Philippine presidential campaign off to a difficult start

[dArKeR]

Some analysts fear the elections could be postponed because of a lack of preparation or collapse altogether under the weight of public cynicism

Posters are up, images are being polished and the dirty tricks have started well before candidates are allowed to barrage voters in the Philippines.

Officially, campaigning cannot begin until Feb. 10, but in the media and on the luncheon speech circuit, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her five rivals have been revving up their personalities and platforms for general elections in May.

Even critical business such as passing this year's national budget is mired in politics as lawmakers haggle about the size of the pork barrel for vote-winning public works projects.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/02/04/2003097412

Is our media incompetent or just part of the GOP Crime Cyndicate? Do the Dem. nominee need us for political advisors? Why doesn't some replay the tapes of Junior testimonializing to the world that the 'PI under Arroyo is the model for all the world to follow'?

This shows how incompetent and out of touch with reality Junior and his Coup Regime is! And it should be made into a TV commercial!

[dArKeR]

1. Bush Cites Philippines as Model in Rebuilding Iraq

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/19/international/asia/19PREX.html?ex=1076389200&en=1262d3fc0b3aa73d&ei=5070