This is a good time for us election junkies. You know the type who stay up all night watching US TV on satellite for mid terms or presidential elections – or who can tell you how they reacted when Portillo lost his seat in 1997 – there is even a phrase – Were you there for Portillo? (oh how I loved the stunned face of that young out politician Steven Twigg who won.)  I even stay up to watch by-election results in the UK, although I think there are a lot less MP’s dying and causing by-elections in this parliament than in previous ones as there seem to be fewer by-elections.

The last US Presidential election saw me in a forest 17 miles outside the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, in the middle of god dam nowhere with a dodgy shortwave radio, a mobile phone and some American delegates who were praying for a Kerry win. He didn’t and I was up all night waiting for news and texts on what was happening on the other side of the world.

November 7th sees the US Mid Term elections where some seats in both houses are being contested, governors are also being elected and many many plebiscites/ballots on all sorts of issues are being contested at state and city level. I’ve been busy overdosing on news, views, blogs and video – a sort of cramming session for what’s ahead. 

Negative campaigning is something that Irish electors have not been exposed to yet or have we? Someone today on the Moncrieff show said that Bertiegate was an example of negative campaigning. That’s a load of bull.  We have had negative poster campaigns but as we don’t allow political advertising on TV beyond party political broadcasts I don’t believe we have really seen negative campaigning here (yet).

• You can see examples on Youtube of the negative ads being run by candidates and groups which support them. There are even ads telling candidates to keep it clean. I have already commented this week on the Michael J. Fox coverage and reaction to his condition. Last night he did an interview with Katie Couric on CBS which was very moving and yet again ‘graceful’ about his condition and the coverage of his symptoms. He’s still campaigning for embryonic stem cell research and has supported candidates from both parties.
• Hilary Clinton is evolved/evolving on the issue of gay marriage. What does this mean? Perfecting the art of speaking out of both sides of her mouth?
• Gay Marriage was a quiet issue in the election until this weeks ruling in the New Jersey Supreme Court but some Republicans are rehashing it as they see it as a vote loser for Democrats and a winner for them.
• It’s also very interesting to observe netroots in action. Money is being raised by bloggers and people who read blogs for candidates who have a chance of defeating incumbents.
• And then there is the ‘manipulation of google data’ – or google bombing, a bit of which is being touted this side of the pond.
• Some candidates are trying new tactics such as recording voters testimonies and posting them to listen to/view on their websites. Maybe a bit too infomercial??? Or maybe its too natural to make it feel like an infomercial. Have a listen. 
• BBC Radio 5’s Pods and Blogs will be following the election night with bloggers and podcasters.

And at the end of all of this there is sure to be a lot of pontificating on the role of the internet and social media in the election. And a fair bit of cud chewing on campaigning tactics. But above all the journey to the Presidential election in 2008 will begin and we’ll see if a Clinton/Barack (Or will it be Rodham-Clinton/Barack) ticket will emerge.