Should Clinton have done more than “regret” Ferraro”?

Should Clinton have done more than “regret” Ferraro”?

How MSNBC is reporting the “racist comment” row If you’ve got ten minutes just check out how MSNBC is covering the remarkable attack on Barack Obama by the Hillary fundraiser and campaigner, Geraldine Ferraro, who ran on the unsuccessful Democratic ticket with Walter Mondale in 1984. It gets over far better than anybody could write the nature of this latest issue to blow up in the Democratic nomination. It’s also (see my previous article) great political television. Hillary’s reaction has…

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Should BBC politics be outsourced to one of these?

Should BBC politics be outsourced to one of these?

How long are will to have to ensure tedious BBC coverage? For the last few months I’ve spent an hour or so each day watching the developing story of US election on CNN and on the web-sites of the major networks – ABC, CBS and MSNBC and its been hugely impressive. The graphics are innovative, the presentation is sharp and most of all the analysis is superb and expertly prepared. Complex situations and stores are presented in an informative and…

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The Budget thread….

The Budget thread….

Can Darling pull something out of the hat? After a decade of Gordon Brown budgets it’s going to be quite a change seeing Alistair Darling delivering his first budget with his predecessor at his side. What has he got in store? Will he be able to wrong-foot Cameron who has to make a response immediately afterwards without having had any chance to read and assimilate the details? Given that a general election might only be thirteen months away what’s announced…

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What about Hillary being on the ticket as Obama’s V-P?

What about Hillary being on the ticket as Obama’s V-P?

Is she worth backing at 5/1? After the weekend suggestions from the Clinton Camp that the current delegate leader, Barack Obama, could join Hillary on the ticket as the V-P nominee there’s increasing discussion that she could accept it the other way round. One of her most outspoken and influential backers, Governor Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania, says he would be happy to support an Obama-Hillary ticket even if it meant that his choice was in the number 2 slot. Such…

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Paddy Power, Mike Huckabee and a Voided Bet

Paddy Power, Mike Huckabee and a Voided Bet

A cautionary tale from Peter the Punter Take care, political punters. The bets you think you may have struck with bookmakers may not be as watertight as you think. In the Republican Caucus for Kansas held on Feb 9th 2008, Mitt Romney was hot favorite to win ahead of his main rival, Mike Huckabee. The first indication on this Site of a possible upset came at 8.11pm (GMT) with Jfsl posting at 165 – “Fox predicting Huckabee will win Kansas.”…

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Will “Prudent” be tomorrow’s budget winner?

Will “Prudent” be tomorrow’s budget winner?

Can we repeat our 2007 success? One of the down-sides of political betting is that unlike racing or football or other sporting events you very rarely get the chance to cheer your choice on while an event is running. It’s all rather cold and mechanistic apart from, that is the budget. Above is a list of spread markets from Sporting Index. Here you look at the list and decide whether Darling is going to say more or less of the…

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Did Hillary really bring peace to Northern Ireland?

Did Hillary really bring peace to Northern Ireland?

Will the First Lady records substantiate her “experience” claims? After managing to turn up the heat last week on Obama’s experience the media narrative has turned the other way and what she says she did as First Lady is being put under the microscope. One of the specific claims that is under scrutiny is her statement: “I helped bring peace to Northern Ireland”. A comment from the unionist leader at the time and Nobel Prize winner, David Trimble, is causing…

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Labour and Lib Dem boost in Populus poll

Labour and Lib Dem boost in Populus poll

But Cameron sees an increase in his personal ratings The Populus survey for the Times has just been published and shows a significant increase for Labour and, as predicted here this morning, a boost for the Lib Dems. These shares are with changes on a month ago CON 37% (-3): LAB 34% (+3): LD 19%(+2) The numbers are fairly similar to that which the pollster found at the start of January, immediately after the Christmas break. The Lib Dems will…

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