MEDIA REACTION; BUSH SPEECH, CHAVEZ IN ARGENTINA, 03/06/07;

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000430 SIPDIS STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION; BUSH SPEECH, CHAVEZ IN ARGENTINA, 03/06/07; BUENOS AIRES ¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT Today's stories focus on the mostly negative repercussions of President Bush's speech at the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce yesterday, three days before leaving on his Latam tour. ¶2. OPINION PIECES - "Bush's Concern, Too Late" Hugo Alconada Mon, daily-of-record "La Nacion" Washington-based correspondent, writes (03/06) "Some people prefer to see the glass half full, and others half empty. Others, the majority, believe President Bush's trip to Latin America is an obvious gesture of his political weakness. And a third group - an isolated group composed mostly of US officials --, believes it reflects the importance that the region always had for this White House. "Bush faced the TV cameras yesterday with a speech that distilled marketing. Dressed in different shades of blue, with a yellow backdrop that reflected the Hemisphere, he hammered 'I'm interested in Latin America.' "His National Security advisor, Steve Hadley, promoted that line of political communication, and said that Bush had decided to focus on the 'other half' of his agenda for the region, the five countries he will promote during his tour. "... What does 'the other half of the agenda mean'? That for once, Bush set aside his speeches on free trade, or the 'fight against terrorism', which generates, in Latin America, the immediate connection with the unpopular war in Iraq. ".... Bush addressed his message directly to Latin Americans, not their governments, given the "short-circuits" he has with some of them, Argentina included. "He referred to Buenos Aires, reminding that we speak different languages, but share something in common: democracy. A gesture on the eve of the show Chavez will display against the 'Yankee Empire.' ".... In sum, Bush tried to show he's worried about Latin America. But objections begin there. When the U.S. needs to prove it's interested in something, six years after arriving in the White House, it's because something failed: either he didn't show that interest before, or he never had it...." - "Bewilderment" Marcelo Cantelmi, leading "Clarin" international editor, opines (03/06) "Among the numerous articles in the international press, the few ones that analyze Bush's imminent trip to the region try to explain the reasons for this expedition. To some, the purpose is to sign an FTA with Uruguay, a definitely impossible alternative for this President. Others speculate the trip aims at downplaying Chavez' leading role, which cannot be achieved by a short visit to the area, even though the Venezuelan lost some of that leadership. There are those who have a better idea of the real purpose of the tour: advancing bio-fuels with Brazil. The truth is that, when there are too many contradictory explanations on an issue, it's because there is no final explanation. What Bush announced yesterday shows the limits of this trip and fuels doubts on its purpose. Hardly anything of what was said may spark an atom of enthusiasm and, contrarily, may lead to some indignation on what seems to be transparent bewilderment rather than a specific agenda for the region." - "In Washington's Opinion, Communication Fails" Ana Baron, leading "Clarin" Washington-based correspondent, writes (03/06) "Bush's speech and his trip to Latin America are basically the response to criticism in Congress that his lack of interest for our countries left a vacuum that Chavez is filling in with his petrodollar policy. During Thursday's hearing at the House of Representatives, several legislators lashed at A/S Shannon for the way in which this year's aid to the region was reduced. "With the presidential campaign in full swing and the more volatile Hispanic vote, it's not by chance that President Bush chose the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to deliver his speech. Nevertheless, given the obvious wave of anti-U.S. sentiment in the region and the lack of resources he has to invest in our countries, the chances that he may reverse criticism are null. The aid program he announced is really hilarious compared with Kennedy's 'Alliance for Progress.' 'He means well, but it's too little, and too late,' said a Latin American diplomat who listened to Bush's speech. ".... In response to a question on whether 9/11 diverted USG attention towards other regions of the world, NSC advisor Steve Hadley completely denied this, complaining that 'In Latin America people believe our agenda is only focused on counter-terrorism, trade and the fight against drug-trafficking, and hasn't paid attention to the other half of the agenda, such as education, health and housing.' Therefore, in Hadley's opinion, everything is a matter of public relations, or public diplomacy, as they call it. There wasn't enough propaganda with respect to the 'other agenda.'..." To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires WAYNE