vox pops

With a hotly debated and controversial presidential election just around the corner, we could see either the first black man or the oldest president ever in office. We ask the British public what they think of the current candidates and who they would like to see voted in on 4th November.

Poppy Lane, 18, charity worker from Norman Hill in Huddersfield.
‘I don’t know who the candidates are. All I know is that there’s a woman who keeps going on about hockey mums - I don’t like her. I think it’s unlikely to affect us who wins until they start interfering with our own countries decisions, which I guess they eventually will do. Politics really doesn’t interest me.’

Neil Smales, 49, Maintenance man from Holme on the Woods, Hull.
‘I’m really not bothered with it but I think Obama will win because of the way he’s been portrayed in the media, like some sort of hero of something. I don’t know if either of them will make a difference over here but I suppose they cant do a worse job than Bush.’
Grace Carley, 17, Student from Launceston Place, South Kensington, London.
‘Obama for president! I like him because he seems to be neutral; he just wants what’s best for America I think. McCain’s a bit of an idiot and some of his views are just ridiculous, like no abortion, what’s that about? I loved it when he said he was going to “find Osama Bin Laden” I thought that was hilarious, shows he was desperate though, making claims like that.’

Gillian Merrett, 55, Care worker from Keswick Road, Boscombe.
‘I’m not really interested at all, if I had to pick a favourite it would probably be Obama. Whoever gets in though, I don’t think anything they do over there is going to affect us. Not any more than it has done already.’

James Keighley, 27, Restaurant manager from Ruskin Road, Tottenham.
‘Obama to win because everyone’s had enough of Republicans, I wanted Hilary Clinton in to be honest, I thought she was a better suited candidate, but I suppose as long as the Democrats win its alright. Obama is obviously better for the world in general but there are a lot of right-wing Americans over there that just aren’t ready for a black president, its going to be tight I think but I hope Obama scrapes through.’

Simon Jones, 30, Fireman from Celtic Crescent Dorchester.
‘I hate McCain he’s far to conservative and America needs some fresh ideas at the moment, that’s why I want Obama to win. The other side have been trying to paint a bad picture of him lately though, which shows how worried they are I suppose. Like pointing out things like the fact he’s Muslim and stuff like that, you really shouldn’t use things like peoples religion against them, especially when McCain’s views like the whole pro-life thing are so far-right, it’s a pretty silly game to play.

Sharon Reid, 40, housewife from Bagshot Road, Ascot in Winchester.
When they debate I don’t think there’s much to choose between the two really. I don’t agree with a lot of McCain’s policies though like his views on guns and war, I think Obama would have a stricter view on the gun laws, which would be good. Sarah Palin doesn’t really seem to know what she’s doing either; McCain just plucked her from the middle of nowhere as a publicity stunt. McCain’s been too involved before as well, I think he’s probably been corrupted already, at least Obama has a chance not to be.
Dennis Grainger, 53, retired business manager from Marble Street, Salford in Manchester.
‘Obama, if McCain gets in he’ll pop his clogs or something. I don’t like Palin, there’s something about her that I don’t trust. To be honest I haven’t really been following it although I saw something in the paper about a neo-Nazi group planning to assassinate Obama because he’s black, I think that’s disgusting, I think that just shows everything that’s wrong with America really.’

Jackie O’Tool, Dementia care trainer, 50, from Upper Hinton Road in Bournemouth.
‘I really hope Obama wins; there’s a real need for change over there. I think he’s a peace loving man and Americans are really too gung ho with their guns, so maybe he can do something about that. I don’t like McCain, I’m not too keen on his proposed war, I think it would be really bad if he got into office.’

Diana Marsh, 45, social worker from Boscombe, Bournemouth.
‘I don’t feel that the American election will affect me this time around.
Obviously Bush really ruined things for the whole world, and Blair was
basically his pet. I think the Americans will vote for Obama this time around. I
think the Republicans have got a backlash on their hands after eight years of,
you know, basically total danger!’


Becky Jackson, 25, Teaching assistant from Fleet, Hampshire.

‘I think you’d have to be crazy to want McCain to win – his views are insane.
Having said that I do think that the sort of, Deep South Americans strongly
believe in him, although surely they can’t be pro-life! Obama is the change
America needs – the change the world needs really. It’s terrifying to think of
another four years under a Republican president because it affects the entire
world.’



Robert Wirrall, 36, Businessman from Dorchester, Dorset.
‘Well obviously I want Obama to win. Apparently the hype for him over
in New York is incredible, but New York is one of the liberal states, so
you can’t really read too much into it. McCain’s views scare me, and
that Sarah Palin has no experience in the field at all. I read somewhere
that her degree is in journalism, which is bad for a woman who could
potentially be president – no offence! But McCain is so old you know? I
don’t know if he’s got four years left in him, and if Palin becomes
president, I cant see how anyone could sleep at night!’