Friday, December 01, 2006
Inauguracion
This morning we sat around the kitchen table, eating tamales and scrambled eggs and watching the installation of Felipe Calderon. My hostess has been a little upset this week about the fighting in the congress. And I admit, it´s pretty bizarre to watch legislators having fistfights and stealing chairs and barricading themselves in chambers and singing songs until 5 a.m.
¨"I´m embarrassed. Mexico is embarrassed. The world is watching Mexico. And this is what they see," says my hostess.
But this morning, we were all a little nervous. In fact, all week long, you could feel just a tiny bit of edginess. What would happen? Everyone figured it would all go ok, but, again, if the legislators chase eachother around desks, who knows what else they could do. And sure enough, this morning there was yet another fight before Calderon arrived.
On the one hand, it´s kind of interesting to watch. Politics in the U.S. is so scripted. You certainly can´t say that here. Imagine Nancy Pelosi throwing punches and Dennis Hastert settling down in his sleeping bag in front of the TV cameras. On the other, it is a little nervewracking.
Pero, esta bien! It was all over in a matter of minutes. Fox handed over the sash, Calderon put it on, some lawmakers behind him picked up the lectern and passed it backwards so Calderon could stand in front of the crowd. Then it was over and everyone, including the television announcers, seemed relieved.
¨"I´m embarrassed. Mexico is embarrassed. The world is watching Mexico. And this is what they see," says my hostess.
But this morning, we were all a little nervous. In fact, all week long, you could feel just a tiny bit of edginess. What would happen? Everyone figured it would all go ok, but, again, if the legislators chase eachother around desks, who knows what else they could do. And sure enough, this morning there was yet another fight before Calderon arrived.
On the one hand, it´s kind of interesting to watch. Politics in the U.S. is so scripted. You certainly can´t say that here. Imagine Nancy Pelosi throwing punches and Dennis Hastert settling down in his sleeping bag in front of the TV cameras. On the other, it is a little nervewracking.
Pero, esta bien! It was all over in a matter of minutes. Fox handed over the sash, Calderon put it on, some lawmakers behind him picked up the lectern and passed it backwards so Calderon could stand in front of the crowd. Then it was over and everyone, including the television announcers, seemed relieved.
# posted by Anne @ 11:21 AM 
