Word: schmidts
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Cool and steady, Schmidt parries Strauss's brawny assault...
With his bulldog shape and brawling style, Franz Josef Strauss was not about to win the West German national election on looks and charisma. Throughout, he had searched for an issue to stir the electorate, something to pinprick the lofty image of his telegenic opponent, Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. But every time Strauss attacked, Schmidt parried, mostly by reminding voters that West had never been so prosperous or so world affairs. "I sympathize with Strauss," said a Düsseldorf banker. "He has been in the impossible position of trying to find fault with success...
With 70% of the votes counted in Sunday's election, Schmidt and his coalition of Social Democrats and Free Democrats (SPD-F.D.P.) were returned with a majority in the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, which elects the Chancellor. His supporters won 53.1% of the vote - 42.6% for the SPD and 10.5% for the F.D.P. - compared with 44.8% for Strauss's conservative Christian Democratic and Christian Social Union. Said the victorious Schmidt: "I am very satisfied with the results...
...F.D.P., whose members are mostly middle class and professional, has been in the crucial swing role. By siding again with the Social Democrats instead of the conservatives, the Free Democrats aimed not only to block the election of Strauss, whom they regard as an extremist, but also to help Schmidt neutralize the left wing of his SPD. Said F.D.P. Chairman Hans-Dietrich Genscher: "Our mission is to ensure government from the center, not from the fringes, left or right...
Running ahead of his party as usual, Schmidt, 61, had a personal approval rating of 60% going into the election. His image was that of effective head of government, perhaps without peer, and renowned world statesman. No matter that he is reserved, even chilly. West German voters like some distance in their leaders, along with stability, firmness and caution. His government, both at home and abroad, Schmidt pledged, would stay "calculable, predictable and balanced...