default header
05 August 2008
America.gov Elections Expert Discusses U.S. Presidential Election
Ask America webchat transcript, August 5
Michelle Austein, America.gov election expert, answered questions August 5 in her regular monthly Ask America webchat on the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign.
Following is the transcript:
(begin transcript)
U.S. Department of State
Bureau of International Information Programs
Ask America Webchat Transcript
U.S. Elections 2008
Guests: Michelle Austein
Date: August 5, 2008
Time: 9 a.m. EDT (13:00 GMT)
Webchat Moderator: Welcome to our latest Elections 2008 Webchat! We look forward to your questions.
In the meantime, we invite you to visit the following sites:
• U.S. Elections
• Campaign Trail Talk
• The Electoral College
View transcripts of our recent chats:
• Transcript from July 1
• Transcript from June 3
The webchat will begin at 09:00 EDT 1300 GMT. You may submit your questions now in the space provided below. Thank you!
We are taking your questions now and we will be getting started in just a few moments. If you have more than one question, please submit each one separately.
Michelle Austein: Good morning and welcome to our monthly U.S. elections web chat. As always, it’s an exciting time on the campaign trail. Americans – and especially the U.S. media – are eagerly awaiting the announcement of vice presidential picks, which should happen soon. Then all the attention will be on the parties’ conventions – where Barack Obama and John McCain will officially become their parties’ nominees. Welcome to the chat and please submit your questions!
Question [Ibrahim Yakubu Isa]: When is the actual date of US election?
Michelle Austein: Election Day is November 4.
Q [ts]: When will the vice president candidates be announced? Will a woman be chosen?
Michelle Austein: The U.S. media is abuzz with speculation on who the vice presidential candidates will be. Typically a VP candidate is named in the days leading up to the party conventions. Democrats meet in Denver August 25-28 and Republicans meet in Minneapolis-St. Paul September 1-5. So we’ll likely know who the vice presidential picks will be within the next three weeks. It is possible either candidate could consider selecting a woman running-mate. There have been rumors of Barack Obama considering Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius and of John McCain considering former Hewlett-Packard chairwoman Carly Fiorina. One woman political pundits think is unlikely to be selected is Hillary Clinton. But while the media and political experts can speculate, only one person knows for sure who will be picked – the presidential candidate, as it is his decision to make.
Here are two good articles about selecting a vice presidential candidate:
• Vice Presidential Candidate a Political and Personal Decision
• Process of Selecting a Vice President Evolved Over Centuries
Q [Cairoirc@state.gov]: Do NGOs participate in observing the Election?
Michelle Austein: NGOs are often welcome to observe elections. Elections are run by the states, meaning each state may have slightly different rules on what access observers are given at the polls. The Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe is also routinely invited to observe U.S. elections.
Q [Cairoirc@state.gov]: What is the role of Electoral College in the Election? Can they change the result?
Michelle Austein: As prescribed in the U.S. Constitution, U.S. presidents are not elected directly by the people but instead by a group of designated citizens known as electors. This group of electors makes up the Electoral College. On Election Day the voters in each state, by casting votes for president and vice president, actually are voting for the set of electors who will vote for the voters' preferred candidate. The electors cast their votes in their states on December 15, and Congress officially counts the results in January. Typically state laws prevent electors from switching their votes, but every once in a while an elector will switch his or her vote when it is clear their vote will not make a difference in the outcome.
This web page will answer many of your questions about the Electoral College: http://www.america.gov/st/elections08-english/2008/August/20080804120315hmnietsua0.4317133.html
America.gov has a great web page about the Electoral College that is worth checking out. It features an interactive map and will soon have new video explaining our complex system of selecting a president.
As many of you know, the 2008 election is receiving unprecedented levels of attention across the world. Why is that? This article does a great job of explaining why this election is seen by many as a “turning point” in the United States: http://www.america.gov/st/elections08-english/2008/August/200808011658381xeneerg0.9975702.html?CP.rss=true
Q [Ahmed Aly]: I have a friend staying at Washington D.C. right now, and that friend told me that U.S. is moving its troops to hit Iran. My question is... is it really going to happen? And will the elections play a role in starting a war with Iran or not?
Michelle Austein: Neither presidential candidate wants a war with Iran. According to his Web site, Barack Obama says he would give Iran two choices: “If Iran abandons its nuclear program and support for terrorism, we will offer incentives like membership in the World Trade Organization, economic investments, and a move toward normal diplomatic relations. If Iran continues its troubling behavior, we will step up our economic pressure and political isolation.” According to his Web site, John McCain says the international community must “apply real pressure to Syria and Iran to change their behavior. The United States must also bolster its regional military posture to make clear to Iran our determination to protect our forces and deter Iranian intervention.”
Q [ts]: Is this campaign on the "low road" now to the end? Why the "low road" always?
Michelle Austein: It has been a particularly heated week on the campaign trail with both candidates attacking the other. John McCain released an ad comparing Barack Obama to celebrities Brittney Spears and Paris Hilton which received a lot of buzz overseas. Obama accused McCain and Republicans of using scare tactics to convince Americans not to vote for him – this too received a lot of buzz overseas. For better or for worse, this is common in politics as evidence shows people respond to negative messages. So while the candidates will work to focus heavily on promoting their own positions and goals, some attacks will inevitably occur throughout the campaign.
Q [Kim]: Can there ever be a tie in a presidential election?
A [Michelle Austein]: Yes it is possible for there to be a tie. If no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes, the House of Representatives elects the President. Each State delegation has one vote. The candidate with the most votes is named the president. 270 electoral votes are needed to win the presidency.
Before we finish up today, we want to remind you that Americans – and many overseas – will be paying close attention to the political conventions. Want to know more about the conventions? Read these frequently asked questions: http://www.america.gov/st/elections08-english/2008/August/20080804174936hmnietsua0.5952417.html
Much more information about the conventions is available on America.gov’s U.S. Elections Web site. America.gov plans to bring you close to convention action – from August 25 to 28 and September 1 to 4 we’ll be blogging about the latest convention happenings – and we’ll have ongoing webchats for readers like you to participate in! Check back to this web page soon for the link to the webchat and submit your questions – political experts from around the country will stop by the chat room and answer your questions!
Thanks to everyone who participated in today’s chat. Our next monthly chat will be September 2 at 9:00 EDT, where we’ll be chatting with you live from the Republican Convention.
Webchat Moderator: We wish to thank Michelle Austein for joining us today.
The webchat is now closed. A full transcript of today's webchat will be published (usually within one business day) to our Ask America homepage.
(Guests are chosen for their expertise and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of State.)
(end transcript)
