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INFO RUCNMRC/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BUENOS AIRES 001547 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL OEXC OIIP SCUL AR KPAO OEXC AR
SUBJECT:  Thousands of Argentines Learn about U.S. Electoral 
Process through Embassy Election Events 
 
Ref: BUENOS AIR   00001544 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  Intense Argentine interest in the U.S. election provided 
post with an opportunity to enhance relations with important 
contacts, numerous schools, and the media.  Post reached over 10 
million Argentines through media coverage of our election events 
-- the widest and most positive media coverage generated by the 
Mission in recent memory.  The Mission also carried out 43 
presentations on the elections throughout Argentina, reaching 
thousands of (mostly young) Argentines, as well as generating 
additional favorable press coverage.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2,000-+ Argentines Participated in Election Presentations 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶2. Over two thousand Argentines throughout the country 
participated in Mission-provided presentations on the U.S 
elections.  Twenty-three FSO and specialist volunteers provided 
43 presentations on U.S. elections at 14 universities, 21 high 
schools, three NGOs, and four bi-national centers, as well as a 
presentation to 22 Argentine congressional representatives who 
were to observe the elections in the States.  Because the effort 
was exceptionally successful, post plans to continue public 
outreach through discussions of the transition process, as well 
as other topics of interest relating to our society. 
 
¶3.  Post also sponsored a mock debate at the University of 
Belgrano in Buenos Aires. Two students, who were chosen by their 
classmates as candidates, played the roles of Obama and McCain. 
The entire class was involved, either as officials of the 
respective parties or as active town hall participants.  The 
students enjoyed the debate, and the young man who played McCain 
(gestures and all) said that although he had previously been 
pro-Obama, he was now more sympathetic to McCain's views.  Minds 
opened, and the class learned a great deal about the U.S. 
electoral process. 
 
Four Hundred Argentines Enjoy Speaker Program 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. Post hosted five highly-engaging speaker programs involving 
visiting U.S. experts.  Professor Carol Darr of George 
Washington University spoke in person on "The Impact of the 
Internet on the US Elections."  Post also hosted four DVCs: on 
"Impact of Presidential Elections in the US Foreign Policy," 
"Influence of the Hispanic Vote in the US Presidential 
Elections," "Presidential Candidates' Platforms," and "An Update 
on the US Elections." 
 
Legislators Observing Elections Hosted by Ambassador Wayne 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶5.  Ambassador Wayne hosted 23 Argentine officials, including 
several members of Congress, who were traveling to the U.S. to 
observe the U.S. elections on October 30.  During the morning 
event hosted at his residence, Mission's IO provided an overview 
(with the aid of the IIP PowerPoint) on the presidential 
campaign and electoral process.  Mission's POLCOUNS also 
provided an election presentation to members of this group 
before their departure. 
 
Embassy Election Project Targets Largest Mass Audience 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶6.  Post sponsored a TV Co-op on Elections with Argentina's top 
television station.  From October 27 through November 5, Channel 
13/Todo Noticias (TN) anchor and international columnist Andres 
Repetto aired numerous interviews, stand-ups, live feeds, and 
news flashes as part of his TV Co-op program on the U.S. 
elections from Washington, D.C., Florida (Orlando and Miami), 
and Illinois (Chicago).  Countless broadcasts went out on open- 
air Channel 13's prime-time national news program, Telenoche (#1 
in Argentina, with an audience of over 2 million) and on the 24- 
hour cable news network Todo Noticias (TN).  In-depth and 
thorough coverage of the Obama and McCain final rallies, minute- 
by-minute developments on election night, and commentary live 
from Senator Obama's victory speech aired November 5. 
 
¶7.  Mr. Repetto maintained an excellent daily journal in his 
personal blog, which carried his experiences on the last days of 
the campaign trail, his impressions and references to the TV 
Coop program.  Not only did thousands of people visit the blog, 
but cable network TN also advertised it on the air. 
 
Election Night Event Reaches 10 Million Argentines 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶8.  U.S. Embassy's election night party (ref BUENOS AIR 00001544) 
 
BUENOS AIR 00001547  002 OF 002 
 
 
attracted the widest and most positive media coverage 
of any Embassy event held in Argentina in recent memory.  Hosted 
by the Embassy at the American Club of Buenos Aires on the 
evening of November 4 and morning of November 5, the celebration 
of democracy at its best included a mock vote by Argentine 
citizens, remarks by the CDA, a mock debate by (well-informed 
Argentine graduate students posing as) Obama and McCain, and a 
contest to guess the outcome of elections in battleground states 
and the total number of electoral votes garnered by the winning 
candidate.  The impact in Argentine television, radio, Internet, 
and press media was considerable, allowing us to transmit a 
message of optimism about American democracy and the future of 
the bilateral relationship to an estimated 10 million 
Argentines. One radio station broadcast an interview with the 
CDA that reached 600 stations throughout the hemisphere. TV 
interviews with the CDA and other Mission personnel continued to 
air all over the country for days afterward, including a thirty- 
minute program on the Embassy event that aired on an open-air TV 
channel last weekend. 
 
¶9.  In addition, an op-ed piece by Ambassador Wayne was placed 
in Clarin, the largest circulation Spanish-language paper in the 
hemisphere, on November 5, and the CDA gave four consecutive 
radio interviews the same morning. 
 
IRC Weekly Election Alert 
------------------------- 
 
¶10.  Starting in August, the IRC produced a weekly alert on the 
elections with links to news, polls, analysis, and documents 
from a variety of sources, including IIP, think tanks, polling 
organizations, and political experts.  The alerts included 
materials on the electoral process, party platforms and 
conventions, the candidates and their positions on different 
issues, transcripts of debates, and the campaign and the media, 
among other topics.  The alerts were distributed to 1,745 
Embassy contacts. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶11.  The U.S. elections provided Embassy Buenos Aires with many 
valuable opportunities to reach numerous audiences with 
information about one of the pillars of our democracy: our 
electoral process.  The linkages made with schools, NGOs, and 
the Argentine public will be important as we continue public 
outreach on other topics of interest, including the transition 
period.  We have begun a dialog with many new organizations and 
contacts that post can build on in the future, as we mobilize 
our entire Mission staff to contribute to our top Mission goal - 
- increasing understanding of and sympathy for the United States 
in Argentina.  The enormous and positive media coverage on our 
nation's compelling presidential election has helped contribute 
to an enhanced U.S. image here in Argentina.  We intend to 
maintain the pace of our effort to keep this positive public 
diplomacy momentum going. 
 
KELLY