Election time!

This has been an historic time to be in the USA with the sub-prime loan disaster leading to the Wall Street crash and credit crisis and the 2008 presidential campaign. This is shaping up to be one of the most historical US elections of all time. Read more here. For those of you who don't know, the election happens in each state on the same day. The presidential nominee who gets the most votes in each state wins that state. BUT each state has a certain number of predetermined electoral votes i.e. California has 55, Vermont has 4. A nominee has to get 270 electoral votes to become president. Click here to see the New York times electoral map with the surveyed leanings of each state.














The presidential campaigns have dominated the news for months and most people are worn out from all the media attention. I'm sure that there has been a fair amount of media attention in SA as well. Hannah and I have been following the election campaigns very closely. We have had many lively debates over coffee cups, dinner tables and during long car rides. We are unashamed Obama supporters and were lucky enough to attend an Obama rally in Indianapolis in October.










The media and most Americans are polarised along Republican and Democratic party lines. The to and fro has been pretty savage at times, if not downright dirty. But on the upside, the political comedy and satire has been brilliant!! SNL has been particularly excellent as well as the Daily Show and the Colbert Report. Click here for a fine example of election fun! Sure beats Julius Malema!

The election is on Tuesday 4th November.