Alex Reid

Mere days before the election, US Presidential candidate Barack Obama aired a 30-minute “informercial” on the major networks last night (all except ABC because they were holding out) and the ratings outperformed the usual Wednesday night fare drawing 33.5 million viewers according to Nielsen.

NBC was the most-viewed and highest-rated network for its presentation of Obama’s ad, pulling in 9.8 million viewers while CBS got 8.6 million and Fox had 7.9 million.

In 1992, Ross Perot aired 15 telecasts drew an average audience of 11.6 million viewers and his one simulcast, carried on ABC and CBS the day before the election, attracted 26 million viewers alone.

The Obama ad is a coup for the Democratic campaign and for network television.

Over 30 incidents of vandalism have been reported by Liberal Party supporters in two separate ridings – the most concerning being the cutting of their car brake lines. One campaign worker found his brakes didn’t work after failing to stop at a stop sign and was nearly hit by an oncoming transit bus. So far 17 incidents of brake cutting have been reported and by Tuesday it was being reported that people were receiving anonymous phone calls threatening that if they don’t remove Liberal election signs from their front lawns “you’ll be next.”

The vandalism spread to Niagara Falls where three people had their car brake lines cut as well and two homes were vandalised – again all Liberal Party supporters.

In Nova Scotia, it was the candidates’ offices and signs that have been targeted. The openly gay Liberal MP Scott Brison’s signs were spray painted with a homophobic slur while rocks were thrown through the windows of another Liberal candidate in Halifax.

Political graffiti is one thing, but this is getting out of control. Who ever is doing this are criminals. The cutting of people’s car brake lines is tantamount to attempted homicide.

The UK government has leaked their plans for a £12 billion program to tap every phone call and email originating or received in the UK under the guise of anti-terrorism measures.

GCHQ, the government’s eavesdropping centre, has already been given up to £1 billion to finance the first stage of the project.

Hundreds of clandestine probes will be installed to monitor customers live on two of the country’s biggest internet and mobile phone providers – thought to be BT and Vodafone. BT has nearly 5m internet customers.

Essentially the security services want a “live tap” into every phone call and email message.

So far not much is being said except that the opposition Conservative Party’s only qualm with the program is the integrity of keeping the information safe from leaking. I find it shocking that the security services are having such a difficult time knowing who is bad and who is good that everyone is suspect.