intaglio

While talking with my mother about the presentation of the US Freedom Medal to the German Chancellor, she told me about a civil and interesting web site she found, that has full-coverage and much more flattering pictures of Merkel and news stories and movements not circulated elsewhere called the Obama Diary. The moderators ask that one not enter with negativity and awful, unhelpful partisanship, but the articles and photographs still refreshingly celebrate accomplishment and the political side of being a political animal. Merkel was awarded this honour months before but the ceremony was on hold, and this was given in recognition of her accomplishments--being the first woman Chancellor and the first from the former DDR among others--without stint and all the talk of Germany's strengths in economics but weakness in international relations and comparisons not remembered until now with Obama's Nobel prize. This website and other reporting that acknowledges the political side of being a politician is a lot like those honours, that works and deeds are independent of party-lines and sour detractors and what can be apolitical. It looked like a lovely day and in the end, as George HW Bush said, one Germany is better than two.