 All Things Considered, November 5, 2006 · Former president Jimmy Carter is monitoring Nicaragua's presidential elections. This is President Carter's fourth time monitoring Nicaraguan elections with the Carter Center. He talks with host Debbie Elliott about how the elections -- and Ortega himself -- look different this time around.
DE: Should the U.S. be concerned about the prospect of an Ortega presidency?
JC: Well, I'm not sure. This is our 67th election around the world. We have experience in many different kinds of elections. And I don't think there's any doubt that Ortega has attempted to change his reputation. In the past, for instance, the election, say in 1990, his colors were red and black, his symbol was a fighting rooster, and his words were very harsh. This time his campaign manager is his wife Rosario, and now the major colors on his billboards are pastels, and his major appeal is to peace and reconciliation. He endorses a principle of free enterprise instead of socialism. So he's tried to change his attitude in the public's mind, and whether he'll succeed we won't know until the votes are counted.
DE: I've read where he's using John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance" as his campaign theme song.
JC: Yes, that's true. And of course, as you know, in many countries around the world -- my wife and I have visited about 125 countries -- you hear John Lennon's song “Imagine” used almost equally with national anthems. So John Lennon has had a major impact on some of the countries that are developing in the world. |