Erstellt am: 7. 11. 2012 - 10:12 Uhr

Four More Years

Finally, Democrats have got what they had been dreaming of: a second term for President Obama.

A cliffhanger

The main difference between this election and four years ago was uncertainty. In 2008, every analyst in Washington DC told us that Barack Obama was clearly going to win. This time round they told us that they just didn't know. We knew it would be tight, we knew that Obama had a slight edge but it gave us all enough reason to suggest "well, Romney might do it".

The Republicans End-game

In the last few days they curiously started spending a huge amount of effort in a previous Democrat stronghold, Pennsylvania. They poured millions of dollars into advertising in the state to try to open up a new front and give them an alternative path to winning. But it just wasn't to be. On top of that, Romney moved to the left and looked and sounded like a moderate in his final campaign speeches. His message was softer with lots of reaching out. Maybe if he had tried that approach earlier... but it's all too late for that.

A good night for Democrats

Not only did Obama retain the White House but Democrats kept hold of their majority in the Senate. This was a good turnaround since six months ago, it looked as though they would lose many seats in the Senate turning the whole of Congress into a bastion of Republican faithful. But now balance has been retained.

Outside the Whitehouse

At just approaching midnight, the place to be in DC was outside the White House. Students were climbing trees with banners unfolding messages of support for Barack Obama. It was an amazing sight, reminiscent of a similar gathering there four years ago. Then, there was shock and astonishment that America had come so far that it had elected an African-American President. Now the mood was more sheer joy from Obama supporters that everything he had started was going to continue.

Is that it?

The real hard work starts again. The President and members of Congress need to balance a budget and come to a serious agreement on how best to do this. If they get there depends on a number of factors including: how wounded are Republican feelings and does that make them more or less likely to compromise on tax increases and debt reduction. But I think the events of this election remove an obstacle for them too. A blind determination to oppose Obama at every possible opportunity to ensure that his legacy would be that of a failed one-term president. Now, that goal has been removed they can, at least in theory, start to do what most of the electorate expects of them: to listen and work together to come up an economic bill for America's future.