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“THE latest opinion polls are like the Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq. A complete fabrication.” This was socialist candidate for Prime Minister Jose Luiz Zapatero in buoyant form in Palma on Thursday night. Zapatero is well behind in the opinion polls and looks set to be defeated by the conservative Partido Popular leader Mariano Rajoy in the general elections on March 14 but he certainly got his message across. The words too little too late come to mind because what he said in Palma should touch a chord with many voters. “The first thing I will do when I am elected is to go to the United States and support John Kerry, my allies will be the students and families who can't afford their own home,” and on the question of the Balearics “the PP's model for these islands is build without limit”. The party faithful just loved it and he will certainly have raised morale. But barring any last minute change Zapatero will not be going to the United States, well not as Prime Minister anyhow. His comments on Kerry come as no surprise; he is a socialist and naturally a Democrat in the White House would suit him quite nicely. Zapatero is fighting a losing battle against a Partido Popular machine which is modern, forward thinking, and very much Madrid based and big on the international stage. The socialist leader could do with a helping hand. Who better to help Zapatero than another socialist candidate who was even more impressive than the young Spaniard. Of course I am referring to Mr. Anthony Blair who has not uttered a single word of encouragement for his Spanish counterpart, in fact he wined and dined Rajoy at Number 10, just recently. You can understand why there is no love lost between the Zapatero camp and Blair. Surely a socialist government in Spain would be better for Blair?
Obviously not.