Phono from Gatwick on Sky News

The Pain That Is Palin

I've been in America 12 days now, and a lot has happened while I've been here.

The Democratic and Republican conventions have probably been centre-stage, with both campaign machines kicking into full speed ahead of November's elections.

The Democrats orchestrated a stunning week of speeches and ceremonies, leaving many wondering how the Republicans could follow suit. From Michelle Obama's inspired opening speech on the Monday, to the epic acceptance speech given by Barack on the Thursday night, the party looked united, strong and ready to win.

But then on Friday morning, the McCain campaign sent shockwaves through the US media when it announced that his running mate was Sarah Palin. 'Who?' everyone asked. The 44-year-old, little-known governor from the remote state of Alaska was thrusted into the limelight.

At first, the general reaction, especially amongst Democratic-sympathisers, seemed to be a combination of confusion and glory.

"What on earth were the McCain campaign thinking? How transparent of them to try and tap into Hillary's supporters this way! But nevermind, it'll backfire in minutes and we'll win," was the sentiment.

Then the headlines were temporarily distracted as Hurricane Gustav made its way towards New Orleans and worried the world that there may be a Katrina Part II. Especially Republicans, who after the failures of leadership as Katrina struck, were so concerned not to repeat their mistakes that they all but cancelled the first day of their convention to focus on the storm.

The Republican Convention was finally underway on Tuesday, and it seemed every white, middle-aged Republican polished up their Sunday best to sit in an arena in St. Paul and applaud their new heroes - John McCain and Sarah Palin. I couldn't spot a black face in the crowd.

But the week's 'highlight' was when Sarah Palin made her speech on Wednesday night. We'd had a week of cable network news, analysing everything they could get their hands on about the vice-presidential pick. We'd learnt that her teenage daughter was pregnant; that she was involved in a dodgy sacking scandal about an Alaskan trooper who'd upset a relative; that she loved guns and didn't like abortion; that he husband was great on a snow-mobile...

The list could go on. A guy I know called Sean Gilfillan wrote a blog for the Huffington Post, criticising Palin for having no academic experience (a BS in communications with a minor in political science - which he aptly dismissed as 'BS').

But then she took the stage in St. Paul, and something unexpected happened. She delivered a great speech, full of enthusiasm. The standing ovations he received as she walked on stage went on for about five minutes. She then proceeded to talk about her family (a mandatory part of campaigns here, it seems), ripped into Barack Obama's policies and fire up the Republican grass-roots with little if any mention of policy. The low-point for me and the people I watched it with was when she dismissed reading suspected terrorists 'their rights', as if legal procedure and human rights were pathetic.

I fear this woman may be further right of our beloved George W. Bush.

Someone told me this week that there's a very high chance that, if elected to serve two terms, McCain is more likely to die than survive his office. This would make Sarah Palin president. I'm all for a fair and balanced (no pun intended) race to the White House, but I can't think of anything worse than President Palin. It would make the Bush administration look tame.

Beyond the elections, there's another storm in the news and it's heading up the coast to where I'm staying. Tropical Storm Hanna will be the first Caribbean storm that I'll have contact with while I've been in the US over the lat year, and I'm quite curious to see how it'll compare to the drab rain we get in London. It's just a shame, as we've had stunning weather all week in New England and have a day or two of heavy rain in store.

By Joe Braiwood, in Providence, Rhode Island

Zoom Doom: Stranded Abroad

I took the picture above on my phone four days ago, as my Zoom flight from London to New York was being prepared for take-off.

I was excited – a two week trip of sightseeing and catching up with friends awaited me. And this picture marked the beginning of what I hoped would be a fantastic holiday.

The flight was smooth, the service great. It was the fourth time I’d flown with Zoom, attracted by their affordable ticket prices and comfortable cabins. It was only half-full – a blessing, I thought, as I blagged an exit seat and stretched out for the ride.

I sat back, sipped a glass of wine and joked to a fellow passenger: “If they don’t start filling these flights, they’ll go bust!”

It seems I tempted fate.

Four hours ago, I checked my email to discover a dozen messages from friends and family.

“Zoom’s gone bust!” they all read. But not one of them was from the troubled airline itself.

I laughed it off. “Surely Zoom would tell their customers first?” I thought.

Apparently not. I went to their website, where I was greeted with a message that left me in no doubt.

Zoom had indeed gone bust. I was stranded.

The website said I should ring my bank and I’d get a refund. My bank said no.

My bank said I could claim a flight home from my insurance company. They said no.

Zoom’s site also said that British Airways and Virgin would offer money off to their aggrieved customers.

I rang British Airways - and they complained. "We don't know where Zoom got that from," they told me. Their cheapest flight home was almost £500. Virgin Atlantic couldn't help me either.

Finally Zoom’s site said that customers could claim back from ‘ATOL’ if they booked with a travel agency. But I had booked direct...

As I went through customs at New York JFK last Sunday, the official looked at my declaration slip and laughed.

“What’s Zoom?” he said. “Oh, another cheap airline!” I replied.

Perhaps he knew something I didn't. All in all, it seems this holiday will certainly be one to remember – but not for the right reasons.

By Joe Braidwood, in Providence, RI (perhaps for quite some time!)

Vibrant Views in the US Capital

The US party convention season each summer usually gives locals in Washington DC a break from politics.

Politicians from both the Democrats and Republicans pack up their bags and head out of town for a week. This year the Democratic Convention, currently underway, is in Colorado and the Republican Convention starts next week in Minnesota.

But the nature of the presidential race this year is so unlike anything that’s been seen before, that you can’t find a DC street where someone’s not discussing the campaigns.

On my way for breakfast this morning I passed a woman screeching down the phone: “McCain’s definitely going to win it,” she said. “The Democrats are just so stupid. So stupid!”


I went into Starbucks to grab a coffee and the barista was talking about Barack Obama.

“Yeah, it’s close, but Obama’s my man,” he said.

I struck up conversation, and was quickly quizzed about British politics. “How’s that Boris Johnson?” he asked. “Can he actually do the job or what?”

But before I knew it, we were back to US politics. The man next to me in the queue chipped in: “Y’know, Obama should’ve chosen Hillary for VP.”

He was Michael Lindenberger, a senior reporter for the Dallas Morning News, in town for a conference.

And his topic of choice, like everyone’s it seemed, was Obama’s choice for vice-president.

“Biden’s good,” he said “but Obama could’ve sealed this election if he’d chosen Clinton. Lots of people talk about the credentials of the candidates, but Hillary was the only one who came pre-packaged with her own bunch of voters. She’d have guaranteed votes.”

I walked through Dupont Circle, a major hub in the city, where even the homeless were discussing the race. “Obama’s going to win it. His campaign has the money and that’s what counts,” a man on a park bench was telling someone.

I then headed to the White House – the big prize in this contest – and found local hip-hop artist Head-Roc filming the music video for his latest track, ‘Change In America’.

“You know, Barack is always talking about change, but he’s not going to change much,” he told me. The rapper said that his latest track was all about this much needed change – and how it wasn’t going to come from the political mainsteam.

“It’s an interesting time,” he continued. “Obama chose Biden for VP, but Biden’s not gonna change things. Biden’s old-school – he’s not change.”

Head-Roc and his film crew were all against the campaigns. They told me that Senator Joe Biden had been a key architect of America’s war on drugs – something that Mr Obama had opposed – and that was just one reason this new political union was a farce.


I then met a lady called Sindy Colledge, who was standing by the White House with a big anti-abortion placard. She told me that for years she had protested against the legalisation of abortion in America, and she didn’t feel this election would offer her any hope.

“Mr Obama has blood on his hands,” she said. “As long as abortion is legal in America, I will stand here. Politicians are killing children. They must repent.”

And finally - Yad Fantu, a man well-known by DC residents for his radical views.

His view of politics in Washington was skewed by a strongly held belief that world leaders all practised necromancy, the art of summoning the dead.

And this election led Mr Fantu to blame the world’s problems on Barack Obama.

“The problem isn’t Osama… it is Obama!” he told me. He said he would only vote for the Illinois senator if he apologised to the world and to God for his black magic.

By Joe Braidwood, in Washington DC