Filed under: News, Politics, Race and Civil Rights
The election of a new leader in earthquake-torn Haiti has been marked by chaos, bogus ballots and rioting, so why not turn to America's most popular television show for a solution to the mess?
In a scene that looked a little like an episode of "American Idol," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton traveled to Haiti, where each of the Top-3 candidates in line for the presidency "auditioned" for the U.S. policymaker in private meetings.
It isn't certain whether any of the three candidates, Jude Celestin of the ruling Unity Party, populist candidate and musical performer Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly and former First Lady Mirlande Manigat, will move to Hollywood due to their performance during their meetings with Clinton Sunday.
But the fact that America's top diplomat has to get so personally involved in Haiti's election process shows how bad the political crisis is and how much the United States has at stake in bringing some semblance of order to the broken political process.
Several hundred thousand people in Haiti are still without permanent homes. Thousands face death and illness from a cholera outbreak, and major pillars of the public infrastructure, such as providing clean water, still don't operate for most.
But of the ongoing problems fouling Haiti, none is more critical than the current political crisis. The island will not see the bulk of critical international rebuilding funds until a new leader can gain the trust of foreign donors.
That won't happen unless the political situation turns for the better.
Manigat won, Celestin finished second and Martelly finished third in the balloting, which has been questioned for its fairness and accuracy by neutral observers.
Two candidates of the Top 3 are expected to move on to the final round of voting March 20th.
Independent election observers have said that Celestin finished third among the three and should not appear on the March 20th ballot.
Celestin, however, is the candidate favored by incumbent President Rene Preval, and Celestin said he will remain on the ballot even though the Organization of American States and the U.S. government believe he should be tossed off the ballot.
Clinton said that, at this point, U.S. aid to Haiti isn't in jeopardy because of the political mess.
But just wait and see if the March 20th run-off election brings more political tricks from Haitian political power brokers.
If so, the United States will have to make the tough choice of continuing to give financial support to a corrupt leader or cutting aid to the island and watching everyday people suffer even more.
Either way, the real losers will be the people of Haiti.