The US presidential primary season kicks off

As a political studies graduate, every four years I take some perverse pleasure in following the peculiar workings of US democracy in action as the US presidential election process works through. It is also fun to watch the polls and see how close they are to the final results.

Today, 3 January 2008, is when the process kicks off in Iowa and this year, with no incumbent running and the polls particularly close in the early races (if not in the country overall), we are in for an interesting time.

There are many web sources for following the US political news but one I have found particularly useful as a starting point is Real Clear Politics from Chicago. It provides links to the latest poll results and articles in the main-stream news media.

Although in New Zealand we are far away from the political action in the US, the final outcome does matter to us, particularly in the attitude a new US Administration and Congress will take on foreign trade issues.

Now on to New Hampshire and beyond.