cont. from front page,

To get a sense of public opinion about the candidates and issues, Atención questioned US and Mexican citizens.

Kathleen Devine, membership chair, San Miguel Chapter of Democrats Abroad

I believe and hope Barack Obama will win. He appeals to first-time voters and to people who have been disenfranchised and unhappy and haven’t voted for a long time. I think most people, including many Republicans, are fed up with what has gone on for the past eight years, including the war in Iraq and the crisis in our economy. I think Palin is unqualified to be vice president, and it would be disastrous if she became president because McCain could not complete his term. 

Lulu Torbet, writer, artist and photographer

I think Obama will win. Despite my growing horror at the insecurity and backward thinking on the part of the American people, I am an eternal optimist and hope that enough people—especially new and under-polled voters—who are suffering from the fallout of the Bush regime and frightened about their deteriorating lives will vote for Obama. 


Jim Ellsworth, artist and investor

I think Obama will probably win, mostly because people blame Bush for the state of the economy. I think he is more qualified and more likely to bring change than McCain. At this point I am not very impressed with Palin. I hope we will have immigration reform, and we would have more chance of that with Obama. I voted for Obama in the primary, although I am a registered Republican and have been voting mostly Republican since 1956. This is not the first time I have voted for a Democrat, but I do not do it very often. 


Pierre Leperou, US citizen

McCain will win the elections—he is the one I’m voting for. I prefer McCain because I think Obama is a bull****er and Joe Biden is a liar.

Kathleen Ellsworth, Biblioteca Pública volunteer

Obama will probably win because he is looking for change. I really respect McCain and am a little divided, but I will not vote for Palin because she would return us to nineteenth-century values. Because of Palin I would never vote for McCain. 


Anne Bartlett, Biblitoeca Pública volunteer

I think Obama will win. McCain made a big mistake when he picked Palin; she really does not have the background, and if something happens to McCain we will be in a lot of trouble. Some people say Obama does not have enough experience, but he has a lot more than her. 


Paul Germani, accountant 

There are times I think McCain will win, but I would like to see Obama win. I think the issue of racism in the US is bigger than people will admit. As the economy deteriorates, I think the chances for a Democratic win improve, but there are other forces at work, such as racism, and many people won’t vote for him. 

Lynette Seator, writer

I think Obama will win because the American people have seen enough of the McCain–Palin team to know that they are not capable of leading the country. I don’t think Sarah Palin is qualified for the position. If Obama wins, he will be more favorable toward Mexico and Latin America than McCain. 


Josefina Petix, naturalized American citizen

I think the nomination for Democratic presidential candidate was stolen from Hillary Clinton. When I learned that Obama would be the candidate I decided not to vote for him. He doesn’t have enough political experience; he promises a lot of things he can’t accomplish. He is charming and a great speaker, but he does not convince me. Regarding McCain, I think he is a good guy, but I do not agree with the Republican ideas. They are too much in favor of big business and the wealthy. 

Jerry Gips, US citizen from Houston, Texas I prefer John McCain. He seems a more honest individual, he has been a senator all his life. Sarah Palin seems to be doing well in the debate.

Jim Crairy, US citizen 

I think Obama will win; he is younger and he has a program that is believable. John McCain is too old; he wants to continue the war in Iraq. Obama is looking for change, and that is what my country needs. Regarding Palin, I am a supporter of women in politics, but I will not support her; she is a wolf in woman’s clothing. 


Mexicans’ opinions

Atención also asked some local Mexican citizens their opinions about the US election. 

Ricardo González Rullán, head of Intercam

I think that the Democrats will win; the Republicans have led the country for the last eight years and many Americans blame them for the economic crisis. The Democrats would have a more favorable policy toward Latin America, and having a non-white president would improve the image of the US around the world. 


Cristóbal Finkelstein, city secretary

I think Obama will win because of the current debacle in the US and the government they have had during the past eight years. They need a change, not only within the country but in the eyes of the whole world. However, I would like McCain to win, even though I like both candidates. I think he has ideas that differ from those of his party. He might have a closer relationship with Latin America since he has a better understanding of the Latin American issues. 

Roberto Arias, political advisor I tend to think Obama will win. Although the Republican candidate has sometimes done better in the debates, the crisis in the economy will be reflected in the votes. I would like Obama to win because I think the policies of Bush and his party are awful for relations with Mexico. Although Obama has been criticized by some as inexperienced, I think choosing Biden as vice president will mitigate that. I don’t think we will reach an immigration agreement with the US regardless of who wins.

 
Francisco Peyret, head of the Tourism, Economic Development and International Relations Department 

McCain had a good chance to win, but because of the economic crisis and Bush’s lack of leadership the American people are now favoring Obama. I do not have a preference for either candidate. McCain is a good guy, but he is receiving an awful inheritance from Bush. I would go for Obama, because of his age and because he is offering alternative policies. US policies toward Mexico will not change, whoever wins. They will be very busy fixing their internal economy. 

María de la Paz Espino del Castillo Barrón, teacher  I would like Obama to win since he is younger, open-minded to other ways of government and would have better international relations, especially with Latin America. I think people who have always voted for the Republican party will continue voting that way, but they are a minority and from my point of view are mostly older people. There is a large population of young voters who are more conscious and fighting for their interests. Sarah Palin’s arguments are not convincing.

 
Expat Obamafest is one of world’s largest 
By Bruce Rossley

Democrats Abroad
Presidential Debate Party
Wed, Oct 15, 6:30pm
Election Night Party
Tue, Nov 4 
Los Milagros restaurant
Relox 17
Free

San Miguel’s American community turned out in force September 25 to show their support for Senator Barack Obama. Over 420 people bought tickets to a presidential fundraiser at the home of Terry and Jack Rhinehart.

The committee, Sanmiguelenses for Obama, chaired by Terry Daugherty, hosted the spectacular event. Four years ago, Daugherty chaired a similar fundraiser for the Democratic presidential nominee that attracted 300 people and raised just over US$10,000. After all expenses were paid, this year saw an increase of 80 percent, with slightly over US$18,000 raised for Senator Obama’s campaign. The September 25 event was one of the largest presidential campaign fundraisers ever held anywhere in the world outside the US.

In addition to purchasing tickets, attendees financially supported the Obama campaign by having their pictures taken with a life-size photo of the senator, participating in raffles throughout the evening and having tarot card readings.

One of the highlights of the event was a silent auction that featured many donated paintings by local artists and handcrafted jewelry by San Miguel craftspeople. Committee volunteers made over 800 botanas that were served to guests. Early in the evening mariachis progressed through the crowd, singing “Viva Obama.”

The next event for San Miguel’s Obama supporters will be the final Presidential Debate Party. Attendees can view the debate on a 12-foot by 8-foot screen and enjoy the cuisine of one of San Miguel’s best Mexican restaurants.

Los Milagros restaurant also will be the site of the Election Night Party. 

Bruce Rossley is vice chairperson of San Miguel Democrats Abroad and a member of the National Executive Committee of Mexico Democrats Abroad.

Campaign Coverage Index
By Tom Rosenstiel 

The Wall Street meltdown captured more media attention than the presidential campaign last week and the crisis redirected the campaign narrative toward a focus on economic issues, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ).

For only the second time this year, another event eclipsed the campaign as the top story. Market woes led the press agenda for the week of September 15–21, filling 37% of the news hole. Additionally, the economy became the leading campaign narrative last week, accounting for 43%. The previous week (September 8–14), the economy only accounted for 4% of campaign coverage.

The sudden burst of coverage of the economy marks only the second time since early June that the issue has been a top weekly campaign theme. Indeed, last week was only the fourth time that a policy issue has been the number 1 storyline in general election coverage.

Election coverage also shifted in terms of which candidate got the most attention last week. John McCain bested Obama in the race for media exposure for the first time since the kickoff of the general election. McCain appeared as a significant or dominant factor in 65% of campaign stories, compared with Obama at 59%. Republican VP hopeful Sarah Palin (26%) saw a 27-point drop in coverage from the previous week. Obama’s running mate, Joe Biden, was a significant or dominant newsmaker in only 5% of election stories.

The findings in PEJ’s Campaign Coverage Index—which will appear weekly during the campaign season—include:

While the financial meltdown dominated the election narrative last week, stories about strategy filled nearly one-fifth (18%) of the campaign news hole. Poll-related stories were the top strategic theme, accounting for 5%; candidates’ approaches to battleground states followed (4%); and fundraising stories (3%) rounded out the top three.

The media frenzy that surrounded Palin died down the week of September 15–21. Narratives about the Alaska Governor accounted for 17% of election coverage—about one-third of the previous week’s total. Stories about her public record accounted for 13% of the coverage, and her personal life filled less than 1%.

Overall, the election was the number 2 story of the week (31%), but it was the top story in cable news (61% of airtime studied) and on the radio (44%).

Visit www.journalism.org  for a direct link to a PDF of the report.

Tom Rosenstiel is the director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism.

Forward ballots by embassy mail
By Gretchen Sullivan

US Voter Information
Democrats Abroad
Wed, Oct 15, 1–3pm
Biblioteca Pública

Absentee ballots that do not come from outside the US may not be counted in some counties. Since many residents here use mail services that send mail from Texas, some San Miguel ballots may therefore not be counted. To avoid this, voters should take their ballots to the US Consular Office, October 13–17. A special table will be there to collect the ballots and to provide a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) to voters who have not received their ballots. Collected ballots are sent to the Embassy in Mexico City for mailing and will be stamped as coming from Mexico.

Democrats Abroad sponsors a nonpartisan table on Wednesdays through October 22 to facilitate late registration, help with ballots and provide a FWAB for people who have not received ballots by October 15.

To use a FWAB, US citizens and dual citizens must be registered to vote in their home states. Citizens can still register to vote at the Biblioteca on Wednesdays, and if the ballot is not received in time to return it before November 4, the FWAB still can be sent on time.

Gretchen Sullivan is chairperson of Democrats Abroad in San Miguel and has lived here for 10 years.

San Antonio residents talk with Trujillo
By Jesús Ibarra

On October 1, a group of about 15 residents, mostly Americans, from Colonia San Antonio met with police chief Daniel Trujillo to express their concerns about increasing crime in their neighborhood.

Robberies, home invasions, and acts of vandalism such as graffiti and punctured tires make up the majority of the crimes. 

Although the residents had prepared a list of at least 15 recent incidents, there was only time to discuss one of them, since Trujillo began explaining the difficulties he faces controlling crime with only 35 officers per shift to patrol the city’s 83 registered neighborhoods and more than 500 rural communities. However, he said he is trying hard to improve the police force, mainly by training officers and firing incompetent or corrupt police. 

Trujillo asked the residents to be his “eyes and ears,” noting that it is essential to report all crimes. “If you report a crime and file a statement with the district attorney’s office (Ministerio Público) I will guarantee your safety from any retributions,” said Trujillo.

He said that another way to support the police is to try to identify the criminals. “If you are a victim of a criminal act and you remember the physical characteristics of the perpetrator, you should come look at the photos of identified criminals we have on file.”

Trujillo gave the San Antonio residents his private cell phone number so they can call him if they do not get a prompt response from police. He also introduced them to the officer in charge of the area in which Colonia San Antonio is located, Gilberto Lucio Sánchez, who also gave them his cell phone number and promised he would come to their homes to evaluate their security and make suggestions for improvements. 

The police chief also asked them to help by teaching English to the policemen, and they agreed to work toward this. 

Trujillo suggested that residents install a video camera to monitor and record criminal activity. The system costs about US$2,500.

Trujillo is available to meet with residents at his office in the administration building Monday and Wednesday through Friday from 9am to 4pm or on Tuesday at the former presidencia building across from the Jardín from 9am to 2pm.

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