CNMI celebrates Bush re-election

CNMI leaders hailed yesterday the re-election of U.S. President George W. Bush, believing that it will ultimately be good for the CNMI.

Gov. Juan N. Babauta described the Nov. 2 elections as “amazing,” and “a referendum on President Bush’s policies.”

“I stayed up late at night to watch the result. It’s really an amazing election. I think this is a referendum on President Bush’s policies on every level—from the war on terror to all the social and economic policies. I say referendum because he won this election by nearly four million popular votes. When you compare that four years ago when he ran against Al Gore, he lost by 500,000 popular votes. Four years later, he won re-election by nearly four million over and above four years ago. To me that’s a true mandate,” Babauta said.

He acknowledged that Bush’s firm positions on certain social and moral issues boosted his standing among the Bible-belt states.

Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente, who said the CNMI got great support from the Bush administration, said the CNMI is “very delighted” with the electoral result.

“We have never come close to the kind of assistance that we’ve been getting from the administration under Bush. It’s one thing I was worried about—what would happen if it’s not David Cohen [of the Department of the Interior]?” he said. Cohen, assistant deputy secretary for insular affairs, said in his visit last week that he would resign if Bush loses the election.

Further, Benavente said that ‘a strong Republican U.S. Congress can mean that “it will help us in next year’s election.” The CNMI Republican Party was recognized by the national GOP this year.

“It’s the relationship. Of course, it’s not the case all the time but Republican administrations tend to be more supportive of a local Republican government. It may not always be the case but we are in the best position to expect that,” he said.

He said Bush won partly because people acknowledged his “consistent leadership.”

“Although people may not agree on a lot of issues but people know the positions he is taking,” he said.

Rep. Clyde Norita, for his part, said that Bush’s re-election means “another four good years for the Commonwealth.”

“It’s great thing. I’m happy… I think that Bush has been very helpful to the Commonwealth. It’s good thing for the Commonwealth if he gets another four years,” he said.

Traditionally, Norita said, the CNMI receives more federal assistance when the U.S. administration is Republican.

Vice Speaker Timothy Villagomez said he is not surprised that Bush won the election. “He has the backing of the people. It’s a close race but you see that he is ahead both in the electoral and popular votes.”

House leadership spokesman Charles Reyes Jr. said Bush’s victory would mean that the “CNMI is safe from federal takeover attempts on its immigration and minimum wage.

“It’s a very positive development for the CNMI… We’d be safe because the Republican ideologies and philosophy emphasize state rights, local government, free market economics. All these party principles will be brought to bear. It’s death of federal intervention. I think it’s receding even more because of the victory in the states,” he said.

On the issue of federal takeover, Benavente said it is also about the performance of the local government. “Our administration has been very effective in removing any attempt by the federal government on the takeover issue. While it does protect us there, we’ve done a lot ourselves already,” he said.

The business sector was also jubilant over the Bush-Cheney victory.

Saipan Chamber of Commerce president Alex Sablan said: “I believe the victory is very good for the country and the islands. I congratulate the president, vice president, and the entire Republican Party.”

Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands president Lynn Knight agreed, saying, “I’m very happy with the outcome. Under this administration, it has put in place very good people at the Department of the Interior who have been really supportive of the CNMI. We can see a big difference between the Bush administration and Clinton administration, which have been very good for the CNMI all around.”

Mixed reactions

Reaction from the streets were, however, more mixed, with several individuals indicating their satisfaction with the result, while others expressing their disappointment.

“I was very shocked because I really thought Kerry was going to pull this one out,” said 19-year-old student Thomas W. Sablan. “Before the election, many news channels kept showing that it’s going to be a really close race. I am just happy that Bush won because I think he has done a good job and would continue to do a good job the next four years.”

For his part, vacationer Brandon Harrison of Washington, who is currently on island visiting his brother, said the result was “no reason for him to jump for joy.”

“I was quite upset because I really believed Kerry made good points on how Bush should’ve taken a little more time and get more support from allies before going to war,” he said. “There are many people who are sacrificing because of this war, and maybe if Bush went into war with more support, the U.S. won’t have to shoulder as much troops and money. I have family who are fighting at war, so I am not too happy with this. He led us into war the wrong way, what’s to stop him from doing it again.”

Further, Harrison expressed his concern over U.S. relations with other countries.

“I’m just wondering how the relations with the U.S. and other countries is going to end up. I know that a lot of countries and their people aren’t too happy about the situation. The war in Iraq wouldn’t have ended even if Kerry took the presidency, but he probably would do a better job in making better decisions before putting thousands of lives at stake.”

Roger Asuncion, for his part, was in favor of the election result, citing Bush’s ability to “be firm” as “an element of his personality that is needed to run the country.”

“He was firm with his decision and remains firm until now,” he said. “That’s something that I like. He took the country to war with or without the approval of many countries because he did not want another 9/11. What are we going to do, spend so much time just talking and talking about what needs to be done. Well, while we’re going to be talking, terrorists are moving to strike again.”