BERLIN (AP) Chancellor Angela Merkel's challenger in Germany's Sept. 22 election is drawing criticism for posing with what appears to be an obscene gesture on a magazine cover.
Peer Steinbrueck gave the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper's weekly magazine a "no-words interview," in which the interviewee responds by gesticulating to the camera.
The picture of an angry-looking Steinbrueck holding out his middle finger came in response to a question alluding to gaffes in his election campaign: "Slip-up Peer, Problem Peer ... you don't have to worry about nice nicknames, right?"
A message on Steinbrueck's Twitter feed read: "plain speaking doesn't always need words for example when you're always being asked about stale news instead of really important questions."
Vice Chancellor Philipp Roesler said Thursday the gesture "isn't right for a candidate for chancellor."
