Americans are currently streaming to the polling booths, and within twenty four hours we will know who George Bush’s successor will be. Marie Kemplay thinks for a final time. Who will be the next president of the United States?

After months of hard campaigning, debates and Tina Fey’s wonderful Sarah Palin impersonations the U.S presidential election is finally upon us.

There has been talk over the last week about just how little it will matter in the long term which candidate is elected president. It has been argued that such is the state of the US economy and finances that the agenda is largely stitched up by financial constraints. But psychologically it matters hugely, after the final depressing years of the Bush Presidency with its historic low approval ratings and the recent economic turmoil; Americans desperately crave something to be optimistic about. Both candidates want to completely disassociate themselves from the past eight years and offer Americans a new exciting chapter in their country’s history.

All the polls are predicting a clear win for Barack Obama but Americans are fickle creatures and polls are not always a reliable indicator of who will win. Many are worried Obama could be a victim of the so-called ‘Bradley effect’ named after Tom Bradley, a black man who was Mayor of Los Angeles who ran for Governor of California in 1972 with a 10-point lead in the polls but lost after white voters who promised their votes did not actually vote for him. Also to be considered is the effect Sarah Palin has had on John McCain’s campaign, has she been a boost or a liability? And whether when push comes to shove Americans will opt for an experienced politician like McCain or for the excitement and vibrancy of Barack Obama.

It’s exciting stuff and we’ve got a great vantage point at this side of the Atlantic, all the drama without and responsibility or input. So if you’re anything like me you’ll be settling down in front of the TV tonight with a beer and a big bowl of pistachio nuts, it’s going to be a long night.

Tags: Politics //