AUSTRIAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: November 08, 2006

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