Vicente Fox, a "pathological clown" - and a quote of the day

Former president Vicente Fox has been rambling on in the media the past days, shooting off in all directions. He's criticized the Federal Electoral Institute, and (there's much right in his criticism) for its arguably excessive regulation of primary debates, but as IFE pointedly shot back, Fox should truly keep his mouth shut when it comes to anything related to IFE - after all, his blatant intervention in the 2006 election was much of the cause for the 2007-8 electoral reform in the first place.

Then, he has the guts to sling dirt on Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, three-time presidential candidate and founder of the PRD, arguing that giving the Senate's Belisario Domínguez order to him would degrade its value.

I'm a longtime critic of Cárdenas for many reasons, but let us put things in perspective: This is a man who constantly fought for democracy, always firm (or rigid) in his convictions, and whose ardent opposition to the PRI dictatorship opened up political space for clowns like Fox to become a governor of Guanajuato, and then president, in the first place. To hear Fox, someone who blatantly sought to debase Mexico's institutions through launching the amazingly idiotic impeachment process against Andrés Manuel López Obrador in 2005, with the admitted purpose of barring him from the 2006 presidential election, almost defies belief, hadn't it been for the fact that we are now well accustomed to Fox' many utterly stupid comments, which seems to multiply by each passing year since he left the presidency.

I find PRD president Jesús Zambrano's characterization of Vicente Fox as a "pathological clown" quite accurate.

PRI's Senator Francisco Labastida, the opponent of Fox and Cárdenas in the 2000 presidential election, and one of the absolutely more reasonable PRI legislators, said in a response to Fox's verbal diarrhea:

"Again he lost the golden opportunity to shut the hell up."

Quote of the day.

Make no mistake: Manlio Fabio Beltrones IS going for PRI's nomination

Amidst throngs of rumors that Manlio Fabio Beltrones is not really serious about seeking the PRI's nomination, given the enormous advantage/advance enjoyed by Peña Nieto, and is really only using a possible candidacy to extract concessions from the former Mexico State governor, he has recently made it clear, such as to the usually very well-informed Bajo reserva column in El Universal that, come hell or high water, he is serious about trying to get PRI's nomination.

Wonderful news, on so many levels.

A reasonable Green Party initiative: To ban bull fighting in Mexico City

That the Mexican "Green Party" presents a reasonable proposal is a remarkably rare event, but that ought to be celebrated nonetheless: Together with the PRI, they suggest banning bullfighting in Mexico City.

I agree. I was raised on a farm and don't try to come between me an a bife the chorizo, but bull fighting, beyond history and traditions,  is cruelty to animals, no matter how you put it.

It's not the first time they've presented this initiative, and it might finally pass with PRD backing.
Good. Ban it. Look to Barcelona.

AMLO's wife and son

A bit of gossip photos this Monday morning: AMLO's second wife (he's a widower) Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller. They've been married since 2006. She's pictured here with AMLO's youngest (of four) sons.

From El Universal

AMLO relaunches MORENA, now a "civil organization"

It certainly was a display of force: More than 10,000 followers gathered in the National Auditorium to again promote AMLO's presidential campaign, and the launch of his Movimiento de Regeneración Nacional (Morena) as a "civic organization." AMLO had earlier noted he had no plans to turn it into a party or even a political association. He doesn't have to - he already has two parties in PT and Movimiento Ciudadano who have already all but declared that he will be their candidate no matter what.

AMLO keeps saying that he will not "cling" to the candidacy if he is not the "best positioned" candidate.
I simply do not believe him.

AMLO will be in the US the coming days, including holding a talk at the Wilson Center Tuesday Oct. 11.

PAN backtracks on extremist abortion legislation: No prison for women

Gustavo Madero, head of the Partido Acción Nacional (PAN), to his credit declared that PAN will promote reforms on the state level that will block women from being thrown in prison for having an abortion (or even a miscarriage, as has often happened).

It is about time the national PAN makes a move to counteract the shameless legislation passed the past 3-4 years in at least 18 states, by PAN and PRI legislators, that essentially makes any abortion - along with many birth control options - a crime.

Blake Mora: "Not a single casino more" rings pathetically hollow

Mexico's dour and virtually non-existent Interior Secretary José Francisco Blake Mora, came out loudly yesterday against casinos, declaring that "not one more" will be allowed.

It begs the question: Why did the PAN for the last ten years allow the establishment of these semi-criminal dens, which bring nothing but misery to the areas where they are established, and, it has again and again be proven, lead to more crime in the area?

These thoroughly immoral - in the true sense of the word - establishments should never have allowed in the first place.

I very strongly recommend Denise Dresser's recent anti-casino column in Proceso in this regard.