Probable foreign minister Westerwelle to press:"We're in Germany, speak German!"

[derspiess]

I'm trying to think of this happening in the US.  If somebody posed a question to a US secretary of State in foreign language that this person actually knew I think the American would jump at the chance to showboat their language skills.

Doubt that, unless they really, really, really knew the foreign language.  Too much potential for screw-ups, like the jelly doughnut example.  We might even screw up the translation of "reset" in Russian <waits for DGuller to pop up>

Btw, does Hillary speak any languages besides English & Shrillfeminazi?

[Admiral Yi]

I didn't see where the reporter asked for the response in English.  The minister was the one complaining about the question being in English, and also ignoring the question when it came from the interpreter.

The head of the Free Democrats (FDP), who are poised to enter government in coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, was giving his first news conference since Sunday's election when a BBC reporter asked whether he might be willing to respond to a question in English.

"Would you please be so kind, this is a press conference in Germany," Westerwelle replied in German.

Undeterred, the reporter then asked Westerwelle if he could respond in German to a question in English, only to be rebuffed again.

Jeez dude, it's like have the article.

[DontSayBanana]

Jeez dude, it's like have the article.

Jeez dude, it's like I already edited in the applicable quote.

The first time I could understand: the whole on-the-spot thing.  The second response is what gets him into trouble; there's just no excuse for saying what he said- if there was an interpreter there, he could have just told him to go ahead and that somebody would interpret, and he'd still get to act annoyed at the stupid question.

Instead, he badgered a foreign national about speaking his country's language, and he snubbed an interpreted question. Reasonable, possibly, but really crappy behavior from a guy who's supposed to be in charge of the nation's diplomacy.

[Razgovory]

I'm trying to think of this happening in the US.  If somebody posed a question to a US secretary of State in foreign language that this person actually knew I think the American would jump at the chance to showboat their language skills.

Doubt that, unless they really, really, really knew the foreign language.  Too much potential for screw-ups, like the jelly doughnut example.  We might even screw up the translation of "reset" in Russian <waits for DGuller to pop up>

Btw, does Hillary speak any languages besides English & Shrillfeminazi?

To bad the Jelly Doughnut thing never happened.

[Admiral Yi]

I didn't see where the reporter asked for the response in English.

The head of the Free Democrats (FDP), who are poised to enter government in coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, was giving his first news conference since Sunday's election when a BBC reporter asked whether he might be willing to respond to a question in English.

Jeez dude.

[DontSayBanana]

I didn't see where the reporter asked for the response in English.

The head of the Free Democrats (FDP), who are poised to enter government in coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, was giving his first news conference since Sunday's election when a BBC reporter asked whether he might be willing to respond to a question in English.

Jeez dude.

You caught me on that one. I was a little too eager to argue down the fact that it was his response that was at issue and wasn't paying too close attention to what I was typing.

[Martinus]

Yeah, we're not talking about some tribal language in the Congo here.  That a major news agency like the BBC would be asking questions in English in an important country like Germany is kinda embarrassing.

Yep.  And Guido was right to call the Limey out on it.

I may have found my new Fortuyn 

Why don't you love me, then? I'm European, I'm gay and I hate muslims, too.

[Martinus]

I wonder why Westerwelle even wants to be foreign minister. His political interests so far were usually economic policy as far as I can tell. And foreign minister is not a particularly glamourous job in Germany anyway as Angie takes all the limelight at important events.

Does he have a shot at any higher position?

Well, he is the head of the junior coalition partner. That usually carries an important job, second-after-Angie kind of thing.

[Admiral Yi]

To bad the Jelly Doughnut thing never happened.

Faked like the moon landings? 

[Martinus]

I love the fact that when you type "Guido Westerwelle" into google search, it helpfully suggests that the third word of the search should be "schwul".

[Martinus]

Instead, he badgered a foreign national about speaking his country's language, and he snubbed an interpreted question. Reasonable, possibly, but really crappy behavior from a guy who's supposed to be in charge of the nation's diplomacy.

Yeah, like Ribbentrop was all that better. 

[Razgovory]

To bad the Jelly Doughnut thing never happened.

Faked like the moon landings? 

Jesus christ, Yi how much koolaid have you drunk?  The Jelly Doughnut thing is myth in the US. 

[Admiral Yi]

Jesus christ, Yi how much koolaid have you drunk?  The Jelly Doughnut thing is myth in the US.

Absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

[Habbaku]

Absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

You brought it up.

[Admiral Yi]

You brought it up.

I did?