The US election
Posted by: Justin on 21 September 2004
Well,
It's now almost universally recognized over here that things are going very poorly in Iraq. Bits of even the Republigencia is starting to question the progress and the honesty of this president. Our National Intel. Counsel report is damning at best (and unspeakably pessimistic at worst) at the future of Iraq. AND, FINALLY, Kerry has started to unlace the gloves and go after Bush's war effort - the substance of which has gained traction at least among the punditry. Christ, Porter Goss, the man Bush tapped for the top CIA spot, said yesterday (or the day before) that Bush was not honest with us!!
AND YET, today's polls have Kerry down about 6 points nationwide and down as much in key battleground states such as Ohio and Iowa. New Jersey, a solid Democratic state for what must be eons is now neck and neck.
I cannot understand how things can be deteriorating so badly in Iraq, in the midst of a stalled economic recovery, while Bush continues to hold a nationwide six point lead.
I am growing dispondent.
Judd
ps. No disrespect to Ludders, but I though the other thread wassimply getting to long. Hopefully this new, shorter one will see some renewed action.
Posted on: 29 October 2004 by JonR
quote:
Originally posted by Rasher:
[..]and not just a little bit world changing.
Not least if Bush gets in.
Anyone betting on which country he invades next?
Posted on: 29 October 2004 by graham55
Bush is a fake and should therefore be termed "Merkin". Check your dictionaries, boys and girls!
G
Posted on: 29 October 2004 by mykel
Posted on: 29 October 2004 by graham55
Ah, Mykel
If only you could vote!
G
Posted on: 30 October 2004 by matthewr
There are two other usages of the word merkin of note.
1. It's modern popularity comes (originally) from usenet where it's used in political flame wars to refer to a certain type of parochial, stupid, right wing American. I.e. Merkin = 'Amerikan' when said in a certain cliched style of american hillbilly voice. This usage of course makes it especially appropriate for George Bush.
It's somewhat fallen out of use now as most people know what it means and take exception to being likened to a pubic wig favoured by 19th C. syphillitic whores. (The modern equivalent is 'freeper' being a person who hangs around right wing nutjob website
Free Republic).
2. The 'girlfriend' of a non-outed homosexual man (say a famous hollywood actor) who accompanies him on public occasions to preserve the apearence of 'normality' is of course known as a 'beard'. The equivalent for a closeted Lesbian is known as a 'merkin'
All of this would be avaiable for the wider edification of the Naim forum if the search function worked and we could find the favourite word thread.
Matthew
Posted on: 30 October 2004 by Dan M
This site is very addictive. A few days ago CO was "barely Kerry", now it's "barely Bush". I try to not visit it too often, but keep getting drawn back. Nice to see Fl in the "Barely Kerry" category; perhaps a case of "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me." Which reminds me:
Bush videocheers,
Dan
Posted on: 30 October 2004 by JBoulder
One of the bigger advertising companies here is running a rather visible outdoor campaign on a "shadow election", as americans are basically choosing the president for the world... who would win if Finns got to choose? So far:
- - - - -
"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly
what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarrely inexplicable. There is
another theory which states that this has already happened."
- Douglas Adams, 1952-2001 -
Posted on: 30 October 2004 by Joe Petrik
I read something on one of my favourite blogs and am wondering if it's true -- is the official
Bush-Cheney site blocked to anyone outside the U.S.?
Is anyone who is currently living in not-U.S.A. (that is, the rest of the world) willing to click on the link to find out?
If true, I'm sure it's a measure to conserve bandwidth, but it does seem kind of fortressy.
Joe
Posted on: 30 October 2004 by throbnorth
Yup - 'You are not authorised to view this page'. I blame The Guardian....
throb
Posted on: 30 October 2004 by Justin
quote:
Originally posted by Dan M:
http://electoral-vote.com/ is very addictive. A few days ago CO was "barely Kerry", now it's "barely Bush". I try to not visit it too often, but keep getting drawn back. Nice to see Fl in the "Barely Kerry" category; perhaps a case of "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me." Which reminds me: http://media.brainthink.com/video_temp/bushfool-low.mpeg
cheers,
Dan
yea, you can't put too much stock into the site. It changes winners about every three days. If you go that the Faq on that site it points you to another site which is very "republican" in nature (this one is democrat" called "election projection". This one shows Kerry winning at the moment- though it too changes almost daily).
Interestingly, the guy who runs that site you have listed said yesterday that on Monday he was going to anounce a big surprise. he says he's "coming out of the closet" which obviously does not mean he's gay. I'm guessing he's going to claim that although he is a democrat, he is voting for Bush. You get that sometimes. We are fortunate, however, that many more "conservative" bloggers are voting kerry than "liberal" bloggers voting Bush.
Judd
Posted on: 01 November 2004 by ejl
Well, I think it's fair to say that none of us are in a position to state with authority what's going to happen tomorrow. Still, any last hunches, gut instincts, preminatory dreams, etc.?
My hunch is that Kerry will take it, but we won't know a winner for days or weeks.
Posted on: 01 November 2004 by Dan M
Interestingly, the guy who runs that site you have listed said yesterday that on Monday he was going to anounce a big surprise.
Judd,
Well I can't seem to connect. Any news?
ejl,
I think Bush will get it. Actually I don't have a clue, but that was just to offset your prediction, since I do not want to get my hopes up.
cheers,
Dan
Posted on: 01 November 2004 by matthewr
The Potomac Basin Area Indigenous Peoples (aka the Washington Redskins) lost at home last night which historically has a 100% correlation with the Presindential incumbent being ousted. In addition, the Redskins lost after a late TD that would have given thm a narrow victory was overturned on a controvertial call by an official on one of thsoe illegal procedure penalties that only 8 people in the world understand properly.
Therefore I predict that Kerry will win narrowly after soe shenanegins in Florida and the Republicans will spend the next four years making dark comments about how Kerry "stole" the election.
Less encouraginly, a friend of mine has been following Kerry around for the last month or so covering the election for The Observer and is predicting a Bush victory. (He originally planned to follow Bush and around but baulked as Bush Cheney 2004 Inc. wanted to charge $40k for the privilidge).
Matthew
Posted on: 01 November 2004 by JonR
Bush will win because although the Democrats have belatedly cottoned on to the whole vote-rigging 'thang' the Republicans will find new even more nefarious ways of ensuring the result goes their way.
jon
Posted on: 01 November 2004 by Justin
quote:
Originally posted by Dan M:
_Interestingly, the guy who runs that site you have listed said yesterday that on Monday he [quote]was going to anounce a big surprise. _
_Judd,_
Well I can't seem to connect. Any news?
_ejl,_
eh. Nothing. He just announced that he's an MIT grad from New York who now lives in the Netherlands. Gave his name too, but can't recall what it was.
Judd
Posted on: 01 November 2004 by NaimDropper
Judging by recent events, we'll probably wake up on election day to find that the election was held early, by surprise, to prevent a terrorist attack....
David
Posted on: 01 November 2004 by Dan M
Judd,
I read his bio -- Andrew Tanenbaum is the guy who invented Minix, which is a big deal if you are into Linux. Supposedly there was some back and forth between him and Linus Torvalds when Linus wrote his first OS (Linus' Minix = Linux).
Kind of odd he should show up as the "Votemaster".
cheers,
Dan
Posted on: 01 November 2004 by Jim Lawson
I'll bet Kerry by a nose but after the Sox won anything is possible (Nader ?)
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Rasher
Excited?
Two months, or even a month ago, you lot were all saying that Bush had it wrapped up and was storming ahead in the polls - and now look where we are!!
I still believe that Kerry can win this thing and we will probably know from which way Ohio goes. I don't think it will turn out to be that close either, one or the other will take it from half way through the vote count and will steadily pull out a convincing lead. I'm hoping it will be Kerry personally.
(As we are so tied into the USA here in the UK, I think we should get a vote too)
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by JeremyD
In the UK, given a choice between a Conservative and a chimpanzee I would choose the chimpanzee every time.
Since the Democrats have failed to provide a chimpanzee all I can say is that I'm glad I'm not an American...
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Dan M
As we are so tied into the USA here in the UK, I think we should get a vote tooWell the UK is the 51st state
After last time when I heard on the radio Gore
had won, only to be let down hours later, I'm holding my breath. We'll see...
cheers,
Dan
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by matthewr
What time does the action unfold as it were?
Presumably the polls close 10pm-ish Pacific time so the crucial results won't be announced until some hours later and I can watch it all Wednesday morning UK time?
Matthew
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Markus S
Guys,m I don't know what all the excitement is about. German tv showed Fahrenheit 9/11 last night. I'm absolutely sure Bush will win.
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by ErikL
Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM here in Seattle. Then there's Hawaii, and who knows if it will come down its few electoral votes.
Apparently there's an hour long line at my local polling place (8:03 AM). After I down my breakfast, I'm off to join it.
My predictions:
- Hundreds of thousands of votes lost due to clumsy electronic voting equipment
- Thousands of lawsuits
- Roadblocks set up near polling places in inner cities in states governed by Republicans
- Lines of would-be voters closed out from voting due to under-resourced polling site staff and limited voting hours
- Young, first-time voters being the deciding factor
Posted on: 02 November 2004 by Dan M
Matthew,
Polls close between 6 and 9 pm local time. As soon as they do TV and radio start to report returns. This is a bad situation since if there's a perceived landslide some voters in the most westerly states just don't bother to vote.
So you can start watching around midnight your time.
Dan
