge from this
desolate situation.... A protectorate, a word that was forbidden
for a long time and was even seen as high treason, is now being
considered as the only solution. Haiti needs godfathers and
godmothers to take care of the country. The U.S., Europe, the UN
and countries like Brazil and Chile must cooperate and help until
the Haitians can one day help themselves."

In an op-ed for Tagesspiegel, a medical expert commented: "The
earthquake finally woke up the international community; the rescue
operation that was overdue for decades has finally begun. It will
only work if it is continued for years after medical care has been
provided to those injured and buildings have been repaired and
re-built. . To release the chronically sick patient after only
treating the wounds would be irresponsible. Under certain
circumstances, the catastrophe could be the beginning of a better
time in the history of the Caribbean country."

ARD-TV's Tagesthemen commented: "It is true that the UN was
paralyzed when the catastrophe in Haiti unfolded.... It is true the
UN has a blown-up and often badly coordinated bureaucracy, which
makes the organization even more incapable of taking action in times
of crises.... It is true that we see the UN's helplessness on the

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Balkans, in Africa or Haiti then we see its actual assistance. So
should the United Nations be done away with? Before we come to a
conclusion, let's look at some facts: the truth is that people
everywhere and the governments that represent them are the United
Nations.... The UN is as strong as its member states want it to be,
in regarding to both its finances and other matters. When the power
politics of important countries paralyze the UN and provide
ridiculous mandates, it is at the expense of the poorest people in
war and crisis regions, just as we are seeing now in Haiti."

3. Obama Presidency - One year On

Frankfurter Allgemeine's Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger wrote in a
front-page editorial: "Obama's achievements have not been
insignificant: America's reputation has been restored in a part of
the world -- it was never damaged in other parts.... Europe now
basically accepts America's lead role. Regardless of the broad
skepticism, Obama kept his word and drastically increased the U.S.
military and civilian engagement in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is now
his war, the war of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Ultimately,
more Americans will enjoy a health insurance after the reform.
Given the resistance, this is not insignificant.... In foreign
policy, he might have to choose a tougher approach.... Iran is
ignoring his extended hand. The leadership in Beijing has
humiliated him. Moscow responded coolly to the offer of a new
beginning. And the Mideast conflict is proving to be resistant to
solutions. Obama will hopefully no longer allow America's enemies
and those who want to be partners to make him look like a fool. And
he should not get used to arguing with Washington's strongest
allies."

Handelsblatt's editorial headlined "Obama can do everything but
magic" and added: "Hardly anything is nicer than seeing a star
topple. Those, who analyze Barack Obama's first year in office like
an accountant by comparing the intentions and the results, can
satisfy this desire.... Has he failed all along the line? Not at
all. Many of the things the U.S. government tackled a year ago
cannot be done in twelve months. With a bit of luck, they can be
done in one legislative period. Health care, finances and climate
protection are huge projects that touch massive political and
industrial interests. He did achieve what many thought would be
impossible: to stop the economic decline.... The political attitude
in Washington has changed. Issues and goals are being discussed
with a goal to reach a solution. The pragmatist Obama looks at the
best argument, not an ideology."

Spiegel Online reported that the Republicans won the Senate seat in
Massachusetts, describing it as a "setback for Obama." The webzine
headlined: "Electoral disaster threatens his health care reform,"
and noted: "Serious defeat for Barack Obama: one year after his
inauguration, the Democrats lost the former Senate seat of Edward
Kennedy in Massachusetts and with it a strategic majority in the
Senate. The President's giant project of health care reform has now
become uncertain." In a derogatory commentary, Spiegel Online's
Washington correspondent Gabor Steingart stated: "Barack Obama's
magic is no longer working. His supporters, who believed in the
promises of hope and change, are disillusioned. The President has
failed to change America's reality in his first year. Today, he
arouses feelings of pity instead of enthusiasm. The inappropriate
feeling of pity creeps over those who listen to the American
President today. We still call Barack Obama the most powerful man
in the world because that's what we always call U.S. Presidents.
However, this is no longer the case. His powerlessness looms very
large."

Under the headline "Obama's tough landing," Frankfurter Rundschau
opined: "When Obama moved into the White House a year ago, many
adored the son of a white globetrotter from Kansas and a Kenyan
man.... Everybody could see in Obama what he or she wanted. A

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majority in the U.S. saw hope for a better future. A year later,
contours and policies of the President have become visible. In
foreign policy, he reclaimed the lead role of the U.S. in a
multipolar world after the hubris and militancy of the Bush years.
He reestablished its lead role not as an arrogant hegemonic power
but within a network of partnerships.... Under Obama, the U.S. has
a more realistic picture of the world and the world sees the U.S. in
more friendly light. This is not a small achievement for a young
presidency. In the U.S., Obama has a different effect. He
polarizes and divides the country.... There is not yet an
anti-Obama sentiment - he is still a long way away from becoming an
American Gorbachev, who is respected throughout the world and
laughed about at home. However, the Senate race in Massachusetts is
a warning shot. Prior to the Congressional elections this autumn,
doubts are rising whether Obama and the Democrats should be given
all the power in the country. The second year will not become
easier."

FT Deutschland commented: "It will be difficult for Obama to buck
the trend in his second year, although he thinks highly of the
opportunities international cooperation offers. Paradise-like
approval rates in Germany mean little given that half of the
Americans have fallen out of love with him. Healthcare reform is
still stuck in Congress, and important Congressional elections will
come up in autumn. Given this, other projects Obama's fans
elsewhere in the world would like to see happening are getting a
lower priority: a planned climate protection bill in the U.S. and
the mediation of peace in the Middle East. Obama cannot be blamed
for these developments. The power of the American president in the
democratic system of the U.S. is significantly limited by local
interests. He has tried and deserves gratitude."

MURPHY

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