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  •  if they lose (4.00 / 2)

    It's a blow, in my opinion. But it was already a blow to see the socialists unable to gain traction on Anzar up to this point. And it is already significant that Anzar's law-and-order party had no compunction about looking away from the perpetrators of this heinous attack toward the ETA for crass partisan reasons. This shows so much. I agree that any optimism about a Socialist victory (as Paleo first points out) is really misplaced. But to call attention to the elections, and imagine what the consequences of either a victory or defeat for Anzar would be, is really important -- and not a game at all. I was just talking to a friend who had casually followed the bombings and didn't know there was an election is Spain today. The election has been downplayed in the U.S. media (unlike the European press) and is, I think, remarkably important -- particularly if Anzar goes down.

    "We have found the weapons of mass destruction" -- George Bush, May 30, 2003

    by awol on Sun Mar 14, 2004 at 02:24:15 PM PDT

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    •  Now see (none / 0)

      that's where we disagree.  The Socialists' inability to gain traction on Aznar is as much about them as Aznar's personal popularity.

      They have done a horrible job in opposition and are incoherent and without stron political figures.

      Frankly, the discussion here strikes me as provincial in the extreme - viewing Spain's elections through our prism.

      Everybody dies alone.

      by Armando on Sun Mar 14, 2004 at 02:33:43 PM PDT

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      •  yes -- we do disagree (4.00 / 2)

        The main "prism" that is operating in U.S. coverage of Spain, I think, is ignoring the elections altogether. Thus, there is much more attention to this in European papers.

        I don't know too much about domestic Spanish politics, and, from what I understand, I'd agree that the Socialists have run a poor campaign, and were unable to take advantage of Spanish opposition to the war.

        However, I do have some knowledge of European Socialism, and it's clear that the left in Spain is united -- for good reason -- in opposition to Bush's dangerous militarism. It's also clear that the Madrid bombings are hugely significant as a) the biggest crisis in Aznar's admiinstration (and I can't think of an example where such a crisis has come so late in an election cycle) b) a major challenge to European electoral democracy as such.
        For this reason, it is truly riveting to watch this election unfold -- and it will be quite revealing if, as much of the press has speculated, Spanish voters react to the shocking duplicity and cynicism of the PP in the last 72 hours by getting (justifiably) angry at Aznar, rather than (as might also happen of course) equating "rallying around the flag" with supporting a militaristic status quo.

        "We have found the weapons of mass destruction" -- George Bush, May 30, 2003

        by awol on Sun Mar 14, 2004 at 03:08:32 PM PDT

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        •  Great post (none / 0)

          Now that I liked.  And that is a far cry from implying that this election is a referendum on the Iraq Debacle, a perspective that to me does suffer from provincialism.

          So maybe we don't disagree.

          Everybody dies alone.

          by Armando on Sun Mar 14, 2004 at 03:15:08 PM PDT

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          •  agreement (none / 0)

            Two former Clarkies find common ground.

            Maybe it's wanting to have my cake and eat it too, but it seems to me that if the PP wins it won't be a referendum on Iraq (since, as you've been pointing out they've had a clear lead in the polls despite clear opposition to the war in Spain) but if the socialists make unexpected gains it would have big implications for U.S./European relations, Bush, and the war on Iraq.

            But, of course, it makes no sense to expect the unexpected.

            "We have found the weapons of mass destruction" -- George Bush, May 30, 2003

            by awol on Sun Mar 14, 2004 at 03:32:42 PM PDT

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        •  In fact, merits a separate diary (none / 0)

          I think the issue of world electoral reaction to US policy and it's complete lack of coverage here is extremely significant.  I'd like to hear more from you on this.

          Everybody dies alone.

          by Armando on Sun Mar 14, 2004 at 03:17:57 PM PDT

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