SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: U.S. PRESIDENTIAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 NEW DELHI 002878 SIPDIS STATE FOR NP, AC, PM STATE FOR INR/MR STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU STATE FOR AID/APRE-A USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION (CONTINUED). This cable reports on relevant media reaction from India's English and large non-English press. SUMMARY: For the second day today, there was widespread reporting and editorial commentary on Senator Obama's "historic" victory in the U.S. elections. The media celebration began to give way to concerns on what the new U.S. Administration will mean for India. Although some exuded confidence that the strength of the U.S.- India relationship will trump any differences, the President- elect's reported views on business outsourcing, Kashmir and nuclear issues are raising some concerns. END SUMMARY. -------------- U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION -------------- ¶1. "SOMETHING THAT WON'T CHANGE," editorial in the November 7 nationalist English daily HINDUSTAN TIMES (Circulation: 1.6 million). "Does the departure of Mr. Bush change the amplitude of India-U.S. ties? The answer is a resounding no for two significant reasons. Mr. Obama is a man who is clear about America's needs and the way the world's two rising economies, India and China, are connected to them ... The nervousness in India about Mr. Obama's early campaign utterings about protectionism in the context of outsourcing operations in India is unfounded ... The India-U.S. nuclear deal, a product of Prime Minister Manmoham Singh and President George Bush, too, is something that will remain a catalyst of greater, firmer ties between the two nations regardless of a 'regime change'. In fact, with Mr. Obama's more multilateral approach in foreign affairs, India will find it domestically as well as internationally easier to firm up its genuinely blossoming relations with the U.S." ¶2. "TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN'," editorial in the November 7 centrist English Daily THE TIMES OF INDIA (Circulation: 2.1 million) by Dipankar Gupta. "Americans saw in Obama not a man of mixed race but themselves at their best - optimistic, tolerant and generous. Obama was their medium of expression, and they were lucky that he made such a good job of it.... Obama's victory shows that this [race] factor really did matter, but not in the usual way. Blacks were tired of looking angrily at a distant America from their ghetto rooftops; they wanted to be on Main Street ... whites also voted Obama because of race. In Obama, whites in America saw an opportunity to expiate their past and emerge clean into the present.... The entire George Bush era has been a hard one for Americans, and for the rest of us too." ¶3. "LAY OFF KASHMIR," editorial in the November 7 centrist English Daily THE TIMES OF INDIA (Circulation: 2.1 million) by pundit K Subrahmanyam, senior strategic affairs analyst. "Barack Obama has suggested that he might consider sending former president Bill Clinton as a special envoy to India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue ... The president-elect could not have selected a worse moment to air these thoughts. Kashmir is due to go in for NEW DELHI 00002878 002 OF 007 elections in the next few weeks. Such a suggestion will come in handy for secessionist elements. It will compel the Indian government to declare that no special envoy will be acceptable. It will be difficult for Bill Clinton, who is popular and has a lot of friends in India, to come to this country as a special envoy without being greeted by demonstrators with black flags ... One of the problems that India may have to face at the start of the Obama administration is the likely return of many former officials tainted by the cultivation of jihadi forces, who are tolerant towards the Taliban and permissive of the China-Pakistan nuclear proliferation axis." ¶4. "GOODBYE HEGEMON," opinion in the November 7 nationalist English daily HINDUSTAN TIMES (Circulation: 1.6 million) by Aruna Roy. "The Bush administration only managed to reduce the country's ratings to an all-time low. Today, the U.S. is seen as a country that has attempted to terrorize other nations as an answer to all the terror acts against it ... But suddenly that arrogance appears to have gone ... The fact that Obama says he will listen and particularly to dissenters reminds us of Mahatma Gandhi ... A black President in the White House is a dramatic and powerful political visual. It remains to be seen whether Obama will deliver as a statesman. But for now, that visual is cause enough for a moment of celebration." ¶5. "OBAMA WORLD," editorial in the November 7 left of center English daily THE HINDU (circulation: 5280000). "Whatever the domestic compulsions for political change, the United States of America badly needed to elect Senator Barack Obama President in order to restore some of its standing in the wider world. So unpopular and disastrous an administration has George W. Bush run that the stock of America internationally has perhaps never been lower. Not even at the height of the Cold War or the Viet Nam war did so many people in so many countries regard the U.S. as a major source of instability and violence in the world. And never before was a global wave of sympathy for the American people - as was seen post- 9/11 - squandered so callously by an administration bent on full-spectrum dominance ... In India, Mr. Obama's crushing victory seems to have generated a measure of irrational apprehension as well as misguided hope in official circles ... It is highly unlikely that the Obama administration will do anything to jeopardize the bilateral agenda its predecessors set." ¶6. "A VICTORY BUILT ON TREMBLING TEARS," front page editorial in the November 7 centrist DAINIK BHASKAR Hindi daily (circulation 2 million) by senior editor Kalpesh Yagnik: "This is the greatest development in ages -- as important for the entire world, as it is for America. We should not see it as a victory of the blacks against the whites. Let us not forget that although the dream may have been King's, it is the non-blacks who helped realize it. When Obama was delivering his victory speech at Chicago's Grant Park, weren't the whites there too in mammoth numbers, with tears in their eyes? It is, NEW DELHI 00002878 003 OF 007 therefore, as much a victory for America's whites as that of the blacks. It is a victory for American society, regardless of color. There is no need for any major analysis into the reasons for such a landslide victory for Obama. His victory is a statement on Bush Administration's performance." (The writer is a former IV, and recently visited the U.S. on the FPC Presidential Debates Reporting Tour). ¶7. "OBAMA, THE AGENT OF CHANGE," editorial in the November 7 right-of-center Hindi daily AMAR UJALA (circulation 815,000): "Obama's coming to power will definitely bring in some very fundamental changes in America's attitude. But will Obama match up to the great expectations the world has of him? Obama takes over when many problems beset America -- economic crisis, terrorists' challenge. It will not be easy for him. Obama's time starts now!" ¶8. "ONE OF THE GREATEST EVENTS OF THIS CENTURY," editorial in the November 7 left-of-center ASOMIYA PRATIDIN Assamese daily (Circ: 160,000): "The rise of 'black' Obama has ushered in a new hope for the entire world ... The international community had been worried about America's financial crisis, and wanted to see a change in its administration ... Now, the people around the world are looking towards to Obama's leadership to resolve many of their problems. They expect Obama, instead of creating new problems, will be a friend of the oppressed people. Obama's victory was undoubtedly one of the biggest events of this century ... With Obama, a new era has begun in the world history." ¶9. "A BLACK AT THE HELM OF POWER," editorial in the November 7 independent ASAMIYA KHABOR Assamese daily (Circ: 80,000):"An epoch-making event in the history of America ... The world's peace-loving people are rejoicing Obama's victory because he has promised to end wars in Iraq and Afghanistan ... Now, there is a hope that every section of the American population will not only benefit from the country's progress but they will also get education and health care equally." ¶10. "AMERICA'S REBIRTH," editorial in the November 6, 2008, Mumbai-based centrist Gujarati daily evening newspaper JANMABHOOMI (circulation 100,000): "America has got its first African-American as its 44th President.... A nation that has followed a democratic system for well over 200 years, a nation that has been preaching lofty ideals of progressive mentality and protection and promotion of human rights is the same nation where African-Americans had been denied such an opportunity until now. The election of Barack Obama signals the rebirth of this great nation by overcoming this racial barrier..... Now that Obama has won the election, he will have an enormous burden to carry out the change that he has promised to the people. While on the home front he will have to deal with economic crisis, issues like terrorism, Iraq, Afghanistan warrant his attention on the foreign policy turf.... What differentiates Obama from others (leaders) is that he is NEW DELHI 00002878 004 OF 007 not only young but he also has the desire and will to do something significant...." ¶11. "AN UNFORGETTABLE DAY," op-ed article by columnist Govind Talwalkar in the November 7 left-of-center Marathi daily MAHARASHTRA TIMES (circulation 250,000). "Being an Afro-Asian has certainly been a political asset for Barack Obama. A certain section of society was always there for him and he knew that. But he also knew that this 13 percent of American society could not have helped him to reach the White House. In fact, that is precisely why Obama proclaimed an all-embracing anti-racial presidential campaign. Obama knows that there is a certain section of Afro-Americans who believe in violence as a means to fight racial discrimination. The pastor of Obama's Chicago church in fact subscribed to a confrontational stance. But Obama consciously chose a middle-of-the road, peaceful non-combative stance. He did not allow himself to be swayed by the poisonous teachings of Reverend Wright, and instead drew inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Obama's victory is therefore a slap on the face on all extremist hardliners, Black and White alike..." ¶12. "SUPERHERO OF THE SUPERPOWER" editorial in the November 7 right-of-center Marathi daily SAAMNA (circulation 500,000). "Barack Obama has indeed made history by vanquishing his Republican rival John McCain. This historic moment has of course come out after a long struggle against racial discrimination. It also speaks of a certain maturity of the voters who could rise above race and religion and see sense in a man promising change for the better.... Now is the time for India to wait and watch Obama's stance towards India. His pro-India rhetoric is no indication of the tough decisions he will take in the interest of his nation. History shows that U.S. policies do not change dramatically after presidential elections. Indians need not feel very elated about Obama's views on Gandhi and his fixation with Hanuman. What he thinks and does on the issue of outsourcing of jobs will be more important than all that feel-good trivia..." ¶13. "THE CHALLENGES BEFORE OBAMA" editorial in the November 7 left-of-center English daily THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL (circulation: 50,000). "... Obama's historic win is owed more to Bush's follies than to the color of his skin. Yes, race was a factor in this election. But both sides chose to play it down... without the whites voting for him, Obama would not have won the presidency. The feared-for polarization on racial lines did not take place simply because neither candidate wanted that to happen. Obama stood to lose the election if he did that and McCain was too decent, too modern-minded to have fallen for such a cheap ploy..." ¶14. "LESSON IN DEFEAT" editorial in the November 7 DAILY NEWS & ANALYSIS English daily (circulation 450,000). "Obama's victory speech reflected McCain's graciousness. His speech has been called sombre, mainly because he eschewed triumphalism for inclusivism. He did not stress NEW DELHI 00002878 005 OF 007 on the race card, instead listed out the challenges ahead for him and pointed out that they had to work together if they wanted success. This showed both rare maturity and wisdom. Any misstep at this time by a leader could lead to polarization of society, something that no one will want. This is a lesson that our losing politicians can learn." ¶15. "THE HOPE OF CENTURIES" op-ed in the November 7 DNA English daily (circulation 450,000). "Barack Obama's election symbolizes a move towards youth and change. Obama's victory has been associated with the dreams and hopes of prosperity of non-whites who have been waiting for this wonderful moment with tears in their eyes and wounds on their back for the last 232 years. The challenge before Obama is to convert this moment into a permanent one. If he succeeds in this then the waves which originated from Chicago will take the entire world into their grip. The message from this US election to the world is that powers which refuse to change with the times will cease to exist. ¶16. "CONGRESS TO BARACK," editorial in the November 6 right-of-center Urdu daily "INQUILAB" (circulation 65,000): "The colorful victory is not the result of tremendous support of blacks only. Whites too have caste their votes in favor of Obama. Why did whites support Obama? The answer is easy. People were fed up of policies of George W. Bush who has been testing the patience of the entire world for last eight years. Angry people wanted a change. They felt that Obama could give a guarantee for the required change. No doubt John McCain would mean continuation of Bush's evil policies." ¶17. "OBAMA: EXPECTATIONS AND APPREHENSIONS", editorial in the November 6 right-of-center Urdu daily "MUNSIF", Hyderabad (circulation 60,009):"Obama's victory is more related to "desire for change" or "rejection of Republican Party and its lunatic strategies" than to his color of skin. However, those who have out-of-place expectations and hopes from Obama, forget that change of a president in America does not mean any substantial change in its foreign policy. Any American President will not dare go against the vested interests of Jews or Israelis. The whole Islamic world particularly, Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are eyesores of Israel. In this perspective, any aggression against Iran will not be in favor of Obama." ¶18. "ROAD AHEAD," editorial in the November 7 centrist THE TELEGRAPH Kolkata English daily (Circ: 251,000): "There is life beyond euphoria, and that life may lie in the details. The fulcrum of Barack Obama's campaign was the message of unity. His victory speech also echoed that theme. The voting figures...reveals startling fissures. The most obvious of these is the geographical divide ... The south still remains Republican ... The statistics suggest that the rainbow vote that Mr. Obama had expected is somewhat discolored at the edges. The president-elect cannot afford to ignore these edges if he wants to live up to his promise of being the president of even those NEW DELHI 00002878 006 OF 007 who did not vote for him. This is where he should not allow the euphoria to get the better of his strong political and common sense ... What will immediately demand Mr. Obama's urgent attention is the future of the economy ... Mr. Obama's relative lack of experience may well be his biggest liability. The good thing is that he is fully aware of this. He described himself as "never the likeliest candidate for this office" ... That he now occupies that high office is largely due to his charisma and the way he ran his campaign. Most of his problems will be those that he inherits. He has to solve these problems and give to his country a new vision and direction." ¶19. "AMERICA SHINING" editorial in the November 7 centrist THE ASSAM TRIBUNE Guwahati English daily (Circ: 70,000): "By electing Barack Hussein Obama to be the 44h President of the United States, the American people have taken a step towards redemption. The outcome of what had been a protracted and hard-fought election battle is 'a defining moment.' ... The rejection of the Republican nominee...is a timely reminder of the vibrant nature of American democracy ... The road ahead of Obama will indeed be long and the climb steep - it would require extraordinary leadership on his part if he is to leave a legacy that will have not only America, but the entire world, shining." ¶20. "OBAMA THE MESSAGE," editorial in the November 7 left-of-center THE SENTINEL Guwahati English daily (Circ: 40,000): "...The result is an assertion of the fact that American voters are so very given to change ... In fact the election of Obama...is an act of undoing whatever little racial hate is left in the American society ... Obama's, therefore, is a resounding victory of the American values of democracy ... However, it is just the beginning of what the Americans would call a new journey ... But for anything to happen differently, Obama ought to be aware of what has made his country one of the most hated ones and untrustworthy in recent times and then formulate policies accordingly." ¶21. "WELCOME", editorial in the November 6, right-of- center Urdu daily "URDU TIMES", Mumbai (circulation: 40,000): " ... India can only hope that an Obama administration does not try to set the clock back by pushing for an American role on resolving the so-called Kashmir issue ... With the U.S. economy in recession and loss of jobs an issue of acute domestic concern, Mr. Obama's utterances may not just be pre-poll rhetoric as some Indian experts would like to believe. Observers here feel that Mr. Obama, given the vehemence with which he has pursued the idea right from the early part of his campaign, is unlikely to backtrack, even though he has also said that America does not believe in putting up protectionist walls." ¶22. "WHAT CAN OBAMA DELIVER?" Op-ed article in the November 6 independent THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS (circulation: 100,000): "The change that Obama seems to mean is to give to the Main Street bounties like Wall NEW DELHI 00002878 007 OF 007 Street bailout packages. So, as Wall Street got a bail out of $700 billion from the Bush regime, Obama, who had first promised a middle class rescue plan at a cost of $115 billion, increased his promised amount to $175 billion just three weeks ahead of the final vote for Presidency. As a result, the U.S. Presidential elections turned out more like India's as to who the candidates should bribe to get more votes. For achieving economic changes, the U.S. needs sociological changes, which, in turn, will need political changes. There is no sign of Obama thinking beyond the Wall Street vs Main Street issues." ¶23. "OBAMA'S POLICY TOWARDS INDIA," editorial in the November 7, Bangalore-based independent Kannada daily VIJAY KARNATAKA (Circ: 750,000): "India should take appropriate caution with regard to three issues - outsourcing, Kashmir issue and his nuclear policies, while dealing with U.S. President-elect Obama. Some of his statements with regard to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and Kashmir might cause concern for India. With regard to Kashmir issue, India has maintained that this is a bilateral issue and can be resolved through dialogue with Pakistan. If Kashmir issue is pursued hard by Obama, it might turn out to be a question of prestige for both the countries. However, America cannot ignore India. Both the countries need each other for trade and commerce and America also understands the necessity of Indian support to counter China." WHITE