AMLO to Washington

Evidently AMLO, perhaps trying to soften impressions of him as a fiery anti-American populist ahead of 2012, is planning a September trip to Washington, which I believe will be his first trip there. He will visit with Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid, as well as some House leaders. I don't think this is a bad idea, but if it's all about overcoming el Peje's negatives for 2012, I think it misunderstands where the worries about him come from. It's not the vague sense that he might turn into Chávez, as was more the case in 2006, but the fact, demonstrated at great length, that his democratic instincts are wanting. Unfortunately for pejistas, I suspect that there's nothing to be done to alleviate that in the next 18 months, but I suppose we will see.