WEEKLY WHINE

Interaction: 2004 election aftermath

Myers: Hello, and welcome to Interaction, the programme where you get to collide with the people who are shaping our world without having to leave a note on their windshield. We're here in Cleveland, OH, USA to discuss this week's general election in the United States. George W Bush was elected president a second time, taking a total of 286 electoral votes. Meanwhile, the Republican party broadened its majority in the Senate and maintained a majority in the House of Representatives. What are the implications for US domestic and foreign policy over the next four years? Will Bush meet his campaign promises, or will he take advantage of his second term status? Will the US seek to restore ties with the rest of the world, turn back to an isolationist course, or perhaps do exactly the opposite of what the international community desires? Those topics and more tonight, but first our Interaction IQ, the Initial Question. In this letter from Pleasanton, CA, USA, Margaret Decloux asks if it would be more beneficial to eradicate the Electoral College and select a president based strictly on the popular vote. First to tackle this question, the secretary of electoral watchdog organisation the League of Voting Justice, Mr Alexander Grammell.

Grammell: Hi. I think shifting to the popular vote would make any legal battles over the outcome more pronounced. In 2000, only the Florida results were contested. This time, if any place would be contested, it would be here in Ohio. But in that situation, every vote really would count.

Myers: A political analyst at Ka-Ching TV North America, Ms Julie Grycrag.

Grycrag: The Electoral College is indefensible. The president should be selected according to the will of the people, which is reflected only in the popular vote.

Myers: The associate director of the Florida office of Election Management Systems, Mr Franklin Jiu.

Jiu: I think both systems are okay.

Myers: And a financial consultant at Simmons and Ritch Group, Ms Khali Talmusett.

Talmusett: We should keep the Electoral College. Without it, the candidates would never know where to go for their last minute campaigning.

Myers: And I'm Debbie Myers. I'd like to see a popular system but with bonus votes that can be earned if the candidates fulfill specific predetermined tasks. Following up on that question, let's discuss the Electoral College in a bit more detail. Khali, have candidates really focussed strictly on the states where results are believed to be close?

Talmusett: Yes they have, Debbie. In 1984 Mondale's last minute campaigning occurred in Florida, Texas, Arizona, Illinois, Tennessee, New Jersey, Vermont, Washington, Minnesota, Arkansas, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Michigan, ... well, pretty much every state.

Myers: And Julie, what of the fact that only three elections have seen the Electoral College output results different from the popular vote?

Grycrag: Well, Debbie, that just goes to show you how ineffective the Electoral College really is. Three wrong results out of 55 just isn't good enough.

Myers: Alexander, looking back now on the campaign as a whole, what conclusions would you draw?

Grammell: I think one conclusion we can draw is that the media is silly.

Myers: How is that?

Grammell: Look at all the technological tricks that news organisations were using. NBC had those coloured banners running up the side of their building. And they renamed Rockefeller Plaza "Democracy Plaza". CNN did their work in front of the big display screens at the NASDAQ building. ABC had a big display screen behind Peter Jennings. And CBS had Dan Rather's pencil.

Myers: All right. Julie, what conclusions would you draw?

Grycrag: First, that people are morons. Kerry won every time he debated against Bush, and Edwards won his debate against Cheney, but somehow the public went with the party of incompetent debaters? Second, that politics is a disaster. Candidates will happily sling mud at one another but will not offer their plans on how to better society. Both Kerry and Bush repeatedly said that they would better society but never told anyone just how they would. Third, that the Electoral College is out of date. Funky maps on ice are not the way to decide the president. Secret people meeting in a secret room a month after all the ballots were cast is not the way to decide the president. Fourth, that people are self serving. Kerry is clearly a better choice for the world. And yet all those farmers in Iowa and Kansas gave away their electoral votes to Bush, because they think he'll post National Guardsmen to keep their corn safe. Fifth, the left and right can no longer work together. During this -

Myers: Um, Julie?

Grycrag: Yes?

Myers: Um, perhaps we can come back to this later. In the meantime, let's go back to the viewers. Remember, you can send us your questions by telephone, telegraph, E-mail, snail mail, facsimile, plane, train, automobile, or punt. Our first question is by punt. It's from Chris Gardocki in Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Chris asks when the deeply divided electorate of this year will heal. Franklin?

Jiu: I think it could be any time.

Myers: You think it could be soon?

Jiu: Yes. Or late. It should be one of those.

Myers: Khali?

Talmusett: No, I think there will still be narrow divisions in the country for the next ten years or so. The 2016 election, I think, will be the next one in which one candidate runs away with the vote.

Myers: And whom do you think that candidate will be?

Talmusett: I think it'll be you, Debbie.

Myers: You're trying to suck up to me? Don't bother. As allies go, I'm quite useless. Anyway, what makes you say that it will take ten years to bridge the divides in the US?

Talmusett: Well, the major issues in this election were national security and the war in Iraq. Neither of those issues will go away before about ten years.

Myers: You're saying the US will continue to have a military presence in Iraq for the next ten years?

Talmusett: Yes. It doesn't look like there will be a resolution to the problem any time before that.

Myers: Well, that's certainly bad news for Iraqis. We have another question now from Charlie in Cork, Ireland. Charlie, are you there?

Charlie in Cork: Yes. Hi, Debbie.

Myers: Hi. What is your question?

Charlie in Cork: Well, first I want to congratulate Kerry for winning the presidency.

Myers: But John Kerry lost.

Charlie in Cork: And my quest- wait, what did you say?

Myers: John Kerry lost. George W Bush was reelected with 286 electoral votes.

Charlie in Cork: [pause, then laughter] Oh, I get it. You're having a laugh.

Myers: No, Kerry conceded the race to Bush three days ago. George W Bush will serve a second term.

Charlie in Cork: What? Hang on a second... oh god! You're right! This... this is impossible! How can this happen? He's from Massachusetts and everything! And he ran against a fucking cowboy! This is madness! Utter madness! We're doomed! Dooooooomed!

Myers: Yes, well, thanks for that question, Charlie. We have time for one more question, and it's from Ann in Lódz, Poland. Ann wants to know how come everybody always leaves Poland out of the list of countries participating in the "coalition of the willing". Franklin?

Jiu: I think it could be any reason.

Myers: Julie?

Grycrag: Can I continue my speech from before?

Myers: No. Alexander?

Grammell: Because Poland has a funny flag. Why is the white on top of the red?

Myers: Khali?

Talmusett: Why are we talking about Poland?

Myers: Well, that will have to be the last word about the 2004 US election. Thanks go out to Ms Khali Talmusett, Mr Franklin Jiu, Ms Julie Grycrag, and Mr Alexander Grammell for joining us on the programme this week. Next week we'll be talking about the nuclear programme in Iran and its implications around the world. We'll be joined by a retired nuclear inspector, a nuclear safety engineer, an expert in power distribution, and a Tehran shoe shiner. Until then, good night.

Grycrag: Where was I? Oh, right. During this next term of Bush, differences over the economy, taxes, Iraq, and terrorism will take their toll until the Democratic and Republican parties are on complete opposites of the political scale. Sixth, that people are paranoid. People in Alabama are going to bed tonight with their knees knocking, afraid that Bin Laden is going to sneak into their bedrooms and blow them up. Seventh, that the world -

Myers: Shh. Shhhh. It's okay. Here's your blanky.