Tuesday, November 6, 2012

US election fever comes to Canberra - Sydney Morning Herald




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US ambassador's job on the line


The US ambassador to Australia Jeff Bleich cares more than most about the US election outcome - he's a presidential appointee.





About 300 people have crammed in to the National Press Club in Canberra to watch the United States election results come through from the other side of the world.


The event, hosted by the US embassy, had a party atmosphere about lunch time today, complete with hot dogs, gumbo, a pretend polling booth, and cardboard cutouts of the candidates for people to have their photo taken with.


And if the photo preferences of the crowd, made up mostly of people from Friends of the US Embassy as well as a handful of journalists, military types, and political advisers, were anything to go by, Obama was streaks ahead on the popular vote in Canberra.


US election watch at the National Press Club, Canberra.

The (cardboard) candidates were there for photo opportunities. Photo: Graham Tidy



While everyone kept a careful eye on the results streaming in, US ambassador Jeffrey Bleich told the crowd that he was observing proceedings from a different viewpoint.


"Unlike the people in this room, my job is on the line today," Mr Bleich said.


The comment received a laugh from the assembled crowd, despite its serious undertone.


Hot dogs on the menu for the US election event at the National Press Club.

Hot dogs on the menu. Photo: Graham Tidy



Should Mitt Romney come away with an election win, the usual practice is to immediately recall so-called "political appointments" to diplomatic posts made by his opponent - which includes Mr Bleich, who was appointed to the Canberra post by long-time friend Barack Obama in 2009.


Despite the high stakes for Mr Bleich, he said election day was always very exciting for Americans.


"It is the ultimate symbol of what our founders fought and died for," he said.


He pointed out that governments by the people, for the people have never been a smooth process, as results looked to go down to the wire.


"That process has been as messy and as crazy from the beginning as it is today," he said.


Regardless of the result, Mr Bleich said there would be no tanks in the streets of America, and that everyone would rally behind the winner to keep their country moving ahead.


"That is what America is about," he said.


He also pointed out that, regardless of who wins today, the relationship between the US and Australia would not be diminished, degraded or neglected.


with staff reporters



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