Posted on 07/03/2006 3:59:38 PM PDT by Dane
AP Blog: No Election Celebration in Mexico By The Associated Press , 07.03.2006, 05:15 PM
Will Weissert and Mark Stevenson covered Mexico's two presidential front-runners on election night, with Weissert following conservative Felipe Calderon and Stevenson with leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
Monday, July 3, 12:50 p.m. local time
MEXICO CITY - Jubilation was replaced by anger and disbelief among followers of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. But violence seemed unlikely, especially with Lopez Obrador telling supporters to stay calm.
Last night, supporters were chanting "We are going to win!" They were so desperate to see him that they tried to rush a swank Mexico City hotel's plate-glass doors, believing him inside. That sparked a half-hour melee in which security guards shoved and pummeled them back. One man was carrying a poster of Lopez Obrador decorated not only with the presidential sash, but also a golden crown.
It's easy to make light of such adoration in a political campaign. But it's not easy to jest about the expressions on the faces of so many who spent hours in the main plaza under an intermittent rain, waiting for the man they see as more than just a candidate.
By Monday, however, their hopes seemed dashed and the campaign for Lopez Obrador seemed to have assumed a forlorn air. A top adviser arrived at headquarters, only to find the door locked, and the building empty.
_Mark Stevenson
Sunday, July 2, 11:19 p.m. local
MEXICO CITY - The Felipe Calderon victory party was in full-swing. Supporters were singing and dancing, batting each other with balloons, and washing down free ham sandwiches with room-temperature Coca-Cola and orange soda. "Felipe! Felipe!" they chanted. "We won!" they screamed. Every few minutes a collective roar would rise as preliminary polling tallies trickling in from across Mexico showed Calderon with a very slight lead.
That all changed just after 11 p.m., when the head of Mexico's Federal Electoral Institute appeared on national television to say a quick-count revealed the race between Calderon and leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was too close to call. There would be no definitive presidential election winner, the crowd learned, at least until after a recount begins on Wednesday.
The celebration deflated instantly.
Supporters, many still clutching hand-clappers and white Calderon flags, shook their heads. They threw their arms up in disbelief or stared down at the floor. Under a rain-soaked tent just outside the building, hundreds stared at a huge screen TV, where electoral institute director, Luis Carlos Ugalde, was speaking.
"But what were the results of the quick count?" one man yelled at the TV.
"You know we won," insisted another.
"How can we wait so long?" a women in the back wanted to know.
"We can't," came a reply from someone nearby.
But they will have to - just like everyone else in Mexico.
_Will Weissert
OMG, warm coca-cola and orange soda.
How gauche, those stupid provincial Mexicans, where is the perfectly chilled Dom Perignon that I can guzzle down, per Will Weissert, IMO.
Uh oh... a close race will mean another Bush/Gore 2000 mess where the liberals fight the results. Who knows, maybe that revolution that Mexico has been postponing will finally happen?
Unfortunately, it would probably be a socialist revolution.
I wonder how long will it take for the Kos/DU types to see yet another Karl Rove/Diebold conspiracy.
Hugh Hewitt is practicing the Spanish phrases for "hanging chad....pregnant chad....dimpled chad....over-priced lawyer, David Boise....and the best "I used to be the next President of Mexico"!!!! LOL!!
Bush's Fault!
According to Babelfish, the Spanish for hanging chad is "sábalo que cuelga."
Analysis, it's Bush's fault.
But, the question is...will Jimmy Carter certify these results?
"illegals in this country couldn't take the chance of returning home to register"
That Vicente is one smart coy Fox.
I hear some Mexican won.
All of North America has either turned or stayed CONSERVATIVE under Bush, despite the Socialist press hatchet job.
That has got to be infuriating to the Libs.
How will they sleep at night on this continent?
It would be fitting for the winning candidate to have a victory celebration in downtown San Diego.
LOL. "Loserman dolorido."
Everywhere is "Jesusland."
Bush is a conservative?
He is a republican, but hardly a conservative.
Lovely.
It's easy to make light of such adoration in a political campaign. But it's not easy to jest about the expressions on the faces of so many who spent hours in the main plaza under an intermittent rain, waiting for the man they see as more than just a candidate.
Good grief.
Look, I don't like either candidate. The fawning over the loser is nauseating. But the inability of a certain set of voters to accept outcomes of elections is growing by the year and becoming pathetic. Around 400,000 votes is NOT close. A few hundred is close. This idea of contesting every election no matter how high the victory is the by-product of Al Gore. Which is why Nixon was a MUCH better man and Patriot then that loser ever could believe himself to be. Is this really the trend you wished to set Al? Lose elections then lose them in poor spirit?
Your "prediction" was fact before you wrote it. A perusal of DU posts earlier this afternoon showed their suspicions. Apparently whenever a liberal or leftist loses it is Karl's fault. It can't be Bush's fault, because he is just a chimp. Even an article dated June 30 "predicted" that "bushco" went south and had this all tied up since Sept. 14, 2001. No offense, but predicting this is just too easy.
Bush believes in a strong military defense, reduced taxes, personal responsibility, a 'hand up' - not a 'hand out'.
Reducing the size of government during a war is not easy, but I would like him to work harder at it.
Securing the borders is not easy, since it has been yet another inherited problem that existed for decades, like the Middle East, terrorism, tax reform, etc., but I would like him to work harder at it.
It makes him more conservative than not, unless you're an idiot.
It never fails...when you Bush bots get defensive you make personal insults.
I would argue the points with you, but since you went down that road it would be pointless.
Have a nice 4th.
No Bushbot here, just unwilling to here Bush be referred to the equivalent of a RINO without ripping someone a new one.
Cut it out - let's wish Bush to step up the Conservatism, but he is no John McPain.
And he is infinitely preferrable to a Kerry.
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