President Obama reelected to a second term
 

There doesn't appear to be a thread for this, only the Republican primaries.

The US Election period is about to really kick off with the start of the Republican National Convention today (unless the storm delays it further). Mitt Romney will challenge President Obama. It's looking like President Obama will be reselected for a second term at the moment although it will be a lot closer than last time. It helps that Romney has thus far been a rather weak candidate who seems rather stuck between his rather moderate ideas and the crazy nutters on the far right of his party who he is determined to appease.

This week is the Republican convention, next week the Democratic one and then they go into the main, 24/7, can't escape, 2 months until November. Romney either needs to find a narrative that works and stick to it or hope some event damages the current President's campaign.

Re: US Election 2012
 

They also need some policies that are a damned sight less racist and far more inclusive.:rolleyes:

---------- Post added at 09:17 ---------- Previous post was at 09:08 ----------

And if this is any example then they need a lot of tin foil.:rolleyes:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80212.html

Re: US Election 2012
 

I think Mitt will win due to the economic situation and the 'Jim Crow laws' that have been implemented

Re: US Election 2012
 

Yup - unless you have picture ID (in 32 Republican led states) you cannot register to vote, even if you have been registered to vote for the last 25 years.....

Re: US Election 2012
 

Are you sure? I thought this was only one state?

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I think this link might be biased but it does summarise some of the ID rule changes.

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/thepol...oting-Laws.htm

Re: US Election 2012
 

That's the bit I was referring to

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Yeah! If you can't win against a popular black president then lie and cheat and smear your way to the White House.

Re: US Election 2012
 

I'll be sorry to see Obama go. he was a scream.

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Ah, Republicans... :rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr5kMguEqi8

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...mera-operator/

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I think this is harsh. The Republicans can't be deemed accountable for the actions of every nut that self-identifies with the party. The RNC removed the people in question swiftly which is all you can ask.

There are plenty of legitimately good reasons to despise the party anyway. They have lurched to the right drastically and on social issues they are almost barbaric. Their platform on abortion and rape (no exceptions to a ban on abolition even in the case of rape) is horrible.

I feel sorry for the 'normal' Republicans who have been sidelined by the extremists. They need to take their party back and Romney could have been the guy to do it had he not been a unprincipled, spineless coward who will revert on any postion he holds to get elected. He is the American Nick Clegg.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Fair point.


Romney... I still see him as a loser, as the guy who lost to the guy who lost to Obama.

Re: US Election 2012
 

At the moment i would say Obama will win a second term. Wish he was over here.

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So do the Republicans....

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So does he probably.

Obama is, at the moment, likely to win anyway but it's close....

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Top five fibs from Paul Ryan's convention speech (most of which have been pointed out (to him) before to be not true - so it's the old "if you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it" ploy.....

TPM

Here's a couple...

Update.

Wow! Even Fox News has called Ryan out on his "inaccuracies"....

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Re: US Election 2012
 

This morning I heard that Mitt Romney had a two point lead it the polls.
Not keen on the person. However prefer his policies.Reverse is true of the President. So Romney will get my vote, unless something really happens that changes my mind.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Which of his policies (which he has yet to fully define) do you prefer?

Re: US Election 2012
 

Romney is about even with Obama in the polls but he is behind in the swing states. At the moment Obama leads in most of the swing states by a few points.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Though I don't want him too, I think Romney will win. A lot of US voters are saying that they are disappointed with Obama and may now be 'tiring' of him and want to try something else. To be honest whoever they choose I can't see making a big difference.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Unless you are not rich and live in the USA - the policies on the Republican platform will affect those people negatively...

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General views Health care , welfare , taxes , support of troops. immigration.

Voted for Obama. last time. Never again :erm:

Not a natural Democrats , tend to lean to Republicans.

Have to a say voted for Bush Snr. & Jnr.( What a mistaka to makea) but my reasoning was from TEXAS. & the south is a big reason to me. Roots & all that:D
So if a Democrat from Louisiana stood it would be no contest for me :shocked:

Re: US Election 2012
 

Which policies though? Especially if you voted for Obama last time, his position on those issues weren't exactly hidden.

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Like the look of the guy. really it was so close Do not want McCain at the time.If Palin had stood for president -She would have had MY vote :D
This was the only time I recall voting democrat. How ever I did vote for Ross Perot.

On another note you want dirty politics watch US TV ads. :erm:
While happy to talk politics, not sure what it has to do with people in the UK in general. The people I spend time with see the UK as a minor interest in the real world - except for the troops really support them- pity we do not seem to really care about them. Sorry off topic & on hobby horse

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America has a big effect on the world and we're more aware of international affairs anyway.

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See that's what annoys the rest of the world about the US..As if us out here are just fleas on the world and Americans and their doings are only the business of the Americans.

The truth is that the US has enough money and resources to push everyone else about discounting China and so whomever wins the Presidential election will figure hugely in what happens to the rest of the world.
The current crop of Republicans apparently only care about the rich white Americans in their party and are completely ignorant about the rest of the world. The gaffes Romney committed whilst on his sojourn around the world recently certainly underline that ignorance.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Very true. America in general only care what happens to them. I would not call my close /extended family,as rich( well off -yes) but nearly all are registered Republicans. Other than for very local issues( Brothers & Sisters are UK born).(Lots only have a vague attachment to the Mother country - but its a Walt Disney type view after the first generation :dozey: )They have no interest in what is happening in the UK or for that matter in Europe. This is a sweeping statement I understand but true from the people I have met.

I will unless something major changes my mind vote Republican. Fell for the patter of Obama. Not again. :mad:

Re: US Election 2012
 

Democratic National Convention this week.

---------- Post added at 16:30 ---------- Previous post was at 16:30 ----------

Which parts do you think Obama let you down on?

Re: US Election 2012
 

Each to their own I suppose, but I think Palin is a complete fruitcake. Can't imagine why anyone would vote for her. I'd also go further and suggest that most Americans probably wouldn't either.

Obama will get my vote this time, since if Twit Romney gets in there will be big trouble. For one thing, that idiot will follow Netanyahu into a war with Iran as soon as he starts one. And he will, just as soon as he's convinced the US will offer its full support. I'm quite sure that Romney will say and do whatever he thinks will get him into office.
If the US invades Iran, I think that will pretty much be the end of the US as the world's sole superpower.
I'd have liked to have believed that in our democratic system, an idiot like Bush Jr or Romney would have been removed from the vetting process at an early stage, but the bitter reality is that any idiot can survive to any stage of the presidential race with the right spin and backing. Even if Romney doesn't win, it will most likely be very close.

Says a lot really, when the best we seem to have to offer to lead a main political party are the likes of Romney/Akin. I think the US is a democracy only in name. Representative republic seems more accurate (imo).
That's not to say we're any better in the UK however. Both systems are far from perfect. Problem is, nothing ever seems to change.

Anyway, I don't believe and nor have I ever believed that Obama is/was the savior many have made him out to be, but I think he's the lesser of two evils in this case.

If Romney wins the election then I will be very concerned, as will many people.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Good map of the Electoral College here: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epo...llege_map.html

You can create your own map there as well. Projecting who will win what state and how that will affect the election. I've got Obama winning:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epo...OR_3,WA_2,CA_1

Re: US Election 2012
 

Obama's speech tonight and job figures tomorrow morning. Hopefully Obama will have a boost as we head into the real campaign.

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Seems there is more foot in mouth or desperation from the Republicans..

Seems Liz Cheney claims that the present President is losing the Cold War and has failed to support Poland and Czechoslovakia..

Re: US Election 2012
 

To be fair the Republicans blamed Obama for Afghanistan and asked why he didn't learn from the Russians. The cognitive dissonance between the political reality they wish to exist in and the history they actually do exist in is extraordinary.

Re: US Election 2012
 

My only problem is ,as put in a paper on Sunday. How can anyone vote of such a gullible person ( Mormon) - Still that could apply to a lot of people in my mind. I go with Mr Twain in this respect - Come back Ross !!!

You need to understand that many people in the USA do not care about anything outside the border. Hi,Canada is a world away to lots of my family !! They barely think about what is happening in Texas. So how anyone refers to Europe is going way under the radar for lots of folks. Bottom line as far as I can see its a failure v a rich failure ( if there can be such a thing!) At least Sarah would have been fun! Starting to look for a "pin"

Re: US Election 2012
 

Mitt 'Le Gaffe' Romney seems to be determined to do everything within his power to keep him from the White House.

First up we had the statement he released attacking Obama on the day the US ambassador died. American politics has a special rule where you can be as morally dubious as you want but not in the aftermath of a tragedy. So that got him in trouble.

Yesterday we had the secret video where he attacked 47% of the American population who he said depend on government and will never vote for Obama because of this dependency. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...ment-dependent. Other than being callous and quite simply stupid (his figures include families on low income, pensioners, students, the seriously disabled etc) some people might think it's a bit rich for him to attack the less well-off for not paying tax when he has spent most of his life doing everything he can to pay as little as possible.

Today we have the next part of the video, much milder, where he attacks a two-state solution for the middle-east. http://www.motherjones.com/politics/...dle-east-peace. I don't think this one is as bad, the part where he attacks Obama for being naive might actually help him.

Re: US Election 2012
 

It has swung me back towards him. I will at the moment vote for his ticket - being part of the 53% who don`t :D.

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I suspect you'll vote for him anyway. This will damage him amongst independents not hardcore Republicans who likely agree with it and were going to vote for him anyway.

Re: US Election 2012
 

I am in fact not registered with either party & in the passed have voted democrat republican & independent.
I tend to vote by candidate in local elections - DA, sheriff ( hang them all :erm:) More so when local taxes are involved. Have property so am on register.

However you are correct I see him as to better of the two - and that it ,in my mind is not saying a lot. Sarah or Hilary would have got my vote ! Now if they stood against each other that would be a real brain teaser :D.

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I think you are messing with my pal Damien.;)

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Sigh, I miss George

http://www.plattbridger.pwp.blueyond...k/bushisms.htm

Well not his wars obviously

Re: US Election 2012
 

A certain light heartiness in my postings,however I think Mitt will get my vote. He has not said anything he has not said before. Gave Obama a chance not impressed. Will go with the wishes of my brothers & sisters ( majority wins;))As I do not intend to be state side that much in the new few years. Mores the pity. With a new puppy it will be France for the next couple of years :D or at least till she is quite enough to stop with my son :)

---------- Post added at 12:01 ---------- Previous post was at 12:00 ----------

Jnr. or Snr. or perhaps you mean Washington :D

Re: US Election 2012
 

Last of the debates tonight, polls are about even. It's going to be a close election...

Re: US Election 2012
 

I don't think Romney will do it, he doesn't have a clue and the one thing about Obama, is that he has started something that he can finish.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Making a hash comes to mind:dozey:

Re: US Election 2012
 

Obama has been said to have won last nights debate. Who knows if it will help him? The consensus seems to be that there a few undecided voters left in the race at this point. The polls are still tied nationally but Obama retains a 2 point average led in Ohio and a few other swing states such as Nevada and Wisconsin so he is still ahead. If the debates can budge those numbers, if only by fractions, then it may be enough to be reasonably confident of an Obama victory.

I think that there is a growing perception in America that things are improving but slowly. It's a bummer because the election has probably come a bit too soon for Obama, the unemployment rate is falling a bit too close to the election to have a big effect. Romney could well reap the benefits of an improving economy in the same way Obama got the bill for the banking bailouts.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Well put, My home state will no doubt go for Mitt. Not sure if Obama will be a lame duck anyway If the Senate & the House end up with the republicans :confused:

Re: US Election 2012
 

He won't be a lame duck in that he would retain the power of the White House still. It's difficult to say how much he could achieve with a hostile congress. That said it's not certain the senate will fall under Republican control at the moment, the tides have shifted since August to the point where the Democrats would retain a narrow majority. However it doesn't really matter since neither will have a outright majority (2/3rd) to overturn vetoes from the White House or to overrule filibusters. The senate will be, for a lot of purposes, a draw no matter what happens.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Ok perhaps Lame duck is to strong a term............. :rolleyes:

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Ahem....

From the NY Times.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2012/10/4.gif

And from Fox News Fact Check (words I never thought I would see together....) Also from that article For pity's sake, even Fox News don't believe him....

Re: US Election 2012
 

Yet the Republicans are running on the platform that Obama has 'exploded' the debt, mostly by assigning the 2008 stimulus as his spending.

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To be fair, their rhetoric is aimed at the same people who believe Obama is a Muslim Socialist Communist Terrorist who was born in Kenya - also, a Nazi....

Re: US Election 2012
 

Obama starting to do better, the damage from the first debate has been done and Romney's numbers are receding. Not enough to be confident either way though but Obama is now up by 2.1 on average on Ohio, a 0.5 increase.

Re: US Election 2012
 

I heard on one of the News channel earlier tonight that the way Obama has handled the Sandy crisis has won him some new voters, many of whom intended to vote for Romney before Sandy hit.

I think Obama has responded much better than Bush did to Katrina, lessons were learnt from that storm. It's a shame that Katrina had to happen to make people take seriously the threat of hurricanes and tropical storms.

Re: US Election 2012
 

It's very hard to quantify what bonus this has given Obama.

We do know that polls have said they a massive amount of Americans have approved of the way he has handled the issue and they he has been praised by a Republican governor. A new round of polls yesterday have shown that Obama has closed the gap on Romney in the national vote which he has been behind in by an average of 1% point for weeks. Obama has also maintained or extended his lead in Ohio which looks like will be the deciding state unless something amazing happens elsewhere.

These polls do not take into account the reaction to the storm response because it's too early for them to be in there. It's unlikely to swing anything a lot because we're so close to the election and there are few people left who are undecided. However even a very modest bump, given Obama's current position, could be massive for him. If this means most of those left to decide go to Obama then he has probably won the election given his position in Ohio.

It also stops the 'Romney momentum' and probably means the states where Obama may have been at risk to a late surge (Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin) are out of reach for Romney giving him no other path to the White House than Ohio. He no longer looks like a failing candidate, he looks like a President.

Re: US Election 2012
 

I wonder if the FEMA thing will hurt him, the Democrats can't really bring it up without being accused of exploiting the storm and risk undoing any advantage Obama has gotten from it.

Re: US Election 2012
 

I watched Sky news this morning and l can tell you from the news reports are saying that Obama did have a tough fight on his hands but the way he has handled the Sandy storm, even political reporters are saying that Romney has shot himself in the foot by trying to get photo shoots out of passing out parcels at a Red Cross meeting for the survivors instead of doing the same as Obama. He went to stricken areas and wasn't concerned about the voting - he was caring for the people, and that's what counts.

I think it will be a tough fight and l think that providing Obama carried on doing what he is doing now - then he will win.

Sky have said that he even contacted Romney's running mate to find out if he needed any help in his county.

Romney needs a miracle at the moment.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Are you saying he isn`t :rolleyes:

Re: US Election 2012
 

No.

The facts are.... :D

Re: US Election 2012
 

Since when has that got to do with any thing :)

Re: US Election 2012
 

Rather than start a new thread I have created a poll.

Barack Obama all the way.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Barack

Re: US Election 2012
 

Obama gaining more in the polls. Still quite worried.

If he loses then Romney will get credit for the already recovering economy...he'll be easily re-elected in four years time because the benefits of the economy will get credited to him. Republicans have left him to clear up the mess and will swoop in to claim the credit.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Obama all the way. He has done quite well given the mess Bush left America in. Romney is like Sarah Palin, you would fear for the world if they had their finger over the nuclear war button.

Re: US Election 2012
 

looking from the outside and albeit not enough so i could be far off the mark here. to me what youve said above hasnt been stressed enough by Obama. may be banging on about it would push voters further away? also during the debates it seemed Obama wasn't really going in hard making Romney look a fool. i was watching vlogs post-debates and a fair amount of people from the US were frustrated at Obama for not putting Romney in his place.

Re: US Election 2012
 

It's not really a credible argument to bemoan the unfairness of who gets credit for your own work. They have brought up how the bad the economy was when they got in but Obama's campaign has been wary of boasting about the economy too much because it's still not great. People don't want to hear about how good a job you're doing if they don't see the benefits.

Re: US Election 2012
 

It'd be even more interesting if they had to fight it out, hand to hand... :D

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That was what mullah Omar suggested to bush to resolve their differences.

Its neck and neck on cf to as to whom should be president then...

Re: US Election 2012
 

Passed to me by my African American internet/chat pal.Makes interesting reading.

http://4quarters10dimes.blogspot.co....lican-for.html

Re: US Election 2012
 

Very good Blog, I agree with a lot of what he has put.

No doubt a Republican could counter his points with the ills of the democratic party.

However, as a regular viewer of Fox News I am astonished, nearly every day, with the vehement tripe that they spout forth, and I believe the Republican Party is dangerous and I would rather have a democrat in power (although I am no fan of Obama) in the whitehouse.

Romneys running mate Ryan, is pretty much a far right loon.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Obama has got stronger in the last week. He is now up by 3 in Ohio. However his internal polling is showing him up in Ohio, Wisconsin and even level in Pennsylvania! This seems unlikely but there is a constant nag that he is going to just make it in this election so I am very nervous.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Final figures in Ohio from the early voting show the gap between Democratic counties and Republican ones have narrowed by about 4% leaving Democrats with a wafer-thin advantage there. Republicans tend to win the turnout on election day.

It's possible the polls have drastically underestimated the fall in Democratic voters, if so we may see a 'shock' win for Romney :(.

Re: US Election 2012
 

I recently heard Iain Dale on LBC pontificating on why 'we' in the UK are all so interested in the US elections. Well, although I agree the results have a bearing (directly and indirectly) on the UK, I reckon most people here couldn't tell you the name of both men let alone which parties they represent or what they stand for. I think the truth is that the media is far more interested in the elections than the UK public in general is. Iain Dale, being part of it and host to numerous radio shows on the subject, has to say something to explain why so much airtime is being devoted to matters I'm sure he and his ilk enjoy but turn a great many more people off. It's not public demand which is driving all this media coverage Iain and I can't wait for it to be over.

Re: US Election 2012
 

I'm interested, but I take your point.

Funnily, China are about to have a change of leadership but hardly any coverage of that and some would argue that China has a larger bearing on our economical future much more than the USA does.

Re: US Election 2012
 

I'm interested in the outcome of course but I'm getting cheesed off with the endless coverage and media speculation about who's going to win etc. etc. If it was an election that I could have a bearing on then that would be different but it isn't and I'm getting hacked off with media types indulging themselves on the basis that 'we' are all begging for more of their output on US politics.

Anyway, I feel better now I've had a rant ! :D

Re: US Election 2012
 

Please tell me this is one of those joke newspapers! They are reporting a irrefutable fact Obama is a Bronie.

I did a Google search and found a Bronie is A male fan of the series, "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic." the full story LINK

When you have fallen of your chair and I hope you don't have a Mac as it can only mean one thing: :shocked: Link


LINK

Re: US Election 2012
 

It is one of those joke newspapers....

From Wikipedia

Re: US Election 2012
 

Yes I put a link down the bottom of my post :D

I just hope our poll reflects the American peoples vote apart from the deep south.

Re: US Election 2012
 

Send me to Nevada!

Re: US Election 2012
 

Looks like it just might be Obama in Nevada Link

You just may be needed elsewhere :D

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It's going to be close. AGHHH! Come on Obama!

---------- Post added at 20:17 ---------- Previous post was at 18:40 ----------

Anyone else staying up to watch the election night? To see if, for the first time in the history of the world, an American President is reelected in the year 2012? Or the historic ascension of your everyday white male billionaire being elected to the most powerful office in the world?

Re: US Election 2012
 

ill probably tune in, fall asleep then wake up to see the same stressed out faces on the tele. HAS IT BEEN DECIDED YET?!!! no :(

Re: US Election 2012
 

yup,I'll be up all night.... watching the election will be interspersed with playing Doom 3 on the ol' Xbox ;)

find it pretty funny how so many in Europe are pro Obama,as if he was some kind of saviour. :dozey:

I don't mind either way,tbh.

Re: US Election 2012
 

I'm sure the only thing they think Obama will save them from is mitt...

Re: US Election 2012
 

Well some of them will now be heavily dependent on this health care reform, especially those will pre-existing conditions....Romney is apparently getting rid of those reforms on 'day one'.

Also the economy, even by conservative estimates, will add 9 to 11 million jobs over the next four years. The last time that happened was under Clinton. If Romney wins tonight he will win in four years time quite easily....

---------- Post added at 22:45 ---------- Previous post was at 21:13 ----------

Turnout all over the place, reports of large turnout but for whom? It doesn't make sense that Obama would increase the turnout so is there a surge in Republican voters as expected?

AGHHH

---------- Post added at 22:53 ---------- Previous post was at 22:45 ----------

I think Romney is going to win....

Re: US Election 2012
 

you also said you think Arsenal would be defeated tonight. relax ;)

Re: US Election 2012
 

Obama has never won a general election in a week Arsenal didn't win their Champions League game :(

Re: US Election 2012
 

Calm down,Dear.... ;)

Re: US Election 2012
 

:LOL: did you just look that up. tell you the truth i cant call it. and as long as i can go get eye candy on beaches in the states im not fussed. theres too much drama and tension here.

Re: US Election 2012
 

You might be right, even the machines are voting for him!

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/11/0...romney-report/

Cue the legal challenges. Really how difficult is it to write a program to count votes?

Re: US Election 2012
 

Nah I remember going to an Arsenal game after having watched the election during the previous night but I got it wrong! We drew! Good signs for Obama!

Re: US Election 2012
 

:D

Re: US Election 2012
 

It was a rubbish game though, 0 - 0. So boring.

So who else is staying up?

---------- Post added 07-11-2012 at 00:24 ---------- Previous post was 06-11-2012 at 23:33 ----------

So tense!

Re: US Election 2012
 

from previous elections over here i remember the person who starts the night well always goes on to be beaten by the other favourite ?

Re: US Election 2012
 

Doesn't work that way in the US. Here it's because we don't have the same system and the 'swing' tends to hold across the country so if a party is up by a certain amount of % we can usually guess where the election will go.

In America it really does depend on the state by state. Not a single state that matters has been called yet so we simply don't know.

Basically for this early part of the evening you want to see where Virginia and Florida go, they are expected to go to Romney. If Obama wins Virginia then life will be very difficult for Romney and it will be over if Obama then wins Ohio too.

If Obama wins Florida then it's over pretty much.

Re: US Election 2012
 

I stayed up in 2008. Not sure if I will this time.

Re: US Election 2012
 

i still dont understand fully. what time are the key states expected to come in?

Re: US Election 2012
 

I don't know. Depends how close it is...Next couple of hours we should get Florida and Virginia I think.

---------- Post added at 00:49 ---------- Previous post was at 00:48 ----------

But what if something happens!

---------- Post added at 00:51 ---------- Previous post was at 00:49 ----------

Florida might declare and it's close at the moment. If that goes to Obama then we're in for a shorter night than expected....

Re: US Election 2012
 

I can see this Jeremy Vine segment being on HIGNFY this week.

Re: US Election 2012
 

I am watching CNN, got bored with BBC when they kept explaining that the popular vote doesn't decide the election. CNN takes this knowledge as red and goes into depth about the places inside the state that may decide how the state falls...