Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Obama facing lame duck status as America goes to midterm polls
American voters head to the polls on Tuesday looking likely to take out their frustration with Barack Obama on his Democratic allies and hand control of the US Senate to his Republican opponents.
Polls show the American people have soured on their president after six years and are preparing to use today’s congressional midterm elections to give vent to their anger.
In the ten battleground states that will decide control of the Senate, Republicans are leading in seven and a number of Democrat senators are facing the prospect of being turfed out of office.
A Republican victory would give them complete control of Congress and doom Mr Obama to “lame duck” status in his final two years in the White House.
The President, whose poor approval ratings have largely kept him off the campaign trail, made a final appeal to black voters last night to turn out and prevent a Republican surge.
“It will make a difference in the lives of you, your family, and your community,” Mr Obama told an African-American radio station. “You’ve got that responsibility: live up to it.”
Mr Obama will watch the election unfold from the White House on Tuesday night.
Get some lame duck swag here
Polls begin closing on the East Coast at 7pm (Midnight GMT) and will soon offer the first indication of what kind of night Democrats can expect.
Strategists in both parties will be closely watching the results in North Carolina and New Hampshire, two states currently held by Democrats and where the President’s party has maintained slim leads.
If either or both states fall to the Republicans it will be taken as a sign that Mr Obama’s party is in real trouble and potentially facing an electoral rout. (Source: Daily Telegraph)
SIGHTINGS