I just recently started reading The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel by Kati Marton and on page 75, the following is said about Angela Merkel in reference to her reserved manner of dealing with debates and in this case with Gerhard Schröder:

Keeping silent, she [Angela Merkel] let Schröder bluster on. This is her power: letting an alpha male keep talking and waiting patiently as he self-destructs.

People who talk a lot don’t seem to realise is talking a lot can lead to a tangle of their own creating.

If you talk a lot, your opponents will know where to find weaknesses in your defences.

When you remain silent, it makes it difficult for others to figure out how to undermine you.

This holds true not just in debates, but in everyday life as well.

Unlike Barack Obama, Angela Merkel has never taken to the stage to deliver rousing eloquent speeches.

As Germany’s leader and one of the world’s top countries, she was known for her quiet and restrained demeanour.

She spent less time being preoccupied with the mirror [herself] and more time focused on the leadership issues of the day.

Another reminder never to assume that loud is strong and quiet is weak.