Friday, March 12, 2010

Calderón's Call

Yesterday, Felipe Calderón issued a call for a more dignified brand of politics, which was quickly seconded by other heavyweights. This comes several days after the president and Manlio Fabio Beltrones both asked the parties to put aside their immediate differences and get to work. Clearly, the president is frustrated with the ongoing bickering between the PRI and the PAN, insofar as it is clogging his legislative agenda.

So why isn't Nava, supposedly a Calderón loyalist who was essentially appointed to the PAN presidency by the president, heeding his wishes? Nothing could be less dignified than a public polygraph test as a way to settle a he-said, she-said political dispute. (Random historical note that is kinda relevant: according to Reagan biographer Lou Cannon, George Bush threatened to resign when it was suggested he take a polygraph while serving as vice president.) It's hard to imagine a more distracting sideshow to the legislative priorities than a debate between Nava and Beatriz Paredes. Rather than advocating for Calderón's legislative agenda, Nava dedicated his column space in El Universal to clarifying and defending his actions regarding his spat with Paredes and Peña Nieto.

Furthermore, beyond the uselessness of it all, is there anyone outside of the principals who's not completely bored by this story? It's more tedious than painting window trim.

However, as ugly as this last month has been, of the last two PAN bosses, somehow Nava is the more dignified of the two.

More here.

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