Conservative Candidate wins election: Mexico

[Azure]

Sorry I can't find a link; here is the report from a different forum.

MEXICO CITY — The ruling party's Felipe Calderon won the official count in Mexico's disputed presidential race Thursday, a come-from-behind victory for the stiff technocrat. But his leftist rival refused to concede and said he'd fight the results in court.

Calderon, a conservative who preached free-market values and financial stability during the campaign, was already reaching out to other parties to build a "unity government." His opponent, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, blamed fraud for his narrow loss in the vote count and called on his supporters to fill Mexico City's main square Saturday in a show of force.
With all of the 41 million votes counted, Calderon of President Vicente Fox's National Action Party had 35.88 percent to 35.31 percent for Lopez Obrador, of the Democratic Revolution Party. The two were separated by about 220,000 votes.

[simonsays]

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is claiming ballot counting fraud, and if he can prove it on 1 or 2 ballot boxes then legaly he'll be entitled to a recount. It's also his contention that 2mil+ votes havn't been counted yet. While it looks like a win for the conservatives right now it's probably a big win for the lawyers.

And .5% isn't much to be bragging about.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by simonsays

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is claiming ballot counting fraud, and if he can prove it on 1 or 2 ballot boxes then legaly he'll be entitled to a recount. It's also his contention that 2mil+ votes havn't been counted yet. While it looks like a win for the conservatives right now it's probably a big win for the lawyers.

And .5% isn't much to be bragging about.

Why is it that everytime a conservative wins, the democrats are running mad threatening lawsuits and court orders to get a recount?

I bet if Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador would have won by .5% he wouldn't be calling for ballot counting fraud.

[calculoso]

Originally Posted by Azure

Why is it that everytime a conservative wins, the democrats are running mad threatening lawsuits and court orders to get a recount?

I bet if Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador would have won by .5% he wouldn't be calling for ballot counting fraud.

If the democrats won, it'd be the conservatives "running mad threatening lawsuits and court orders to get a recount".

It's not a conservative / liberal agenda. it's called losing and making sure that you lost legitimately.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Azure

Why is it that everytime a conservative wins, the democrats are running mad threatening lawsuits and court orders to get a recount?

I bet if Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador would have won by .5% he wouldn't be calling for ballot counting fraud.

But how much you want to bet that Philipe Calderone would be calling fraud.


I'm guessing that in any election, especially in 'lesser developed' nations, there is a certain amount of questionable activity. When the end result is so close, it makes it makes it a very real possibility that these activities may involve enough votes to change a result. Hence the whining. (and I say whining because both side probably engaged in similar games).

[Sharpen 'Em]

Originally Posted by Azure

I bet if Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador would have won by .5% he wouldn't be calling for ballot counting fraud.

You're probably right.

I bet if Felipe Calderon lost by .5% he would be asking for a recount.

[FlamesAddiction]

Well it is Mexico. Corruption is rampant there, so it is worth double checking the results when it is that close and unexpected.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

But how much you want to bet that Philipe Calderone would be calling fraud.


I'm guessing that in any election, especially in 'lesser developed' nations, there is a certain amount of questionable activity. When the end result is so close, it makes it makes it a very real possibility that these activities may involve enough votes to change a result. Hence the whining. (and I say whining because both side probably engaged in similar games).

I would think that with such a small difference, the fraud will also be small. Unless it runs rampant on both sides.

Think about it, if you were changing voter ballets for one party, wouldn't you do it so your candidate would CLEARLY win?