VZCZCXYZ0008
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0430/01 0661054
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071054Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7463
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000430 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, 
WHA/EPSC 
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION; BUSH SPEECH, CHAVEZ IN ARGENTINA, 03/06/07; 
BUENOS AIRES 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Today's stories focus on the mostly negative repercussions of 
President Bush's speech at the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 
yesterday, three days before leaving on his Latam tour. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES 
 
- "Bush's Concern, Too Late" 
 
Hugo Alconada Mon, daily-of-record "La Nacion" Washington-based 
correspondent, writes (03/06) "Some people prefer to see the glass 
half full, and others half empty. Others, the majority, believe 
President Bush's trip to Latin America is an obvious gesture of his 
political weakness. And a third group - an isolated group composed 
mostly of US officials --, believes it reflects the importance that 
the region always had for this White House. 
 
"Bush faced the TV cameras yesterday with a speech that distilled 
marketing. Dressed in different shades of blue, with a yellow 
backdrop that reflected the Hemisphere, he hammered 'I'm interested 
in Latin America.' 
 
"His National Security advisor, Steve Hadley, promoted that line of 
political communication, and said that Bush had decided to focus on 
the 'other half' of his agenda for the region, the five countries he 
will promote during his tour. 
 
"... What does 'the other half of the agenda mean'? That for once, 
Bush set aside his speeches on free trade, or the 'fight against 
terrorism', which generates, in Latin America, the immediate 
connection with the unpopular war in Iraq. 
 
".... Bush addressed his message directly to Latin Americans, not 
their governments, given the "short-circuits" he has with some of 
them, Argentina included. 
 
"He referred to Buenos Aires, reminding that we speak different 
languages, but share something in common: democracy. A gesture on 
the eve of the show Chavez will display against the 'Yankee 
Empire.' 
 
".... In sum, Bush tried to show he's worried about Latin America. 
But objections begin there. When the U.S. needs to prove it's 
interested in something, six years after arriving in the White 
House, it's because something failed: either he didn't show that 
interest before, or he never had it...." 
 
- "Bewilderment" 
 
Marcelo Cantelmi, leading "Clarin" international editor, opines 
(03/06) "Among the numerous articles in the international press, the 
few ones that analyze Bush's imminent trip to the region try to 
explain the reasons for this expedition. To some, the purpose is to 
sign an FTA with Uruguay, a definitely impossible alternative for 
this President. Others speculate the trip aims at downplaying 
Chavez' leading role, which cannot be achieved by a short visit to 
the area, even though the Venezuelan lost some of that leadership. 
There are those who have a better idea of the real purpose of the 
tour: advancing bio-fuels with Brazil. The truth is that, when there 
are too many contradictory explanations on an issue, it's because 
there is no final explanation. What Bush announced yesterday shows 
the limits of this trip and fuels doubts on its purpose. Hardly 
anything of what was said may spark an atom of enthusiasm and, 
contrarily, may lead to some indignation on what seems to be 
transparent bewilderment rather than a specific agenda for the 
region." 
 
- "In Washington's Opinion, Communication Fails" 
 
Ana Baron, leading "Clarin" Washington-based correspondent, writes 
(03/06) "Bush's speech and his trip to Latin America are basically 
the response to criticism in Congress that his lack of interest for 
our countries left a vacuum that Chavez is filling in with his 
petrodollar policy. During Thursday's hearing at the House of 
Representatives, several legislators lashed at A/S Shannon for the 
way in which this year's aid to the region was reduced. 
 
"With the presidential campaign in full swing and the more volatile 
Hispanic vote, it's not by chance that President Bush chose the 
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to deliver his speech. Nevertheless, 
given the obvious wave of anti-U.S. sentiment in the region and the 
lack of resources he has to invest in our countries, the chances 
that he may reverse criticism are null. The aid program he announced 
is really hilarious compared with Kennedy's 'Alliance for Progress.' 
'He means well, but it's too little, and too late,' said a Latin 
American diplomat who listened to Bush's speech. 
 
 
".... In response to a question on whether 9/11 diverted USG 
attention towards other regions of the world, NSC advisor Steve 
Hadley completely denied this, complaining that 'In Latin America 
people believe our agenda is only focused on counter-terrorism, 
trade and the fight against drug-trafficking, and hasn't paid 
attention to the other half of the agenda, such as education, health 
and housing.' Therefore, in Hadley's opinion, everything is a matter 
of public relations, or public diplomacy, as they call it. There 
wasn't enough propaganda with respect to the 'other agenda.'..." 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our 
classified website at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
WAYNE