The Reporters: US mid-terms |
A shocking statistic from the latest. Only 30% of African-Americans think that their votes will be counted correctly - down from 47% at the last election.
Lingering doubts about how votes were tallied in and in seem to have been compounded by recent academic studies, questioning the security of some of the being used next month.
Jamie Coomarasamy is a Washington correspondent for 主播大秀 News.
I have just returned from a week of travelling the Middle East with US Secretary of State . About as far removed as you can get from the mid-term elections. Or is it?
While Washington was abuzz with the sexual peccadilloes of Congressman Mark Foley, Rice was in Baghdad dealing with an issue that's likely to have a bigger impact come 7 November. Even the most upbeat Republican would have to acknowledge that the Iraq war is not going according to plan.
The US Secretary of State was there in effect to read the riot act to Iraq's political leaders. She was telling them that they had to urgently get a grip on the spiralling sectarian violence; that Americans would not tolerate "watching Iraqi killing Iraqi" on their TV screens. This on top of a leading Republican senator - - warning that the Iraq war was "drifting" and (Secretary of State to Bush 41) suggesting that there may be other options rather than "staying the course" or "cut and run".
The trouble is that whatever the White House's frustrations over Iraq, it can't change policy just ahead of an election. That would look weak. The hope among Republican strategists is that if Iraq is wrapped up in the broader war on terror under the banner "America is safer" then the worsening violence in Iraq can be overlooked. The question is: will the strategy work?
Jonathan Beale is the 主播大秀's State Department correspondent.
Sorry to go back to sex but my attention is caught by the website of the Republican congressman . Under the heading Children Should be Safe In Congress (any takers for the idea that they shouldn't?) Mark writes: "I am disgusted with the actions of Rep. Foley who should be condemned and then prosecuted."
Eh?
I should declare an interest here: Back in the days when Mark and I looked like page boys and sex did not involve electronic devices (well, not often) we were classmates at the world's finest institution of learning, the . But I could have sworn he went to law school after his sojourn in London and assuming that he concentrated just a little did he not learn that to condemn and then to prosecute is an unusual approach to natural justice.
Of course he did. But on this sex scandal issue such considerations are thrown out of the window as sanctimonious politicos on either side of the divide (the Democrats' adverts are even worse) vie with each other to hate Mark Foley more. I write this in the knowledge that Mark Kirk is a decent amiable reasonable American (in fact I harbour a genuine and not entirely impartial desire that he one day makes it to the White House and I hope he will still have me to tea) but this story has unhinged even the sanest.
Just a thought: Congressional pages must be at least 16 - which is also the age of consent in DC. And a further thought: just what is "internet sex"? An oxymoron if ever there was one.
Justin Webb is the 主播大秀's chief North America radio correspondent.
LA Times: Rural areas of Missouri and other states in Bush country could hold the key to a Senate turnover for Democrats. ()
The Hill: White House politico Karl Rove has raised more than $12 million for GOP candidates this election cycle. ()
Pew Research Center: Turnout in the 2006 mid-term elections may well be higher than normal, given the level of interest expressed by voters in the latest polling. ()
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This is the 主播大秀's US mid-term elections blog, with analysis and comment from all the 主播大秀 journalists covering the polls.
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