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On November 21, writers Randal Archibold and Damien Cave headlined, "Mired in Crises, Haiti Struggles to Focus on Election," saying:
"It may not be the best time to choose a president....But the (November 28) election....may be Haiti's most important in decades....a colorful field of 19 candidates is seeking the highest office...."
Instead of denouncing a sham process, the article focused on campaign politics, "ginning up excitement, plastering brightly colored posters across the devastated capital, blasting catchy Caribbean-beat jingles from trucks and staging large rallies with T-shirt - and sometimes, money - giveaways."
Noting a potential low turnout could raise claims about legitimacy, it explained that "international observers will monitor the balloting." America's funding it with $15 million or more, assuring the best "democracy" its money can buy, by no means a real one.
Focusing on competing presidential candidates, Archibold and Cave said nothing about excluded parties, notably Fanmi Lavalas that would win by a landslide if participating. The only hint of sham was a final comment saying, "It remains to be seen how much the voters are buying. Haitians, analysts said, tend to make their choices at the last minute," omitting that none of the above will swamp other choices, given FL's exclusion.
It's the third time in the past year, including the April and June 2009 senatorial elections, and originally scheduled February 2010 presidential and legislative ones. Recently, Aristide's spokeswoman, Maryse Narcisse, told the Inter Press Service News Agency (IPS):
"For us, this isn't just the exclusion of Fanmi Lavalas. What they want to exclude is the majority, the people. For us this is a selection, not an election."
Washington, of course, controls it, US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Crowley saying at a September 15 press briefing:
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