Discussions

Well, it's finally here. Tonight (aug. 28), on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech, Barack Obama will become the first African American in USA and North American history to become the leader of a major political party, and potentially the most powerful man in the world.  
 
The speech is set to take place around 9pm central time in front of 75,000 people at Invesco Field stadium in Denver. It will be broadcast on live television on major networks (including CBC Newsworld and CTV NewsNet) around the world. The magnitude of the speech will certainly be felt in Denver, as many of the largest freeways in the area around the stadium will be closed, and police and US military are saying that security will be extremely tight.  
 
There's some interesting poll numbers coming out after the recent speeches at the DNC from Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Teddy Kennedy and Bill Clinton. Currently Obama is ahead of McCain by a slim margin, 45% to 44%. Media reports are saying that Obama's numbers will most likely go up after his speech tonight, but the Republican Party Convention has yet to take place so things are most definitely still up in the air.  
 
I personally cannot see how the Republicans are still receiving so much support given the terrible track record that has been laid out by George W Bush. The breakdown of the "red and blue" states is looking much the same as it traditionally always has. Currently, McCain is leading in nearly all of the south-eastern U.S. states, Texas, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and the Dakotas. Obama is ahead on the west coast, eastern seaboard, new england and some midwestern states. Even with all of the hype, things are still looking the same as they always have.  
 
I am sure that tonights speech will be well written and extremely well delivered, as Obama has proven himself to be a terrific speaker and communicator. But after tonight when the Democratic National Convention wraps up, the ball will be in the Republicans court. Things are only just starting to get interesting!