The US Presidential Election 2012

It looks to be so close that I am wondering how they will sort it out, leaving such a divided nation.
Obama hasn't delivered as promised, same as David Cameron but look at what they inherited plus the credit crunch all happening around the same time.
I look forward to watching the results but don't plan to stay up all night!

Sitting here with fingers crossed for Obama. The alternative is unthinkable!
Jess yes, Obama was clever about Libya, not sure that 'we' were!

Don't get me wrong; I care very much about who will be elected the next President of the USA, not that I have any choice in the matter. I'm just fed up with the tedious British media coverage in the lead-up to the election – and the way it tends tp ignore the American electoral college system.

I was born on the day FDR was elected for a third term, so I have been taking an interest in presidential elections for 72 years! Last year, on the night after the election, I woke up to go to the loo and switched on the radio at the exact moment when Obama was celebrating with his 'Yes we can' speech. I wonder when I will wake up tomorrow morning. Until then, I will concentrate on escapism.

gma I too am fed up with the constant news coverage when there is no news. Today we had a vox pop featuring interviews with the usual uninformed sources. Then we were told "it's too close to call" – so why not shut up until the results are in? I am also tired of snippets from speeches which invariably include "That is what makes America the greatest country on earth", whether spoken by Obama or Romney.

Yes it does matter who wins. If only because Obama cleverer and less likely to draw our troops into one of his wars. Look how wily he was over Libya, holding back so that Europe and Arab League had to take the lead.

I disagree that Obama lacks backbone dahlia, it's because he's pushed through so many unpopular social reforms that there is a surge from the far right and that's why you get support for the likes of Romney. But then any nation that 'elected' George Bush junior twice is obviously completely barking.

I think there may be a bit of common sense kicking in. The Tea Party are so right wing it seems they may be stopping a few people voting Republican [especially after this rape/abortion comment]. I'm only going by a snippet I heard on R5 though.

This is one of the problems of democracy - party leaders are forced to make promises in order to get elected - and when they are, they cannot of course meet those promises - reality kicks in.

I am very concerned at the prospect of Romney - this chap will have so much power and he is not a pleasant human being.

It is interesting that Americans are so basically fundamentalist in their character (or so it seems to me) that they get taken in by these crazy people. Maybe it is part of the American Dream that they have to believe that someone has all the answers.

Granny , right on x an. Bit of a hint here ,hesitate as i am a lady but first word shit , any help ? [big grin]

After the last election I really didn't think that they could find anyone scarier than Sarah Palin; they seem to have excelled themselves this time . Left wing as it is, the Observer put forward Condoleezza Rice as a future president a while back..wonder if she'll be running in a few years time? The Americans I speak to on my film forum seem to be as confused by the rise of Romney as we are. I don't worry about it as much as I used to; if Reagan or Bush didn't start World War III I don't think Romney will [?].

Well, Son of a B*tch didn't seem to make sense....

Nonu maybe that's because whoever we elect will make no difference to the Americans. British PMs of all colours will still do the bidding of the American President. The difference here is that whoever enters the White House, their foreign policy and major economic decisions will have an effect on us.

Really !

Still don't know what S.O.B means, nonu!

They sure don"t ! we have been over there and it is treated as very minor !

I cannot speak for the rest of the Gnetters, but I am getting a little cheesed off with the coverage on the media of the USA elections. Its the first item on most news programmes and has been for several weeks. Do they get the same coverage from the UK when we have our elections? I very much doubt it.
I find Romney a bit scary, a loose cannon perhaps. I hope that Obama gets back in and can finish the job which he started. How are the folks who have no homes or places where the infrastructure has been severly tested going to cope with voting, maybe theirs will be the votes that make all the difference.
Good Luck America, you certainly need it!!!

Short of breath?

S.O.B. ?

However, Dahlia it is not in our hands . Unless you happen to be an American !

Guess it is a case of the lesser of two evils. Obama has lacked backbone, I think, but their system may have prevented him from making further changes. He certainly did a lot with the health insurance, although this angered a lot of his fellow Americans - the programme with Matt Frei on Channel 4 last week answered a lot of questions about this.
It is so important to the world who is President: I certainly can't support Mitt Romney, some of his opinions would take us back to the dark ages!

Well come tommorrow night , it is S.O.B.

May the best man win

The presidential system tends to foster the messiah syndrome perhaps.
I don't know about sanity - but there does seem to be a strangely naiive midset amongst some republicans.

A lot of Americans seem to be very, dare I say, ignorant about the depth of the depression the world is in and touchingly trusting in his absolute ability to make everything all better in double quick time so are now disappointed in him. I really hope he gets back in and has the chance to achieve his ambitions, but I fear Romney may get in and we may find ourselves at war with Iran next.

I've harboured suspicions for years about the sanity of some Americans. Who they elect this time will either confirm my views - or not!

Since I have no say in the outcome, I refuse to worry about it. Mostly, I succeed.