27995: Durban (comment); Re: 27992: Kondrat /Lyall too late for run-off? (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Lance Durban <lpdurban@yahoo.com>

I think Kondrat misses Lyall's point about the desirability of a
run-off.  And his comment that "Haiti's new president has at least as
much electoral legitimacy as the leader of the United States. Probably
more." is also a meaningless observation.

A run-off at this stage is pretty much an impossibility, of course.
Yet Lyall's point is, I believe, that Préval is not helped by being
only 99% legitimate.  He really needed that 100%, and could easily have
had it, since there was absolutely no way he could have lost a run-off.
 Can anyone seriously imagine that Chavannes' supporters in Cayes would
actually pick Manigat over Preval in a run-off?

The best situation should be one where the new president (and that's
Préval) is recognized by ALL that he is the president.  It's the same
mistake made by Aristide in the May 2000 elections.  That is, leaving
the impression that you are cutting corners to win all the marbles.
The loser ends up sore, and knocks the table over... witness Manigat
and Baker now.  Would have been far better for Preval to bide his time,
get his poll monitors out in force for the run-offs, and then remove
all opportunity for the loser to squawk.

What should Préval do now?  He ought to make a very serious and
heartfelt appeal to Myrlande Manigat to withdraw her withdrawal from
the Senate race!  She is rightly seen as an intelligent and valuable
asset to any Haitian government, and Préval needs to reach out to that
part of society that she represents.  My guess (and its only a guess)
is that she has gotten a lot of negative feedback from disappointed
supporters who were caught totally off guard by her announcement.  She
just might be receptive to a serious approach by the president-elect
(if her husband approves, of course).

L. Durban