22 comments by 4 or more people

1. Steven Carpenter

   I believe Bush will win; a prospect that is too frightening to contemplate. Imagine how 'pumped-up' he and his administration will be if the victory is anything but marginal.

   02 Nov 2004, 16:45

2. Steve Rumsby

   I'm struggling to form a sensible opinion because I don't know much about Kerry. I'm not a huge Bush fan, but I really have no idea if Kerry will be any better. In a way it is quite frustrating, because the result is probably going to be quite important to us, outside the US, too. Somebody did suggest that non-US-citizens ought to be able to vote for the US president…!

   Sadly, I suspect I'm actually going to be more interested in the mechanics of the process. How much is going to go wrong this time? (What is the electronic equivalent of a "pregnant chad", anyway?). If it wasn't happening in the middle of the night, I'd probably watch progress on the telly, in anticipation of the disasters…

   02 Nov 2004, 16:51

3. I too know little about Kerry really, no one really does until they end up in power and screw something up…but how can he be worse? Like the idea of letting the world vote for the US president :)

   02 Nov 2004, 16:54

4. Fine, but quid pro quo – you'd have to let Americans vote for French President and Spanish legislature (can't imagine the outcome!) and to keep Tony in 10 Downing Street till he's 90. Heh heh.

   02 Nov 2004, 17:24

5. Julie Moreton

   Is there some cloning factory somewhere producing US presidents or possible presidents? They all seem to come out of a very strange mould! Could be worse I guess – Arnie could be running (don't mock my friends – it's not far away trust me!)

   Okay, so if you could have anyone to run the US, who would it be?

   I nominate Kofi Annan – seems like a nice bloke
   link

   I'm sure there are better suggestions though!

   03 Nov 2004, 11:25

6. Kerry and Bush both went to Yale and that secret society (whose name I can't remember)...so is that society really ruling the world? They couldn't lose in this election, one of their fellas is getting in no matter what.

   I saw a documentary a while back about Arnie and he is surprisingly actually doing not a bad job. The difference is that he doesn't need the money that a lot of politicians need to get elected because he is so damn rich in his own right. He has actually been able to stick his finger up to a lot of big business and do what the people want, not what his money men want.

   03 Nov 2004, 11:28

7. Julie: I'm pretty sure you have to be born in the US to run for president so that cuts out Arnie, and Kofi Annan, sadly. Does that dash your personal life-long ambition :)

   03 Nov 2004, 11:35

8. Julie Moreton

   That's interesting Kieran – didn't know they'd both been to Yale. Does that mean they have both have real degrees? I thought Bush got in on some strange sports scholarship but I could be wrong.

   And Arnie telling big business to 'take zis finger and swivel on it' – well well. I heard that there may be some change in legislation which may allow Arnie to run though in the future. Perhaps he is less wooden that some of the others they've had in office – though yet to be convinced on that!

   Aw, come on Han, how hard could it be??

   Anyway, apart from Arnie, Kofi and me of course, who else could make a good shot at it? (for the purposes of this, it doesn't matter about nationality) Nominations please…

   03 Nov 2004, 11:54

9. Kieran, do you mean Skull and Bones? Anyway, it looks like Bush has won so goodness help us all. Hilary Clinton in 2008?

   03 Nov 2004, 12:25

10. Yeah, that was the one Luke.

    It would be quite cool to see Mrs Clinton in the Whitehouse, at least she has got the brains for it.

    I can't think who I would really want to be in the Whitehouse…I guess the problem is that it isn't just the President, it is the whole system that's a problem. Somehow I don't think Bush really makes all the decisions…do you?

    I think someone else suggested on their blog that they'd want a TV/Movie president, someone like Palmer from 24 or Jack Ryan from the Tom Clancy books :)

    03 Nov 2004, 12:33

11. (As I said he would) Arnie is turning out to be a very smart, effective and popular Governor of California (and one who gets his way ). There would have to be a constitutional change to allow him to become president, which is rather a high hurdle to surmount. A lot of non-liberal Republicans in the heartland states would have to change their minds about people like him (and his support for stem cell research and gay marriage) before it was likely.

    btw, I don't think it is too pedantic to point out that it's the White House (rather than Whitehouse, even if you do think of Mary Whitehouse every time Mr Bush is mentioned!)

    03 Nov 2004, 12:48

12. Not at all too pedantic…I'm just lazy :)

    With the Kennedy family on his side, you just never know, they may well get constitution changed.

    03 Nov 2004, 12:50

13. Julie Moreton

    Reading the article Charles, it seems I have obviously underestimated the big A. Perhaps he wouldn't be so bad after all. Anything that makes them 'non-liberal Republicans in the heartland' slightly worried has got to be good.

    Yeah, Ms Clinton would be neat too.

    How about Yasser Arafat? (evil laugh) I hear he's been feeling a bit under the weather lately, perhaps a new job move would perk him up a bit!

    03 Nov 2004, 13:41

14. Phil

    I think Marshall Mathers will be the next president

    03 Nov 2004, 16:29

15. Julie Moreton

    Conversation from last night:

    Him: Looks like the monkey has got back in again
    Me: mmm looks like it

    And then later (when Radio 5 had the audacity to interupt the united game to bring us Wubya's acceptance speech – especially when we found we had missed the second van nilsteroy goal)

    Him: WHAT? GOAL? Just to listen to that oil-sucking redneck monkey boy!

    Yes, quite. (Sorry, I hope I haven't offended anyone but just wanted to share it!)

    04 Nov 2004, 12:30

16. Why does the whole world except the Americans see what an idiot that monkey boy is?

    04 Nov 2004, 13:52

17. Charles Bourne

    Kieran, that is one of the most arrogant things I have ever read -it is so unlike you. Why not just say you know better than 60,000,000 Americans (the approx. number who voted for Mr Bush) who should be President of their country?

    Try instead: "Why is the world outside the USA so selfish, self-centred and short-sighted that it seems incapable of making the intellectual effort needed to understand the qualities Mr Bush possesses, in particular in relation to the operation of the national governmental system and history of the country that has just elected him?

    04 Nov 2004, 14:09

18. hehe. I just get very wound up…not really the words I would use, I was boring some phrases from Julies comment above :)

    I'm just far less eloquent than I'd like to be :)

    04 Nov 2004, 14:15

19. Why not just say you know better than 60,000,000 Americans (the approx. number who voted for Mr Bush) who should be President of their country?

    Er, sure. Isn't that the point of a democracy, that each person's opinion is individually important? More doesn't make it right – it simply means he gets re-elected. Whether that was a wise decision is entirely subject to your viewpoint.

    04 Nov 2004, 18:38

20. Sure. We're all entitled to our opinions, and to express them. And as we all know, some opinions are worth more than others. I suggested a more worthwhile way to proceed. It really depends if you want to throw light onto a question or just indulge yourself.

    04 Nov 2004, 22:04

21. Julie Moreton

    Really sorry about that Kieran – I apologise for being so flippant and for getting you in trouble with those of high intellectual standing. Charles I bow to your greater judgement (by the way I have enjoyed reading your arguments on Mr Higgin's interesting blog!) and will attempt to raise my very low standards accordingly.

    05 Nov 2004, 14:29

22. hehe, no worries. I think I'm going to stay out of these debates from now on, I just know I'll say something stupid that I'll regret at some point. I must admit I am also really enjoying reading the religious/political debates that are going on right now. Fiesty stuff :)

    05 Nov 2004, 14:32