Austrian Elections & Politics 2.0 (Presidential runoff re-vote: 4 Dec. 2016)

[aross]

It's over.

Painful to watch.

Hofer constantly tied VdB to Juncker and the EU and as having only the political elite on his side, while Hofer saw himself as an advocate of the Austrian voters.

VdB: "Juncker is a man who had great achievements in his life !"

Hofer: "And these great achievements are what exactly ?"

Long pause from VdB ...

To be fair (and I am by no means a fan of Juncker), that sort of thoughtful pause is supposed to be a sort of "signature move" of his. It's part of his image as a thoughtful, philosophical man. Of course, this can backfire by appearing elitist and condescending. Generally, I think the fact that in Austria - unlike, say, Iceland or Ireland - 'intellectual' never really became a presidential archetype has harmed Van der Bellen. It's just not what people expect from a president.

(Also, I didn't catch that part of the debate, but I'm guessing VdB didn't suggest aiding tax evasion or completely cocking up the Euro crisis as some of those achievements?)

[reciprocity]

It's over.

Painful to watch.

Hofer constantly tied VdB to Juncker and the EU and as having only the political elite on his side, while Hofer saw himself as an advocate of the Austrian voters.

VdB: "Juncker is a man who had great achievements in his life !"

Hofer: "And these great achievements are what exactly ?"

Long pause from VdB ...

To be fair (and I am by no means a fan of Juncker), that sort of thoughtful pause is supposed to be a sort of "signature move" of his. It's part of his image as a thoughtful, philosophical man. Of course, this can backfire by appearing elitist and condescending. Generally, I think the fact that in Austria - unlike, say, Iceland or Ireland - 'intellectual' never really became a presidential archetype has harmed Van der Bellen. It's just not what people expect from a president.

(Also, I didn't catch that part of the debate, but I'm guessing VdB didn't suggest aiding tax evasion or completely cocking up the Euro crisis as some of those achievements?)

Well to me, if someone in a debate asks you a question and you pause, that looks like you have been stumped.

[Tender Branson]

Yeah, there was a constant "talker" vs. "doer" divide during the debate. Hofer always accused VdB as being headmaster-like, out-of-touch with average workers/voters and trying to lecture them. VdB constantly had to deflect Hofer's punches and mostly came out of it unharmed.

[Tender Branson]

Comments from the Austrian and German newspapers:

"TV debate totally derails."

"TV debate turns into total disaster."

"TV debate with kindergarden niveau."

"TV debate turns into mud-fight."

[Tender Branson]

It turns out that almost 500.000 people watched the debate, which is really good for ATV (a small channel).

Maybe it will have an impact after all ... that it will decrease turnout because of their bit**fight.

[Tender Branson]

More details for English-speakers:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/16/world/europe/long-dominated-by-center-austria-splinters-to-left-and-right.html

[Tender Branson]

If you are still (!) undecided between Hofer and VdB, the Wiener Zeitung has a tool where you can answer 17 questions, rank the importance and then it shows you which candidate you are closest to:

http://wahlhelfer.wienerzeitung.at/index.php

[Tender Branson]

Take a look after 0:35, when VdB clenched his fists as if he wanted to punch Hofer and then waved his hand in front of his face to show Hofer is nuts ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd1X6D0VG18

[Tender Branson]

news.at made street interviews in Vienna about who people are voting for:

http://www.news.at/a/strassenumfrage-bp-wahl-hofer-van-der-bellen-6362580

One guy was asked: "What do you like about Hofer ?"

Answer: "His hatred of foreigners."

[Tender Branson]

Even the BBC reports about the debate:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36304313

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[reciprocity]

Even the BBC reports about the debate:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36304313

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I am sad for Austria. Not even vdB comes off good in that exchange. Hofer was just a child which is no surprise.

[Omega21]

Scandal for VdB

Known Islamist endorses Vdb on his website.

http://www.aymanwahdan.at/index.htm

In 2010 he wrote:

Reinige dein Haus von allen Kreuzen, denn sie sind Symbole der Christen. Und die Christen nutzen sie für ihre Interessen. Es gibt versteckte Kreuze in Kinderspielzeug, Kleidung und auch auf Teppichen

Also he posted many things like these in the past, although he didn't call for violence directly.

Source:

http://www.krone.at/Wien/Hass-Prediger_vergleicht_Kreuze_mit_dem_Teufel-Anti-Christen-Hetze-Story-223715

I'm sure Vdb will grant him some nice Social income goodies for this if he wins.

[Tender Branson]

Austria's new Chancellor Christian Kern was sworn in today.

He also presented 4 new cabinet members for the SPÖ, incl. a new minister for education and the first Muslim cabinet member in Austria (Muna Duzdar, who is of Palestinian origin):



Kern (left) is sworn in by President Fischer (right).

---

The 4 new cabinet members and President Fischer:

[Tender Branson]

Hmm, one would have thought that the first Muslim cabinet member in Austria would be a Turk or someone from Bosnia ... but now it's actually a "Palestinian" woman (well, she was born in Vienna, but her parents are from Palestine). Btw, she's the 2nd from the left on the picture above.

[Zanas]

Scandal for VdB

Known Islamist endorses Vdb on his website.

http://www.aymanwahdan.at/index.htm

In 2010 he wrote:

Reinige dein Haus von allen Kreuzen, denn sie sind Symbole der Christen. Und die Christen nutzen sie für ihre Interessen. Es gibt versteckte Kreuze in Kinderspielzeug, Kleidung und auch auf Teppichen

Also he posted many things like these in the past, although he didn't call for violence directly.

Source:

http://www.krone.at/Wien/Hass-Prediger_vergleicht_Kreuze_mit_dem_Teufel-Anti-Christen-Hetze-Story-223715

I'm sure Vdb will grant him some nice Social income goodies for this if he wins.

Could you quit posting racial hatred around here ? We already have Tender for that, and we kind of like him for other reasons so we tolerate him, but nobody likes you.

[Omega21]

Scandal for VdB

Known Islamist endorses Vdb on his website.

http://www.aymanwahdan.at/index.htm

In 2010 he wrote:

Reinige dein Haus von allen Kreuzen, denn sie sind Symbole der Christen. Und die Christen nutzen sie für ihre Interessen. Es gibt versteckte Kreuze in Kinderspielzeug, Kleidung und auch auf Teppichen

Also he posted many things like these in the past, although he didn't call for violence directly.

Source:

http://www.krone.at/Wien/Hass-Prediger_vergleicht_Kreuze_mit_dem_Teufel-Anti-Christen-Hetze-Story-223715

I'm sure Vdb will grant him some nice Social income goodies for this if he wins.

Could you quit posting racial hatred around here ? We already have Tender for that, and we kind of like him for other reasons so we tolerate him, but nobody likes you.

Big shock, Extreme leftie telling me to shut up and not to voice my opinion and facts.

I have my right to voice my opinion, even though you think I should not be able to.
 
And you stand behind this Islamist. He is the one preaching hatred, not me.

Plus, noone needs you to tolerate them or like them. We are free to speak our mind and if you don't like it, tough luck. Tender is a leftie too, but he's aware of the problems of uncontrolled immigration and that doesn't make him a Racist, and same goes for me.

[Hifly]

Scandal for VdB

Known Islamist endorses Vdb on his website.

http://www.aymanwahdan.at/index.htm

In 2010 he wrote:

Reinige dein Haus von allen Kreuzen, denn sie sind Symbole der Christen. Und die Christen nutzen sie für ihre Interessen. Es gibt versteckte Kreuze in Kinderspielzeug, Kleidung und auch auf Teppichen

Also he posted many things like these in the past, although he didn't call for violence directly.

Source:

http://www.krone.at/Wien/Hass-Prediger_vergleicht_Kreuze_mit_dem_Teufel-Anti-Christen-Hetze-Story-223715

I'm sure Vdb will grant him some nice Social income goodies for this if he wins.

Could you quit posting racial hatred around here ? We already have Tender for that, and we kind of like him for other reasons so we tolerate him, but nobody likes you.

In what language does his post constitute "racial hatred"?

[Omega21]

Scandal for VdB

Known Islamist endorses Vdb on his website.

http://www.aymanwahdan.at/index.htm

In 2010 he wrote:

Reinige dein Haus von allen Kreuzen, denn sie sind Symbole der Christen. Und die Christen nutzen sie für ihre Interessen. Es gibt versteckte Kreuze in Kinderspielzeug, Kleidung und auch auf Teppichen

Also he posted many things like these in the past, although he didn't call for violence directly.

Source:

http://www.krone.at/Wien/Hass-Prediger_vergleicht_Kreuze_mit_dem_Teufel-Anti-Christen-Hetze-Story-223715

I'm sure Vdb will grant him some nice Social income goodies for this if he wins.

Could you quit posting racial hatred around here ? We already have Tender for that, and we kind of like him for other reasons so we tolerate him, but nobody likes you.

In what language does his post constitute "racial hatred"?

Thank you.

For those of you who don't speak German the post on his site in 2010 was in rough translation:

"Clear your house of the Cross, because it is the simbol of Christians, and they use it for their interest. There are hidden crosses on toys, clothes and rags."

[Tender Branson]

Could you quit posting racial hatred around here ? We already have Tender for that.

That's totally wrong. I have never posted racial hatred. I have put a spotlight on the severe criminal nature and security threat from Arab/Middle-Eastern/African immigrants, but since when are they a "race" and since when is pointing out problems (that need to be addressed and not ignored) "hatred" ?

[Tender Branson]

Interesting results of the Forum polls so far:

* 63% of Forum users would vote for VdB, just 33% for Hofer and 4% would not vote.

* But 64% of Forum users think that Hofer will win the runoff, only 36% VdB.

[Tender Branson]

Irmgard Griss, who got 19% in the first round, endorsed VdB today at a press conference.

Also, the new Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern said yesterday that he already voted for VdB via postal ballot and that "there's currently no chance the SPÖ will work together with the FPÖ, a party that constantly incites hatred against minorities."

Several leading/former ÖVP & NEOS politicians have also endorsed VdB, which means Hofer now has virtually every party/candidate against him (except Lugner and the Team Stronach).

...

In other news, postal ballot requests in Salzburg City are 130% of the first round requests, which shows a similar trend like in Graz.

[Tender Branson]

The recent developments are all quite bad news for Hofer:

* The popular Green PM of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann, came to Vienna today to campaign for VdB.

* Tomorrow, the "Offensive against the Right" will stage a mass protest against Hofer in Vienna, which tens of thousands of people will attend.

Plus the endorsements I mentioned above ...

Of course, the voters could still elect Hofer because they don't give a damn if the political elites endorse VdB or if some left-leftists protest in Vienna.

[Omega21]

Will surely be a close race, 2 completely different idelogies which could polarize and split the Austrian voters in half..

Btw, Tender.

Did Vdb really say that he would like a "United States of Europe" or is it just Right propaganda?

[DL]

news.at made street interviews in Vienna about who people are voting for:

http://www.news.at/a/strassenumfrage-bp-wahl-hofer-van-der-bellen-6362580

One guy was asked: "What do you like about Hofer ?"

Answer: "His hatred of foreigners."

Austrians would like the world to think that Beethoven was Austrian and that Hitler was German (sic.)

[Tender Branson]

Will surely be a close race, 2 completely different idelogies which could polarize and split the Austrian voters in half..

Btw, Tender.

Did Vdb really say that he would like a "United States of Europe" or is it just Right propaganda?

Yeah, he was certainly in favour of that when he was still Green Party leader. He also once called for the abolition of the army. But of course he now needs to get above 50%, so he has taken more reasonable, centrist positions.