VZCZCXYZ0017
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVI #3277/01 3121346
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 081346Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5478
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/WHITEHOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS VIENNA 003277 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/AGS, INR/EU, AND EUR/PPD FOR YVETTE SAINT-ANDRE 
 
OSD FOR COMMANDER CHAFFEE 
 
WHITEHOUSE FOR NSC/WEUROPE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO AU OPRC
 
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: November 08, 2006 
 
 
US MIDTERM ELECTION SPECIAL 
 
"Neue Kronenzeitung": 
 
Mass circulation tabloid "Neue Kronenzeitung" focuses on Californian 
Representative Nancy Pelosi's chances of assuming the third-highest 
office in the US Government:  that of Speaker of the House of 
Representatives. It reports on an apparent electoral shift toward 
women, but also toward African Americans, who could also assume key 
positions in the Senate and the House of Representatives, and 
possibly one governorship (Deval Patrick in Massachusetts). Also, in 
the House of Representatives, African-Americans John Conyers could 
become chairman of the important Justice Committee that could 
initiate impeachment procedures against President Bush, the paper 
suggests. 
 
"Kleine Zeitung" 
 
Mass circulation tabloid "Kleine Zeitung" refers to the low voter 
participation in the US midterm congressional and gubernatorial 
elections, saying that only about 40 percent of eligible voters 
actually went to the polls, less than in the presidential elections 
(about 55 percent). The paper says it is difficult to establish 
exactly how many US citizens really voted because of administrative 
problems:  Disappearing ballot boxes and ballots, malfunctioning 
voting machines, and human error by election helpers. Currently 
there are legal procedures pending against local election 
authorities who have issued lists with more names on them than there 
are eligible voters residing in the respective district. 
 
"ORF" -Political Change in the US 
 
Austrian radio in its morning news reports the Bush Administration 
and the Republicans received the expected "slap in the face" from 
the mid-term elections.  The question now is how strong the slap is. 
 The Democrats won the House of Representatives, taking at least 221 
of the 435 seats. In the Senate where 33 of the 100 seats were up 
for election the outcome is not final.  The radio reports that voter 
turnout was very high and that there were problems again with the 
electronic voting machines. ORF calls it a serious defeat for 
President Bush. 
 
"Kurier" 
 
Mass circulation daily "Kurier" sees George W. Bush in the twilight: 
 The era of power concentration for the Republicans is apparently 
over, "Kurier" believes.  Republican domination has actually harmed 
the system of checks and balances designed to prevent excessive 
concentration of power by one party, the paper says, adding that, in 
recent years, a conservative Congress merely endorsed the 
President's policies instead of exerting an oversight function: 
Except for Senator McCain, who fought successfully against the use 
of torture, Republican representatives supported everything from 
Bush's Iraq policy to the largest budget deficit in US history. 
Kurier also notes that, in the 90s, President Bill Clinton 
successfully worked together with a conservative Congress - this 
might work again, this time with roles reversed. The less optimistic 
scenario, however, is the possibility of a deadlock until the next 
presidential elections in 2008, writes "Kurier". 
 
"Der Standard" 
 
Independent daily "Der Standard" also reports on problems with the 
new electronic voting machines, with many citizens unable to cast 
their votes in an election where, according to the election helpers, 
"every vote counts." The daily also mentions the so-called "ballot 
initiatives" in 37 states, which played an important role in the 
campaigns, many of which used these referenda to bring voters to the 
polls. Issues included gay marriage, abortion, stem cell research, 
cannabis and, in Arizona, an "election lottery" where voters can win 
up to a million dollars for participating in the elections, with the 
goal of increasing voter participation. 
 
"Die Presse" 
 
Centrist daily "Die Presse" sees the Republicans at a low point 
politically - despite the latest unemployment figures which, 
according to the Department of Labor, are the lowest in the last 
four years:  4.4 percent. However, the President's party did not 
really profit from this economic boost:  Even the voters who are at 
all interested in economic issues were hard to motivate, says "Die 
Presse":  They feel they are not profiting from the economic 
upswing. While it is true that there are plenty of jobs, it is 
likewise true that the majority of them are badly paid and offer no 
social security benefits, says the paper, and costs are exploding 
for medical insurance, heating, insurance policies, and particularly 
for interest on mortgages. The latter is especially relevant, 
because many US citizens have several mortgages and the interest on 
those is a big burden on individual household budgets, notes "Die 
Presse". In addition, the daily points out that US citizens on 
average earn less today than in 2000; while productivity rose by 17 
percent and the gross domestic product by 12, average wages 
increased by just 3 percent. 
 
"Salzburger Nachrichten" 
 
Independent daily "Salzburger Nachrichten" profiles Democratic 
Representative Nancy Pelosi, the future Speaker of the House of 
Representatives. Decried as an "extreme left-winger" by President 
Bush and numerous Republican candidates, the longtime Congresswoman 
is considered "tough." Outspoken in her attacks on the President and 
the Republican Party, she also advocates intra-party discipline, the 
paper writes: Under her leadership, the Democrats voted more 
cohesively than they have in the past 50 years and helped defeat 
Bush's plan for pension reform. The daily characterizes Pelosi as 
pragmatic, wanting to lead the Democrats in the House from the 
center, and aiming at working with the administration to withdraw US 
troops from Iraq. 
 
"Wiener Zeitung" 
 
Semi-official daily "Wiener Zeitung"says the Iraq war was the main 
problem- pointing out that Democrats also lack an obvious solution. 
Very few of them favor an immediate withdrawal, because this would 
harm America's image in the world further and plunge Iraq even 
deeper into chaos. 
 
"ORF" 
 
ORF correspondent Eugen Freund analyzes the election results as far 
as known, saying Bush will have an even more difficult time 
governing with his popularity down, and facing a congressional 
majority that opposes him. More longtime Republican representatives 
than ever before were ousted -  because many voters believed that 
the fight against terror and the war in Iraq were not going in the 
right direction, Freund said.  Bush "bungled it," Freund commented, 
which played into the hands of the Democrats, even if they also lack 
a plan on how to improve the situation. Looking into the future, the 
election result in the House will nourish Democratic hopes of 
capturing the White House in 2008, said Freund.  In the Senate, 
Freund predicted that the Virginia results, where the race is so 
close, will be contested no matter who wins. 
Phillips