US Election

We have been following the twists and turns of the us election avidly over the past few weeks. I have been watching the two conventions. It's getting harder for me to comment on the election objectively because I just want obama to win now, so i see pretty much everything through that bias.

However, for all the talk and hubris, i still think that the big question of this election, the fate of the republican coalition, is still unanswered and the thing to focus on. All through the year, the problem has been that Bush won 2 elections on a core republican vote of about 51%. His performance has shrunk that vote to the point where the Republicans have to reach out to new independent voters. But reaching out to independent voters turns of the Republican activists. Especially because the 3 main strands of the Republican party economic conservatives, military conservatives and social conservatives have less of a united agenda. 

Clearly McCain has given up on the independent voters with his Bush-ist tactics and picking of Palin.(boo hiss) And is trying to get everyone who voted for bush to vote for him. It might work, but it probably won't, just because there are not enough republicans left in that core.

Of course, we will be glued to the election for the next 2 months. More real than x factor, shorter than a sports season. I thought you might be interested where we will be following it.

Firstly, The Daily Show on More 4 weekdays at 8.30pm. While this comes with a health warning because sometimes it's a little too crude for us, at it's best, this is brilliant, brilliant satire and incredibly informative entertainment. I can't believe i'm about to be this show-off pseudy, but, Marshall McLuhan wrote 'Our time presents a unique opportunity for learning by means of humour - a perceptive or incisive joke can be more meaningful than platitudes lying between two covers.' Or two news anchors for that matter. The Daily Show proves this theory right.

Secondly, Michael Tomasky in the Guardian is consistently pro-bama, but useful for understanding some of the mechanics behind the election. Hear him talk strategy here.

Thirdly, politics.cnn.com gives a good american perspective on what is happening.

Fourthly, The God's Politics blog provides a useful alternative evangelical perspective to the radical far right views of the likes of Palin (boo hiss). Jim Wallis, the main author, is a better preacher than policy maker, but the site is thoughtful and challenging.

Fifthly, C-Span Washington Journal on BBC Parliament makes great comedown watching after church on a Sunday afternoon.

Lastly, this is just a very funny video from Saturday Night Live this week.