It's wonderful to see - and to meet - so many Americans taking this so seriously. This is a nation of fast food, of short attention spans, of busy busy people who in the past have been too busy to vote in anything but moderate numbers. In 2004, turnout was respectable; the nation expects 2008 to be a celebration of democracy.
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Hello, I'm Justin Webb and I'm the BBC's North America editor.
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You should feed some of that "fast" food to your moderators in hopes of getting them going.
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I feel that this race has reinvigorated politics not just in the US, but worldwide. You only need to check http://www.iftheworldcouldvote.com/ to see how much this means the world over.
I for one will be staying up overnight to watch the results as they come in. Here's hoping for an Obama win!
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Yep, but also I suppose it could still be a demonstration of mass stupidity on an epic, Cecil B scale.
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Justin,
Your previous blog just mentioned that you don't see the surge. What's up with flip-flopping?
On the this particular topic, let me remind you that US is a country with approx. 300 million people. That is a big number, meaning, there are a lot of all kinds of people. Educated and uneducated, intellectual and intellectually incurious, religious and nonreligious, progressive and backward etc.
I have lived the US for the last four years. Before that I lived in UK where I grew up through secondary school, college, university and graduate school in major UK cities including London.
I live in Boulder, CO, where I have made a lot of American friends and I have to say they and those that are not my friends fit none of the description you gave.
Simply put, this is too big and complex a country to slate with such stereotype.
I can tell you first hand that there is a real strong desire for change and a great number of American see this election as too important to give it a miss which is great because given the importance of the US role and especially its leader in global affairs (which is how it will affect me and other non US nationals), they are taking this one seriously. And I am confident that given the record turn out, it seems they are likely to select the right one, ie Obama. I am predicting a landslide for Barack. Sorry Justin.
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Well, mostly. There was one woman savvy enough to record and upload her voting decision to CNN's iReport web page but not enlightened enough to make an informed choice. She flipped a coin instead. (It was heads so she's voting Obama.)
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Elusive surge to celebration of democracy in a span of 8 hours and a mix of fast food.
Yes we did it.
Obama/Biden 08
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Oooh, good post!
Let's summarize:
"These guys are morons. It pleases me they can get it together long enough to vote."
Think of all the different ways you could have phrased, "Turnout looks to be much higher than it's ever been!" and not backhandedly insulted 300 million people.
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I'm not surprised they're turning out with the offers of free food and drink. Maybe we should try this tactic in the UK.
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I was at school with Justin Webb! I don't know why, but I feel very proud of that..
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This weblog is like finding a man on the run from his creditors.
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Productivity, up! Hours worked, up! Salaries, down! I can't speak for the rest of my country, but I'm tired of it. One would think that 200 years of resource extraction from the new world would leave all of us US citizens in a bit of a better place. I wish I could take off as much time as the French or Brazilians, but I can't. I can't even go to the hospital, for pete's sake.
Don't get me wrong, I love being a US citizen, and I wake up every day thankful for my health and freedom, but honestly, it is time for a change. I am very proud today to see so many people get out the vote.
I hope the rest of the world will understand how we got lambasted and fooled. Please find it in your hearts to forgive us as we have so much still to give back, given the opportunity.
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Urghh - could you get any more patronising Justin? The premises of your statement are just plain wrong. There is no evidence which links voting turnout to fast food or short attention spans. It is much more credibly linked to popular perceptions of risk, social cohesion and the positioning of the issues. in most electoral studies. I don't see what you can achieve with such simplicity. Howabout the BBC stops the meandering whimsy and 'poetry-journalism' and just gives us the facts so we can make our minds up without your way off editorialising.
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I don't know about a 'celebration of democracy'.
I've just had to turn Radio 5 off, because of the same kind of vitriolic outpourings from one 'Democrat' and one 'Republican' we've become used to here.
Please, please, don't let this blog descend into that again.
(Did I catch a glimpse of a 'squirrel' here? I do hope that poster is not going to be taking a respectable quiet, hard-working mammal in vain?)
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Thanks for the patronizing praise. I'd just like to know if you've ever been here, or if you're simply basing that off what you see on TV like about 90% of stuck up Europeans.
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Justin,
We live
We love
We shoot
We vote.
God bless America.
American Sam
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As I left for school this morning I decided to stop and cast my vote for Barack Obama. I arrived 30 minutes before the polls opened and was first in line. It was quite a feeling to know that I cast the first vote in my precinct on this historic day. As I left the building just after 7AM the line waiting to cast their vote ran out the door with cars crowding into the parking lot. Teachers at my school were late because of traffic around polling sites. What a day!
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Justin ,
Perhaps the American public is becoming cognizant of the fact that our very, very busy lives and fast food mentality is reflective of something wrong with the way we are going .
My vote is for the American electorate as goofy as it may be . Just when many thought we didn’t get it, we actually shocked everyone of what we can accomplish if we put our collective minds to it
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Have read a report that in Kentucky McCain won by 51 to 48%. In 2004 it voted fro Bush 60%-40%. If so this is quite a swing. Any details on how the Vermont vote splits?
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Pardon Me Sir, But i may be an American but I am a very informed world knowlage hungry and not a hamburger eatting fast food haveing a fast car or fasr internet far from it ! Im a farmmer not a rich one I do not get gov. sub. do not qulifie too small I have to work the land my self with a 1940 and 1960 tractors So do not lump me in the pike of the bush wackers Nope I have a brain and haveing one around here is not always a good thing I tried to get people to look at whom they voted for in the last election not to do it but the masses of people must have been on drugs along with the rules that were set up for elections gone with the wind !!!! there are alot of people that do care but after the local and past elections haveing the back door slippings of getting in alot were jadeied over our system of voteing 1 I so not lump other people of other countries into stereo types neither should you !!!!!!!!!!! Tired of being bashed for haveing the luck of being born here on the US. Sorry but can you help where you were born? nope you just got to make the best of what you have and hopefuly make it better for our kids Yes I did vote I have not missed voteing for 21 years did not care in my younger days till I saw things being done in this country I did not aprove of and hoped my votes would make a differance !
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Regardless of the outcome, just the fact that so many people care enough to vote gives me some hope for our future. It's so wonderful to see people inspired, to see people believing again that they can make a difference... I've been reading the blog submissions from all over the US and beyond, and I truly feel as though Americans are beginning to understand that if we put our minds to it, we can move mountains. If we work together with the inspiration of a real leader who expects us all to give, to sacrifice, to commit to making changes, we can be a great country.
It's far different from the atmosphere of the past eight years. I think as a nation, we've been severely depressed.
- OQ in California
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For all that is said about defeating terrorism and exteemism this today in America is the best form of it. Democracy is the best message of defiance that can be sent out and it is heart warming to see American utilising that right that so many people around the world are not granted or choose to squander.
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The atmosphere on the streets of Seattle is quite animated today. I can't remember the last time people stood on street corners with political posters in these numbers in downtown. "Honk if you love..."...and there are lots of responses...mostly to Obama posters.
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A nation of fast food and short attention spans? How stereotypical and condecending could you possibly be? Typical BBC anti-Americanism.
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I'm not sure why others think the post was patronizing or insulting.
I think it's exciting, and a credit to everyone that so many people are voting, and have also followed it closely.
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"In a nation of fast food and busy people, it's wonderful to see so many Americans taking this so seriously" .
I'm not sure what that means. It begins in sycophancy, which I expect of Mr Webb and the Beeb, then shoots off into patronising, which I don't. Very disconcerting.
The U.S. offers quite a poor example of universal suffrage. 2000 was scandalous, 2004 problematic, and the fact that it is here applauded that people can be bothered to put down their hamburgers for one day every four years tells a number of stories. I wish some journalists would get stuck into them.
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"This is a nation of fast food, of short attention spans..."
How arrogant. This is why the US does not listen to EU media in general. Do you not do a first draft ever -or was it worse and this is the revised?
I have always voted and I don't eat fast food. You should look at how much the UK scarfs down though.
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You're terribly mistaken. As an American, I'm appalled with the results the political coup(s) of the last 8 years has inflicted on both ourselves and the world. Given the choice of 2 good candidates in Clinton & Obama, we Americans feel, for the first time in years, somewhat validated, if not totally vindicated. And for what it's worth, our attention spans are no shorter than yours, and we're not all morbidly obese. Nonetheless, I value the opinion of our friends and allies worldwide, and hope that we can improve our lot and earn a modicum of respect once again. Bush should have been impeached, but that was obviously never going to happen. So, he should at least be brought up on war crimes. But that's just my opinion.
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Ref #4 Byungmoon
If Justin shows impartiality I say good for him. It would be a refreshing change from the disgracefully one-sided support for Obama that has generally been the case with a shabby U.S. media evidently determined to influence the outcome of this election, in the process shaming the democratic process.
You were right to point out the great variety in the make up of Americans and consequently the unfairness in generalizing, but regardless, watching from next door I've been appalled by the general superficiality in reasons for supporting Obama, not least from Colin Powell. Much of it ignores, in fact shows little interest in, the flawed nature of this man's character, his dubious associations which is a commentary on his character and instincts, and his do-nothing career in both the Illinois and U.S. senates. The man is shallow even if personable and possessing a great orator's voice, yet supposedly this same man will lead the country into the promised land. That strikes me as frighteningly dumb and reflects poorly on the general state of personal values and powers of discernment.
For all this there will be serious consequences that in time Americans will come to regret.
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Isn't fast food a sign of a nation on the go?
Down to the nuts and bolts of it all, to vote is our only form of demcratic right to a free society, the problem arises when the elected leaders abuse the power given to them by the elctorate, this clearly happen with the Bush administration, but we the people failed to act against it, one I believe the nation was stunned how the President lied to his own people and why the senate failed to stop him.
But have we learnt anything from this, will the next president do the same, if so how we the people will react.
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Interesting article. It came across as a mite condescending, I do apologize if that comes across as offensive.
However, most of the world's view of the USA is a mite warped, because most of our media has a tendency to wildly exaggerate who and what we are.
Truth be told, we do a lot of watching and listening. I was born and raised in Minnesota, a state physically larger than the whole of the United Kingdom, and composed of mostly practical types no matter the race.
We've got a simple rule of thumb here. We couldn't care less what your religion or skin color is. The wildly changing weather we endure is bad enough, why make a fuss over something so small? I don't care how funny you look or sound; if we can trust you to be friendly and a hard worker, we'll help you make a go of it. If it turns out that you're actually trustworthy, we'll give you the shirt off our backs, assuming you eventually repay our generosity. We, all of us Americans, know what it's like to begin with almost nothing to your name. Many of us got a helping hand from our neighbors, and even repaid that favor by both helping other immigrants and paying back our debts.
No offense, people of the world, but when it's just you and one other guy for days in any direction, you care a heck of a lot less about appearances or even religion. You start caring about what kind of man or woman that neighbor is; can you trust the guy next door to help you out of a jam, and repay you when you help him out?
I'm not saying the USA is a miracle nation, I'm sorry but my ego isn't that big. What I am saying is that we are a nation of global rejects who couldn't make it elsewhere. Starting with nothing really boils off the nonsensical pride that we all assure ourselves we have the world pretty well figured. Many of us passed on that attitude to our kids.
If you want to know America, you need to spend time here, listening and watching to the people on the sidewalks of this country. The US media is meant for entertainment, not as a reflection of our reality. If you don't like it in one state, move to another one and life WILL be radically different. Don't assume that your experience in one area ensures that the rest of the half continent is identical.
Honestly, we're nothing like Europe, so don't lump us in with the rest of the West. Attitudes aren't assigned from birth (it seems the rest of the world appears like IMHO). Sure, we from Minnesota (for example) might look at the Californians and Texans a mite odd, but we're willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
We do insist that you learn our language if you want to stay here, and please try not to disturb the peace. Otherwise, just be yourselves, because no matter how peculiar you might be, as long as you know how to be friendly we don't care what how funny you might appear to us.
It's a sacred right for Americans to be able to tell the powers that be to go soak their heads in a lake. As long as you don't hurt anybody or try to force your beliefs on the rest of us, protest anything as long as you like! We've got a rebellious(or independent, depending on your viewpoint) streak a kilometer wide, and we're proud of it.
Justin Webb, if you want a better view of our politics, go watch our political humor, like the Daily Show, Doonesbury and comedians like Lewis Black. Sometimes the real thing shines through, but never if controlled by a corporation.
None of this is intended to be inflammatory, so if you take it to be that, take a deep breath and relax. I didn't mean it in a hostile or egotistical fashion. I really am trying to give you a more realistic view of us, since you seem interested.
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I was surprised how easy the people were fooled by Obama simple ploy of going trick or treat with is child took the nations hearts, running America is about politics and experience not about tricking the people into thinking his a family man and Mccain is not, the country is in a mess at this time it needs experience to get it out, Obama as only got words, there will be room for him in the future, but not now.
What was that: We won't get fooled again.
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I agree the important thing is that this election has motivated people to go and vote.
Now we need to do the same in the UK - get more people engaged in politics
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Americans have long attention spans when it matters. Usually it only matters when it comes to -The Sopranos-, but when it starts to look like the bank will take your home and the army will take your children, you start paying attention to politics.
Fast food has nothing to do with it.
-FreeClench
(sitting at a McD's)
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It's ironic that whilst the US vote in someone who has had to fight prejudice and ignorance, an experienced British journalist and some US citizens see fit to promote prejudice and ignorance.
Whilst Bush saw fit to tear this world apart, Obama has the potential to help bring this world together. Some of the views expressed above do nothing to help his cause.
As a free thinking Englishman from birth, I wish Barack all the best in his first term of office.
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#34 - Jeebers76, if there's any part of your description that distinguishes the U.S. from Europe I can't find it, except for the part where you say "we're nothing like Europe".
"From the beginning all men by nature were created alike, and our bondage or servitude came in by the unjust oppression of naughty men." John Ball, 1381.
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Worldtuner08:
You infer that McCain is a family man... to which family do you refer? His first wife and children he cheated on and dumped as soon as he found a hotter, younger, richer, and physically able woman who would aid his political career? Or his current wife who turned to drugs in an attempt to escape his mysoginistic abuse and womanizing, and who is shunned in Washington?
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Ref: Post # 34
Jeebers76?
You rock! You have encapsulated the essence and spirit of what it is to be an American with your post.
Between your inspiring words, and the Obama acceptance speech last night, I'm starting to believe again... and it feels pretty good.
Much love!
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"This is a nation of fast food, of short attention spans, of busy busy people who in the past have been too busy to vote in anything but moderate numbers".
I am going to take this in the spirit that I think it's intended...the spirit that recognizes how Americans typically have longer work days, less benefits, busier schedules, practically no appreciation from the companies we work for nor our from government; but we still manage to push on every single day and have amazing productivity. I think people turned out to vote this time because, they finally felt like someone was talking to them. Usually our pool of candidates cosists of white, richy rich men who really know NOTHING about the middle class. Barack Obama showed American again that you can still come from meager beginnings and achieve greatness.
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#42, you forget that we never really got rid of our aristocrats. In Congress or the House, they're mostly old money, white, male, and have deep roots in the East Coast. Bush jr isn't a Texan, although he likes to pretends this is so.
These guys not only don't know the middle class, they don't even vaguely understand the lower class, the latter of which is growing ever larger as of late. They outright hate the intelligentsia and oppose them at every opportunity (we can argue with them).
I think the reason why I took Webb so negatively is the running theme I found in his posts. I could have completely misinterpreted the man, I dunno.
As for #39, I think the difference is implied. You yourself are a black Briton, can you imagine when anyone other than white and especially has African ancestry becoming PM? How about our upcoming President, and our CURRENT majority party leader Nancy Pelosi's gender? How many nations can say something like that in Europe? Heck, Obama's a first generation American by virtue of his father's genetics no less!
This doesn't mean we are superior, just different from places like Europe. When was the last spate of 200 years that only had ONE internal European war? Circumstances just made us what we are, no more, no less.
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"There is no evidence which links voting turnout to fast food or short attention spans. It is much more credibly linked to popular perceptions of risk, social cohesion and the positioning of the issues. in most electoral studies. I don't see what you can achieve with such simplicity." [--a comment above]. What jounalists achieve with this kind of silliness is to hide from the real work involved in real journalism. And even the best journalists fall into it periodically, so there is hope for our man, here, too.
I think the most important thing ---the thing that had me getting the vote out--- has been missed by a lot of these political commentators, either because they've never been involved seriously in politics themselves, or they haven't studied much history, or they haven't talked with people who've done those things. Basically, when you vote for the first time for President, the party of that candidate is pretty much the party you'll identify yourself with for the rest of your life. THAT is one thing that is so important, to me, about Obama's victory: the great number of young people who identified themselves with the Democratic Party. Who will BE the Democratic Party.
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And I meant to add: #34 - Jeebers76 is right on. To say" if there's any part of your description that distinguishes the U.S. from Europe I can't find it, except for the part where you say 'we're nothing like Europe' is to ignore the basic premise, which differentiates the USA from Europe by light-years: we consider it self-evident that all men are created equal, and that certain inalienable rights go with the package. Not all of Europe or the rest of the world have quite cought on to that even now --which is why Obama's election has lit the hearts of people everywhere.
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