The *Official* US Election Thread

[Pete]

With the biggest US election in years tonight it's time to announce the excitement of Metropol Election Night.

Here are just a few of the fab things that are coming up this evening


Just like Maggie kept us up to date with the Turrrrurist goings on, Hillary will keep us up to date with swing state results throughout the night.



As the other place needs to talk about telly we can keep the actual political natter over here.



Connect to #metropol on thr darkfire IRC server

Best to use mIRC and you'll find Darkfire in the options and simply connect to that with the username of your choice. Since we last used it you have to do an extra step to register your nickname by going to http://verify.darkfire.net/.

Then within mIRC or your chosen IRC client type /msg NickServ register "password" "security key from darkfire website"

And you're sorted then simply type /join #metropol and you'll be away and we can chat away about rubbish forever more.

And anything else anyone can think of. So let the chat begin....

[Chie]

I'm supporting Obama but I do have my doubts about him. He's more than capable of philosophizing and pondering over things, but he seems too placid to make tough, solid decisions.

[Mr Q]

Sadly I'll be doing an exam as the results come rolling in, although it will be my last exam ever so I guess that's something.

As for my election thoughts, it seems hard to imagine anything other than an Obama victory given the strength of his lead in the polls. But, for what it's worth, my preference would be for McCain to win. That's a half-hearted endorsement though.

[Gavin Scott]

If I had a vote I'd give it to Obama.

I do worry that, despite his apparent popularity, he won't actually succeed.

[Stuart*]

I do worry that, despite his apparent popularity, he won't actually succeed.

Whilst McCain has quite rightly steered clear of the 'race issue' in his own speeches, I suspect that some of his ardent supporters haven't been quite so tactful on the doorstep or the telephone.

Accusations of having terrorist links or being a socialist (a communist to some, apparently) is probably enough to make a few Obama voters change their mind at the polling station. But I'm sure the biggest nightmare for the Democrats is that those who have stated they are prepared 'for change' just can't bring themselves to vote for a mixed race candidate when push comes to shove on the day.

If Obama loses I think it would be a sad reflection on the american public and prove that they still haven't moved sufficiently forward from the equal rights problems of 50 years ago.

[lukey]

I was speaking to a friend of mine who lives in Pennsylvania who said, "I cannot in good conscience vote for someone whose middle name is Hussein, and whose last name rhymes with Osama."

Despite my spending a good while trying to deconstruct this fucking bizarre logic, she just ignored it and moved onto why she didn't really care for McCain either.

I was just completely stunned - and I can now completely understand this idea of passive prejudices causing real problems for Obama, and that not being relegated to the Deep South. She is just one person, and I don't want to start extrapolating that into representing an entire State, but if she, as a regular lower-middle class person can comfortably say that without batting an eyelid, that does leave me very concerned about just what prejudices the pollsters have been missing out on.

[barcode]

I;m going to be an outsider and say I wanted Hillary's to stand and win!

[Gavin Scott]

I was speaking to a friend of mine who lives in Pennsylvania who said, "I cannot in good conscience vote for someone whose middle name is Hussein, and whose last name rhymes with Osama."

Despite my spending a good while trying to deconstruct this fucking bizarre logic, she just ignored it and moved onto why she didn't really care for McCain either.

I was just completely stunned - and I can now completely understand this idea of passive prejudices causing real problems for Obama, and that not being relegated to the Deep South. She is just one person, and I don't want to start extrapolating that into representing an entire State, but if she, as a regular lower-middle class person can comfortably say that without batting an eyelid, that does leave me very concerned about just what prejudices the pollsters have been missing out on.

I was reading an article which quoted Stephen Fry saying how he detests the British attitude towards Americans - how we think they are less intelligent, less cultured and jingoistic.

"I absolutely hate that sneering anti-Americanism. [America] has its share of nuts: out of a quarter of a billion people you're always going to get some. But they are as polite, friendly, charming and honourable as any people I have encountered."

Well, that's been my experience of the USA too, but its worth noting that Stephen interviewed some "polite, friendly and charming" bigoted old ladies on his television tour recently. Charming they may be to an affable, well educated Brit - but one wonders what the polls will reveal this time tomorrow.

[marksi]

If I had a vote I'd give it to Obama.

I do worry that, despite his apparent popularity, he won't actually succeed.

I agree. But it's not John McCain personally I worry about, it's the fact that he and his campaign team seem to think Sarah Palin has enough intellect to do anything that matters. The woman is an imbecile, and an evangelical one at that. I'm from Northern Ireland. I can recognise a religious arsehole politican when I see one.

[iSon]

I'm in one of those 'great' positions where because I'm not working at the moment, I can stay up until ridiculous hours watching this great election unfold. I'm always working when it comes to UK elections which is just a lot of waiting at a boring count talking to vicars so I'm glad I'll be able to see this unfold on the TV.

Great to see Hillary up top there!

As for a chatroom - I''ve set one up on Darkfire so that we've got one.

Best to use mIRC and you'll find Darkfire in the options and simply connect to that with the username of your choice. Since we last used it you have to do an extra step to register your nickname by going to http://verify.darkfire.net/.

Then within mIRC or your chosen IRC client type /msg NickServ register "password" "security key from darkfire website"

And you're sorted then simply type /join #metropol and you'll be away and we can chat away about rubbish forever more.

[Pete]

thanks Ison, thison