VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #0602 3111611
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 061611Z NOV 08
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8687
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 9849
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 8914
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 3199

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000602 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD 
 
DEPT PASS USTR 
 
USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD XM XR BR
SUBJECT: U.S. ELECTIONS AND G-20 
 
1.The American dream reborn 
 
Main editorial in center-right O Estado de S.Paulo (11/6) states: 
"The triumph of [President-elect Barack] Obama, the most unique 
White House hopeful ever produced by the one of the two largest 
national parties, is the reinstatement of the image of the U.S. 
defiled by the moral and political catastrophe of the Bush era.... 
One voted in Obama to break a taboo and because of his power to 
inspire-but, above anything, to anoint a set of ideas and to 
repudiate the other.....  [President-elect Barack] Obama raised the 
perennial flag of the opposition: change.  But he did so without 
demagoguery and with an uncommon sobriety in politics." 
 
¶2. Victory of "the other" 
 
Article in liberal Folha de S.Paulo (11/6) comments: "Having put 
forward a vague program like all majority candidates do, it is 
impossible to predict if [President-elect Barack] Obama will be able 
to maintain unity in the base which got him elected.  On the other 
hand it is unlikely that under his leadership the country would 
willingly yield to the world's expectations for a multilateralism 
that goes beyond the historic partnership between the U.S. and 
Europe.  [President-elect] Barack Obama is not the messiah that one 
believes some voters imagine him to be.  But he is a politician who 
had the audacity to defy fatalisms." 
 
¶3. Obama makes history 
 
Article in liberal Folha de S.Paulo (11/6) says: "Yes, like 
[President-elect Barack] Obama said in his victory speech in 
Chicago, 'change has come.'  But American citizens will be ever 
eager to know the concrete substance of the generic reformist 
platform described by the president-elect with a prophetic tone. The 
historic achievement of the rise of the Democratic [Party] senator 
is a fact.  His administration, however, will face administrative 
challenges of gigantic proportions as well.... The magnificent 
eloquence of the president-elect will be no substitute for his 
complete lack of experience in public management." 
 
¶4. Savior of the world? 
 
Article in liberal Folha de S.Paulo (11/6) says: "Before being a 
savior for humankind, [President-elect Barack] Obama needs to be a 
savior of his nation.... To do that he can count on an extraordinary 
number of votes, an ample Democratic [Party] majority in the House 
and the Senate...and an enormous [amount of] international 
goodwill.... All that is needed now is for the campaign myth to be 
up to the task of being president of the largest [world] power-with 
an economy that is upside-down. 
 
¶5. Urgent changes after the G-20 
 
Article in liberal Folha de S.Paulo by Treasury Minister Guido 
Mantega (11/6) states: "The severe financial crisis made it even 
more clear what we all knew: the governance of the global economy 
and international finances needs urgent changes. This will be one of 
the main points discussed at the very important G-20 meeting taking 
place under Brazil's chairmanship in Sco Paulo.... It is ever more 
difficult to deny emerging and developing economies a more 
significant role in world decisions." 
 
¶6. We are all Americans 
 
Article in liberal Folha de S.Paulo (11/5) says: "[President-elect 
Barack] Obama is a global phenomenon; his victory reflects not only 
the choice of the majority of Americans, but the majority of human 
beings.... One of the damning legacies of Bushism, perhaps the worse 
one, is an acute and stupid anti-Americanism.... Americans could not 
have given a better answer to the world (and to Bushism) than to 
usher Michelle and Barack Obama into the White House.  That does not 
mean that his outstanding electoral victory...will guarantee a happy 
ending to the sad record of George W. Bush in Washington.... But the 
global satisfaction with the inspiring accomplishment by Obama gives 
some hope to a world that is slowing down, almost stagnant. Let's 
cheer Obama and what his impressive victory represents. Today, we 
are all Americans." 
White