Obama Wins in a Landslide
October 22, 2008 6:13 PM   Subscribe

 
Why do Macedonians love McCain?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 6:17 PM on October 22, 2008 [3 favorites]


Yeah! I'm all like, wtf, Macedonia?
posted by ORthey at 6:20 PM on October 22, 2008 [6 favorites]


That was easy. I didn't have to wait in a line or anything. Watch out, though. If you refresh the page, the pictures switch sides.
posted by inconsequentialist at 6:21 PM on October 22, 2008


At only 75% Obama, it looks like Madagascar hasn't quite closed its port to McCain yet.
posted by Iridic at 6:24 PM on October 22, 2008 [21 favorites]


Why do Macedonians love McCain?

McCain supports Macedonia's inclusion in NATO. Obama doesn't.
posted by elfgirl at 6:24 PM on October 22, 2008 [4 favorites]


They are classic single-issue voters, as has been explained each time this has come up as a comment in a number of threads. Apparently McCain has either said he supports their using the name "Macedonia" (instead of the Greek province that claims the name), or they think he has, so he's okay in their book.
posted by yhbc at 6:25 PM on October 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


People of earth, I urge you to vote!
posted by Barack Obama at 6:26 PM on October 22, 2008 [27 favorites]


Macedonia, Macedonia
What makes your big head so hard?

Also, nice use of five bucks there, Senator.
posted by fixedgear at 6:27 PM on October 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


I am amazed it took this long for him to show up. Hell Barack, we've had Hitler pipe up in threads about him quicker than you have, and he's (probably) dead!
posted by yhbc at 6:28 PM on October 22, 2008 [2 favorites]


The world is in the tank.
posted by drezdn at 6:32 PM on October 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


(except for Burundi)
posted by drezdn at 6:32 PM on October 22, 2008


Good thing Macedonia only has 5 electoral votes.
posted by jal0021 at 6:34 PM on October 22, 2008 [2 favorites]


It's also Macedonia Day on the green.
posted by oaf at 6:35 PM on October 22, 2008


No surprise that the Greek vote is the mirror opposite of Macedonia's, either.

Back in April my wife & I were in Ireland, and while having dinner at a cafe in Dublin we were seated right next to a pair of women from Greece. Once they ascertained we were America, the older woman asked, "Clinton or Obama?" "Clinton," we answered, and got a thumbs-up. She then preceded to lecture us for five minutes on how terrible GW Bush was for having referred to "Macedonia" recently and (worse) suggesting they should become NATO members. We were informed rather that "Macedonia" is properly used only as the name of the Greek province. From the Greek point of view, I'm sure that McCain really is Bush's 3rd term.
posted by Creosote at 6:40 PM on October 22, 2008


Perhaps I can reprise my deleted lame joke from that AskMe in hi-larious new form:
McCain's so ancient he relies on the fillip of Macedon.
posted by Abiezer at 6:42 PM on October 22, 2008 [6 favorites]


Ah, my beloved Portugal. Voting early and voting often.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 6:45 PM on October 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


I actually think the world SHOULD be able to vote for the US president...and maybe all the votes by everyone outside the US could equal 20 electoral votes or so.

But hey, I think kids should be able to vote as well. What do I know?
posted by chronkite at 6:47 PM on October 22, 2008


What's up with the huge margin of victory for Obama amongst voters in the USA? Ballot box stuffed by dirty foreigners who don't get to vote in the real thing? (I know I did my share).
posted by nowonmai at 6:49 PM on October 22, 2008


It's pretty clear that site has a strong pro-Obama bias in its readership. If the membership of that site reflected the overall populace, we would expect to see a strong agreement between the data it collects, and the data from other sources. fivethirtyeight.com pegs the popular vote breakdown for the United States as 51.8% for Obama and 46.8% for McCain. "If the world could vote?" puts it at 81.8% for Obama.

Of course, I realize this is only for fun, but I just want to caution anyone from taking the results seriously.
posted by The Eponymous Pseudonymous Rex at 6:50 PM on October 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


If the World Could Vote

They can, in their own damn country.

Frankly, considering the number of Mexicans who sneak over the border into the US, we should have a vote in that country. But if we tried to pull that, then the world would be screaming bloody murder, as well they should.

Look, I know the American government aren't angels and the world has everyone right to be pissed at us, as a country, for various reasons. But this whole "you affect my world, so I should get a vote" argument is piss poor, unless you're willing to let YOUR neighboring countries having a say in how your electoral process goes. No? Then hush and keep your voting fantasies to yourself or start coughing up some tax money.

Jesus, we got an actual shot of putting someone in office that the world likes and still it's "bitch bitch bitch" and "how dare you question our bitching". Quit making our heads huge by making us think our elections are so important to the world.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:51 PM on October 22, 2008 [7 favorites]


Why do Macedonians love McCain?

The only Macedonian I've ever knowingly encountered was an incredibly hammered old guy on the N train who would ask people their ethnic background and then point at himself and say (in a Count Dracula accent): "Massseeedonia!"

I don't know if tehre's any connection.
posted by jonmc at 6:54 PM on October 22, 2008 [5 favorites]


It's pretty clear that site has a strong pro-Obama bias in its readership.

Correct. To be able to use the internet (and thus that site), you need to be able and willing to read. This significantly skews the domestic results.


cheap cheap shot. Sorry.
posted by -harlequin- at 6:58 PM on October 22, 2008 [8 favorites]


It's pretty clear that site has a strong pro-Obama bias in its readership.

Eh. If a link to this was posted at Freep or someplace like that, you'd see a surge in McCain votes. Anybody can click a mouse.
posted by jonmc at 7:00 PM on October 22, 2008


Brandon Blatcher said
But this whole "you affect my world, so I should get a vote" argument is piss poor

Huh? No one is seriously arguing this Brandon. This is representative of the opinion of people from other countries. Actually, the opinions of people who could be bothered navigating to that site, and "casting a vote", in the first place.

Jeez. Lighten up.

And if it's news to you that the majority of people outside the US prefer Obama to McCain, then you need to expand your consciousness beyond ths shores of NYC and LA. There's a whole world out there you know!
posted by Mephisto at 7:03 PM on October 22, 2008 [2 favorites]


Well your evidence, jonmc, supports my theory that all the draculas love John McCain.
posted by piratebowling at 7:04 PM on October 22, 2008


Why would the rest of the world even want to vote- the rest of the world just LOVES the consequences of a barely literate electorate giving us the likes of Bush for two terms. Bring it on.
posted by mattoxic at 7:04 PM on October 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


Well your evidence, jonmc, supports my theory that all the draculas love John McCain.

Then our mission is clear: go to your polling place and hang garlic.
posted by jonmc at 7:12 PM on October 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


Brandon, I don't think anyone's seriously suggesting foreigners should vote, but surely we're allowed to have an opinion.
Then hush and keep your voting fantasies to yourself or start coughing up some tax money
It doesn't really work like that - I've coughed up federal, state and local income tax for the last eight years, but no vote for me.
posted by nowonmai at 7:14 PM on October 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


Just because he got the most votes doesn't mean he'll win.
posted by larry_darrell at 7:16 PM on October 22, 2008


I'm going to use every ounce of my Macedonian influence to turn it into a blue country.
posted by soma lkzx at 7:17 PM on October 22, 2008


It's pretty clear that site has a strong pro-Obama bias in its readership.

Except that The Economist has been doing the same thing with essentially the same results, and it's a very traditionally conservative magazine with a typically conservative readership.
posted by George_Spiggott at 7:18 PM on October 22, 2008 [4 favorites]


Oh, also, how can you say the "site's readership" is pro-Obama when the site contains nothing but this poll? That's the same as saying that the takers of the poll have a pro-Obama bias, which is kind of a tautology given that he's y'know, winning in a landslide on it.

So, "people on the internet who took this poll" have a pro-Obama bias, then. Killer observation, really
posted by George_Spiggott at 7:22 PM on October 22, 2008 [2 favorites]


"Then hush and keep your voting fantasies to yourself or start coughing up some tax money."

See, it's attitudes like that, which have existed in the White House for the last eight years, that make the rest of the world wish (key word: wish) that they could have a vote in the US Presidential elections. I mean, if we're going to be dictated to, we'd at least like to like the guy that's telling us what to do.

Anyway, it won't matter. What with the financial crisis and all, America's influence around the world is probably going to dwindle dramatically during the next Presidency.
posted by Effigy2000 at 7:26 PM on October 22, 2008 [4 favorites]


Of course, I realize this is only for fun, but I just want to caution anyone from taking the results seriously.

I just cut and paste this statement because it can't be emphasized enough. In fact, if I knew how to underline and increase the font size, I would.
posted by gman at 7:36 PM on October 22, 2008


But this whole "you affect my world, so I should get a vote" argument is piss poor, unless you're willing to let YOUR neighboring countries having a say in how your electoral process goes.
I agree - this would just be wrong. Fortunately, there are appropriate fora where issues that affect multiple nations can be reasonably discussed. Oh wait.
posted by Paragon at 7:36 PM on October 22, 2008


Countries McCain has pledged to bomb prefer Obama, film at 11.

Or is that what they'd say at Free Republic?
posted by dhartung at 7:41 PM on October 22, 2008 [2 favorites]


I'd like to know how the vote breaks down in Pitcairn. Can some Pitcairnese Pitcairner Mefites please weigh in?
posted by gman at 7:44 PM on October 22, 2008


Seriously? I would have thought the socialists would have done better if other countries were voting.
posted by Eideteker at 7:51 PM on October 22, 2008


What more do you want? We sent a boat, we sent a helicopter...
posted by mandal at 7:58 PM on October 22, 2008 [2 favorites]


Brandon: Quite. People should stick to the traditional bombings, highjackings and kidnappings to express their views on the US government, just as it uses the traditional invasions, coups and murder to express its views on other governments.

Paragon: You make a treaty with the US Govt, and you get all that you deserve.
posted by pompomtom at 8:07 PM on October 22, 2008 [3 favorites]


I more representative global poll from the BBC. Same basic finding.
posted by dgaicun at 8:08 PM on October 22, 2008


If the Would Could Vote Spam a Fatuous Online Poll?

It's the Internet. Obama's only ahead because Ron Paul's not on the ballot.
posted by bicyclefish at 8:11 PM on October 22, 2008



Except that The Economist has been doing the same thing with essentially the same results, and it's a very traditionally conservative magazine with a typically conservative readership.


Well, you've got to consider that the results are the opinions of the mutual intersections of the Venn-diagram circles of a demographic a) tech-savvy enough to have internet, use computer for casual browsing, b) read a magazine focused on foreign policy and international economic issues, c) read such a magazine that has high standards for intelligence, coherence, and accuracy, c) read said magazine online, d) probably posted a link on a blog/forwarded to other online friends/acquaintances.

Right there, there's a series of economic, intellectual, technological, social stratifications.

The same really goes for the original website -- it's a meme of a sorts, propagated through blog links and word-of-email connections most probably. Who reads blogs? Who comments on them, follows links, sends links to other blogs? Blogs are hardly academic, but most blogs discussing this are probably political ones, they're probably most often written by college-educated people than not, etc, etc...
posted by suedehead at 8:22 PM on October 22, 2008


I was impressed when I read this in the FAQ:

How many times can I vote?

Only once. Each computer can only vote once. Otherwise this wouldn't be fair.


I thought they had some sophisticated way of getting my computer's MAC address and using that to prohibit double voting (on a single computer).

I was disappointed to realize that it was just put a cookie on my computer.

So anyone who wants to skew this otherwise completely fair and statistical poll one way or the other need only delete the site's cookie and vote again. Hey, for extra credit, write a script to vote an arbitrary number of times :)
posted by Salvor Hardin at 8:30 PM on October 22, 2008


Whoa, are we really debating in seriousness whether or not this poll represents anything about reality?

Ahem. Well, debate away, but statistics cat is watching you try to ignore massive response bias.

I mean, I wonder who the 28% of the world that doesn't even have access to electricity would vote for?
posted by Salvor Hardin at 8:35 PM on October 22, 2008


Can I vote in Cuba?

A continued Castro administration doesn't sound as scary to me as John McCain wants me to think it would be. So I am thinking I'd vote Raul, but I admit, I don't know the politics well enough to make an informed opinion, but that's just the way I'd roll. You know, if I got to vote in countries where I'm not a citizen. But, then again, I just want the cigars, since you know, sometimes a cigar is just a Cuban. Screw embargoes!

Yeah, and I have opinions on Utah as well, but fuck, since I don't speak the language, who am I to dictate? Who do I look like Fidel Castro?

I still get to vote for Obama like the rest of the world, right?
posted by cjorgensen at 8:36 PM on October 22, 2008


This poll is useless without a Ron Paul option.
posted by Tehanu at 8:36 PM on October 22, 2008


Man, a lot of people all over the world are going to be disappointed when Obama reveals he's the Anti-Christ.
posted by philip-random at 8:49 PM on October 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


Well your evidence, jonmc, supports my theory that all the draculas love John McCain.
posted by piratebowling at 7:04 PM on October 22 [+] [!]


Fortunately, all of the projections show that Obama should have no trouble carrying the all-important blacula vote.
posted by Strange Interlude at 9:17 PM on October 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


BetaVote has been doing this too, and isn't asking for money on their front page.
posted by wintersweet at 9:17 PM on October 22, 2008


Since the American Economy just crashed the World Economy and America is the reason the World is paying more to fuel their cars and America invented the War on Terror - damn right the rest of the world should have a say in whether the mess gets cleaned up or made worse!
posted by crossoverman at 9:22 PM on October 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


Someone should make www.ifminoritiesandpoorpeopleinamericacouldvote.com
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:08 PM on October 22, 2008 [2 favorites]


Georgia has shaded much more blue since last time I looked at this.

Is the Republicans' Southern Strategy finally coming to an end?
posted by rokusan at 10:46 PM on October 22, 2008 [2 favorites]


Adventuring Party Politics, via today's lonely sysadmin

This is today's ElectionFilter thread, right?
posted by ghost of a past number at 10:51 PM on October 22, 2008


Couldn't the world have voted 8 years ago?
posted by mazola at 11:03 PM on October 22, 2008


Man, a lot of people all over the world are going to be disappointed when Obama reveals he's the Anti-Christ.

The baddest bad guy of All Reality turns out to be a black man? Now God's just getting lazy!
posted by -harlequin- at 11:04 PM on October 22, 2008


Man, a lot of people all over the world are going to be disappointed when Obama reveals he's the Anti-Christ.

That would be pretty awesome.

If he did it at the inauguration, laughing maniacally and yelling "YOU POOR DAMNED FOOLS!" while ripping off the prosthetics which had been covering his devil-mustache and devil-beard, it would be ultra-awesome.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:31 PM on October 22, 2008


Georgia has shaded much more blue since last time I looked at this.

I live in Georgia and can't believe Barack would actually win it.

Whoa, are we really debating in seriousness whether or not this poll represents anything about reality?

Na, it's more of an attitude I've seen a lot of on Meta lately, so I'm more reacting to all of that AND this post as opposed to just this post.

No hard feelings, unless you like eggplant.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:34 PM on October 22, 2008


Georgia has shaded much more blue since last time I looked at this.

I live in Georgia and can't believe Barack would actually win it.


I think it's this Georgia that's shading blue. . . .
posted by muhonnin at 11:58 PM on October 22, 2008



I mean, I wonder who the 28% of the world that doesn't even have access to electricity would vote for?

Thomas Edison?
posted by tkchrist at 12:29 AM on October 23, 2008 [7 favorites]


Only if they have been duped by the Direct Current lobby.

TESLA FOR PRESIDENT!
posted by ghost of a past number at 12:36 AM on October 23, 2008 [8 favorites]


Brandon Blatcher, were you worried the Russians were coming when the Olympics were on too?
posted by bystander at 12:38 AM on October 23, 2008 [2 favorites]


Except that The Economist has been doing the same thing with essentially the same results, and it's a very traditionally conservative magazine with a typically conservative readership.
posted by George_Spiggott at 4:18 AM on October 23


Many Economist readers, myself amogst them, would stongly disagree. I can't think of much in the way of media that takes as broad a range of informed stances as that magazine.
posted by protorp at 12:47 AM on October 23, 2008 [2 favorites]


Whoa, are we really debating in seriousness whether or not this poll represents anything about reality?


According to this recent poll in France, 93% of the people there would vote for Obama.

The site in the FPP says 94%, so yes I guess there is a margin of error...
posted by vacapinta at 1:12 AM on October 23, 2008


Look, I know the American government aren't angels and the world has everyone right to be pissed at us, as a country, for various reasons. But this whole "you affect my world, so I should get a vote" argument is piss poor, unless you're willing to let YOUR neighboring countries having a say in how your electoral process goes. No? Then hush and keep your voting fantasies to yourself or start coughing up some tax money.

"Hey, rest of the world! Yeah, you! Hey -- fuck you! Yeah, you heard me. Fuck you, you dirty foreigners! We're AMERICA!"

Yeah, that approach to things has worked pretty well the last 8 years.

Note: hyperbolic reply to hyberbolically doucheriffic comment. No one-to-one equivalence implied.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:52 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]


Having actually read the thread, I see that others have gotten there before me. Whoops. I'll just go and enjoy my long weekend now.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:54 AM on October 23, 2008


Then hush and keep your voting fantasies to yourself or start coughing up some tax money.

Awesome. Does this mean we're going to start letting legal immigrants in the U.S. vote in federal elections, since they pay taxes?
posted by romakimmy at 2:59 AM on October 23, 2008


Brandon Blatcher, were you worried the Russians were coming when the Olympics were on too?

No, the Chinese, DUH.

damn pinko hippies
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:32 AM on October 23, 2008


I'll just go and enjoy my long weekend now.
Typical slacker pinko foreigner.
posted by Killick at 6:31 AM on October 23, 2008


This poll is useless without a Ron Paul option.

Is Ron Paul the Ralph Nader equivalent on the Right? Seriously, I have never understood why his supporters are so vocal when it's so clear that he has no chance, and is woefully inadequate for the position as well. By "he", I mean either of them.
posted by explosion at 6:36 AM on October 23, 2008


Seriously, I have never understood why his supporters are so vocal when it's so clear that he has no chance, and is woefully inadequate for the position as well.

They've been curiously silent ever since his very constituents - Texas' 14th district - chose McCain over him as the Republican nominee.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 7:38 AM on October 23, 2008


I think it's this Georgia that's shading blue. . . .

I would have thought that Georgia would vote for the Caucasian.
posted by rocket88 at 8:28 AM on October 23, 2008 [3 favorites]


Look, I know the American government aren't angels and the world has everyone right to be pissed at us, as a country, for various reasons. But this whole "you affect my world, so I should get a vote" argument is piss poor,

man, i can understand being tired of international condemnation and all, but when you see something like this - basically an "oh gee! lookit!" type frivolous thing - i really have a hard time imagining that the best reaction is to go all "ugly american" about it. i mean, bringing up illegal immigration? come on, man. i understand the frustration, as I said, but in the end it's just someone pointing something out. there really doesn't seem to be a larger argument, there, and simply observing a trend, even one as poorly vetted as this, is valuable no matter who you're voting for or where you're from. it's just a little bit of global awareness, at least global visitors to that site awareness, at a time when awareness in general seems to be in short supply.
posted by shmegegge at 8:38 AM on October 23, 2008


Don't blame me -- I voted for Kodos.
posted by CheeseburgerBrown at 9:20 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]


So is this site sponsored by the McCain campaign? Cause I can guarantee that the number of Americans who would vote for McCain to spite the opinions of the rest of the world is several orders of magnitude larger than the number of Americans who would think "Gee, if France likes Obama better than McCain, maybe I should vote for him."
posted by straight at 9:35 AM on October 23, 2008


Once Americans learn that the world is voting for Obama they'll vote for McCain just to spite them. We Americans are prickly that way.
posted by Rarebit Fiend at 10:16 AM on October 23, 2008


Actually many of us in those "other countries" can vote in the election (expat American here living in the UK)!

It makes me wonder how all those polls which usually call domestic numbers, account for all the absentee ballots being mailed in from all over the world.
posted by vacapinta at 10:37 AM on October 23, 2008


Like reality, the world has a well-known liberal bias.
posted by monosyllabic at 11:40 AM on October 23, 2008


Cause I can guarantee that the number of Americans who would vote for McCain to spite the opinions of the rest of the world is several orders of magnitude larger than the number of Americans who would think "Gee, if France likes Obama better than McCain, maybe I should vote for him."

And what does that suggest about the mentality of such voters?
posted by stinkycheese at 12:36 PM on October 23, 2008


And what does that suggest about the mentality of such voters?

Well, duh. They're idiots. That's not the question. The question is why someone would wave a red flag like this at the idiots that everyone knows are there.
posted by straight at 2:22 PM on October 23, 2008


It's always a little weird to see bouts of political narcissism coming from *offshore*

Sigh.
posted by puckish at 2:39 PM on October 23, 2008


Well, duh. They're idiots. That's not the question. The question is why someone would wave a red flag like this at the idiots that everyone knows are there.

Luckily those idiots haven't been attracted to that site, since voting for McCain is low even in the American portion of the voting.
posted by crossoverman at 3:24 PM on October 23, 2008


From the Greek point of view, I'm sure that McCain really is Bush's 3rd term.

Yes, but not because of Macedonia.
posted by ersatz at 3:29 PM on October 23, 2008


Except that The Economist has been doing the same thing with essentially the same results, and it's a very traditionally conservative magazine with a typically conservative readership.

Their study suffers from the same problem. Namely, they list the US as 80% for Obama and 20% for McCain. This does not reflect more accurate polling data using well-established methods.

Oh, also, how can you say the "site's readership" is pro-Obama when the site contains nothing but this poll? That's the same as saying that the takers of the poll have a pro-Obama bias, which is kind of a tautology given that he's y'know, winning in a landslide on it.

So, "people on the internet who took this poll" have a pro-Obama bias, then. Killer observation, really


Fine then, I'll put it differently. The results of this poll and the Economist poll appear to statistical outliers, since compared to numerous other polls, which all predict results within a few points of each other, they predict dramatically higher vote percentages for Obama. For that reason, there is good cause to doubt said results. The results may be valid, or may not be, but barring academic study (which certainly is not happening here), we can't really say either way.
posted by The Eponymous Pseudonymous Rex at 2:11 AM on October 24, 2008


From Foreign Policy and Gallup: If the World Could Vote.
posted by Knappster at 2:06 PM on October 31, 2008


Obama Wins in a Landslide

November 5th: YES WE CAN!
posted by humannaire at 11:03 AM on November 5, 2008


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