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

[DisturbedPervert]

Right?  I mean I can understand lacking Estonian speakers or something but sending somebody to report on Germany who is unable to speak in German?

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.

[Syt]

An article about the new U.S. ambassador to Germany (Philip D. Murphy, a former Goldman Sachs exec) says, "Unlike his predecessors, he speaks German."

Well that is different.  U.S. ambassadors are political cronies selected because of their financial support and value to the party, not because of any professional qualifications...except for truly shitty assignments no cronies want.

Valid point.

And compare ambassador to the Germany's vita: Head of Goldman Sachs Frankfurt, President of G-S Asia, three years as National Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee

to the one of the ambassador to Austria: main business achievement is Executive Vice President of Alliant Foodservice Inc, together with services in lobbying groups and stuff like Chairman of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. And fundraising during Obama's presidential campaign.

Though for austria this might be of note: "Following a long-standing tradition established by previous US ambassadors, he is also an ex officio member on the Board of Directors of the Salzburg Global Seminar."

[Drakken]

Guido? How teutonic!

[Josquius]

Wow, sounds like a total dick. You occasionally get people like this in lesser European nations where they are very protective about their language (Netherlands, Scandis) but odd to see from Germany.
Agreed that its bad from the Beeb too in not sending a German speaker though.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I imagine if I were giving a press conference and some tool started asking questions in Swedish I might look askance.  But he handled it very poorly.  Typical Teutonic behavior.  Next come the panzers.

[Warspite]

Then again, if you were getting grilled by journos, the sensible option is to demand you are spoken to in your own language (unless there is a compelling reason not to). It's harder for a predatory journalist to twist your words or pitch an ambiguous question when it is in your native tongue.

[Josquius]

Then again, if you were getting grilled by journos, the sensible option is to demand you are spoken to in your own language (unless there is a compelling reason not to). It's harder for a predatory journalist to twist your words or pitch an ambiguous question when it is in your native tongue.

Or if the question is asked in foreign you can selectivly morph the question into one you would rather ask and if challenged on it put it down to translation issues. (you answer in your own language of course)

[grumbler]

What is German for giant douchebag?

German, oddly enough.

[Berkut]

I imagine if I were giving a press conference and some tool started asking questions in Swedish I might look askance.  But he handled it very poorly.  Typical Teutonic behavior.  Next come the panzers.

If I spoke Swedish, I would not look askance, I would just answer his question. If I was fluent, I would do so in Swedish, otherwise in English and leave it to the translators.

What is so hard about that?

[Martinus]

I for one welcome our new gay German overlords.

[Martinus]

The one on the left isn't bad looking - is it him?

Nope, it's his partner. The minister is the one on the right.

You have to remember that politics is showbiz for ugly people.

[Martinus]

Still, what can you expect from a homosexual?  Intollerance is their lifeblood.

Is "intollerance" some sort of negative disposition towards tariffs and tolls?

[Duque de Bragança]

The BBC (and other news agencies) should try getting reporters who actually speak the local language.

OTOH you generally do NOT want to hear an Anglo-Saxon butcher the language of Goethe and Hitler. They can't get German right.

Do you mean there's a foreign language they do not butcher?

[Martinus]

What is German for giant douchebag?

I understand that Obama always fluently answers all questions posed to him in German by foreign journalists?

[Darth Wagtaros]

I imagine if I were giving a press conference and some tool started asking questions in Swedish I might look askance.  But he handled it very poorly.  Typical Teutonic behavior.  Next come the panzers.

If I spoke Swedish, I would not look askance, I would just answer his question. If I was fluent, I would do so in Swedish, otherwise in English and leave it to the translators.

What is so hard about that?

Eurocommies are sensitive to Anglophone's preponderance in global politics.