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OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSO #0602 3111611
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O 061611Z NOV 08
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8687
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 9849
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 8914
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 3199
UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000602
SIPDIS
STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD
DEPT PASS USTR
USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD XM XR BR
SUBJECT: U.S. ELECTIONS AND G-20
1.The American dream reborn
Main editorial in center-right O Estado de S.Paulo (11/6) states:
"The triumph of [President-elect Barack] Obama, the most unique
White House hopeful ever produced by the one of the two largest
national parties, is the reinstatement of the image of the U.S.
defiled by the moral and political catastrophe of the Bush era....
One voted in Obama to break a taboo and because of his power to
inspire-but, above anything, to anoint a set of ideas and to
repudiate the other..... [President-elect Barack] Obama raised the
perennial flag of the opposition: change. But he did so without
demagoguery and with an uncommon sobriety in politics."
2. Victory of "the other"
Article in liberal Folha de S.Paulo (11/6) comments: "Having put
forward a vague program like all majority candidates do, it is
impossible to predict if [President-elect Barack] Obama will be able
to maintain unity in the base which got him elected. On the other
hand it is unlikely that under his leadership the country would
willingly yield to the world's expectations for a multilateralism
that goes beyond the historic partnership between the U.S. and
Europe. [President-elect] Barack Obama is not the messiah that one
believes some voters imagine him to be. But he is a politician who
had the audacity to defy fatalisms."
3. Obama makes history
Article in liberal Folha de S.Paulo (11/6) says: "Yes, like
[President-elect Barack] Obama said in his victory speech in
Chicago, 'change has come.' But American citizens will be ever
eager to know the concrete substance of the generic reformist
platform described by the president-elect with a prophetic tone. The
historic achievement of the rise of the Democratic [Party] senator
is a fact. His administration, however, will face administrative
challenges of gigantic proportions as well.... The magnificent
eloquence of the president-elect will be no substitute for his
complete lack of experience in public management."
4. Savior of the world?
Article in liberal Folha de S.Paulo (11/6) says: "Before being a
savior for humankind, [President-elect Barack] Obama needs to be a
savior of his nation.... To do that he can count on an extraordinary
number of votes, an ample Democratic [Party] majority in the House
and the Senate...and an enormous [amount of] international
goodwill.... All that is needed now is for the campaign myth to be
up to the task of being president of the largest [world] power-with
an economy that is upside-down.
5. Urgent changes after the G-20
Article in liberal Folha de S.Paulo by Treasury Minister Guido
Mantega (11/6) states: "The severe financial crisis made it even
more clear what we all knew: the governance of the global economy
and international finances needs urgent changes. This will be one of
the main points discussed at the very important G-20 meeting taking
place under Brazil's chairmanship in Sco Paulo.... It is ever more
difficult to deny emerging and developing economies a more
significant role in world decisions."
6. We are all Americans
Article in liberal Folha de S.Paulo (11/5) says: "[President-elect
Barack] Obama is a global phenomenon; his victory reflects not only
the choice of the majority of Americans, but the majority of human
beings.... One of the damning legacies of Bushism, perhaps the worse
one, is an acute and stupid anti-Americanism.... Americans could not
have given a better answer to the world (and to Bushism) than to
usher Michelle and Barack Obama into the White House. That does not
mean that his outstanding electoral victory...will guarantee a happy
ending to the sad record of George W. Bush in Washington.... But the
global satisfaction with the inspiring accomplishment by Obama gives
some hope to a world that is slowing down, almost stagnant. Let's
cheer Obama and what his impressive victory represents. Today, we
are all Americans."
White