This is an historic event for America and her people.  More Americans voted in this election than any other.  Millions of Americans who had not voted in previous elections ensured they voted in this one. Without a doubt people in the US and abroad believed they had Read more

The US presidential contest draws to a close this week and has possibly engaged more people at home and abroad than any other election in living memory. The coverage of this election has been extensive both in the UK and the rest of the world. Read more

Last week we had a little PATC US launch party, it was a fun afternoon tea party at the London Hotel in LA. The event was hosted by my dear friend and PATC contributor Yasmin Mills. We had a lovely turnout of great girls including: Rosario Dawson, Cat Deeley, British Consul General and many more. Pictures will be soon.

Now for this week’s blog.

US

Women make waves……

Last week was all about the women. Senator Obama put campaigning on hold to visit his terminally ill grandmother, leaving Michelle Obama to lead the campaign on his behalf. Mrs Obama refers to herself as “Mom-in-chief” emphasizing that this election is for a more better future for America ’s children. Though as much as Mrs Obama might want American mothers to identify with her, she is definitely not your average in any way. She confidently discusses her husband’s policies on the economy, housing, health, education and Iraq. She in the beginning was more successful than him and was in fact his mentor. I do not doubt that in choosing Michelle Obama for a wife Senator Obama was also choosing a First Lady. You can tell a lot about a man and where he wants to be in life by the woman he chooses to stand by his side. Michelle Obama comes across as confident, intelligent and sassy - a good fit for an ambitious young senator who would be president.

However Mrs Obama’s earlier sassiness caused a few ripples earlier in the campaign when she had commented that “for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country” due to her husband’s campaign. This enabled McCain’s camp to cast her as an angry ungrateful woman and unpatriotic. Patriotism is a favoured battle ground for Republicans with Senator McCain’s military record and his frequent, but sincere no doubt, declarations of love for his country. Mrs Obama has responded by concentrating much of her campaigning on low-key events in swing states with military wives who are raising families while their husbands serve abroad. Michelle Obama is definitely stepping up to the plate as her husband’s trusted second. Watch out Joe Biden!

Actually it may be John McCain that needs to watch out. As conservative Republicans begin to lose faith in McCain, they are beginning to look to his running mate Sarah Palin as a future Presidential candidate in her own right. No doubt impressed by her ability to connect to the Republican core and appeal to ordinary working class Americans. Despite being in the headlines for all the wrong reasons (her famed gaffes, Troopergate and now a reported $150,000 on her wardrobe and cosmetics not to mention $22,800 on a travelling stylist for 2 weeks) Governor Palin has managed to go head to head with Obama in Charisma where McCain had been waning. Sarah Palin was expected to heat up luke warm support amongst the Republican base, her right wing credentials compensating for his moderate tendencies.

However rather than shoring up Senator McCain’s flank, Governor Palin has broken ranks and exposed differences between them. Sarah Palin has been vocal in her belief that abortion should be outlawed and recently commented that unlike her principal John McCain she supported a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Governor Palin has also contradicted Senator McCain on drilling for oil in Alaska and over foreign policy towards Pakistan , and on de-listing North Korea as a terrorist state. These “gaffes” had initially been put down to Palin’s inexperience and her endearing tendency to shoot from the hip. Though as McCain slips behind in he poles some in McCain’s camp believe that she may actually be purposefully undermining McCain and setting out her stall for a future candidacy of her own. I wonder if Mrs Palin has been underestimated by the same people that initially tried to “handle” her and keep her out of the spotlight when she first emerged as McCain’s running mate. Sarah Palin has definitely livened up the campaign; however as future presidential candidate she would need to appeal not only to Republican core voters but to moderates as well. This would require rather more than a cosmetic makeover. Well, regardless of the outcome of Nov 4th, she has at least four years to practice!

UK

… While the boys flap in them

Meanwhile in the UK last week it was all about the boys and their toys on the UK political circuit. A party on a private yacht off the Greek island of Corfu was the scene of a boys’ night out which would result in embarrassing revelations and some tit for tat accusations. Well the head boys in this class were the former European Trade Commissioner and newly appointed Business and Enterprise Secretary, Lord Mandelson, the Shadow Chancellor George Osborne, Nathaniel (Nat) Rothschild of the Rothschild banking family (both former Etonian school boys) and Oleg Deripaska, Russia’s richest man an aluminum magnate.

Well whenever the boys get together whatever the location the age old sacred rule applies, “What happens here stays here”. This rule should be followed regardless of political affiliation. George Osborne (Tory) and Peter Mandelson (Labour) although of opposing political parties were at a party involving mutual friends with deep pockets, where discretion is seen as the better part of valour. However George Osborne neglected to display such valour on his return to Westminster as he leaked details of private conversations he had with Peter Mandelson, who he whispered was apparently “dripping pure poison” over his new boss the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, blaming his period as Chancellor for the current financial crisis and pending recession. George Osborne apparently thought it would be clever to refer to his insider knowledge to criticise the fast tracking of Peter Mandelson in to the Cabinet via the House of Lords. Nat Rothschild (a banker by trade) appeared to take his old school chum’s use of inside knowledge at his party personally as it compromised his guests. So Mr Rothschild decided to expose some of George’s misdemeanours on the merry yatch, possibly with the acquiescence of Peter Mandelson. The Shadow Chancellor had seen fit to take a party fundraiser with him to the party which had coincidentally had a lot of rich people many of whom were foreign nationals so would not be legally able to make donations. However George Osborne was facing allegations that he was involved in conversations around how to solicit a donation to his party from Oleg Deripaska via a UK company. Shadow Chancellor Osborne spent most of the week refuting the allegations whilst Peter Mandelson also faced questions over his friendship with the Russian aluminium magnate during his time as European Trade Commissioner and possible conflicts of interests. I suppose we just aren’t meant to know what goes on at these boys’ nights out, especially when some of the boys are exceptionally rich. Well, boys will be boys.

Like everything else politics costs and more so during a credit crunch, but the argument is that rich individuals who make large donations to political parties may have an undue influence over policy as they are in effect paying the piper.

The ordinary voter witnessing becomes cynical and further disengaged It would be refreshing to see a political party that could connect with the general public and get voters to literally buy in to campaigns as has been achieved with that of Senator Obama. I think both Osborne and Mandelson could learn a thing or two from this approach, power from the bottom up is more real and more laudable -and a lot less complicated.

First of all, I’m delighted to officially welcome our American visitors to the site! From this week onwards PATC goes transatlantic, our editorial content will now focus both on UK and US news. We’ll also be featuring guest blogs from prominent US-based women and look forward to forthcoming contributions Read more

After a summer of uncertainty it’s back to politics as usual and despite tales of financial woe and forecasts of doom, Gordon Brown seems to be confidently back in the driving seat.  Could it be that rumours of his demise may have been slightly premature?  As the Prime Minister starts getting his teeth in to this Read more

Last week Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Joe Biden went head to head on the vice presidential debate. As expected, the main debating points revolved around the current financial crisis. They were asked about the proposed policies of their respective running mates. Biden shied away from any direct attacks on Read more

Last week we were treated to the first of three presidential debates between McCain and Obama. The debate was scheduled to be about foreign policy but it was inevitable that the candidates’ debate would drift over to the economy. Rather than being the subject of the debate, the economy was almost Read more

Last week we witnessed the difficulties faced by major financial institutions on both sides of the Atlantic.  We have even seen the situation compared to the Wall Street crash of 1929 from which followed the Great Depression of the 1930s which saw an unprecedented level of state intervention in the economy.  The incumbent political parties have been keen to play down the financial crisis and for their opponents to point to current economic problems as evidence of a need for a change.

Gordon Brown is eager to stress that the economic and financial problems have their roots in global crisis which stem from sub prime mortgage crisis in the US and the steep rise in the cost of oil and food.  Mr Brown is fighting to keep the confidence of his party and the country arguing that the current problems are manageable and best managed by him stating his record as Chancellor during unprecedented levels of economic growth.  Read more

Getting the top job, whether it be chief executive, PM or President finally puts you at the top of the pecking order. You make things happen by feeling the collar of a subordinate colleague who then feels the collar of one of their subordinate colleagues and so on. This culminates Read more