Category Archives: LDVUSA

US Presidential election: Facebook is the winner

By Mark Pack | Sun 2nd November 2008 - 7:50 am

Total number of Facebook supporters for Obama and McCain: 2,602,269
Total number of MySpace supporters for Obama and McCain: 1,024,128

(Figures from TechPresident.com, as of 31 October, via Weekly NetPulse email newsletter)

Also posted in Online politics | Tagged facebook and myspace | Leave a comment

E-voting FAIL? A scary thought.

By Helen Duffett | Fri 31st October 2008 - 2:18 pm

This clip from the Simpsons is a timely reminder of the problems still to be ironed out if E-voting is to be trusted.

Also posted in Humour and News | 2 Comments

Twitter, hashtags, electoral fraud and the US Presidential election

By Mark Pack | Thu 30th October 2008 - 10:52 pm

If only I could find a way to work chocolate into this story too… but TechnoSailor.com has a concise round-up of how Twitter and hashtags are being used as the US Presidential election draws to a close. The basic idea is to get in reports very quickly from around the country of any problems with / abuses of the voting process on Tuesday, which is a task well suited to Twitter (as people can quickly post updates from their mobiles whilst at the polling venues) and to hashtags (which provide an easy way to pull the information together).

Also posted in Online politics | Tagged twitter | Leave a comment

BBC Question Time: open thread

By Stephen Tall | Thu 30th October 2008 - 9:50 pm

There’s no Lib Dem on tonight’s BBC1 Question Time (10.35 pm and online) – but on this occasion at least I think we can absolve the Beeb of any blame, as tonight is their US election special. The programme features adviser to Barack Obama, Elizabeth Edwards, executive director of John McCain’s campaign in New York, Christopher Nixon Cox, author and journalist Clarence Page, historian Simon Schama and political consultant Cheri Jacobus.

With just four days left ‘til the general election, the polls are pointing to a Barack Obama landslide in the electoral college, with Electroal-vote.com projecting his current lead …

Also posted in Lib Dem TV | Tagged bbc question time | 11 Comments

“People don’t have campaign headquarters anymore. They have websites now.”

By Helen Duffett | Wed 29th October 2008 - 11:17 am

At US website Politics Online, Anthony Man writes on how the internet has changed the way local and national campaigns are run:

“As more and more people spend more and more time online, the Internet is reshaping political campaigns in ways large and small. From the presidency to the lowest-profile local office, the Internet is permeating the way campaigns are organized. It’s changing the way candidates raise money and eroding influence of candidates, political parties and the news media.”

In this piece, Man also quotes other commentators on the effect of the internet, most notably in the current Presidential campaign:

“If you’re

…

Also posted in Online politics | 5 Comments

US political yard signs: raising the stakes

By Helen Duffett | Tue 28th October 2008 - 3:09 pm

In the US, as in the UK, some people don’t like to reveal who’ll get their vote. But there are suburbs where residents are risking controversy by putting up huge campaign signs in their front gardens.

With days left before US voters go to the polls, many homes in Bay View, Milwaukee are displaying “yard signs” as big as 8ft by 4ft featuring the name of their favoured candidate.

Jim Marsh of South Superior Street has previously been reserved:

“I am pretty quiet about it. I guess it’s speak softly and carry a big sign.”

Similar signs have led to tension further down …

2 Comments

Wouldn’t it be nice if this was the future of political advertising?

By Mark Pack | Mon 27th October 2008 - 11:15 am

My favourite US election advert of the year comes from Alaska via YouTube:

Also posted in Humour | 3 Comments

The impact of mobile phones on opinion polling

By Mark Pack | Sat 25th October 2008 - 5:08 pm

Opinion pollsters using the telephone for political polls in the UK and the USA face some very different challenges.

In the UK, phoning a random selection of people and getting them to agree to take part in a survey has, for more than a decade, regularly produced samples that are too heavily weighted towards Labour sympathisers, necessitating all sorts of – at times very controversial – adjustments to be made to the raw figures in order to make the poll results more accurately representative of the population as a whole.

There isn’t an equivalent pro-Democrat bias in US phone polling, though instead …

Also posted in Polls | 2 Comments

Wake up to President Obama/McCain with the Welsh Lib Dems

By The Voice | Wed 22nd October 2008 - 7:20 am

If you think you’ll need sustenance after a night of nail-biting US election night watching, then the Welsh Lib Dems have got just the event for you:

With the US elections on Tuesday, Nov 4 many of us hope to spend some overnight time watching the results come in. By 7.30 am we’ll be famished and, possibly, on pins to see the final confirmed results(remember Florida and the hanging chads !). Welsh Lib Dems raising Euro Campaign funds have booked the Lloyd George room (where else?)at the National Liberal Club for a PRESIDENTIAL BREAKFAST (7.30 to 11am)- big screen and all!

…

1 Comment

Would President Obama call Paddy Ashdown to serve?

By Richard Huzzey | Tue 21st October 2008 - 4:53 pm

As Obama heads towards the election in a fortnight’s time, some commentators are turning to discussion of what his cabinet would look like. The Spectator’s Daniel Korski has posted his predictions/suggestions, including…

Bill Richardson (Secretary of State)
Chuck Hagel (Secretary of Defence)
Paul Krugman (Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers)
Richard Holbrooke (Director of National Intelligence)
General Colin Powell (Secretary of Education)
Max Cleland (Secretary of Veterans Affairs)
Arnold Schwarzenegger (Secretary of Environment and Energy, a new position)

He also tips Greg Craig as Chief of Staff and General David Petraeus as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. And Hilary, of course, …

Also posted in News | Tagged paddy ashdown | 4 Comments

That Colin Powell Endorsement

By Richard Huzzey | Sun 19th October 2008 - 9:16 pm

The biggest weekend shake-up of the US Presidential race is surely Gen. Colin Powell’s endorsement of Barack Obama. In addition to slamming McCain’s performance on economic issues, and his choice of Sarah Palin, Powell attacked Republicans’ Islamophobic attitudes in the campaign:

Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim American kid believing he or she could be President?

Powell said his outrage on this issue was stirred by a magazine photo-essay that showed an American mother grieving her muslim son, who died fighting for the USA in Iraq. While he was eager to emphasise Obama was a Christian, the former Secretary of State suggested some Republicans should be ashamed for implying Muslims could not legitimately serve their country.

3 Comments

The Barack and John Show

By Richard Huzzey | Fri 17th October 2008 - 3:50 pm

In an interlude that feels like an off-beat West Wing episode, the two US Presidential candidates have both spoken at the Alfred E Smith memorial dinner, where they were required to do a stand-up comedy routine. Both, I thought, were pretty good, although McCain’s clip shows more gags than Obama’s. (I’m not sure how much these clips are edited, but Obama’s inspiring rhetoric at the end feels odd after the stand-up routine).

1 Comment

Has Obama sealed the deal? (And is that a good thing?)

By Stephen Tall | Thu 16th October 2008 - 8:48 pm

Last night saw the third and final presidential debate between Senators Obama and McCain. The polls suggest the Democratic hopeful emerged the winner with the public (though perhaps not with the now-immortal Joe the Plumber); the pundits are calling it pretty much a draw, which isn’t good enough for Senator McCain, who is trailing nationally, and especially badly in the battleground states which will determine the winner.

The ElectoralVote.com map, as of today, gives Senator Obama a lead of 352 over Senator McCain’s 171 in the electoral college; most worryingly for the Republicans, the polls …

14 Comments

Extraordinary McCain video

By Alex Foster | Sat 11th October 2008 - 11:24 am

Last night, someone sent me a link to the following clips on Youtube:

Kudos to John McCain for saying that. It’s important in politics to make sure that the debate about what’s different between different candidates is focussed on policy, and not on dog-whistles. I have been pointed at too many videos of frightened Americans who think Obama is an “A-rab terrist” and it is responsible of McCain to say that he knows that is not the case.

I just hope this means that the McCain campaign will now stop running the terrorist ads.

11 Comments

Post-turtle – Palin to significance

By The Voice | Fri 10th October 2008 - 4:51 pm

If the current US polls are to be believed, the prospect of Governor Sarah Palin becoming the 45th President of the USA has receded in the month since she was unveiled as Senator John McCain’s shock choice for his running-mate. But she has at least made one vital contribution to the world which (with luck) will long out-last her political significance: the word post-turtle. Here’s what it means, according to Ben McIntyre in today’s Times:

Word of the week: post-turtle

A 75-year-old Texas rancher recently explained this term to a country doctor. The conversation turned to the US election, and Sarah

…

Also posted in Humour | 2 Comments

Missed the US VP debate? Then here’s 4 easy steps to catch up

By Stephen Tall | Fri 3rd October 2008 - 5:42 pm

For those of you who missed last night’s Vice-Presidential face-of between the Democrats’ Senator Joe Biden and the GOP’s Governor Sarah Palin, you can:

1. watch the whole debate on YouTube here;
2. read Lib Dem Voice readers’ live-blogging their reactions on our Question Time open thread from here;
3. catch-up with the blogging debate reax at Andrew Sullivan’s The Daily Dish blog here; and
4. see what the early buzz from the US pollsters is here.

2 Comments

When Barack met Jed

By Richard Huzzey | Tue 23rd September 2008 - 3:54 am

Ever dreamt what The West Wing’s Jed Bartlet would say to Barack Obama? That TV show’s scribe, Aaron Sorkin, has.

(Linked to by James Graham and Gavin Whenman too).

Nick Clegg on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show

By Richard Huzzey | Sun 21st September 2008 - 7:00 pm

Following Tony Blair’s appearance on Comedy Central’s Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has made his debut in clips of his successful conference speech. Nick appears 1m 20s into the clip:

(For what it’s worth, the Andrex puppy is the Charmin puppy in America).

Update: For more US TV humour, this time on the Presidential election, see Paul Walter’s Liberal Burblings.

Also posted in Humour | Tagged nick clegg and paul walter | 1 Comment

Don’t bitch about the party’s message – run your own

By The Voice | Sat 13th September 2008 - 7:55 am

That’s the intriguing story from the US, where a leading Democrat activist is encouraging people to make up their own message and then run internet ads based on it:

Every day, thousands of times over, we critique campaign messaging, debate the quality of ads, muse about targeting strategies, and suggest new lines of attack. The problem is, as Matt has often pointed out, the only help the Obama campaign wants comes in the form of campaign donations and volunteers to work on field operations. So, no one is really listening to our suggestions. We are not making a difference on messaging.

There

…

Also posted in Online politics | 4 Comments

Sarah Palin: how the McCain campaign blundered on the internet

By Mark Pack | Sun 31st August 2008 - 9:20 am

In the aftermath of Sarah Palin’s selection as John McCain’s Vice-President running mate, the coverage I came across was dominated by the possible drawbacks of her selection.

In this coverage the McCain campaign seemed to be failing very badly when it came to framing the discussion around her selection, but I didn’t read too much into it because after all the UK media across the political spectrum is very favourably disposed towards the Obama campaign and nearly everyone I know involved in US politics is on the Democrat side. Perhaps what I was hearing said more about where I get my US political news from than about the reality on the ground in the US?

However, taking a look at what is happening online, it looks like the McCain campaign has made a serious blunder. When there is a big news event, many people go to the internet for more news, and all the more so when the news involves someone or something they had not previously heard about.

And so, unsurprisingly, after the Sarah Palin news was announced, there was a huge surge in search traffic on Google with people looking for information about her. Indeed, the surge was so huge and sudden, Google Trends categorised the search as “volcanic”.

But the McCain campaign has failed to ensure that its version of the Sarah Palin story comes out well in search results. They not only haven’t been taking the opportunity to run good online ads targeted at people searching out information on her (as detailed over on TechPresident), but they haven’t managed to get decent entries into the search results either.

Also posted in Online politics | 9 Comments

Opinion: The importance of a good Number 2

By Stephen Tall | Sat 30th August 2008 - 2:02 pm

What makes a good deputy? The question is of acute relevance today owing to Senator John McCain’s decision to pick Governor Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential nominee. Her positives have already been well-rehearsed: a young, instinctive, deeply conservative female, with a son about to serve in Iraq. Her negatives have also been loudly broadcast: she has just 18 months experience as the governor of one of the USA’s smaller states, yet could be the 45th president of a superpower within a matter of months should anything happen to her 72 year-old running mate.

Senator McCain’s reason for choosing her is …

Also posted in Op-eds | 13 Comments

McCain picks Palin for VP – will this spike the Dems’ Denver guns?

By Stephen Tall | Fri 29th August 2008 - 4:17 pm

An official announcement is due soon, but the febrile media speculation is that Senator John McCain is about to make history by nominating the Republicans’ first female vice-presidential candidate, Alaskan governor Sarah Palin:

At 44, she is younger than Barack Obama and is credited with reforms during her first term, but she is relatively unknown in US politics. Mr McCain is due to present her on stage at a rally in Dayton, Ohio, to celebrate his 72nd birthday. Analysts say the Republican is keen to wrest back headlines from Mr Obama. Ms Palin is perhaps the most daring vice-presidential choice

…

12 Comments

Obama’s speech: what did you think?

By Stephen Tall | Fri 29th August 2008 - 10:55 am

2 Comments

US Presidential election breakfast

By The Voice | Thu 28th August 2008 - 5:55 pm

In November, the Welsh European Election Campaign is holding a fundraising breakfast at the National Liberal Club (Whitehall Place, London) to see the US Presidential election results come in. Starting at 8am and going on until about 11am, individual tickets cost £25 (or five tickets for £100). More details or tickets from Roger Robers on 01492 876 690.

7 Comments

Sure, we all say we hate negative advertising – but does it work?

By Stephen Tall | Wed 27th August 2008 - 1:22 pm

Some interesting analysis of the Democrats’ Denver Convention to anoint Senator Barack Obama as their presidential nominee over at the Electoral Vote website:

The traditional media seem to have picked up on … theme that the Democrats are letting McCain off easy. Long-time Clinton insider James Carville has been all over TV saying that the Democrats have let slip a golden opportunity to pummel McCain. Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) compared Obama to Adlai Stevenson, another cerebral Illinoisian, saying that both of them liked to give long thoughtful answers to complex questions, when soundbites would be more effective. Sen. Chuck

…

1 Comment

Paris Hilton responds to John McCain

By Mark Pack | Wed 6th August 2008 - 2:20 pm

Pinch yourself, this really is true. First, John McCain features Paris Hilton in a TV advert attacking his rival for the US Presidency, Barack Obama. And then Paris Hilton responds by producing her own spoof ad about the super-old white-haired dude.

So for your viewing pleasure, here are the two:

11 Comments

NEW POLL: Do you think Barack Obama is all that?

By Stephen Tall | Mon 28th July 2008 - 9:07 pm

There are now, believe it or not, only 100 days until the race to become the 44th President of the United States of America is decided. And there’s no doubt who continues to grab the headlines, and not only here in Europe: Barack Obama’s candidacy has enthralled not just the Democratic party, but much of the western world. But why?

Perhaps for some it is the relief of having a plausible Democratic presidential nominee; that he isn’t George W. Bush; that he claims to represent a ‘new politics’ of change; that he can forge bipartisan consensus; that he is a compelling …

Also posted in Voice polls | 23 Comments

Obama in Berlin: “This is the moment”

By The Voice | Fri 25th July 2008 - 12:02 am

The Democratic candidate for President addresses a crowd of ~~100,000~~, ~~200,000~~, ~~1,000,000~~ who-knows-how-many? in the German capital city. All 25 minutes are here for your viewing delectation:

2 Comments

A wee dram of consolation for Gordon…

By Stephen Tall | Tue 22nd July 2008 - 2:05 pm

He is at least ~~less unpopular~~ more popular than President George W. Bush – PoliticalWire reports on the latest American Research Group poll

finds that just 21% of Americans approve of the way President Bush is handling his job and 72% disapprove. When it comes to Bush’s handling of the economy, 17% approve and 77% disapprove.

Furthermore, 76% say the national economy is getting worse, 61% say their household financial situations are getting worse, and 68% say the national economy is in a recession.

That’s something to cheer the Prime Minister up as he embarks on his holiday – a …

Also posted in News | Leave a comment

Time for Some Campaignin’

By Mark Pack | Sat 19th July 2008 - 5:25 pm

Election humour, US-style:

2 Comments

Op-eds

A Federal Britain: 3. Fiscal Federalism and a complete constitutional settlement (Iain Donaldson)
Tom Arms’ World Review (Tom Arms)
Liberal Voice for Women poll doesn’t say what they say it says (Tanya Park)
Alison Suttie writes: Thank you to our volunteers (Alison Suttie)
What’s going on with party strategy? (Caron Lindsay)

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Alison Suttie writes: Thank you to our volunteers

What’s going on with party strategy?

A strange but welcome feeling

Observations of an Expat: The Elephant Returns

Category Archives: LDVUSA

US Presidential election: Facebook is the winner

E-voting FAIL? A scary thought.

Twitter, hashtags, electoral fraud and the US Presidential election

BBC Question Time: open thread

“People don’t have campaign headquarters anymore. They have websites now.”

US political yard signs: raising the stakes

Wouldn’t it be nice if this was the future of political advertising?

The impact of mobile phones on opinion polling

Wake up to President Obama/McCain with the Welsh Lib Dems

Would President Obama call Paddy Ashdown to serve?

That Colin Powell Endorsement

The Barack and John Show

Has Obama sealed the deal? (And is that a good thing?)

Extraordinary McCain video

Post-turtle – Palin to significance

Missed the US VP debate? Then here’s 4 easy steps to catch up

When Barack met Jed

Nick Clegg on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show

Don’t bitch about the party’s message – run your own

Sarah Palin: how the McCain campaign blundered on the internet

Opinion: The importance of a good Number 2

McCain picks Palin for VP – will this spike the Dems’ Denver guns?

Obama’s speech: what did you think?

US Presidential election breakfast

Sure, we all say we hate negative advertising – but does it work?

Paris Hilton responds to John McCain

NEW POLL: Do you think Barack Obama is all that?

Obama in Berlin: “This is the moment”

A wee dram of consolation for Gordon…

Time for Some Campaignin’

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Alison Suttie writes: Thank you to our volunteers

What’s going on with party strategy?

A strange but welcome feeling

Observations of an Expat: The Elephant Returns

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