Bob Roberts is Donald Trunp

Trump is rushed off the stage in a possible assassination attempt, three days out from polling day. Now where have I heard that before...

A roasting of Trump from the archive...

With the US presidential election a few weeks away I thought it might be time to dig out of the archive Jonathan Meades's excellent evisceration of Donald Trump from 2011.

Enjoy.

On guns and murder

While the murder of Jo Cox is deeply shocking, our thoughts should be with her young family.  But we shouldn't forget that this is not a unique event.  Stephen Timms was seriously assaulted at an advice surgery in 2010 as was Cheltenham Lib Dem MP, Nigel Jones in 2000 - where his assistant Andy Pennington was killed.

Andy was also an elected representive - a local councillor for Hester's Way ward - which has somewhat been forgotten in all the outpouring of grief in the Westminster bubble. 

The Guardian provides a history of attacks on UK MPs and it is not as rare as some might think.

But we should be grateful in this country - that despite the occasional outrage - we are relatively free from the sort of mass slaughter that is routine in the USA.  In this sobering map the outline of the States can be recognised just from the dots of mass killings since 2013.  Mass killings are defined as four or more deaths in a single incident.  More details here.

RFK announces the news of the assassination of Martin Luther King

On 4th April 1968 Martin Luther King was shot dead.  It was an age before twitter, social media or even rolling news.  Robert Kennedy announced the news from a back of a flat bed truck in Indianapollis...

With thanks to an old university mate (and Lib Dem Cllr for Clitheroe), Alan Knox, for the tip off.

US Republicans face uphill battle in 2016 presidential election

An interesting article from the Washington Post that outlines the demographic and political shifts that appear to tilt the US electoral college in the Democrats favour...

UK income falls more fairly than France

Hamish McRae wrote an interesting article on income inequality and  the recession in Monday's Evening Standard quoting a report from researchers at UBS.  In it they stated that the loss of personal income due to the recession in the UK has affected all income groups pretty evenly - which contrasts with most of mainland Europe and the US where the fall in income for the richest 10% has been much less than for the poorest.

I've finally tracked down the report on the web here and I've reproduced the table that compares income falls over the last five years by decile:

Those progressive paragons of France and Scandanavia - who the left are telling us to be more like - saw the poorest 10% lose far more than the richest.  In France the poor's income dropped nearly 10% whereas the richest dropped by less than 5%.  In Finland the richest 10% actually saw incomes rise over the last five year.  In contrast in the UK, the poorest decile's income fell by about 7% over the last five years - slightly less than the richest 10%.

One can't help wondering that the UK would look much more like the US and most of Europe if the Tories (or even New Labour) were governing on their own. 

Can you solve the gerrymander jigsaw?

US political website Slate has a rather fun game...

The most effective US campaign ad?

The Campaigns and Elections website has trawled the American airwaves for the toughest campaign advertisements of the 2012 elections.  Its has come up with this top nine.

But the most effective has to be this one - dealing with the outrageous comments on rape by (now ex) Republican representive for Missouri's second congressional district, Todd Akin.

Ohio looks like it's Obama's

CNN reporting exit poll that 59% support auto bailout with 39% against.  It also reports that more Dems than GOP registered voters turned out.

Edit - VI exit suggest Obama wins Ohio by 3%

US election result update

I'm refusing to watch the taxpayer junket that is the BBC coverage of the US elections.  So I started with Sky News and soon switched to Al Jazerra UK - because it is low budget has no adverts (so far) and means it has to rely on expert opinion rather than celebrity flannel.

But I fancied seeing what Fox News might be saying - but sadly wasn't allowed to view by my Sky box as I hadn't subscribed to their 'entertainment' package!

US election exit poll suggests Obama victory

Sky News reports some interesting background issues from the US national exit poll.

The economy is the the most important issue for 60% of voters (with healthcare rating just 17%) and crucially 39% think things are getting better with 31% saying things are getting worse.

These sort of polling figures would normally suggest incumbents would do enough to resist the 'time for a change' calls that see them turfed out of office.

Romney's zombie apocalypse

According to Buffy creator, Joss Whedon.  Enjoy...

Mitt Romney does a Fred Picker

News that Mitt Romney transformed a campaign rally in Ohio to a fundraiser for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts seems spookily familiar.

Yes it's Florida governor, Jim Fricker's (Larry Hagman), call to give blood to help stricken candidate governor Harris from Mike Nichols 1998 political satire Primary Colors:

"What I have thought about is the best way I can help Senator Harris.
As I know him as a man of action rather than words...
the best action is for me to go down and donate a pint of blood,...
because that's what he needs now.
If you want to come with me and donate a pint,...
Mrs. Harris would appreciate it."

Romney's seven point Gallup lead - don't panic!

US political watchers are getting particularly excited by Gallup's post debate poll showing Romney with a seven point margin over Obama - surely enough to propel him to the Whitehouse in  19 days time.

But this interesting analysis from the Huffington Post suggests some reasons why national polls - such as this Gallup one - are apparently at odds with state polling that shows Obama with leads in key swing states

Obama hits back at Romney...

Following his underwhelming debate performance Barack Obama has hit back with this fabulous attack ad on Romney's priorities:

It appears to have ruffled sufficient feathers for the (non-partizan) Sesame Workshop to ask for it to be taken down.

Interesting US presidential election fact of the day...

The last time the Republicans won the presidency without a Bush or a Nixon on the ticket was 1928.

Romney's Programme for Economic Recovery - "is like 'Fifty Shades of Grey' without the sex"

Ouch!

The Economist sticks the boot into Republican hopeful Mitt Romney on the eve of his convention speech.

Will Obama be a one term President?

Now that the GOP has stopped tearing itself apart in its 'who can believe the most impossible things before breakfast' contest - otherwise known as its Mormon v Creationist primary - it is clear the US electorate is turning towards the November contest.

And what they see is a President with election losing approval ratings - no doubt due to sluggish growth and botched health reforms of the Cameron Obama administration. This graphic from US polling company Rasmussen is particularly interesting:

Unsurprisingly with this approval rating the pollster puts Romney ahead of Obama 47:44.

It will be interesting to see how Obama uses his vast warchest to turn things round. And I imagine there will many burning the midnight oil in Downing Street to see what lessons can be imported this side of the Atlantic for another struggling administration.

The place to go for US campaign insight

With the GOP nomination contest heading towards two defining primaries in South Carolina and Florida later this month - informed insight is in short supply this side of the pond as seen by the fairly superficial beeb coverage. And it was the beeb afterall who thought 2010 election night in the UK was enhanced by Andrew Neil and drunken vacuous celebs on a boat in the Thames.

Anyway I came across this wonderful publication earlier - which has the sort of knowledgable insider view of campaigning and elections that is sadly lacking in the UK (about both here and overseas).

In praise of Fox News and Ron Paul

YouTube have launched a politics channel to cover the 2012 US presidential elections. It uses the standard Youtube ratings system of views and likes and dislikes to see who are the most popular candidates.

So far this ad has a grand total of 6 views, but deserves a much wider showing for both the integrity of Ron Paul, the honesty in which Fox News covers the issue and the embarrassment factor for President Obama.

Edit 9/10 - I've just found this link which can be embedded: