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Go the Yanks!

Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, July 3rd, 2009 - 26 comments

So we’ve got a government of incompetents, ideologues, and sloths. At least things are going better in America. The Democrats now have a super-majority in the Senate: The Republicans are imploding. Their ineffectual anger is getting so ugly they’re turning off anyone sane:

Imagine

Written By: - Date published: 3:30 pm, April 6th, 2009 - 9 comments

I grew up in the long shadow of the Cuban Missile Crisis (you youngsters can go look it up). I have never quite shaken the feeling that, somehow or other, the world was due to end in nuclear fire. This is the reason that I am such a fervent supporter of our Nuclear Free policy, […]

Obama makes world safer, already

Written By: - Date published: 2:10 pm, January 29th, 2009 - 31 comments

In response to U.S. President Barack Obama’s review of the proposed U.S. missile defence system in Eastern Europe, Russia is scrapping plans to deploy nuclear capable Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad, just north of Poland. The Guardian reports: Obama has not yet decided whether to press ahead with the scheme or to abandon it, although indications […]

Hanging up on Barack

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 pm, December 7th, 2008 - 2 comments

According to the BBC: US Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen thought she was being hoaxed when a man who sounded a lot like Barack Obama called her – so she hung up on him. In fact, the man at the other end of the line was indeed President-elect Obama himself. It took two further phone-calls before Ms […]

Obama launches weekly YouTube address

Written By: - Date published: 9:05 pm, November 17th, 2008 - 13 comments

US election thread

Written By: - Date published: 3:26 pm, November 5th, 2008 - 72 comments

Ok, so all the action can be followed on the US sites but I’ll set up this post for comments you might like to make and any updates any of the Standardistas want to add. Like this just to hand: ‘Key rules out cabinet post for Obama – too many morals, hands too big, says […]

Daily Show on Fox

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 pm, October 13th, 2008 - 4 comments

Jon Stewart looks at some recent clips from Fox News on the American presidential race. Just incredible.

No one likes McCain

Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, October 8th, 2008 - 19 comments

Ever wondered what would happen if the whole world could vote for the President of the United States? According to The Economist’s online poll, which divvies up electoral college votes to each country based on population, it’s Obama by 8,471 to 16. Only belligerent wee Georgia is leaning strongly to McCain. It’d be interesting to […]

Video: Why vote? Watch this

Written By: - Date published: 3:15 pm, October 3rd, 2008 - 3 comments

We’ve seen the work of Declare Yourself before. Their message is aimed at voters in the US but the call to engage and get involved resonates just as strongly for us here. This time some big names are promoting the message to get involved including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Aniston and Ellen DeGeneres (others whose faces […]

Jessica Alba says “Declare Yourself”

Written By: - Date published: 4:26 pm, September 16th, 2008 - 12 comments

Some commentators have pondered whether an election in NZ so close to the election in the States should be a concern for Labour. Helen Clark has already said: “… Obviously we all take a great interest in the American election but our election is what determines our immediate future”. But there’s also an upside in […]

On grounds of race or trust?

Written By: - Date published: 4:28 pm, August 24th, 2008 - 15 comments

Regular Standard readers will know I like to keep an eye out on what’s happening in the States (where the arte of politic$s is bigger, brighter and harsher). While there’s been comment on Obama’s choice of running mate, it was this piece in the Observer that caught my eye, where Paul Harris asks “why has […]

Daily Show on Baracknophobia

Written By: - Date published: 10:57 am, June 21st, 2008 - 14 comments

Hat tip: onegoodmove.org

Obama clinches nomination

Written By: - Date published: 1:09 pm, June 4th, 2008 - 44 comments

Thank God that’s over.

Scott McClellan on the Daily Show

Written By: - Date published: 11:19 am, June 4th, 2008 - 4 comments

Last night on the Daily Show Jon Stewart interviewed Scott McClellan, the former White House press secretary who has come out and accused the Bush administration of a “culture of deception” and of maintaining a “permanent campaign approach” to governing rather than making the best choices. It’s a good interview that provides an interesting insight […]

Too stupid for words

Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, April 10th, 2008 - Comments Off on Too stupid for words

I’m not usually big on the Bush-bashing, but this is classic: Say what you like about Reagan, at least the dude could read from an autocue. Hat tip: onegoodmove

Viva Obama

Written By: - Date published: 2:14 pm, March 13th, 2008 - 6 comments

Following a_y_b’s post about the deliciously punny Yes, Pecan! ice cream, we’ve found some more Obama-flavoured silliness which is also, incidentally, the best campaign song ever. Here’s ‘Viva Obama’, by some random mariachi band: And if that’s not enough Viva Obama goodness you can also download the ringtone and get the MP3 for your iPod […]