Am for the first time following the Race for candidacy, v interesting stuff.

Heres a couple of widgets that show where you are regards political stance on a number of key questions in relationship to the candidates from both sides :

Electoral Compass (most like Obama)

USA Today (most like McCain) ..

interesting that the Electoral Compass is a little more in-depth with the style of Q&A ... is USA Today a right wing hawk à la Fox News ?

USA Today is a joke of a newspaper. it's known for it sports page and using colored graphs.

USA Today gave me Kucinich

Not surprising. I'm closest to Obama and farthest from Fred Thompson.

Frankly I would be be heading for toxic shock if anyone on here is near to Fred Thompson ... apart from AbFab of course ..

If Obama wins the New Hampshire primary (in addition to already winning the Iowa caucuses) then he is pretty much assured the Democratic candidacy. But the Democrats are gambling a huge amount on putting forward two "firsts" as candidates. The question is whether Americans are ready? Watching the BBC reports I would guess that they are, but then the BBC does have a slight left wing Bias.

Anyone have a good "US Presidential Selection for Dummies" guide for me?

Every 4 years I start trying to understand and appreciate the long winded process but invariably give up and switch off. Much like the Superbowl

This is a pretty good timetable which explains the primaries.

to quote Chris Rock.... no I better not.

I think a Mormon may have more problems winning than a woman or a black. I think America is ready for a woman and or a black President.

In the Compass, I closest to Bill Richardson, who is my preferred candidatwe

Same here. I am a bit surprised though. Thought that I'd be more on the right but that is all relative. I guess the questions about gun control, terrorism and abortion put me to the left on American scale.

USA today is actually a left newspaper. They are for McCain because if he wins in the primary any Democrat will win the election.

As I heard a comedian say: "Who do the Republicans hate more than blacks or women? What, the democrats couldn't find an Islamic Extremist to run for President?"

well recently I received a chain email claiming Obama was a radical Muslim--

Well, if you got it in an email it must be true. I just won the Dutch lottery!

snopes

What an amazing time in American Politics! Is anybody else as addicted to this race as I am? I find CNN more intoxicating than MTV reality shows, and just can not seem to get away from campaign coverage......

I am curious if anybody else is interested in an evening(especially after the debate tonight) where we could meet up and talk about our choices for candidates and reasons why(civil discussion/debate)?

Brandy

The new World Sport/quiz show combo, replete with cheerleaders and commentators. Disturbing.

I say Obama for Pres, Hillary VP and Bill Ass't VP, how's that sound?

I think that the reason that we are seeing these two "firsts" in American politics is simply because it's the election that no (white) man wants to win. The republicans are giving it away to the democrats, the democratic white men have passed it off to Hilary who in turn has let Obama have a go.

huh? Hilary is one of the strongest candidates in recent history. And Obama is quite good too.

it is not that there are a bunch of strong white male politicians in the US sitting out the election. Any US politician who had half a chance got into the race, Gore being the notable exception. The only white male politician that has strong support as Hilary is Arnie, but he is not eligible. You have to remember that in a two party system, there are wide disagreements in the party and the Republicans have very distinct coalitons right now .... social conservatives, fiscal conservatives, business moderates, libertarians and big military. there is an out an out war on the Republican side right now because the social conservatives dislike Mccain more than Hilary even, if you can believe that. The Republicans are too divided right now to put up a good candidate.

This is a great time become President, the country is on a downward spiral economically etc. Things should recover or at least be better by the end of four years and thus a President can take credit for great sucesses. look at Reagan and Clinton 1 as an example of this. George has screwed things up so bad that the next President can't help but do better and anything wrong you blame on him.

Dakman's Rule 1: it is always better to be a replacement for a lousy CEO than a sucessful one