Because a victory by Angela Merkel (search), the candidate of the conservative Christian Democratic Party (search), will signal the revival of stronger ties between Washington and Berlin. Merkel, an unassuming physicist from former communist East Germany, commands a slim six point lead over Social Democrat Schroeder, according to the Sept. 12 issue of Der Spiegel (search), a respected German weekly.

A physicist? Nice.

It'd be very nice for Germany and the US to improve relations again.