Us Elections

[Tegan]

Cant believe there isnt a topic for this already

I just wanted to say how glad i am that Obama won, america really is ready for a change, i got so wrapped up in the whole thing last night that i sat watching it til 3.40am! Then dropped off 20 mins before they announced he had won doh! :P

It was quite emotional watching the scences of thousands of people running to the big park in california where they had the celebration party

dont think an election has evoked this sort of reaction for a very long time , i cannot imagine us brits getting that excited about voting for gordon brown or one of the other doddery old farts :D

Think ill remember this day forever, its one of those things that you will always know where you were and what you were doing the moemnt it happened, like 911 or when princess diana died, quite a momentous occasion

[Bizarra]

I agree. Please God it is a new beginning.

We have had a warmongering old xxxx for eight years & McCain was from the same mold.

We in the west have no say in the Election, but it affects us all. I only hope he can avoid assassination. Unfortunately he is a prime target.

Good luck Mr President Obama

[Hoovie]

I gave up at 1:30 when it was 75% Obama and clear how it was going.

Best result for America and the rest of us as well, I reckon

Interesting little article here which shows how much of a change has happened in the Public US perception of non-Whites in the last 45 years.

[JappyBeast]

I was gonna start a poll last week but didnt think anyone would be bothered. I also watched it till silly hours last night and also excited about it and its not even our country!

[Tegan]

I was gonna start a poll last week but didnt think anyone would be bothered. I also watched it till silly hours last night and also excited about it and its not even our country!

Id be very shocked if nobody was bothered about it - it might not be our country but it will have a huge impact on the future of the world - not just america, ive never ever used my vote in our country but last night i couldnt have been more interested in politics, i think he's captured the interest of people who -like me- dont even like politics usually. Ill certainly be watching closely to see how it goes for him & wishing him great sucess in sorting america out

T x

[GIDDLEPIN]

I was reading about how he made his speech behind 3 inch bullet proof glass and that he will have to get used to such security, sure nearly every president over there has been the target of assassins, successful or otherwise but unfortunately his profile and yes, colour, could attract some good old boy or a triple lettered society to respond, I pray it doesn't and he sees many a term as President of the United States.

At least he was elected and never kicked out his predecessor to take power, unlike one waste of space I can think of.

[JappyBeast]

The whole thing makes Gordon Brown look like a boring !Removed!!

[Raistlin]

The whole thing makes Gordon Brown look like a boring fart!

You mean he isn't supposed to be........ :D

[Red Yaris 54]

I was away on business and sat up watching in my hotel room untill the wee small hours(4.30 AM!!)................Totally fascinating................a NEW start for the USA.....................I wish them well

I was just a wee bit tired today ;)

[Demonic Angel]

I'm thrilled for Barack and also for the people of the US... they made such a mistake re-instating Bush (and instating him in the first place!) and this has gotten so many people interested in voting and making a difference....

If anything Barack Obama has proved that whoever you are, whatever your background, you can do anything you set your mind to - and thats a very powerful message.

The people of America have chosen the best man and I really hope he does good! He now has the power and he certainly always did have the self-belief to do so!

[84RWDCorolla]

I'm happy Obama won but I'm really starting to think I need to move (I should have during the Bush administration but I'm a procrastinator). Washington was fun while it lasted (best ralley roads in the US). Should I take the 4age AE72 with me or sell it and build a new one??

[DaveSR]

I'm pretty sure that the majority of people voted for him just because he seemed a nice guy and isn't the normal boring political stereotype .....

I would also do the same - shame there's no one here with that sort of flare

[JappyBeast]

Its nice not having some grey old bloke with cobwebs onhim.

I just hope that the Americans done carry their tradition of shooting their leaders!!!

84RWD, where do you plan to move to?

[84RWDCorolla]

Canada is looking pretty sweet about now and it would be easy to take my car with me (2 hour drive to Canada from here). Eventually I do want to go back to Ireland but I've been gone for 20+ years and currently have US citizenship so I don't know.

[JustJJ]

Didnt watch it... wasnt fussed on watching it... heard about it the next morning and went... ok.. cool.... nice one and carried on.

Yeah hopefully its a good new start etc... but for me personally it didnt hit me like 9/11 etc...

Good luck to him tho, and I do hope that he lasts

[Karma Supra]

I was reading about how he made his speech behind 3 inch bullet proof glass and that he will have to get used to such security, sure nearly every president over there has been the target of assassins, successful or otherwise but unfortunately his profile and yes, colour, could attract some good old boy or a triple lettered society to respond, I pray it doesn't and he sees many a term as President of the United States.

At least he was elected and never kicked out his predecessor to take power, unlike one waste of space I can think of.

We were talking about this last night... My dad was saying he wonders if the bookies will accept bets on him being assassinated before the end of his term. I have heard there has already been an attempt!

From what I have heard is that at not once in his campaign has he mentioned colour at all... which I think is admirable, and a true sign of integration.

[Parts-King]

Good on Obama, he couldnt do a worse job than the last incumbant!

It worries me though that America will all it's power and might could only drum a few candidates with the money to see it through to the end. Obama raised something like $662m (recalling from memory) and a total of $1.5 Billion was raised by all the parties, lets hope they have a whip round to pay off everybody in the UK who lost their jobs when the big American banks pulled out of London I shall of course give him my thoughts when I visit New York next week

Kingo

[Norfolk n Chance]

Bored of this now.

Not our country so don't really care who's in charge as America will always do it's own thing.

Be nice to know what's happening in our country on the news for once instead of the constant coverage of America.

Unless I missed when we became part of the states???

[Bizarra]

Bored of this now.

Not our country so don't really care who's in charge as America will always do it's own thing.

Be nice to know what's happening in our country on the news for once instead of the constant coverage of America.

Unless I missed when we became part of the states???

The sad thing is that while America is doing its own thing, the rest of us are affected. There are British troops on duty & being killed in Afghanistan & Iraq. Irish troops are in various hotspots on peacekeeping missions for the UN. A lot of this trouble has been caused by the Bush regime. The whole world wondered why Bush Snr didn't plough ahead & topple Saddam. Now we know that he was wiser than his son. Bill Clinton was a womaniser, but that didn't stop him from being a great President, & the world wouldn't be in its present mess, were he still in power.

So, we should care a lot who is in charge in the US, & in Russia & China too.

We are simply 2 small countries who get dragged into the dogfights. It is very important to all of us that President elect Barak Obama has the wisdom & strength to get us all out of the mire

We cannot afford to have an insular view of these things.

[Fizz]

Bored of this now.

Not our country so don't really care who's in charge as America will always do it's own thing.

Be nice to know what's happening in our country on the news for once instead of the constant coverage of America.

Unless I missed when we became part of the states???

...but alas thats where your mistaken the importance of this... If it werent for the current US government, the number of 'our' troops out in the middle east would be a lot less because i dont think the Democrats would have approached the whole 9/11 in the same way.

The fact that you have somone intelligent in place at the whitheouse is going to be good news for both the economy and for the UK in general as we wont be drawn into stupid wars (as much) in the middle east as we are currently.

As Tegan has stated.. this is a very memorable time and a damn important one which will go down in history for many factors. The US market have already turned upwards after the annoucement of Obama's new future role! That says a lot for itself right there...

And as we all know the US market affects all the other major markets including our own FTSE.

[Norfolk n Chance]

Whilst i get your points i still don't see why we need the constant coverage which recycles the same news for days.

Does nothing else happen in the UK when there's a US election?

[Bizarra]

Whilst i get your points i still don't see why we need the constant coverage which recycles the same news for days.

Does nothing else happen in the UK when there's a US election?

We got 14 pages of coverage in last night's Evening Herald, but they managed to squeeze in other world & Local news too.

We also got about 10 pages in Polish for our large Polish community

[Tegan]

Whilst i get your points i still don't see why we need the constant coverage which recycles the same news for days.

Does nothing else happen in the UK when there's a US election?

While im with you on the whole news over-doing the coverage , im quite suprised that you think this has nothing to do with the UK and the rest of the world - it will have huge implications on the entire world, that includes us!

I had a strange thought go through my head as soon as i knew he'd won, i thought that maybe now america has an intelligent person as the head of their country then maybe the terrorism might lessen as i think a lot of it was done purely out of retribution for Bush going into iraq like a bull in a china shop and thinking he was god! I cant be so naive as to think that it will stop all together but its a nice thought and one that brings hope - i think thats what obama does- he inspires hope in everyone, thats why he won.

[Norfolk n Chance]

While im with you on the whole news over-doing the coverage , im quite suprised that you think this has nothing to do with the UK and the rest of the world - it will have huge implications on the entire world, that includes us!

Don't recall saying it had nothing to do with us

The news seems to have become obsessed with America, we know who won good for him.

He's not President until January next year.

I'd much prefer not to hear another peep about it until he actually becomes President.

[mollycorolla]

yea well done to obama!! he does seem like a genuinely nice man (nice on the eyes too ;)) and i wish him and the usa well!! :D