woo hoo he won!!

[mycats]

yes I'm sad, I got up at silly o'clock to watch the elections lol

I cant believe it, I never thought I would see a black president in my day.
I'm not a big fan of America but I am impressed how far they have come so quickly, 50 years ago they still had seperate schools now this!!!

[Kromovaracun]

Gromit, that's bull. Sorry. It just is. It's complete, utter, rubbish.

How can you possibly say that the hundreds of thousands of Americans who voted in the Republican primaries were in some kind of elaborate conspiracy together to deliberately select an older candidate because they thought he wouldn't win? Particularly considering back in January the economic outlook was a fair bit more mixed than it is now. Plus consider that McCain was running on quite a different programme (the one he actually believes in...) to the one he has in the election.

How can you possibly simplify the whole variety of political thought and voting patterns between states in the US down to such a ludicrous conclusion?

And while we're at it, how come you're only saying this now he's lost?

On public finances: in the USA, public funds only match what you raise. They don't take up all expenses. The Republicans raised quite a bit of money during the primary season when Hilary and Obama were still at each other's throats. Opting for MF effectively doubles it.

Sorry. I've noticed you have a bit of a taste for conspiracy mentality. That's been inside me for a while now.

[Kromovaracun]

Crap. It's just occured to me that you were joking.

...

I feel like an idiot now.

[Gromit]

Sorry Kromovaracun,

No, I do not believe the Republicans lost on purpose, but I noticed that is already being put about that they did.

I was playing devil's advocate when I posted that scenario.

[Kromovaracun]

Oh God.

I think I'll just crawl into this corner over here...

[jno]

the Republican bigwigs never did like McCain much; but I don't think they secretly hoped he'd be the candidate. It was the rank and file that chose him, and he who chose that remarkable Alaskan as running mate, mostly to appease the far-right who wanted a dingbat on the ticket. I think McCain should have got the nod in 2000; but he faced a far more vicious campaign then from his fellow Republicans - Bush - than he got from the Democrats this time. If he had become president eight years ago the USA would I think be a rather different place, almost certainly a better one because he's generally far less divisive than Bush. But I think his time had come and gone by yesterday.

[Clanad]

I notice that many commenters from Europe and the U.K. say something condescendingly about we Americans, along the lines of "... I'm impressed they've come so far..." Who was the last Prime Minister of color in England? Or France... Germany? Maybe Spain? Even Canada for that matter...

[pastafreak]

But many European nations along with the UK can say they have had female leaders well before the US would even consider it. The Us does sometimes seem to be behind-in spite of its claim to be the 'land of opportunity'

[trt]

McCain was to old to be President.

Enough said.

[Theland1]

Gladstone was a Jew, but you are right to point out our national failings, in that the preserve of the higher offices are for predominently white folk.
But colour aside, omly 7% of kids go to private schools, and end up with 80% of the high paid and highly influential jobs in the civil service, legislature etc.
It's not a colour problem, it's a class an privelege problem.

[Kromovaracun]

Gladstone was a Jew

No he wasn't...

[Clanad]

A response is called for to the accusation that the "...US ... does seem to be behind inspite of it's claim as the land of opportunity..." The focus, of course is on the election of a President who is a person of color, however, "Old Europe has disdained this country for years as racially prejudiced, though for years some of our most beloved popular figures have been African Americans. At this point we have had black generals in our military, black members of our presidential cabinets, black Supreme Court justices, black political leaders throughout the states, and black CEOs all over the lot. No European nation has shown such tolerance to color, ethnic origins, or religious and political disagreement. Spare us your canards about racial prejudice in the Great Republic, and may I remind our European critics that 2009, the year in which Senator Obama will be inaugurated to the presidency, is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator." I wish I had written that missive, but the source is The American Spectator, dated November 5, 2008... (Ironic,isn't it that there were two women involved in the presidential race this year... both of whom were beaten by a Black man?)

[Quinlad]

You're off the mark there, Clanad.

There's nothing condescending about agreeing it's at least worthy of comment that a country with recent civil rights struggle has elected a black president.

When we elect a black PM, that'll be worthy of comment too. But the fact is, going from lynching and racial segregation to electing a black man as leader in a few short decades is a notable turnaround.

[Quinlad]

Apologies, just noticed what you were responding to. Carry on.

[jno]

Clanad, I think you're looking at this backwards. What's remarkable is that America, where some regions (by no means all) had dreadful racial policies within living memory, has now shot ahead of the rest of the world. And what's more, the world is impressed. I realise that many Americans think that the opinion of the rest of the world is not a high priority anyway - but speaking from beyond the USA, I can only say I'm delighted.

Of course it's worth remembering that the UK has had a leader from a minority race for some time now...

Theland, you're thinking of Disraeli. His name gives it away.