Last time I was in Vienna the mother of my (then) girlfriend (austrian) told me so, and demonstrated its 'truth' (in cafés, in the street, among her neighbours). Between the wars the austrians were longing for someone to deliver the 'final blow' to the increasingly decadent and meanigless 'austro hungarian empire', and saw the arrival of Hitler's troops as a 'liberation', and still do, at least those who are old enough to remember it. Those who are not old enough just think Heiser is a nice guy - well, a majority of them do, anyway. Not everybody has a cool, relaxed california 'tude, dude ! Maybe not even Arnie. Only time will tell.
btw : I seriously doubt that Arnie is -as you say - 'rather clever'. If he was that he'd have answered more of the questions put to him during the run-up, instead of standing there like a stammering twat. What he is, is ambitious and courageous. I hope he'll prove to be a 'loose cannon' to the republicunts. His politics are incoherent. He'll (hopefully) react to what happens at gut level, and may eventually prove to be too 'soft' and 'liberal' for the hardliners.
Re: I think the 'nazi thing' is a cheapo jibe too.
Last time I was in Vienna the mother of my (then) girlfriend (austrian) told me so, and demonstrated its 'truth' (in cafés, in the street, among her neighbours). Between the wars the austrians were longing for someone to deliver the 'final blow' to the increasingly decadent and meanigless 'austro hungarian empire', and saw the arrival of Hitler's troops as a 'liberation', and still do, at least those who are old enough to remember it. Those who are not old enough just think Heiser is a nice guy - well, a majority of them do, anyway. Not everybody has a cool, relaxed california 'tude, dude ! Maybe not even Arnie. Only time will tell.
btw : I seriously doubt that Arnie is -as you say - 'rather clever'. If he was that he'd have answered more of the questions put to him during the run-up, instead of standing there like a stammering twat. What he is, is ambitious and courageous. I hope he'll prove to be a 'loose cannon' to the republicunts. His politics are incoherent. He'll (hopefully) react to what happens at gut level, and may eventually prove to be too 'soft' and 'liberal' for the hardliners.
Let's watch.
Good luck, californians.