SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENTIAL

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TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENTIAL
INAUGURATION/NEW ADMINISTRATION'S FOREIGN POLICY

This cable reports on relevant media reaction from
India's English and large non-English press.


1. SUMMARY: The Indian media reported and commented
widely on the incoming and outgoing Presidents. Reports
said President Bush on Monday made a round of farewell
phone calls to world leaders, while President-elect Obama
and his wife Michelle attended the Lincoln Memorial
inaugural concert in Washington Sunday. Over the weekend,
leading newspapers devoted special sections to the
Presidential inauguration, with photos and trivia and
write-ups on former U.S. presidents. Reports said Barack
Obama and his family would make history Tuesday as the
first black first family to move into the White House, a
mansion largely built by slaves. It was reported that
hours before his inauguration, Obama appointed Indian-
American lawyer Preeta Bansal as the Senior Policy
Advisor in the Office of Management and Budget. Editorial
commentary reflected displayed cautious optimism on the
President-elect's likely foreign policy, particularly
vis-`-vis South Asia. While commentary on President Bush
was predictably uncharitable, many newspapers conceded
that he was good for India. Commentary from India's
leading English and language newspapers follows.

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PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION/NEW ADMINISTRATION'S
FOREIGN POLICY
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2. "OBAMA'S BIG CHALLENGES," analysis in January 20 THE
TIMES OF INDIA by foreign editor Indrani Bagchi: "In a
recession-wracked America, bruised and battered by eight
years of Bush, Obama has little option but to find quick
deliverables in his first 100 days.... Obama's silence
after saying that if rockets were threatening his
daughters he would go after them - is seen as support for
Israel. Which makes him no different from any other U.S.
President. But if the Arab world is hoping he will do
their work for them of neutralizing Hamas, that's not
going to happen.... Iraq will remain a challenge even after
the pullout. But Obama will also have to think about what
to do with Iran, which finances Hamas and Hizbollah, and
Shia militias in Iraq, and has become a nuclear
nuisance.... Obama's challenge will be to bring Pakistan
back from the jihadi edge, choke their support to the
Taliban, work them out of their "strategic depth"
mindset, and persuade them that the same terrorists they
train to send to India are the ones that may attack the
US. To stabilize Afghanistan, he will go to all those
European countries who hated Bush and ask for troops -
just like Bush."


3. "OUR OBAMA MOMENT," op-ed analysis by consulting
editor C. Raja Mohan in January 20 centrist INDIAN
EXPRESS English daily: "It is the third element of
Obama's argument that is viewed with some apprehension in
New Delhi. Obama's assessment is that addressing
Pakistan's security concerns on the east with India holds
the key to Islamabad's genuine cooperation in the war on
terror.... For the US, which now faces a real prospect of

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defeat in Afghanistan, South Asia is at the very top of
its foreign policy agenda. Whether India likes it or not,
Washington will devote substantive diplomatic energies
towards the subcontinent, and New Delhi will be drawn
into this dynamic. Instead of opposing something that is
about to unfold, New Delhi must offer full cooperation to
Obama in South Asia on terms that are mutually
acceptable.... It will be a pity if India does not grasp
this historic opportunity because its leaders lack either
the self-assurance or the strategic imagination to
leverage Obama's South Asia initiative."


4. "BUSHED WORLD," editorial in January 20 centrist THE
TIMES OF INDIA: "Unsurprisingly, in his farewell address,
Bush said there are things he'd have done differently if
given the chance. Legions of his critics say he had his
chance not once, but twice and he blew it.... Despite his
frayed image, Bush retains a measure of goodwill in
India. He assiduously built on a rapprochement initiated
by the Clinton administration. His free trade advocacy
and commitment to the path-breaking India-US nuclear deal
deepened relations. Should Obama-led America and India
continue to strengthen diplomatic and strategic ties
between the world's two largest democracies, the gains
will be on both sides."


5. "FROM INDIA WITH LOVE," analysis in January 18 THE
TIMES OF INDIA by foreign editor Indrani Bagchi: "India
has a strong interest in shaping Obama's world in the
next four years. India has come a long way since the last
Democrat administration. Courtesy George Bush, we are
accustomed to living in a different style. Will it
continue, be enhanced or diminished by Obama will depend
upon his plans - does he want to make India a partner or
a target?.... Primarily, it will be Obama's approach to
Pakistan and Afghanistan that will define the nature of
the new relationship with India... India and China will
inevitably get in each other's way. The key is to ensure
that the US stays out of it, or on India's side.... Global
security will be a key component of Obama's foreign
policy agenda, and by its very nature, India is on the
right side. India has to make sure it is an indispensable
voice in shaping the security agenda. Transnational
threats such as nuclear non-proliferation, terrorism,
HIV/AIDS will be shared dangers.... India is bound to come
under pressure from the US as the fall guy for domestic
failures on eco-friendly policy change."


6. "THE SECOND NEW DEAL," editorial in January 20
centrist ECONOMIC TIMES English daily: "President-elect
Obama's vision of a second New Deal faces some risks the
first one did. Roosevelt's New Deal during the Great
Depression was a huge political success, but an economic
quasi-failure.... Having learned from history, Obama will
doubtless avoid some of Roosevelt's errors.... Hopefully,
we will not get another Smoot-Hawley Act levying big
imports tariffs. However, the Bush-Bernanke stimulus did
not cure the recession, so it's not obvious that the
Obama stimulus will.... Luckily he has time on his side,
and - like Roosevelt before him - can get elected with
populist rhetoric even if the economic recovery is weak.

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Meanwhile we must hope he will ditch the protectionist
noises of his election campaign."


7. "CAN OBAMA CORRECT U.S. WEST ASIA POLICY?" Op-ed
analysis by Govind Talwalkar in January 20 centrist ASIAN
AGE English daily: "Barack Obama, who takes office today,
says that among the problems he would give priority to in
international politics would be the ceasefire in Gaza....
It is difficult to imagine Mr. Obama making a complete
break with America's West Asia policy.... Olmert cannot be
trusted. But even if the messenger is dubious, the
message is relevant. Mr. Obama should support the
solution suggested by Mr. Olmert as it is the only course
open. If Palestinians and Syrians are satisfied, Iran
would lose the upper-hand which it enjoys at present. But
both the Democrats and the Republicans have so far
refused to break with the past and hence it is difficult
to expect much from the Obama administration with regard
to West Asia."


8. "FOR OBAMA, IT'S TIME TO DELIVER," editorial in
January 20 centrist THE ASIAN English daily: "Mr. Obama
must aim at making the Pakistan military break its nexus
with the jihadists on pain of aid reduction and eventual
elimination should results not be forthcoming.... The Obama
administration would seek to "build on" its "political
and economic partnership" with India, to quote the
secretary of state-designate. The outgoing administration
led by George W. Bush did much to strengthen India and
spoke of a "strategic partnership" with this country. The
Obama Democrats are apparently pitching a bit lower. But
we'll know more as we go along."


9. "THE DAY THE WORLD'S WAITED FOR IS HERE," editorial in
January 20 centrist MAIL TODAY English daily: "His next
four years at the White House are not going to be easy.
In fact, he is inheriting one of the most difficult
presidential terms in American history.... Obama's foreign
policy, especially relating to South Asia and
Afghanistan, will need serious consideration from India.
Obama has always maintained that the epicenter of the war
on terror is the Afghan-Pakistan border, and not Iraq.
Therefore, his stance on the Pakistan government will be
important and in this context, Kashmir can enter the
equation. Obama's trade policies - especially those
relating to outsourcing - will also have to be looked at
closely.... One important issue, nuclear non-proliferation,
has been decided by the Bush administration. This is a
plus since it can no longer poison Indo-U.S. relations.
Yet, India must push the right buttons to ensure it
remains an important friend, if not ally, of the US in
the 21st century."


10. "PRESIDENT OBAMA: ENORMOUS CHALLENGES TO MEET,"
editorial in January 20 centrist THE TRIBUNE English
daily: "With President Obama, there is some hope for
change in the US. As most Americans expect, he is bound
to concentrate on how to turn the US economy around as
his first priority. It is indeed a challenging task.... A
bit of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal may become
necessary, but he has to be really innovative to pull his

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country out of the crisis. New Delhi will be watching
with curiosity not only his moves on job outsourcing,
which can adversely affect India's BPO companies, but
also how the Obama administration looks at the US
relations with India. The Bush administration took the
Indo-US ties to a new high with the signing of the
nuclear deal. Mr. Obama has indicated that the relations
between the two countries will be strengthened further
during his tenure in the Oval Office, but how he keeps
his word remains to be seen.... If he succumbs to the
wishes of the nuclear ayatollahs in the Democratic Party
there can be difficulties in relations with India.... The
Obama administration will help fight terrorism if it
forces Pakistan to change its policy and crack down on
terrorist groups."


11. "HISTORY'S MAN," editorial in January 20 centrist
DAILY NEWS & ANALYSIS English daily: "We in India would
be missing the symbolism and significance of Barack Obama
taking over as the 44th president of the United States on
Tuesday if we were to merely ask what the new president
means for India-US relations.... The first black president
of the United States is a redemption, even if partial, of
the American promise and dream that it is possible for
the person of the most ordinary and humble origin to
achieve and become the extraordinary.... What is more
important is the fact that he brought new ideas and a new
vision for the whole of America and in some ways to the
world at large.... it is a time of promise and hope for all
Americans as they look to Obama to start a new era in
American history."


12. "WAITING FOR OBAMA," op-ed article by Sumit Ganguly
in the January 19 centrist English daily DNA. "Regardless
of the other foreign policy choices of the George W Bush
administration and their consequences, there is little
question that his administration helped to dramatically
improve relations with India.... As the Obama
administration is poised to enter office, concerns have
been expressed both in official and quasi-official
circles in India that the bonhomie that had characterized
Indo-US relations during the Bush administration will
come to a close. There is little reason to assume that
US-Indian relations are about to take an adverse turn
under the Obama administration. A number of compelling
reasons suggest otherwise..... New Delhi should also know
that the Indian diaspora in the US has a fundamental
interest in ensuring that Indo-US relations remain on an
even keel.... Most importantly from India's standpoint, the
incoming administration is unlikely to have the same
indulgent attitude toward Pakistan.... Instead of
uncritically coddling the squalid military establishment
and lavishing largesse upon it, the new administration
will devote its resources to the social and educational
sectors.... There is little reason why these attributes
cannot be effectively brought to bear to ensure that
Indo-US relations continue to flourish in the era of the
Obama administration."


13. "MAN OF COLOR," editorial in January 20 centrist THE
TELEGRAPH English daily: "As he lifts his hand to take

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oath, Barack Obama will also be forced to think about the
immediate legacy he is receiving... People in the U.S., and
elsewhere in the world, will expect his powerful rhetoric
to be backed by powerful action... There are...areas of
domestic policy in which expectations from Mr. Obama are
very high. Many believe that he will reduce healthcare
costs and cut taxes. There is also the expectation that
State intervention, by way of increased public spending,
will become the reigning economic doctrine to resurrect
the economy. Mr. Obama...has not expressed himself on these
matters... The burden is awesome."


14. "REGAINING AMERICA," editorial in January 20 centrist
THE STATESMAN English daily: "The facetious say that it
has always been the black man's lot to clean up the white
man's mess in the USA. The ascendancy...by Mr. Barack
Hussein Obama is not, however, one of those things. The
mess that his predecessor has left behind may defy a
clean-up on many counts and stymie efforts at
rectification on others... A refreshing difference may not
necessarily be the solution to the mesh of socio-economic
problems in a troubled world and an equally suffocating
domestic environment caused by...years of inexplicably poor
governance in a country that has traditionally provided
leadership to the world...."


15. "ANY HOPE FROM OBAMA?" editorial in January 20
Guwahati English left-of-center THE SENTINEL: "We must
realize that the U.S. Government is a tenacious
continuum, with its foreign policy dictated by a brazenly
overt hegemonic pursuit... Kashmir still remains the focus
of the US foreign policy in South Asia. Mr. Obama, no
doubt, will be compelled by various forces to add to the
US tendency to broker a solution to the Kashmir 'dispute'
so that Pakistan may concentrate on the western front and
deliver on its promise to root out the Al-Qaeda-Taliban
combine."


16. "GOODBYE, AND NONE TOO SOON," editorial in
independent English daily THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
(circulation:350,000): "Finally the world can say goodbye
to US President George W Bush. He has contributed more
than any other political leader in recent history to
violence and hatred with his war on terror drawing the
world into a battle from which the exit points have still
to be defined... Bush leaves office with few supporters.
Probably his only main supporter is India, with Manmohan
Singh unable to get over his admiration for the U.S.
leader to a point where the government has still not
established proper links with the new dispensation under
President Barack Obama. Bush did manage to get New Delhi
to sign the civilian nuclear energy agreement but this
has definitely not put India-US relations on a new level,
as was promised by both sides. The fact that US has a new
President and Lok Sabha elections might throw up a new
alternative are factors that can interrupt the
relationship for a long while. All said and done the US
president who declared not so long ago 'either you are
with us, or with them' now finds that the people world
over have definitely decided to redefine the 'us' to
exclude him."

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17. "OBAMA A MYSTERY FOR INDIA," editorial page article
by columnist Chandra Bhushan in January 19 centrist
NAVBHARAT TIMES Hindi daily: "Since the World War II, the
U.S. has an image of being an international bully and a
global cop. But today the giant is groveling in the dust
- most American financial institutions are down in the
dumps, and the U.S. is no more the superpower it used to
be. In these circumstances comes Obama to the President's
chair. He wants to focus on solving the Kashmir problem
so that there is no distraction in the war on terror in
Pakistan and Afghanistan. We can expect increased U.S.
activism on Kashmir.... Also, Obama could turn out to be
the most anti-globalization U.S. President in history.
With unemployment wreaking havoc in the U.S., he may be
forced to become protectionist and populist. But to
remain competitive, American companies will have to find
cheaper labor options overseas and hence outsourcing will
be imperative. If the attitude of the Obama
Administration becomes insular, then it will have a
domino effect in the entire world and may trigger off
protectionism. Obama's campaign to save jobs can be a big
threat to the world. Thus far, the U.S. administration is
a mystery for India - like a closed book."


18. "DEEPENING PERIL IN AFGHANISTAN," op-ed article in
January 18 right-of-center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by
strategic affairs specialist K. Subrahmanyam: "The key
challenge for Barack Obama's foreign policy is not
Afghanistan, but Pakistan. Actually, the biggest U.S.
concern is jihadis' getting access to Pakistan's nukes...
Now the jihadi organizations have become a serious threat
to the Pakistan government. The terrorists are able to
obstruct U.S. supply to Kabul via Pakistan, but the
Pakistan army has a tremendous pressure to act tough
against them. If it deceives U.S. like it did in the
past, U.S. will halt its aid without which Pakistan will
collapse. There was a time when U.S. wasn't afraid of any
direct danger to it because of the Pakistan army, but the
Americans believe that the Al-Qaida and the Taliban are a
direct peril to them and Pakistan despite getting a fat
aid has a soft attitude toward them. It is time for
Pakistan to decide- if it will support U.S. or the
Jihadis?"


19. "OBAMA AND TERRORISM," editorial in January 17
nationalist RASHTRIYA SAHARA Hindi daily: "The U.S.
president-elect Barack Obama and vice president Joe Biden
have indicated their anti-terrorism policy by declaring
Al-Qaida and Laden the biggest threat. Obama will have to
deal with terrorism, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan on
priority basis. Pakistan's border areas are a safe haven
for Al-Qaida. Obama promised during his election campaign
to destroy Al-Qaida and Taliban by attacking these areas.
If he still thinks the same way even after Pakistan
visits by U.S. representatives, it can be considered the
future Obama Administration's policy. In fact, Biden's
saying that Pakistan's situation in Afghanistan is
affecting the U.S. success will be a matter of concern
for Pakistan. Thus, it can be said that after January 20
the changes Obama will make in the strategy on war

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against terrorism in Afghanistan will include- more
aggression, maintain close relations with Pakistan and
military offensives in its border areas, weakening of
Pakistan factor in Afghanistan etc."


20. "WELCOME BARACK," editorial in January 20 left-of-
center Marathi daily MAHARASHTRA TIMES. "Time will prove
whether the 44th president of the U.S. made any positive
difference to the world. But it is certain that no other
Head of State, in any part of the globe in recent
history, has raised hopes and expectations, as has Barack
Obama.... Obama has demonstrated a good pace by choosing
the right people for the right slots in the White House.
But the real challenge is to put the economy back on
track..."


21. "A NEW CHAPTER IN AMERICA'S HISTORY BEGINS FROM
TODAY," editorial in the January 20 centrist Gujarati
daily DIVYA BHASKAR. "Obama's taking over as the 44th
President of the United States of America will ring in
hope and optimism not only for America but for the global
community.... At a time when this man in on the threshold
of creating history, we wish him all the best in his
efforts." (A similar editorial appeared in the January
19, 2009 multi-edition right-of-center Gujarati daily
GUJARAT SAMACHAR).


22. "GOODBYE MR. BUSH!" editorial in January 20 left-of-
center Marathi daily LOKSATTA. "George W. Bush has been a
failure as a president, almost on every front in America
- not just in terms of an economic meltdown but also in
the ... social sector.... He will be known as a president of
failed missions - disastrous policies that will haunt
America for some time."


23. "CHALLENGES BEFORE OBAMA," op-ed article by Dr Rashmi
Bhure in January 20 centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL.
"Pakistan could also be one of the most serious policy
challenges before the new Obama administration.... Instead
of co-operation, Pakistan has raised the possibility of a
war with India. Now the crux of the matter is that can
Obama change Pakistan's stance when he knows that the
U.S. needs Pakistan's help in the fight against Taliban
terror. Similarly, will the U.S. be able to stop aid to
Pakistan when the latter is anyway on the verge of an
economic collapse?"


24. "HISTORIC CHALLENGE," editorial in the January 20
independent Kolkata Bengali daily, ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA:
"It is not the mere inauguration of an individual... Obama
will have the responsibility for building a new
multilateral world order appropriate for the post Cold
War 21st century. It is his principal duty everywhere
including in Iraq, Afghanistan, and in the Middle East...
Ideologically, the swearing in of a Black President is an
extremely positive thing for countries like India... So...let
us hope, Delhi and Washingtn had been close associates
and will continue to remain so."


25. "NOT IDEOLOGY, BUT RELYING ON HIS PRAGMATISM,"
editorial-page article in the January 20 independent

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Kolkata Bengali daily ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA by Assistant
Editor Semanti Ghosh: "President Obama, and practically
all American Presidents, must realize that there is no
use in indulging in child's play. They must sit for a
dialogue and that too with the rocket-propelling Hamas.
They must understand that there are only two options:
either they should move forward and open up avenues for
talks...or continue to remain puppets of the Jewish lobby
by making innocuous statements... Obama will have to
understand from his sense of pragmatism that he will have
to campaign within his country even if he wants to
advance to solve the Palestinian crisis...."


26. "GREEN EMPLOYMENT: OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S BIG TASK,"
editorial-page article in January 20 independent Kolkata
Bengali daily ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA by columnist Pradip
Dutta: "Obama is promising to make investments in the
infrastructure sector in order to overcome the economic
recession. This investment should be made in such a way
that it ensures long-term economic development...
Generating 'green employment' will be a big task for the
new Obama Administration and for the Congress."


27. "JANUARY 20" editorial in January 20 Guwahati
Assamese independent ASAMIYA KHABOR: "People are
expecting that the U.S. under Obama's leadership will
take initiatives to make this world a better place to
live by eradicating racism and terrorism ... Obama has
already displayed his individuality through the selection
of his teammates... The world community is eagerly waiting
to see how he rescues his country from the current
financial crisis or face other global problems such as
Iraq, Afghanistan, nuclear disarmament etc."


28. "INDIA'S WEAK DIPLOMACY," editorial page article by
editor Sanjay Gupta in January 18 right-of-center DAINIK
JAGRAN Hindi daily: "In the beginning the U.S.
administration was stern with Pakistan, but later it
softened. Both Bush's aides and Obama's went soft.
Recently, Hillary Clinton, the future U.S. secretary of
state, announced that to strengthen democracy the aid for
Pakistan will be trebled. After much huffing and puffing,
American diplomats and officials who went to Pakistan in
the aftermath of Mumbai, changed their tune once they
reached Islamabad. It remains to be seen what Obama does
once he assumes Presidency of the U.S. Those countries
who are trying to help resolve the Kashmir problem are
unaware that it is the Pakistani-controlled Kashmir that
is witnessing so much misery. India has failed to
effectively project this."
WHITE