BRING IT ON:

Fernando Poe Jr: A natural-born candidateMarco Garrido, 3/05/04, Asia Times)

The question of whether popular film star Fernando Poe Jr is in fact a Filipino and can run for president has been decided in his favor, freeing up the campaign to get down to business and forestalling the violence that could have erupted if the decision had gone the other way. [...]

With the decision made, the electoral landscape seems clearer. "Now that the roadblock is gone, it will be full speed ahead for the KNP [Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino, Poe's party] ticket," claimed Poe spokesman Francis Escudero. Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), the opposition party, remains split between Poe and Ping Lacson. Lacson had publicly urged Poe's supporters to rally to him should their candidate be disqualified, but now it seems he must resign himself to a candidacy in Poe's shadow.

Since the controversy over Poe's citizenship began, Arroyo has inched forward in popularity, even edging past Poe in recent surveys, such that the two candidates are running in a virtual dead heat. Arroyo's gains probably have less to do with herself than with Poe. He continues to wage his candidacy on his terms - that is, relying more on star power and sound bites than on any coherent platform of ideas. Recently, he begged off participating in a presidential debate because he was "a man of action, not words" and chose instead to air his ideas on MTV, through 30-60-second shorts directed by a character from the defunct local sitcom Mongolian Barbecue.

Hmmmmmm....Mongolian Barbecue....

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 4, 2004 8:07 AM