McCain would have been incredibly more preferable than Bush, as an earlier poster has said. I am hugely relieved as a brit that Obama got it so resoundingly. While I might not use the same rhetoric weelittledrummer is spot on with his anlysis IMHO. The only difference between John Major's position was he didnt have the size of majority to push things through and Obama at least has a majority democrat house with which to work with.

I also believe that McCain got the running mate the republican party wanted him to have -to conteract his percieved leftwingishnes within the republican party. I heard on the grapevine that his preference for running mate was a guy called Joe Leiberman ( i have to confess i didnt recognise the name at the time.)

I find it hard to point to one single factor as the difinitive one other than 8 yrs under Bush.

I tell you one thing though- it really has boosted respect for America in the global popularity stakes.8-)

Cllr