George W. Bush and his Republicans suffered a crushing defeat in elections to the Congress - by
Eugene Bay (Washington), Helen Shesternina

At the elections in the U.S. Congress, that in fact became rehearsal of presidential election-2008, George W. Bush ’s Republican Party suffered a crushing defeat. Democrats for the first time in last 12 years, returned to regain control of the House of Representatives, won in the most of states, where held governors’ elections, and have every chance to ensure a majority in the Senate.

The Iraq War has made its case: the Republicans paid for Bush`s striving to establish in this country “Democracy of American style”. The campaign has long been a senseless and turned into a second Vietnam, the president has failed.

Didn`t help death sentence that pronounced in rush to Saddam Hussein - just to keep pace with the election, didn’t extensive travel around the country and meeting with voters or appeals to patriotism, the words that “it is necessary to destroy the terrorists before they attack America” . Now, under threat is a presidential election in 2008, which the Republicans have all chances to lose.

Democrats have won at least two of the three fronts. They received the necessary 218 seats to regain control over the House of Representatives. As a consequence – they received the rights to supervise all committees and determine the agenda.

Also convincing results had gubernatorial elections. Democrats are leading in 20 out of 36 states where the vote took place. As a result, 28 of the 50 states will head the opposition, 22 was Bush’s supporters. Candidates of the Democratic Party won a victory even on someone else’s territory “- in New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Colorado, Arkansas and Maryland. All these states were considered a stronghold of the Republicans.

The election has become a real disaster for Bush. “The vote, of course, not those on which we had hoped,” - declared the President Press Secretary Tony Snow.

The new Speaker of the House of Representatives is the mother of five children

The fact that the Democrats win was clear even before the vote - this showed numerous public opinion polls. So the election presented many surprises. Chief was among them - that the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the first time in U.S. history will be a woman. 66-year-old Nancy Pelosi, leader of Democrats in the lower house, will be in the U.S. “Table of Ranks” third most important figure - after the president and vice president.

First teacher of Nancy’s father was in politics - the Mayor of Baltimore. Pelosi first ran for Congress in 1987. Then she lived with her husband, a businessman in San Francisco and brought up five children. Now Nancy promises that “will not curtail funding for the Iraq campaign, but will exert pressure on Bush, that he began the withdrawal of troops from that country.”

As Congress finally chose a Muslim

However the primary sensation may come. It is possible that under the new scenario, the democratic majority that has a right to “call on the carpet” will call the first officials to begin impeachment proceedings against the president for the failure of his policies in Iraq. Under the threat of turned out to be the fate of two more people from the presidential entourage - the head of the Pentagon, Donald Rumsfeld, whom Democrats called the chief culprit for the failure of the Iraq campaign, and U.S. Ambassador to UN John Bolton.

Hillary don`t wonna go on president chair yet

Hillary Clinton has become the Senator from New York State. She easily, with the superiority of 30 percent, won his opponent - Republican John Spencer. Now, the main intrigue is whether Mss. Clinton to run for the presidential election of 2008. Hillary herself claims that she was not even thinking about it. But it does not look like true. Representatives of her headquarters, of course, are on condition of anonymity – and there is opinion that this convincing victory gave the former first lady self-confidence. And now she will not stop.

“Terminator” won again

Re-elected to a second term Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger. During the entire election campaign, the Republican-”Terminator” demonstratively distanced itself from the policies of Bush, but when the owner of the White House came to California, he not even met him. It seemed that this provided support not only by his party, but also by Democrats. 60 percent of the votes was the certificate of that.

Chavez is wrong for all

And this time, America was unable to avoid a scandal related to “technical support of elections.” At the stations during the voting constant interruptions: electoral commission did not have time to learn new computer systems. As a result,on the lists of voters Chelsea Clinton did not find her name, daughter of former president and current senator. The girl was forced to receive new voting paper in another location.

Quickly found the culprit - it was Hugo Chavez. Shortly before the election began an investigation of involvement in the delivery of voting machines by unknown company Smartmatic Corporation, that is closely related to the Venezuelan president. However there are no charges on Chavez of trying to juggle the election results.

Director of the Institute of USA and Canada Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Sergei Rogov:

“The attitude of Washington will not change”

Elections in the United States is the most important event in world policy. There continues to count the votes in two states where Democrats still dominate. If they win, the opponents of the president will win a majority in the House of Representatives and also in the Senate.

I do not think that the current success of Democrats will have a significant impact on US-Russian relations – was not encouraging in recent years and will not improve in the foreseeable future. Despite the efforts of both sides, there is no reliable mechanisms for their development.

Democrats and Republicans in the United States differs on many issues. But they are united in one thing - a critical attitude towards Russia. Illustrative example is: a possible presidential candidate of the Republicans in the elections of 2008, Senator John McCain and his supposed opponent Democrat-Senator Hillary Clinton passed an opinion upon exception Russia from the Group of Big Eight.

The next two years will be very difficult in bilateral relations. We should not forget that the 2008 presidential election will take place not only in America but also in Russia. Democrats gaining a majority in the House of Representatives will not go to the abolition of discrimination in relation to our country, the Jackson-Vanik amendment.

ONLINE SURVEY

Why will lead the weakening position of the Republicans in the United States?

1. Relations with Russia will improve - 7%

2. Relations with Russia will get worse - 17%

3. United States withdraw troops from Iraq - 15%

4. The dollar will accelerate the fall - 6%

5. Nothing will change - 55%

In the survey took part 1571 people.