So, what do you reckon? I think Obama can do it.
Funny today McCain was trying to make out that Obama is more like Bush than he is. We're in for a ahem fun few months.

Added new poll below --- who do you WANT to win?

McCain by a landslide.

When it comes to the crunch, I expect a lot of people to switch from the 'edgy' vote to a safe vote. Obama will lead in the exit polls but on the day he'll get whooped. Which is a shame cos I like Obama.

I reckon you're right Bobby. McCain is center enough to appeal to enough socially conservative democrates that he will win. We will never know, but Clinton's greater appeal to conservative voters may have given her a better chance at beating McCain. Kind of ironic, really.

I concur!

I will be surprised if Obama makes it first over the line - very very surprised.

I also think that IF by some miracle he does pull it off - that his days are numbered. There are too many white supremesists/exptremists in the US... he does not stand a chance.

McCain will win, McCain will come second, third and fourth. That is a landslide.

I think people might be surprised.

I would have serious reservations voting for a guy 72 years old (no offence to oldies intended, my dad is as well!).

Actually McCain is very votable. I still can't believe that Bush won the republican nomination over McCain all those years ago. What were they thinking???!
Hope Obama wins though. Really hope so. I think he has good chance. Maybe I have to much faith in the American people, though.

McCain is 72?!?! How is he going to do a second term? I'm stunned, why on earth did they put forward someone how has already been retired 7 years!!!

why not? they voted in a chimpanzee for the last 2 terms.

in 4 years he'll be 76, rounded up => 80.
commander in chief who's almost 80 would be quite encouraging for elderly people.

Age is surely a factor.
Seems made to put a 72 year old who has had medical issues in the past up there.

Then again, yes, nearly half of the voters did actually vote for a chimpanzee. So who knows?

reagan must have been about the same age when he was elected

wow, he was 69 and did 2 terms. looked younger for his age =)

Well I think it will be closer than lots of people think.
Just think how far Obama has come in less than a year. Mighty impressive. Perhaps I'm just hoping.

you're just hoping.

OK new poll - who do you WANT to win?

I still believe he can do it.

I reckon McCain, he makes the better chips

I'd like Obama to win.
I think lots of people do.
He has a chance.

I saw McCain in an interview the other night, he seemed quite on the ball. At least he can put a sentence together unlike GWB.

I just feel cheese when I hear him. Of course better than Bush, but it's not the best thing to compare against I suppose!

Why a landslide?

Obama seems to have a lot of support and I can only see that rising in the coming months especially amongst the young people who might actually be motivated to vote this time.

I say he will win and bet a glass of beer on it.

you know the US has issues, the absolute disastrous mess that is Iraq, soaring fuel prices, the housing mortgage crisis, the weak dollar, weak economy etc etc at what point will even edgy voters say enough is enough, the Republicans have done a crap job, lets see what the rockstar can do.
McCain is damaged goods, all the years as POW messed him up, sure he puts forward a decent enough image, but inside....
The world needs Obama to win.

I prefer neither:
One is old and likely to be a puppet like Reagan, whilst the other (looking past all the shiny teeth and Kennedy-like gestures) has uncomfortable links to Islam.

Having a dodgy background (linked to Indonesia) is not the type of person I'd consider appropriate to have the finger on 'the button'.

They would've been safer with Clinton - experienced beyond all the others.

What on earth...? Are you serious? Maybe, just maybe, some bloke whose experience is broader than the typical Good ol' Boy is the kind of bloke you want running the show. I agree that Clinton would have been good and may actually have had a better appeal amongst the left leaning republicans but excluding a guy because he has some personal experience with Islam is absurd.

Not that I understand a lot (or even a little) about how the US government functions, but given the forces and special interests and lobbying involved, you have to wonder whether any president really could effect much change. Certainly, significant change to things like health and education and defence etc, would probably be very difficult.

I'm looking forward to the day a declared atheist is elected president.

Good point that last one. Is any main Western leader a declared atheist?

Surely thats a wind up SubZero?

Many things said in jest, are true?

If all the people who apparently WANT Obama to win actually vote, then perhaps he can.

"A crack team of cybernauts will form a rapid response internet “war room” to track and respond aggressively to online rumours that Barack Obama is unpatriotic and a Muslim.

As he gears up for his general election fight against John McCain, Mr Obama and his chief advisers are aware of the danger of such rumours, amid polling data showing that a significant number of Americans believe he is a Muslim or are suspicious about his background. Such doubts were a factor in his poor showing with white, blue-collar voters during his primary battle with Hillary Clinton."

It sure will be interesting to see how dirty this lot gets.

In a democracy, people really do get the government they deserve, don't they?

Sad isn't it.

Fox is doing it's best to be fair and balanced still I see

On on-screen captions, Fox News are already labelling her "Obama's Baby Mama". It may not strictly qualify as racism, but feeds straight into stereotypes that are. Its all that flipflopper and Swift Boat nonsense again. Kerry went to Nam but was defamed for it, while draft dodging Bush got off scot free. Its brainless propaganda.

The voting machines and the corporate media are still there, as is the Supreme Court if needed, so I can only see another Republican win. Obama is at least 90% gloss, but the other bit is meaningfully better than McCain. That's why it still matters, and why most of the media will go after him.

In the big picture, the USA is in a really bad way, so whoever wins is going to inherit a huge mess. He will have his hands tied from the get go. The wars and the cost of importing oil are bankrupting them. Stiglitz reckons the war will cost three trillion, and the yearly oil bill is well over $2000 per capita. A lot of that is burnt in big cars and leaky houses that contribute nothing to GDP.

You can imagine the Fox news people in a room conspiring how to get stuff like that in without getting into trouble.

I hope McCain selects a good running mate and not some kind of moron in case he dies during his term in office. Who knows we might end up with someone worse than Bush Jr.

Read somewhere there's a good chance he will pick a woman or someone from a minority.

When do they have to announce their Number 2s?

Sad. Bush asking Brown to lay more lives on the line just to shore up the yank forces. Bastard. Bush to the front line please.

An aide to Republican presidential hopeful John McCain has said he regrets telling a reporter that a terror attack on the US would be "an advantage".

Charlie Black made the comments to a journalist from Fortune magazine.

Mr McCain has distanced himself from Mr Black's comments, saying he "strenuously disagree" with him.

That sounds so much like the 9-11 line from Bush.

Liked this thread of talk

John McCain, who only days ago said it took an annual income of $5m (£2.5m) to be counted as truly rich, yesterday came under attack for admitting he had lost track of how many homes he owned.

In a godsend to the Democrats, the Republican was caught out when asked in an interview how many homes he owned. "I think ... I'll have my staff get to you," McCain told Politico, a Washington insider news website, and then muttered something about condominiums.

McCain's wife, Cindy, inherited one of America's biggest beer distribution firms and has an estimated fortune of $200m. The couple reportedly own seven homes in Arizona, California and Virginia, worth a combined total of about $13m. But Politico was told by his campaign they had four.

The Obama camp has been trying to draw attention to the McCains's wealth, in part to defend the Democrat against Republican charges that he is elitist.

Beer distribution firm????? That is great. Wow, what a first lady that would make. Go GO GO McCain, whoop his terrorist ass.

Oven Chips as well!

I believe Obama will win by 5 to 15 electoral votes and go on to be a very succesful President, he may even change VP's in his second term to Hillary if the older Biden opts out at 70.

Not that I know anything about this lady, but.... very interesting choice that.

She has a son who is going to go serve in Iraq (and very proud of him), and so obviously she is the best choice for the post of VP of the USA.

In the prez 'card race', to counter any race card McCain, has pulled an equally big gender card. Cunning plan by McCain.

I was watching the Daily show the other day and it was hilarious the montage of "serious" reporters they assembled speaking of one card or another: the race card, the change card, the populous card, the fear card, the Europe card, the patriotism card, the woman as victim card, the gender card, the class card and the Maliki card.
Lots of cards. How about the who give a *&^% card?
Plenty of people playing that themselves. I believe CreekBoy back in the US of A has played that card, quite unbearable all the coverage.

Are there really so many people who would have voted for Hillary because she is a woman and now move over to this new chick because she is a woman??

Stroke of genius. While Osama chose a token wasp, McCain goes for half the Democrats.

In terms of being good for the country or whatever.....

Insane choice if you ask me.
She is not remotely ready to be POTUS.

I don't think it's about being good for the USA. It's only about getting votes.

Surely a(n even mildly) intelligent voter must ask themselves "is this person ready to take the place of McCain if something happens to him". I say no and would not vote for him because of this choice.

this is just me:

who is the dep prime minister of UK, dunno don't care
who is the vice prez of France? dunno, don't care
etc, etc.

Not even if you were a native of those countries and voting for them?

I would.

Apart from the fact that I think the choice is offensive in some ways, it is just so totally transparent.

She even mentioned Hillary in her speech!!

it's in your face "Hillary supporters come here" and it'll work.

Go go old man Mac.