The US Election

[amateur51]

You sure about that, Ams? I'm not sure Romney supporters would understand irony...

As I understood it, they're trying to ensure that the people who voted for Obama last time turn out & vote for him this time.

They're not expecting miracles

[Lateralthinking1]

As I understood it, they're trying to ensure that the people who voted for Obama last time turn out & vote for him this time.

They're not expecting miracles

Thank you for the clips Ams. Oddly, I find myself lost for words. Well, almost. They weren't bad speeches. It is good that Clinton showed support. But when the main thought is wondering why they only played Fleetwood Mac and not also Copland's "Simple Gifts" which was Bill's other anthem, erm...........! There's a feeling that it's lacking strong narrative and some conviction.

I think they have got to bring out the reverse side of "Mitt's a bad guy", ie our Obama fellow is a man of great integrity by Presidential standards. Similarly Mitt may flip-flop but Barack is consistent/stable so far as Congress allows. Plus he is more of a regular guy and at the same time he is truly Presidential. All of those personality things.....as the policy itself is a bit intangible.

[Simon]

US politics is a mess in so many ways, as is the politics in so many pseudo-democratic countries. It's a great pity the two big parties are so close; it prevents much major policy change in so many ways and the two houses don't make that easier.

If, as you say above, the polls are so close, one hopes that the Democrats have learned some lessons from previous years: they should look very closely at any Diebold voting machines alleged to need software patches... ;-)

[Lateralthinking1]

US politics is a mess in so many ways, as is the politics in so many pseudo-democratic countries.

Yes indeed - and welcome back.

A narrative emerges - "Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive".

Joe Biden's speech -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19514673

[Serial_Apologist]

Yes indeed - and welcome back.

A narrative emerges - "Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive".

Joe Biden's speech -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19514673

They really are on a different planet over there, aren't they!

[antongould]

Is it a good plan to slag off half the electorate?

[Simon]

Is it a good plan to slag off half the electorate?

I think you'll find that almost all politicians do it, Anton, against those who don't agree with them.

Perhaps your question should rather be "Is it a good plan to slag of half the electorate and be recorded doing it, when you are one of two people contesting the US Presidency in a few weeks?"

I suspect that, for once, we might agree on the answer! I don't rate Romney much, and am hoping for the continuity of the Obama administration, with all its faults...

[Pabmusic]

Is it a good plan to slag off half the electorate?

Certainly not if that half includes the 10% of the electorate that constitutes the 'swing' vote. But Romney is a senior figure ('bishop' has been used to describe him) in a church that, until the late 1970s, taught that black people are so as a punishment from God; and it still teaches that the Garden of Eden was in Missouri, and that senior figures (like Romney, presumably) will have their own planet to rule when they die. Common sense may not always come easily to him.

[ahinton]

Certainly not if that half includes the 10% of the electorate that constitutes the 'swing' vote. But Romney is a senior figure ('bishop' has been used to describe him) in a church that, until the late 1970s, taught that black people are so as a punishment from God; and it still teaches that the Garden of Eden was in Missouri, and that senior figures (like Romney, presumably) will have their own planet to rule when they die. Common sense may not always come easily to him.

It's abit of a Dymchurch if you ask me (which you aren't, I know), at least one "senior figure" within which seems unaware or unconcerned that some folks' tone (most especially his own) is unacceptable and what they say is unMitigatable, each of which fact perhaps makes it unsurprising that, as I heard earlier today, "Romney Marsh" has now been deemed to be beyond our Kent and is accordingly (and wisely) being renamed...

[aeolium]

There are some amusing moments (allowing for the hectoring style) in these clips from Jon Stewart's Daily Show about the Mitt Romney video and Fox News' coverage of its aftermath:

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/politics/2012/09/video-jon-stewart-tears-apart-mitt-romney-his-47-cent-remarks

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/world-affairs/2012/09/video-jon-stewart-blasts-fox-news-coverage-romneys-campaign-reboot

[amateur51]

I suspect that, for once, we might agree on the answer! I don't rate Romney much, and am hoping for the continuity of the Obama administration, with all its faults...

So ... you're happy for the faults to continue? How odd

[Pabmusic]

So ... you're happy for the faults to continue? How odd

[scottycelt]

So ... you're happy for the faults to continue? How odd

Nothing 'odd' at all, amsey ...

The member is clearly stating that he is hoping for the continuation of what he obviously considers to be the lesser of two 'evils', warts and all. Simple, sensible realism.

It might appear a great deal 'odder' to many of us if anyone were to come out in favour of one whom he/she viewed to be the less convincing of the two candidates on offer?

[Simon]

Thank you for that gentle response, scotty. Mine would have been less gracious, as I find suffering fools to be wearisome.

[amateur51]

Thank you for that gentle response, scotty. Mine would have been less gracious, as I find suffering fools to be wearisome.

I think you meant to write "I don't rate Romney much, and am hoping for the continuity of the Obama administration, despite all its faults..."

I wouldn't want you to practice sloppy English in all those Arab countries where you've been spending your time recently, Simon