Too much US election news?

[Skeptisk]

When I was younger I don’t remember there being so much coverage of US politics in the UK and particularly not about the presidential elections. I know that Trump has been quite entertaining but do we need constant, daily coverage of the run up to the primaries, the conventions and choosing a candidate and then the months of campaigning before the election?

Who is US president does have some impact on us but it doesn’t make that much difference to life in the UK. We also have no way of impacting the result. I suspect what is happening in the EU or China is at least as important but that gets hardly any coverage.

[Shar2]

I believe this one is probably one of th emost important of recent times. If the orange loon gets in, it'll be a worrying time for some parts of the world while it might not affect us much in the UK. Remember, this is the man who told his supporters it would be the last time they would ever have to vote, so another dictator wannabe who loves pootin, Xi and that other piece of excrement, Orban.

[Richard-390a0]

TBH I've just tuned most of it out & the only bit I have watched / listened to was the Channel Four advert with their newsreaders fapping off over their coverage they'll be doing on Tuesday night in the middle of something I was watching live.

[havoc]

Shar2 said:

Remember, this is the man who told his supporters it would be the last time they would ever have to vote...

I'm pretty sure that's been taken out of context. I suspect the reality is that it was just his narcissism talking - if he gets a second term he won't be able to stand again for a third, so he REALLY doesn't care if people don't vote in 4 years time.

[Tom8]

I think there has always been heavy coverage especially since 24 hour news as it gives more to fill.

I find it strange however, that despite Trump being Trump, the lack of any impartiality is appalling. I a not defending Trump or anyone else but how can you get an understanding when they treat him like a pantomime villain so you have no idea what his policies are, what he stands for or anything else other than boo hiss Trump?

[MesoForm]

Skeptisk said:

When I was younger I don’t remember there being so much coverage of US politics in the UK and particularly not about the presidential elections. I know that Trump has been quite entertaining but do we need constant, daily coverage of the run up to the primaries, the conventions and choosing a candidate and then the months of campaigning before the election?

Who is US president does have some impact on us but it doesn’t make that much difference to life in the UK. We also have no way of impacting the result. I suspect what is happening in the EU or China is at least as important but that gets hardly any coverage.

I think the BBC have a lot of correspondents out there and they need to justify it, we also saw it when an important American judge died a few years back - for some unknown reason this was the top story for a day or two.

[sospan]

I don't mind the news itself but the repeating of the same thing time after time. OK some repeat is necessary but it gets overdone.
A second dislike is the wheeling out of every man and his dog to comment or be interviewed. Similar to "royal events" snd the innumerable experts, special correspondants and celebs that appear out of the woodwork.

[Jonmx]

Absolutely loving it, far better than anything else on the TV. The frothing from the legacy media about Trump is hilarious, while the cover being run for Kamala and Biden is beyond ridiculous. I particularly enjoy the fact that many of the antics that occur in US politics wouldn't look out of place in a banana republic. A candidate accusing their opponent of being a threat to democracy whilst ousting the sitting president and circumventing the primaries process to be the sole party candidate is something you might expect to see in Belarus, not the US. Suggesting Biden's stutter was to blame for him calling half of America garbage was a highlight yesterday, while simultaneously ignoring him biting babies at the WH halloween gig.
As an aside, I look forward to this thread descending into NP&E territory and being locked by the mods within the hour

[havoc]

Tom8 said:

Trump ... ... policies

Have you heard him speak? Or any of his so-called answers to interview questions? He's either off his trolley or playing a role ridiculously well to avoid getting into serious debates (Boris managed a very similar act over here, but even he couldn't waffle and dissemble as vaguely and pointlessly as Trump).

The man doesn't have any policies except:-
1) Get elected
2) Fatten the wallets of himself and his mates


What puzzles me is how close to 50% of the US still think he's electable...

[Tom8]

havoc said:

Tom8 said:

Trump ... ... policies

Have you heard him speak? Or any of his so-called answers to interview questions? He's either off his trolley or playing a role ridiculously well to avoid getting into serious debates (Boris managed a very similar act over here, but even he couldn't waffle and dissemble as vaguely and pointlessly as Trump).

The man doesn't have any policies except:-
1) Get elected
2) Fatten the wallets of himself and his mates


What puzzles me is how close to 50% of the US still think he's electable...

Kind of my point we get so much boo hiss you have no idea what he actually says. His rallies are a bit of a joke but so are all the others. Whooping and shouting is hardly anything to vote for.

[Sheets Tabuer]

Shar2 said:

it might not affect us much in the UK.

Oh I dunno, he's pissed a stload of labour activists flew out to the US, be very interesting to see his response if he gets in.

Edited by Sheets Tabuer on Friday 1st November 17:23

[havoc]

Tom8 said:

Kind of my point we get so much boo hiss you have no idea what he actually says. His rallies are a bit of a joke but so are all the others. Whooping and shouting is hardly anything to vote for.

You can find it if you look on US media. But to be honest that's even worse...given free rein the chap sounds properly deranged - reminds me of George's line in Blackadder IV "I was voted least likely to complete a coherent... ... ..."

[Porsche-worm]

Shar2 said:

I believe this one is probably one of th emost important of recent times. If the orange loon gets in, it'll be a worrying time for some parts of the world while it might not affect us much in the UK. Remember, this is the man who told his supporters it would be the last time they would ever have to vote, so another dictator wannabe who loves pootin, Xi and that other piece of excrement, Orban.

That was like playing TDS bingo.

[bishop finger]

No, there should be more. Fingers crossed for dear President Trump

[Chauffard]

None of the two of them inspire much confidence, but as the US never tires of boasting, their democracy is much more democratic than every other country, so hopefully the one who wins the presidency will disastrously lose control of the congress, can't get more democratic than that.

[Baldchap]

Tom8 said:

I think there has always been heavy coverage especially since 24 hour news as it gives more to fill.

I find it strange however, that despite Trump being Trump, the lack of any impartiality is appalling. I a not defending Trump or anyone else but how can you get an understanding when they treat him like a pantomime villain so you have no idea what his policies are, what he stands for or anything else other than boo hiss Trump?

The overwhelming media support is FOR Trump.

Harris has to explain how X and Y will be funded, Trump has 'A concept of a plan' (his own words).

Watch him speak, read up on https://www.project2025.org/ and you'll realise why he's a very, very dangerous person.

There's a reason Putin, Xi, etc all like him.

[languagetimothy]

I don't follow politics much. just seems it's all swings and roundabouts, lose something here , gain something there. not much difference. all in it for themselves and chums. the PM or President are only the frontmen anyway. at least trump is entertaining and can put a sentence together unlike Harris who also goes on about what they will do when elected.... erm... anyone pointed out to her that she is elected...and current VP? just get on with it and stop that stupid laugh. don't get me started on Starmer.

why is it that these people who want power and reelection can't do something good and what their people actually want...go against the grain and say NO to some of the ste going on... it might get them re elected next time or can't they see that?

Edited by languagetimothy on Sunday 3rd November 10:51

[Pitre]

I find it incredible that the presidential election process takes about two years from start to end. It'd be more sustainable if it was done within say six months.

[Lo-Fi]

languagetimothy said:

I don't follow politics much. just seems it's all swings and roundabouts, lose something here , gain something there. not much difference. all in it for themselves and chums. the PM or President are only the frontmen anyway. at least trump is entertaining and can put a sentence together unlike Harris who also goes on about what they will do when elected.... erm... anyone pointed out to her that she is elected...and current VP? just get on with it and stop that stupid laugh. don't get me started on Starmer.

why is it that these people who want power and reelection do something good and what their people actually want...go against the grain and say NO to some of the ste going on... it might get them re elected next time or can't they see that?

Trump can put a sentence together? Erm..

[havoc]

languagetimothy said:

I don't follow politics much. just seems it's all swings and roundabouts, lose something here , gain something there. not much difference. all in it for themselves and chums. the PM or President are only the frontmen anyway.

Whilst to a degree you have a point:-

- If you don't vote then you lose any remaining agency in what happens to your country, and THAT is how populists like Orban and Erdogan get into power and start undermining what's left of democracy and human rights.
- There are different 'sponsors' behind each political party, and some sponsors have more nefarious aims than others.



I used to feel the same way...until I realised that intelligent people being apolitical is actually beneficial to those politicians who most seek to abuse the system - we're the ones who (should) see through a lot of the bullst and spin and lies and soundbites, something not all of the country are able to do.

It was the apathy of something like 30% of UK voters that enabled Brexit to get voted through, for example. Most of those people probably thought like you, probably thought it wouldn't happen or wouldn't really make much difference. And now look at us - FX rate still 15% below the pre-Brexit averages (with consequent impact on everything imported (lots), on fuel and energy bills, and on foreign holiday costs. Our exports are still depressed, economic growth has lagged behind our peers for something like 15 years (not Brexit's fault, but the uncertainty created by Brexit has contributed) immigration (legal and illegal) has barely changed despite the promises, NHS funding has gone down in real terms despite the promises. Etc. etc...