If the administration representatives are honest they'll tell you 'Well this is a fresh start and Merkel's victory would be a good thing',

There is a culture of pessimism in Germany. There is a sense that something can go wrong and they tend to look around for it.

There is a culture of pessimism in Germany.

I don't think that we here in Washington should escalate our expectations that her parameters would be significantly bigger than Schroeder's.

I don't think that we here in Washington should escalate our expectations that her parameters would be significantly bigger than Schroeder's,

In the case of Schroeder, there was a great deal of concern that they were thinking more about differences rather than commonalities.