Report from Mexico
Grayson, George W.
baring her soul to the beauty operator overhearing private family matters that curred-if we can't actually flee the scene. (or hair artiste) in a bitter complaint I had no business...
...He complemented this t" crowd-pleasing casual dress with bombastic speeches, castigating the PRI for ties to drug lords and seven decades of "a government that lies, is corrupt...
...When waiters drop curbing cell phones...
...He demoted his campaign manager and sought the Ideologically there is little to choose from between Labasti- assistance of the PRI's most experienced "alchemists," inda's moderate neoliberal reformism and Fox's free-enter- cluding Manuel Bartlett, whom most analysts credit with prise orientation...
...ity of the chief executive, fully backed self in serious trouble...
...W.C...
...When the lo...
...He served a three-year stint in Congress and, on inee of the center-right National Action Party (PAN...
...by the armed forces...
...If the PRI candidate democracy, and crime fighting...
...ary Party (PRI), which has controlled the na- The PRI was also optimistic about Labastida's chances M tion's presidency by hook and often by crook because of the failure of the principal opposition parties, since the 1920s, is struggling to hold on to the the PAN and the leftist-nationalist Democratic Revolutionpresidential palace in Mexico City come election day July ary Party (PRD), to unite behind a single candidate...
...City's mayor, sniping from the media, and adverse internaAt the same time, it alienated tens of thousands of party tional opinion...
...This procedure, promoted by sitting President Ernesto ZedilREPORT FROM MEXICO lo to "consolidate democracy," offered several advantages for The dinosaurs & the fox the much-criticized PRI: it activated the party's often creaky grassroots machinery, lofted Labastida's name recognition, and invested the nominee with much-needed legitimacy...
...As trays, performers forget their lines, and with a booming market...
...Never before in the fewer dangers than a Fox defeat...
...Accustomed to berating Mexico's Tammany Hallthough the average Mexican scorns the ruling party's record style system even as they cut mutually beneficial deals with of ballot-box stuffing and foul play, the PRI's relatively gen- PRI insiders, PAN traditionalists nevertheless considered erous welfare state and array of agricultural subsidies con- Fox an outsider, upstart, and "Northern Barbarian...
...That changed last year with George W. Grayson a four-candidate party primary that was open to all citizens...
...Fox is less conservative than his party, rigging the outcome of the 1988 presidential race for the PRI...
...He immediately began barnstorming the country, making a point of wearing blue jeans, open-necked shirts, a giant "FOX" silver belt buckle, and boots that have become a trademark...
...Whether deserved or not, a narrow win by Labastida torchbearer for a "New PRI," committed to social justice, could ignite a firestorm of protests...
...Until saturation an innocent bystander, I knew that I had folks make God awful speeches at wed- or cultural conversion takes place, I may done nothing wrong...
...Instead, Labastida lashed out at his "Never before in the history of Mexaggressive opponent for using pro- - ico have we had a peaceful transifanity, calling Labastida "shorty" and "Six out of ten Mexicans tion," says Sergio Sarmiento, columimplying that he was gay...
...there's little imminent hope for laws zine before my face, and prayed that I Fields is not funny...
...This tinue to appeal to millions of poor and working-class voters...
...Mexico's Institutional Revolution- After all, 9.7 million voters participated in the selection...
...2. Several polls in late May showed the PRI candidate, Fran- Fox, a former Coca-Cola executive, joined the clubby PAN cisco Labastida, neck-and-neck with Vicente Fox, the nom- in 1987...
...wanted in my campaign, because I can win without you...
...cording to pollster Alejandro Moreno...
...Realistically, sank down in my chair, raised a maga- suffer vicarious shame for them...
...Upon capturing his party's couple of points, real turmoil is posnomination last year, he quickly identified himself as the sible...
...so badly, those characteristics you'll history of Mexico have we Zedillo is prepared to recognize a Fox never lose...
...However, in the campaign's second da would project a presidential image, shunning invective debate, May 26, Fox regained his footing...
...and has recanted his earlier talk about privatizing the state's Continuing to discard his "New PRI" trappings, he urged oil monopoly...
...Al- palace...
...When we see and new TV programs are scheduled friend, whom I'd always admired...
...I did not feel guilty, dings or wakes, we try to save face by be forced to buy a Walkman and probut I was instinctively embarrassed at pretending nothing untoward has oc- gram it with white noise...
...As the story went on and on, and the barrassment over personal exposure re- the omnipresent video cameras...
...Party apparatchiks are toutdo, Fox has clearly struck a chord with many Mexicans...
...I'm often the one edging out the door at about her mother-in-law's awful behav- Surely, such attacks of shame and em- such times-at least out of the range of ior...
...El modernized its political system in response to economic liberalization, with the result that today the PAN and the PRD hold George W. Grayson, who teaches government at the College of ten governorships and the capital's city hall...
...Morning-after polls de- had a peaceful transition," victory...
...his family ranches and manufactures shoes...
...Studies in Washington, D.C...
...While encrusted power broclared Fox the hands-down winner...
...I down, and make fools of themselves, we twenty-four hours a day...
...My esteemed friend Senor Labasti- political crisis if the PRI "Not in the 100 years of Aztec rule, da," Fox shot back, "it may be possible loses the election," according not in 300 years of colonial rule, or for me to lose my vulgar language, to pollster Alejandro 180 years of republican government...
...She was berating my old naked in a drunken stupor...
...In light of the leftist PRD's strength "change"-will actually throw out the PRI amid steady in Mexico City and the PAN's advantage in other urban areas growth and record goverment spending...
...Such rhetoric glistened in were inaugurated, he would also face attacks from Mexico headlines and garnered praise from editorial writers abroad...
...How could I become invisible...
...and] incompetent, and "I never thought I'd say it, but this guy makes me long today lacks ideas and creativity...
...in favor of articulating sound approaches to curbing crime, "Six out of ten Mexicans believe there will be a political improving schools, creating jobs, and crisis if the PRI loses the election," acbroadening health-care opportunities...
...The irony of the July 2 election is that a President Fox Worse, Labastida failed to bring his PRI primary rivals into would owe his victory to the middle class and affluent secthe fold, excluding many party bigshots from the list of PRI tors that cry out for change but have prospered under Zedilcandidates for the Senate and Chamber of Deputies...
...People are this daughter-in-law (certainly no Ruth dren were ashamed to see him lying putting their intimate lives on Web sites, to a Naomi...
...and in the North, the PRI's old guard is concentrating on the Often called the Marlboro Man because of his earthy brava- "voto verde" or countryside vote...
...or hair artiste) in a bitter complaint I had no business knowing...
...believe there will be a nist for the daily newspaper Reforma...
...al million members for "Amigos de Fox," a personal organization designed to raise funds, show his broad appeal, Commonweal 8 June 16, 2000 and pressure the skeptical PAN leadership to fall in behind After the April 25 debate, Labastida quickly changed him...
...In the ing the importance of scores of PRI-initiated federal pronation's first televised presidential debate on April 25, he grams that serve this poverty-stricken constituency...
...but you politicians who are cheaters, In fact, a Labastida loss could pose who are corrupt, and have governed Moreno...
...As a consequence, the Elections, published by the Center for Strategic and International party is racked by internecine battles and defections...
...Most observers had an- were given a lift on May 24 when Fox was outmaneuvered by ticipated that the experienced, distinguished-looking Labasti- Labastida on live TV...
...Labastida's eagerness to embrace at least the dent Labastida would owe a whopping debt to his party's rhetoric of reform seemed to tell the old guard, "You're not change-averse dinosaurs...
...For his part, Labastida can only win if hard-pressed PRI controlled all thirty-one states and Mexico City, rewards workers and dirt-poor peasants, who have lost ground ecoabounded for the party faithful...
...The outcome will depend on whether deeply his party's governors, army of bureaucrats, and labor bosses conservative voters-six out of ten of whom claim to want to beat the bushes for him...
...says Sergio Sarmiennto, kers will grouse or jet abroad, they With the election only two months columnist for the daily are unlikely to challenge the authoraway, Labastida suddenly found him- newspaper Reforma...
...course...
...Noah's chil- more shameless direction...
...I wasn't...
...And despite assertions that he, like Fox, will veterans, including the powerful "dinosaurs" used to play- continue to reform Mexico's economy and politics, a Presiing hardball...
...frontation over compromise with a governing elite considered rotten to the core...
...names of other siblings in the family flect our human sense of solidarity and The culture seems to be heading in a came up, I slowly realized that I knew identification with others...
...The physically imposing and temperamentally hard-charging fifty-seven-year-old Fox announced his candidacy for the presidency in late 1997...
...He also signed up severfor the last administration...
...Now, there are William & Mary, has just written A Guide to the 2000 Mexican fewer goodies for the PRI to hand out...
...If, however, Labastida's debate performance electoral officials designate Labastida was only one of several self-inflicted the next chief executive by only a wounds...
...Soon after takUntil recently, the smart money rested on Labastida, a ing the oath of office, he set his sights on the presidential bland, competent former governor and cabinet member...
...EXICO CITY...
...El Historically, Mexico's presidents have been handpicked by the incumbent chief executive...
...But Mexico has increasingly nomically, flock to his banner...
...Commonweal 9 June 16, 2000...
...term applies to aggressively impatient businessmen who As a consequence, Labastida entered the race with a formi- have joined the party in the last few years and prize condable lead in the polls, despite his party's unsavory past...
...Both his second try, captured the statehouse in Guanajuato, where the situation and the electorate are fluid, if not volatile...
...It would interfere would not be recognized...
...Hor- friends or family members get drunk, fall that will cover a person's every move for rors...
...They shrewdly played to the bleachers...
Vol. 127 • June 2000 • No. 12
