in the States if you get a phone call from one of the campaigns you must, by law, respond to the call - you can't just put the phone down without answering. Surely that can't be true? (definitely sounds like a load of cobblers).
You're correct, Mad's, in that it's complete Tommyrot. I have responded to several such calls with, shall we say, "colorful language" and a quick hangup. Telephone polling is notoriously inaccurate.
Sorry about this but another question about the election. While watching the news about the elections last night MadsMum said she had heard somewhere, on tele or radio, that in the States if you get a phone call from one of the campaigns you must, by law, respond to the call - you can't just put the phone down without answering. Surely that can't be true? (definitely sounds like a load of cobblers).
Total nonsense. If on our phone screen the words "Political Call" shows we do not answer. Or if it is "Unknown Caller", "Blocked Caller" or any 1-800 numbers.
Now, my bet on the Republican ticket is, McCain/Giuliana. Second choice would be McCain/Huckabee.
For the Democrats I really don't have a clue, however, I would be shocked if it was a Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton ticket.
I should also include Virginia (I'm ex mil and a history buff) and Maryland (sailing the Chesapeake would be fantastic - If I remember 'red right returning' as opposed to 'port wine is red' outside N&S America).
There's a fair chance you'll love Chicago, which has it all over New York as far as I'm concerned (the museums (Field, Hayden Planetarium, Art Institute, and numerous others... google Chicago Museums and Chicago Festivals) along the lakefront are excellent and reasonably priced... Michigan Avenue is a fine place to people watch and the shopping is world-class and probably reasonable with currency from the east side of the pond these days... whether you like baseball or not, drowsing in the bleachers at Wrigley Field is a fine way to waste an afternoon... even in winter, Chicago is fun, though definitely not for extended periods outdoors... the steaks are terrific (and ridiculously large in most cases), the people are friendly and generous... the architectural history is fascinating and open to lots of debate and argument (riverboat architectural tours in the warm months are just the way to grouse about the state of the city over a beer). Last heard, it was still legal to fly the city VFR corridors though there has been movement afoot to shut that down (flying a helicopter between Big John (the Hancock building... cheaper and shorter queues than the Sears Tower and view is equally spectacular) and the Sears Tower some 30 stories below the top of the Sears remains a highlight)... the summer season is also known as festival season and there are music, cultural, food, film, and other festivals throughout a period of about 3 months. Millennium Park often has free symphony (seats are not free, but the grass is, and you can bring a picnic) in the outdoor amphitheatre in summer. These and numerous other things are available in free publications all over the city. There is something of a beach life along the lakeshore in summer and bicycles and skates are available for hire to cruise along the shore. Sailing on Lake Michigan can also be excellent... they call it a Great Lake for a reason. Unknown if the festival season is published for this year as yet... google is your friend. Determining what NOT to do is the struggle in Chicago.
grew up around the Chesapeake... and you are correct... red, right, returning. The trick in the Chesapeake is figuring out whether or not you're returning... complex body of water with many feeders. RRR, F=MA, and "2, 5, & 8 are the stack men" were supposedly the graduation requirements from my university... never quite sorted out what that last one meant, but often used the other two. In Virginia, avoid most of Colonial Williamsburg, but Monticello and Mount Vernon are well worth it. In any town on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake, crab cakes and/or she-crab soup or a soft-shell crab (in season) sandwich with a schooner of beer should satisfy any sharp-set sailor. If one doesn't eat seafood, the Eastern Shore is no place to be... oysters are considered a vegetable on the Eastern Shore. There are some strange stories in the Chesapeake of punt guns and poachers and various other things in the local lore... some of the locals speak nearly an Elizabethan form of English. Pop into Annapolis for a look around during a sail, maybe visit the Maryland State House (one of the more British of the states, actually... look at that horrid flag).
Not answering the phone illegal? Nah. How do they know you're even home or not in the loo? Besides, they're hired pollsters... now, blowing off the census if they knock on the door and see you hiding behind the drapes... that's probably not as easy to get away with...
Agree with the assessment of McCain/Giul or Huck... expect that decision is even now being researched by the McCain camp. Clinton or Obama running mate totally inscrutable from here.
Sorry about this but another question about the election. While watching the news about the elections last night MadsMum said she had heard somewhere, on tele or radio, that in the States if you get a phone call from one of the campaigns you must, by law, respond to the call - you can't just put the phone down without answering. Surely that can't be true? (definitely sounds like a load of cobblers).
Completely untrue. You can hang up on any call from anyone at anytime. Unfortunately, the FCC do-not-call registry does not prohibit political calls like this. But you don't have to answer them. And more and more people (like the Mrs. and I) refuse to answer such polls. As a result, polling is getting less and less accurate.
As for the prospective tickets, McCain and Huckabee have said kinds things about each other. I would not be surprised to see a McCain/Huckabee ticket.
Clinton/Obama? Not gonna happen. First, they hate each other. Second, whoever is VP in a Clinton Whitehouse would be odd man out -- Hillary would be in charge, then Bill, and the VP would be going to funerals.
With Bloomburg's money, my guess, Nov 3rd! Will anyone idiot vote for him, even if he announced today, good question. He's a living example of what's wrong with America. We ask, "if you're so smart, why aren't you rich?" The assumption is being rich equals smart, which is hugely WRONG!
GF
Connie-smart, in your case, should equal rich, but life's not fair. Sorry.
McCain/Powell would have serious credibility and a large dose of integrity. Two Statesmen not political hacks or puppets for lobby groups/think tanks.
A tailhooker and a grunt/tankie running the most powerful nation on earth - sounds good but is it possible/probable?
Gees Um...lifting... your descriptions of Chicago and Maryland sound most enticing. I read the odd American sailing magazine and the Chesapeake sounds like THE place compared to say Florida for all the reasons you described.
Ontario, Quebec, Chicago, up to Maine then down the coast to Maryland and Virgina would be the route I'd like to do in probably fall to catch the changing colours of the countryside. This years vacation is allocated, 09 I'm going to the UK, so maybe '10. Thanks for the info.
9:10 : Katty Kay (yes, that's really her name), a BBC anchor, pronounced Hillary Clinton the victor in Tennessee: this was especially notable, says Katty, because Al Gore lost the state in 2000, so it was a relief to see a Democrat finally win.
You know, in a Democratic primary, that's probably going to happen. Pretty much every time.
9:10 : Katty Kay (yes, that's really her name), a BBC anchor, pronounced Hillary Clinton the victor in Tennessee: this was especially notable, says Katty, because Al Gore lost the state in 2000, so it was a relief to see a Democrat finally win.
You know, in a Democratic primary, that's probably going to happen. Pretty much every time.
Can someone tell US, again, why, after exhibiting this level of knowledge about US political system, the rest of the world should be listened to when it comes to the elections.
They'll be screaming bloody murder if Mitt or Huckabee isn't the VP nominee I would imagine. The only thing worse to the talk jocks than a McCain presidency is a Hillary or Obama Presidency. The far right will come around, McCain however needs to throw them a bone in the way of a conservative horse holder.
9:10 : Katty Kay (yes, that's really her name), a BBC anchor, pronounced Hillary Clinton the victor in Tennessee: this was especially notable, says Katty, because Al Gore lost the state in 2000, so it was a relief to see a Democrat finally win.
You know, in a Democratic primary, that's probably going to happen. Pretty much every time.
Priceless! Typical BBC ignorance re most things American, and undoubtedly delivered it in that phony, authoritative accent.
For laughs, I watch the America-obsessed BBC when it's trying to take itself seriously.
What happens to the delegates that a candidate has secured before he/she withdraws? If the candidate withdraws does the candidate direct them or do they become 'independent' to go where they please?
What are the thoughts of the U.S contributors on the apparent wins by Huckabee today, are these Mitt Romneys votes going anywhere but McCain.
What intrigues me is that he still gets votes even tho he is not running. Absentee I suppose.
Any country that can hold free and democratic elections such as this is a great country no matter what we may think of it's leadership. Not truly done in many countries in this world at the present time. Would you need to use your toes as well to count them? We just need to look at Pakistan at the moment to think 'well done USA' and please keep it that way. (must admit the cynic in me worries about a major security scare just prior to November but that wouldn't happen.)
Last edited by maxter : 10th February 2008 at 06:24.
Before he essentially won the Republican nomination, Mr. McCain gave his view of becoming the VP nominee:
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Asked last year whether he would consider being a vice presidential candidate, McCain, a prisoner of war in Vietnam, said:
"You know, I spent all those years in a North Vietnamese prison camp, kept in the dark, fed scraps _ why the heck would I want to do that all over again?"
McCain however needs to throw them a bone in the way of a conservative horse holder.
For a start, William Kristol (Weakly Standard) and James Woolsey (former CIA chef) are in his staff, both ardent Iraq advocates. Methinks McCain is not so much different to Bush when it comes to foreign policy; bomb Iran (McCain singing).
Absentee I suppose.
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