A President Passes

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 10 January 2025 > Celebrate

Jimmy Carter served just one term as the 39th President of the U.S.A., but his public service started long before his White House stay and continued to the end of his long life. He has died aged 100. Jimmy Carter often described himself as a Georgia peanut farmer. He was born in 1924 on the … Continue reading “A President Passes”

Back to the White House

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 07 November 2024 > In the News

We had got used to election results that took days or weeks to arrive. Not this time. It came clear in the night after polling stations closed that Donald Trump would be returning to the White House, this time as the 47th President of the U.S.A.  Although the final results won’t be in for weeks, … Continue reading “Back to the White House”

Political Icons: The Donkey and the Elephant

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 22 October 2024 > In the News

The donkey and elephant are the famous symbols of the Democratic and Republican Parties in the U.S. But how did these two animals become linked to the parties? Did the parties choose them through votes or laws? Surprisingly, these symbols came from jokes and political cartoons. Here’s the story of how it all happened. Democrats: … Continue reading “Political Icons: The Donkey and the Elephant”

Red, Blue or Purple States: a Colorful Guide to U.S. Elections

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 25 September 2024 > In the News

All U.S. states are not equal when it comes to time and budget lavished on them by presidential candidates and political parties. Most of the focus is on states which are variously referred to as swing states, battleground states or purple states. In the presidential election, it’s not the national popular vote that counts, but … Continue reading “Red, Blue or Purple States: a Colorful Guide to U.S. Elections”

Getting Out the Vote

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 25 September 2024 > In the News

Who will get out and vote, and for whom, in the U.S. Presidential elections? There has been a lot of interest recently in celebrities endorsing one or other of the tickets. Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Elon Musk’s endorsements of Harris-Walz and Trump-Vance respectively have made headlines. Celebrity endorsements of candidates are nothing new: Warren … Continue reading “Getting Out the Vote”

How to Elect a U.S. President

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 10 September 2024 > Ready to Use

It’s not been the most typical U.S. electoral year, with the primaries counting less than usual in the process, and the late withdrawal of Joe Biden as the Democratic candidate. This article explains the basic system of how the U.S. President is elected and focuses on the 2024 candidates now they are finally settled, quickly … Continue reading “How to Elect a U.S. President”

U.S. Election: Tim Walz

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 08 August 2024 > In the News

On 6 August, Kamala Harris announced her running-mate for the Democratic ticket for the 5 November presidential election. The vice-presidential candidate is Tim Walz, a former school teacher from the Mid-West who has been a Representative for Minnesota and is currently in his second term as the state’s governor. The announcement came somewhat as a … Continue reading “U.S. Election: Tim Walz”

U.S. Election: Kamala Harris

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 24 July 2024 > In the News

Kamala Harris has transformed rapidly from Vice-President to presidential candidate since Joe Biden withdrew from the race to the White House on 28 July. Harris, 59, was born in California in 1964. Her parents both came to the U.S.A. to continue their studies. (Her father is from Jamaica and her mother from India.) They divorced … Continue reading “U.S. Election: Kamala Harris”

Remembering Presidents

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 14 February 2024 > Celebrate

On the third Monday in February, Americans celebrate Presidents’ Day, in honour of all 46 Presidents but especially George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. A good time to brush up on what qualifications you need to be President. Today’s Presidents’ Day grew out of individual celebrations of George Washington’s birthday on 22 February and Abraham Lincoln’s … Continue reading “Remembering Presidents”