All through his career, first as a hero of the Vietnam war and then in Capitol Hill, John McCain has been a maverick, unafraid to stand up to those he opposed. But now, as the presidential race hots up, the Republican candidate is busy befriending those he once despised and ridiculed - the religious right, the gun lobby and the Iraq war hawks. So what kind of man is Barack Obama up against? Full Story »
Posted by Ellen Emerson White
Where the Guardian falls down is in their understanding of American politics. About 70% to 80% of all adult Americans support gun rights. So to conflate gun rights with the right wing is to misunderstand American politics. Or else the right in America is way more numerous than most people imagine. Either way the Guardian miscued. On top of that they use all kinds of emotional language. A dispassionate survey this is not. It does represent wide swaths of British elite sentiment. So as a survey of British attitudes towards the American election it is useful. Otherwise the value would be slight.
