Non-US Dopers: Has Reading The SDMB Peaked Your Interest In US November Election?

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

In reading threads over the past few months, I am truly amazed how well versed non-US Dopers are about the coming election. I mean, seriously, I doubt many US members could tell you the names of any political leaders outside of the States, let alone their party affiliation.

Do you feel reading the SDMB has given you any added insight into the mentality of voters in the US that you would not otherwise have seen in your local press?

And has reading these threads over the past few months, and the coming months, going to make watching the results of the November election more interesting? I mean, seriously…will you be the only one in your local pub/taverna/grotto/kneipe who will say, “Holy shit…he won in Florida!” and realize the implication before the final results are in?

#2

It’s probably fair to assume that the people on this board have a fairly broad international outlook. But the interest here in the US election is very real. It’s always there to a fair extent, with news coverage of the campaigns, the conventions etc. But this year it’s far greater, for one reason: Iraq. Don’t forget that 3% of the entire country went out and marched in protest against what was essentially Bush’s policy. Most (OK, many) people are desperately hoping to see Bush lose.

The SDMB has reassured me that there’s people in America capable of thinking for themselves, and of tackling the complexity of the issues. Something that rarely comes across from the campaign trail itself.

(The farce of the power-struggle in Florida in 2000 also perhaps has something to do with it, it created a fascination that such a large powerful democracy can find itself in such a mess)

#3

“Piqued,” for heaven’s sake, not “peaked.”

#4

Most certainly. And about the issues debated. When a heated thread begins on the straight dope about the incoming elections, this issue is generally mentionned in my newspaper a couple days or a couple weeks later, but with much less details and much less diverse point of view.