VZCZCXRO4736
PP RUEHGR
DE RUEHBH #0776/01 3111509
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061509Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY NASSAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5855
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NASSAU 000776 
 
SIPDIS 
 
WHA/PD FOR CHAD WEST 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PROG PREL BF
SUBJECT: BAHAMAS APPLAUDS HISTORIC US ELECTION RESULT 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY:  The Bahamian public, press and government 
greeted the U.S. presidential election outcome with joy and 
satisfaction at the historic success of an African-American 
candidate and admiration for the U.S. and the American 
democratic process.  Optimism marked the view of the 
potential impact of Obama administration policies on The 
Bahamas and the Caribbean.  Calculations of national interest 
took a back seat to emotional affinity and hope for a better 
future, even within the government and foreign policy 
establishment.  Fevered anticipation of an Obama victory 
culminated with an outpouring of positive media commentary in 
the election aftermath.  Bahamians saw the outcome, 
essentially, as a vindication of the American dream and a 
testament to the strength of American democracy.  The 
resounding electoral result amounted to a public diplomacy 
bonanza in an already staunchly pro-American country.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
----------------------------------- 
PRESS:  "OBAMA FEVER GRIPS BAHAMAS" 
----------------------------------- 
¶2. (U) A popular daily newspaper summed up the atmosphere of 
anticipation in a November 4 headline:  "Obama Fever Grips 
Bahamas".  In a city awash with "Bahama for Obama" bumper 
stickers, T-shirts, and other paraphernalia normally 
associated with a U.S. election campaign, hawked for months 
in central Nassau,s tourist district, Bahamians gathered 
around television sets in homes, bars, and even MacDonald,s 
restaurants to watch election returns.  Ordinary Bahamians 
identified with and supported Senator Barack Obama 
overwhelmingly throughout the campaign.  By all accounts, 
they viewed him as a symbol of African-American success and 
supported his candidacy without regard for concrete issues 
that might impact The Bahamas under his administration. 
These sentiments were mirrored among highly-placed government 
officials and persons of influence from all sectors of 
society, some of whom gathered at the Ambassador,s residence 
for an election watch to share their thoughts and reactions 
with Embassy officers. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
FOR BAHAMIANS -- EMOTION TRUMPS ISSUES 
-------------------------------------- 
¶3.  (U) Ambassador Siegel,s election watch drew a 
representative cross-section of elite Bahamian society, 
including figures from incumbent and opposition politics, 
press and electronic media, private business, academia, and 
government finance.  Most invitees, notably, regretted in 
order to celebrate the evening in more intimate settings, 
with family, friends, and colleagues, in anticipation of a 
historic victory by Senator Obama.  Those who attended were 
unanimous in the view that the personal history and 
personality of the candidate trumped all other considerations 
in the minds of Bahamians and led to the unprecedented 
emotional investment in the outcome. 
 
¶4. (U) The Embassy,s "mock vote" went in favor of the 
Democratic candidate, as expected, by a margin of nearly 
4-to-1, which probably under-stated the level of support in 
Bahamian society as a whole.  Most attendees commented that 
Bahamians followed this U.S. election cycle more intensely 
and closely than any in memory, again largely due to the 
candidacy of an African-American.  They felt that the vast 
majority supported Senator Obama without regard to particular 
issues that might move the ordinary American voter, such as 
the economy, or which might potentially impact The Bahamas 
under an Obama administration, such as trade. 
 
------------------------------------ 
FEW RESERVATIONS, OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK 
------------------------------------ 
¶5. (U) One high-ranking government official, a rare McCain 
supporter, commented that only a handful of colleagues 
supported the Republican candidate.  This official alone 
cited a cost-benefit analysis of the potential impacts of the 
candidates, economic policies on the off-shore financial 
sector in The Bahamas, the second most important industry 
after tourism, as rationale for supporting Senator McCain.  A 
high official in the Central Bank, however, dismissed 
concerns about an Obama administration,s unfavorable 
policies toward off-shore banking as unfounded due to the 
relative lack of U.S. participation in this sector.  No other 
specific issue of contention arose, however, as informed 
interlocutors felt that the bilateral relationship was too 
strong and well-grounded to be much affected by a new 
administration of either stripe. 
 
¶6.  (U) A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official cited mixed 
emotions about Senator Obama on different grounds:  religious 
and cultural disagreements with various planks in the 
Democratic Party platform, such as support for abortion or 
 
NASSAU 00000776  002 OF 002 
 
 
gay rights.  This official still came down on the side of the 
Democratic candidate, ultimately, due to the transcendent 
nature of the candidacy of an African-American and his 
greater emphasis on social issues.  In the avowedly Christian 
and extremely socially conservative Bahamas, it is notable 
that influential religious leaders who expressed support for 
Senator Obama made no mention of similar cultural or 
religious concerns, rather joining the mainstream of 
pro-Obama opinion in celebrating a historic victory over 
racism and the legacy of slavery. Another MFA official 
expressed the hope that Senator Obama,s mixed racial 
background would provide insight into and affinity with the 
Caribbean countries and prove an advantage for the region as 
a whole. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
PRESS REACTION -- POSITIVE VIEWS FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT, U.S. 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
¶7.  (U) Most other observers in attendance, including 
prominent media personalities, high representatives of both 
the incumbent and opposition parties, and academics, were far 
less conflicted.  They expressed almost unreserved support 
for and optimism about the Democratic candidate, his chances 
for success as President, whether in economics or foreign 
policy, and how his victory could positively affect the U.S., 
the Caribbean, and the world at large.  Attendees also 
emphasized their admiration for the election process in the 
U.S. as it was playing out on television screens, especially 
favorably noting Senator McCain,s concession speech. 
 
¶8.  (U) Press and radio reactions November 5 reflected the 
overwhelmingly positive views of the outcome, of 
President-Elect Obama, and the U.S. democratic system: 
 
--The Tribune daily (circulation 15,000) led with the 
headline:  "Obama victory:  Bahamians celebrate first 
presidential triumph for an African-American candidate". 
 
--The Nassau Guardian daily (circulation 15,000):  " Change 
has come, -- A new dawn:  Obama sweeps to victory as first 
black president". 
 
--In its morning news broadcast, the national radio station 
ZNS reported on Bahamian-American supporters of 
President-Elect Obama celebrating his historic victory.  ZNS 
also carried Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign 
Affairs Symonette,s expression of congratulations to the 
President-Elect and conviction that the GCOB,s excellent 
relations with the U.S. would be unaffected by the change in 
administration. 
 
--The Bahama Journal daily's (circulation 7,500) frontpage 
headline read simply "Obama is the President", and carried 
another story quoting Embassy spokesman Jeff Dubel:  "An 
Election of 'Firsts'". A page 2 commentary took a more 
skeptical view of an Obama administration due to the 
potential negative impact on the financial sector:  "Obama 
Policies 'A Threat'". 
 
--The Nassau Guardian daily also carried the sober foreign 
policy commentary of a former Central Bank governor, James 
Smith, titled:  "Caribbean region not a priority for the U.S." 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
PRIME MINISTER CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT-ELECT 
-------------------------------------------- 
¶9.  (U) Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham issued a statement of 
congratulations to the President-Elect "on his historic 
victory at the polls yesterday" on behalf of the government 
and people of The Bahamas. Summing up the widely-held 
Bahamian perspective, Ingraham wrote:  "The success of 
Senator Obama's extraordinary campaign will go a long way in 
shattering racial stereotypes in America.  It is a 
quintessential American story of victory over tremendous 
odds."  He said the "victory for America" will "strengthen 
the special place that America holds in the minds and hearts 
of freedom-loving people everywhere."  The statement 
concluded:  "And so we look forward to a continuation of this 
special relationship that has long existed between our two 
countries." 
SIEGEL