Mexico election too close to call (exit poll released)

Reuters ^ | 7/2/06 | Kieran Murray and Alistair Bell

[lauriehelds]

Kieran Murray and Alistair Bell

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's presidential election is too close to call between a leftist anti-poverty campaigner and the conservative ruling party candidate locked in a tie, a respected exit poll said on Sunday.

The extremely close vote raised fears of a political crisis if any of the main candidates challenge the results and call street protests.

Pre-election polls had showed Felipe Calderon of the ruling party and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the left-wing former mayor of Mexico City, in a virtual tie. Exit polls from Mexico's two main television station and the El Universal newspaper said they could not declare a winner.

El Universal said the race was between Lopez Obrador and Calderon. Neither of the TV stations mentioned Roberto Madrazo of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, which ruled Mexico for most of the 20th century.

The Federal Electoral Institute was expected to announce official results at around 11 p.m. If it is unable to call a winner, Mexico could face days or weeks of legal wrangling and protests similar to the fight that followed the U.S. presidential election in 2000.

[Richard-SIA]

They are not just "coming" here, they are being sent.

So long as Mex. can use the U.S. as their dumping ground for the disenchanted and disenfranchised no real reform will happen.

Talk to some Mex. some time, they all complain about the "Mordida", but also like the fact that if they do get in trouble they may be able bribe their way out of it.
The "Mordida" is a source of wealth, those on the take and those who benefit from it do not want it to end.

Think of "Pork Barrel Politics", on a more local scale.

[conservative in nyc]

This will be my last update. Over 85% is counted; Calderon is up by 1.22%. PRI's relative vote totals continue to grow at the expense of both parties, but especially the PRD socialists. At this point, the socialists would have to make up about 420,000 votes out of an expected 5.5 million outstanding, which should be difficult.

	Actual	Actual %		Projected (by State)	Projected %
Calderon (PAN)	12,749,643	36.95%		14,823,169	37.04%
Dinosaur (PRI)	7,110,823	20.61%		8,399,458	20.99%
Socialist (PRD)	12,329,363	35.73%		14,126,622	35.29%
New Alliance	343,990	1.00%		397,919	0.99%
Alternative	1,016,174	2.95%		1,158,386	2.89%
Write-in	256,123	0.74%		299,933	0.75%
Null Votes	696,301	2.02%		819,173	2.05%
Total	34,502,417			40,024,660
Precincts Reporting	111,348
Total Precincts	130,788
PR%	85.14%

[Richard-SIA]

I've lost track of how many times we took Mexico, 2 or 3?

The shame is that we did not simply keep it as a territory, and eventual state, back when the Mex. population was small enough that it would not have been such a drain on us.

Too late now, I don't want all of Mex. coming here, anymore than I want all of China or England coming here.

But unless we get serious about the border, and seeing to it that Mex. ceases to be a third world ****hole, they WILL all be here too soon.

I find it laughable that Mex. likes to refer to itself as "A revolutionary country".
Apparently this means something about their support for socialism, it sure does not mean that they disposed of their tyrants or corrupt peonage system.

I am not impressed with Mexicans as "hard workers", if they were really such hard workers they would do the "hard work" of cleaning up their own country instead of simply fleeing to ours!

Maybe Mex. has to fall further before it's citizens will do whatever it takes to flush the **** out of their country, maybe a leftist will hasten that process?

[driftdiver]

"Who is comparing the cultures? Not me"

Yes, you said that what worked for Canada would work for Mexico.

"Who wants them both to prosper for their own good, you can blame me for that"

Let them prosper, I never said I didn't want them to prosper. I just don't want to give them our tax money.

"Besides that damned Eisenhower (I spelled his name for you since you'd get that one wrong too I'm sure), already BUILT the highway."

You should really keep up on current events. Then you might know of current plans to build new highways directly from Mexico into the US.

[Caipirabob]

Mexican party A: 48% of the vote stolen.

Mexican party B: 48% of the vote stolen.

PENDING UNSTOLEN VOTES: 4%, unless you count the additional 20% of falsified ballots held by both party A and B.

[napscoordinator]

I could care less who wins. I only worry about the United States of America. We have enough problems to worry about Mexico for goodness sakes.

[xcamel]

Guess that attitude is why half of mexico is now here...

[napscoordinator]

Guess that attitude is why half of mexico is now here...


Your sarcasm is nice. However, if you are interested, do us a favor and move back. That would be the best population control I can think of.

[xcamel]

How many times did you vote for AlGore?

[Jack Ian]

NYC, terrific analysis of the Mexican vote my friend. The BBC and the rest of the old media could use your sevices. Thanks again.

[Jack Ian]

THIS JUST IN!!!! Terry McCauliffe and Gore campaign manager, Bill "Buzzard" Daley have been hired by Labrador Lopez to spin the election. Bob Shrum is nowhere to be found.

[bert]

Yours may be the most rational voice on this thread..... the others just don't get it and in their buchanan mode, don't want to get it.

[napscoordinator]

I haven't. In fact, why don't you stay on subject. We are talking about Mexico and you were "upset" because I do not care about that country. I guess you are one of the people who are opponents for the Supreme Court when they discuss international law. If that is the case, than that explains your interest in this. I have no problem with that if only you were honest about it.

[xcamel]

I guess you couldn't be any more wrong if you tried really hard. I do happen to own a very nice house in LaPaz Mexico. I add to their economy in a legitimate way, unlike you who probably has to hire Jaun and Jesus to blow grass clippings off your driveway. You should care about Mexico, because if this election goes wrong, It'll be much like having Hugo Chavez knocking on your back door. Calderon is the only candidate who has any chance at all of getting the Mexican economy back on the growth track, and de-federalize the state businesses. Real private enterprise is what is needed there, not another socialist revolution.

[xcamel]

Amen, Sir.

Mexico is not the enemy here, the corrupt socialist camp of their government is. More freedom and private enterprise with less regulation would help stabilize their economy, and literally bring millions back home.

[steelerfanrob]

13,639,397 7,930,200 13,232,754 372,342 1,064,119 275,856 785,504
36.56% 21.26% 35.47% 00.99% 02.85% 00.73% 02.10%
Actas Procesadas Total de Actas
122,936 130,788
93.99%
In english the good guys are up by 407000 votes with 94% counted

[napscoordinator]

Ok. You are wrong about Jaun and Jesus. Their names are Anthony and Lucia. However, I am kidding. I have been to Ensanada and found it nice. We will have to wait and see who wins. I really don't know either candidate which I guess is why I was not interested at first. You have given me somebody to route for and that is that Calderon guy.

[napscoordinator]

I'm going to kick myself in the morning I'll be so sleepy at work.


Work? No four day holiday for you? I am so sorry to hear that. What crazy place is open on Monday?

[steelerfanrob]

13,730,646 8,022,590 13,323,686
36.52% 21.34% 35.44%
with 94.99% reported

[daviscupper]

Calderon has also said he is the winner. And, believe it or not, the PRI guy has also claimed to have won but nobody takes him seriously.

From the latest things I saw it looks like Calderon is going to win this. However, they are worried about AMLO because in past elections and in other crisis he has called for mass demonstrations by the "people." I think Fox and PAN are going to do everything they can do avoid violence.

Also, I read that a huge, huge thunderstorm hit Mexico City during the last house of polling and this may have stunted AMLO's vote total. Maybe we should thank divine providence for this PAN victory, if indeed they do win.