Scott Brown Republican Senator

If, like me, you were wondering who this Scott Brown fella is, then here is his campaign website.

If you are still wondering, he won the Massachusetts Senate seat yesterday vacated by the death of Edward Kennedy. Maybe the influence of the Keenedy clan is finally gone, or maybe they have used up all their gin running millions. Either way it was thought to be a safe Democrat seat. The loss is maybe an indication of Obama's fast fading popularity.

Looking at some US blogs this morning it seems that Brown is the new darling of the Republican Party. Move aside for a male model Sarah.

Racial Politics

I have often worried about the impact of the politics of race and was interested to read this article by Alvaro Vargas Llosa of the Independent Institute.

His argument is that Republicans in recent years, probably from desperation, focussed so sharply on a perceived immigration problem that they pushed away a high proportion of Hispanics who had previously supported them. However, those same Hispanics, in referenda held on the same day as the presidential poll, voted right of centre on many social issues. The Republicans shot themselves in the foot and drove some of their supporters into the arms of Obama.

The left set out to scare ethnic minorities into supporting them, the right exaggerate the perceived dangers from immigration to garner support for themselves from the majority. This article points out that it is the libertarian politicians who look at people as human beings first and foremost, regardless of race.

Kenyan Obamas

Now, I don't want to sound churlish, but am I the only one who is tired of the race obsession surrounding Obama's victory? Yes he won, and won convincingly, but black people only seem to have voted for him because he is 'black' and white people only seem to have voted for him because they want to be seen to be progressive and cool. Witness the drooling over him on Question Time last night with Bonnie Greer almost weeping with emotion whenever she mentioned his name, and the other panellists not far behind.

If you were Obama's white family wouldn't you be a little pissed off to have been shunted into the background so utterly completely. He's black, don't mention the white mother any more than you mention Bob Marley's white grandfather. Oh yes, apart from when his white grandmother was dying and he could go for the sympathy vote.

To me Obama is a man whose mother was white and whose father was black, end of story. If a white man became leader of a black country you can bet the world wouldn't be drooling over him just becaue of his colour. And if his father was from Accrington I bet the people of Accrington wouldn't be carrying on like this.

President Obama?

It seems that the pinko liberal media in Europe are already drunk on celebrating Obama's victory in the US election next month. Certainly the media here are putting everything into making us believe that victory for Obama is a certainty.

Channel 4, and its associated channels, have been showing 30 second cameos of 'celebrities' endorsing Obama and attacking McCain/Palin for weeks now, with increasing venom. Today even the Daily Torygraph had a front page carrying predictions of riots if McCain wins, because it would obviously have been rigged.

So I was pleased today to discover Accuracy in Media. This website debunks some of the biased and downright lying media coverage attacking McCain/Palin and also the irrational, often plain untrue, media backing for the vacuous Obama.

I look forward to reading much more on this website.

Empty Rhetoric Awards

This one's for Barack's old mate Gordon Brown.

Sarah Palin

If you haven't heard, or heard about, Sarah Palin's incredible speech accepting the role of running mate to John McCain, then I fear you have been in a coma. Anybody who supports hunting, although I don't hunt myself, opposes abortion, although I will never need one myself, and eats mooseburgers just has to be a good thing.

A politician who is normal, real and pulls no punches is rare indeed and should be cherished. Mrs B and I were sat in the supermarket car park today when excerpts of her speech were on the radio, we couldn't leave the car, we just wanted to hear more.

I don't intend to ramble on about the content, if you've found this blog you can easily find huge coverage of the speech elsewhere. But here is a link to her website as Governor of Alaska.

And here is a link to one of her campaign blogs.

And here's another.

If only there was a British politician with her bottle, honesty and apparent integrity.

Bob Barr

As the Clinton Obama fight trundles along, becoming ever more tedious and tiresome, here is the Libertarian Party candidate's website. With 10 to 20% of Americans polled calling themselves "libertarians" Barr may not win the race to the White House but he could seriously damage the Republican McCain's chances.

US Election

I just had to nick the following from The Remittance Man. If you don't visit this blog, with lovely views too, then you really should.

A Dane’s view of the US elections

We in Denmark cannot figure out why you in the USA are even bothering to hold an election.
On one side, you have a bitch who is a lawyer, married to a lawyer, and a lawyer who is married to a bitch who is a lawyer.

On the other side, you have a true war hero married to a woman with a huge chest who owns a beer distributorship.

Is there a contest here?

Danes have always struck me as eminently perspicacious fellows.

Obamamine

I couldn't resist this one. It is shamelessly lifted from Joey's Pheisty Blog, which is well worth a visit.

Hillary Clinton The Monster

Is it any wonder that people, throughout the world, are sick of politics when those working in politics have to resign for telling the truth.

Samantha Power must have a great future in politics!

Let's Have A Giggle

Hope the following brightens up a dreary, wet Monday afternoon. Well it is in Lancaster.

The Pope, a schoolboy and an unnamed American President are in a plane. Suddenly the pilot suffers a heart attack and the craft takes a nosedive. As the engines sputter, the three passengers try to stay calm.'Well,' says the Pope, 'we have established that none of us can land this baby, so we're going to have to jump for it.''But there are only two parachutes,' says the boy, pointing to a pile of bundles by the exit.Without hesitating, the American President rushes over to them, takes one and shouts: 'I am the President of the United States of America. I am the world's most powerful leader. And apart from that, I am the most intelligent President in the history of my country. I have a responsibility to my people not to die.' With that, he leaps out of the plane. Now the Pope turns calmly to the schoolboy and says: 'I am already old. I have already lived my life as a good person and a priest. There is a place for me in heaven. I insist you take the last parachute.''No need,' says the boy, 'America's most intelligent President has taken my schoolbag...'

Barack Obama

Here is an interesting look at the view the outside world has of Barack Obama. It is written by Alvaro Vargas Llosa of The Independent Institute.

Now, I have tried a few of the tests on American websites that predict how you would/should vote in the US election, using the candidates currently in the race. Usually I have been told my natural leaning is for somebody I've never heard of, who probably wants to abolish government. The last one I did told me I was a Huckerbee supporter, perhaps I hadn't slept well or had a hangover that day! Any Americans reading this will be pleased to know that I am thoroughly British and these were merely academic exercises.

For some weeks now I, like many, have had a strong feeling that there will be a Democrat in the White House come November. Consequently I find the Democratic race more interesting at the moment and have to admit that Obama is an intriguing candidate. He has yet, thankfully, to play 'the race card' and seems genuinely to be a man who will not constantly harp on about perceived injustices from hundreds of years ago. He is also a Christian who spent some time in Indonesia when younger, where he attended a Muslim school, few Christian schools in Indonesia I suspect, but an interesting experience nontheless for a candidate in 2008. And he does come over as less 'statist' and authoritarian than Mrs Clinton. As with most elections these days I look forward to more policy being introduced into the race than there currently is.

For now all I can say is please God, if there is to be a Democrat President anybody but Clinton II.