First interview with Armin Laschet after the election debacle! The hapless chancellor candidate is now looking for a successor to the CDU leadership. Sandra Maischberger also dedicates her “week” talk to the long-running climate and corona.
The guests
►Armin Laschet (60, CDU). In eight months from prime minister to party leader, candidate for chancellor and simple member of the Bundestag. Nobody can imitate him on this ride in hell!
►Ralf Moeller (62). The actor railed against his old love CDU: “They don’t even fight each other. They aren’t even guys enough. They stick in behind the back! “
►Anna Mayr (28). The journalist (“Zeit”) asks: “What is actually conservative today?”
►Sigmund Gottlieb (70). The ex-editor-in-chief of Bayerischer Rundfunk demands: “The CDU needs a strong leadership figure. It will run towards Friedrich Merz. “
►Ranga Yogeshwar (62). The ARD science journalist admits: “I had 170,000 flight miles. With Greta Thunberg this is first class in hell! ”
They say Laschet is laughing again. The Zoff-o-Meter is also mild today, but how long?
Sandra Maischberger spoke extensively with Armin Laschet on her showPhoto: WDR / Melanie Grande
Hollywood-mature analysis
Möller played in the blockbuster “Gladiator”. Like the ancient fighters, he has been living mainly vegetarian for six years. His bite didn’t suffer from this: “The loser of the week for me is the CDU because it has no character and doesn’t stand by its husband!” He raged.
He himself supported Laschet in the election campaign. He blasphemed his opponent: “Olaf Scholz was the cyborg, the terminator who just waited!”
Most critical assessments
“Zeit” journalist Mayr has a completely different opinion than the film warrior: “I met people on the street who said: I usually vote for the CDU, but I don’t choose the Laschet!”
“When Laschet attacked and made up ground, it was too late,” says ex-editor-in-chief Gottlieb, but: “At this point, his party had already fallen apart. He made an election campaign, all alone! “
ZEIT journalist Anna Mayr (28) asked the talk group: “What is actually conservative today?”Photo: WDR / Melanie Grande
Wistful memories
And what does Laschet himself say? The audience welcomes the big loser with friendly applause. His painful review: “We had a time when Annalena Baerbock was way ahead, then I was way ahead for a long time, and then suddenly Olaf Scholz came in the final sprint.”
Even more than the CDU chairmanship, he mourns his job as prime minister: “That is a nice office. Lots of festive events. The father of the country. I had a lot of fun … “
Most unusual self-criticism
Laschet admits he was disappointed, because: “I made mistakes. Mistakes have happened that shouldn’t have happened. “
His analysis: “I gave what I could in a lot, but there were very, very many influences that influenced this election campaign.”
Most interesting backgrounds
Maischberger shows four harmful photos. On the first, Laschet took his fogged glasses off his wet face in the pouring rain of the Eifel. That’s why he looks “like a very bleak person.”
But: “One meter from me, not in your picture, Olaf Scholz is also in the rain,” the party leader explains to the audience. The SPD candidate does not wear glasses, but according to Laschet “he doesn’t seem much more hopeful”. Well – but you couldn’t see that there. Lucky for him!
Dialogue of the evening
The talk show host assists with an example from yesterday’s Hollywood: “Olaf Scholz is always Buster Keaton,” she jokes.
“He always looks like that, do you think?” Asks Laschet. Joy in the studio!
Laschet wants to stop the laugh: “No, but Olaf Scholz is right next to him, has the – no, his hair is not wet …” Even more cheerfulness!
Most frank admission
Regarding the next scene, Laschet explains: “The picture is really falsified. The politician has someone who carries his umbrella and the citizen stands in the rain. “
But, Laschet continues: “Behind the citizen there is also someone who holds the umbrella for the citizen. But you can’t see it. These are photos that give the wrong impression. “Uff!
And the devastating image of the laughing Laschet with the tip of his tongue out, is that also somehow faked? No: “That was really a big mistake,” admits the failed candidate, embarrassed.
Sigmund Gottlieb (70), the former editor-in-chief of Bayerischer Rundfunk, demanded: “The CDU needs a strong leader. It will run towards Friedrich Merz. “Photo: WDR / Melanie Grande
Most repentant explanation
Laschet’s story goes like this: “The Federal President speaks. I’m back in the hall where all the helpers were standing, 80, 90 meters away. Someone makes a comment, that’s a tenth of a second, and then the picture emerges. Point.”
His reproach to himself: “That shouldn’t be. One should have concentrated. It still annoys me to this day. It annoys me to death! “
Most overdue settlement
About his competitor Markus Söder, Laschet says: “I think he would have experienced just as tough an election campaign, and the whole republic would not have said from left to right: Please become Federal Chancellor!”
“Whether someone else would not have made mistakes too, and how someone else would have been illuminated!” He adds. “Ultimately, Horst Seehofer commented on it …”
“Horst Seehofer is Markus Söder’s best friend, we all know that,” Maischberger scoffs.
The crucial question of the evening
“At first I was surprised that he (Söder) even took part,” commented Laschet on the duel with Bayern, “because he had said the opposite for a year. As recently as August 2020, it was not at all an issue that there could be a conflict between the CDU and CSU. And I believed that for a long time … “
About the permanent fire from Munich, Laschet says that he kept calling Söder: “Markus, leave it! Markus, why are you saying that again now? “Answer:” No, that is wrongly quoted, I didn’t say that at all … “Laschet today sobered:” It was always different. “
The ARD science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar (62) confessed: “I had 170,000 air miles. With Greta Thunberg this is first class in hell! ” Photo: WDR / Melanie Grande
Most depressed observation
About his relationship with the CSU boss, Laschet says: “It was very good for a long time, and I really believed him a lot.”
“Why did he do that?” The talk show host wants to know.
Answer: “I don’t know. Because it is of no use to the CSU either. The CSU would also be stronger if we governed together in Berlin.
Most convincing answer
Two thirds of the regional associations were for him, adds Laschet afterwards.
Maischberger goes all out: “You believe that in the end you have fulfilled the will of the vast majority of CDU members with your candidacy?” She wonders.
“Yes”, Laschet answers briefly and succinctly. Heidewitzka!
Most amazing reason
“Ok”, Maischberger wonders. “I can’t take that away from you …”
“But how should we measure that?” Asks Laschet.
“Survey values,” suggests the talk show host.
“Yes, but surveys cannot question members,” the CDU chief lectures with a raised index finger.
“Surveys among CDU members are surveys among CDU members,” contradicts the talk show host.
Laschet’s reply: “Then Forsa would have to know the 400,000 CDU members. I don’t think you know them… “Oh my!
Actor Ralf Moeller (62) railed against his old love CDU: “They don’t even fight. They aren’t even guys enough. They stick in behind the back! “Photo: WDR / Melanie Grande
Most realistic forecast
Is Jamaica Dead? “I’m afraid: yes,” replies Laschet. “I still believe that Jamaica would be better for the country because more could be done. But the coalition negotiations are now so concrete that I am assuming a traffic light coalition. ”
Clearest job description
About his successor, the CDU boss says: “Up to the minute nobody has declared himself. Candidates can then come from Saturday. We now have to find someone as quickly as possible who holds everyone together. Who holds the parliamentary group and party together, is now preparing the opposition work in terms of content and also looking to the future. ”
Most personal explanation
His wife “shared the excitement”, says Laschet, “but I think she’s also relieved to a certain extent.”
About his future as a “simple MP” he says: “I want to continue working in foreign and European policy. It has been with me all my political life. Where and how, that remains to be seen. “
His confession: “I would have liked to have won. I would prefer to be Chancellor now and not sit in this chair, but rather during coalition negotiations. But it was decided differently. Then you have to accept that too. “Amen!
Quote of the evening
“The gorilla, the elephant, all herbivores, and the Möller are the strongest animals in the world.” Ralf Moeller
Conclusion
Tight questions, honest answers, a fair audience and strong words from a strong guy: That was a talk in the “Concentrate” category.