A fantastic, acerbic article David. It beggars belief that McCain is still so close in some of the polls, carrying such a poisoned legacy from his predecessor and running such a flaccid campaign.

Obama's recent trip was framed by most pundits as a defensive measure, do it to neutralise the supposed foreign policy strength of McCain then come home and bring the discussion back to the economy. The constant cock-ups by the presumptive GOP nominee and Obama's composure during his hectic schedule (not to mention, as you did, the complete undermining of the keystone of McCain's foreign policy, namely that the US should stay in Iraq, even now in the face of explicit requests from the Iraqi Parliament and Prime Minister for the US to leave) flipped this on its head, leaving McCain without a 'strong area'.

With McCain still tracking at about 40%, does this reveal something more about the American body politic? This is not to pass judgement, Australia's revolving door of middle aged White Men in the job of PM (and GG) is testament to our own political immaturity, but the idea of our political systems as pure meritocracies is hollow. If nothing else, hopefully this campaign will reveal this, and help us grow somewhat.

I favour Obama (not that I'm voting, not being an American), but I do think McCain's had a very rough trot from the media. He's a fumbler and a stumbler, but he is essentially honest. He's just not the flavour of the times (and I don't just mean The New York Times).

Of course, it beggars belief that a Republican candidate could win this election, given the political dynamics of today's America, after eight years of a presidency that grades anywhere between horrific and disastrous. On that score, McCain's a loser.

At the same time, we still don't know what Obama would actually do in office. On domestic policy, or in foreign policy. There is only one way to end the conflicts in Iraq and Iran quickly, in terms of American participation, and that's to cut and run. Not an option. Even for a suave Mr Fixit. If (when) Obama wins, he wins a poisoned challice.

Silly me, slip of the cursor. Read 'Iraq and Afghanistan' in my post, not 'Iraq and Iran'.

(Iran being the conflict we can all still avoid.)

Professor Green is on target about the current battle for the American election in November. And Scribe, I agree with much of what you say, except "... I do think McCain's had a very rough trot from the media. He's a fumbler and a stumbler, but he is essentially honest." McCain is anything but honest and repeatedly states things that he knows are not true. Futhermore, the media has bent over backwards trying to ignore and forget McCain's daily fumbling with facts and his continued flip-flopping.

I think Obama will turn out to have feet of clay. Moving chess pieces from Iraq to Afghanistan doesn't strike me as the action of someone committed to re-examining the US's role in world affairs. It seems more to me like someone prepared to repeat the tired old war crimes of US imperialism in yet another country on a grand scale.

Even his recent prevarication on Iraq is an indication of what he will be - a cheer leader for US capitalism around the world, including using its incredible military might to futher or at least maintain its economic clout.

I gather that McCain is now ahead in the latest polls. I don't know what the international media will do if McCain is elected, but I believe they should start thinking about it.