It is Cindy McCain, wife of 2008 Republican Presidential candidate John McCain. And she is featured posing in favour of same-sex marriage – along with her daughter Maghan McCain.

Considering the usual nature of Republicans – fundamental Christianity and a hatred of gays appears to come as standard – this is a brave and important step. Maybe now Republicanism will start to move forwards and embrace rel freedoms and stop trying to define marriage as between one man and one woman – rather than between two people who love each other.

We only had “civil partnerships” legalised here a couple of years ago – though hopefully these will soon be referred to as “marriages” in precisely the same way as those between a man and a woman (if it isn’t oretty much there already).

Equality is equality. People who love each other should have the right to get married, no matter whether they are of the same gender. And if the Republicans want to become electable, they need to recognise this.

With any luck, this is the start of a campaign to soften up the American people.

I love my country a lot more than I love politics… I think it is essential that he [Obama] be helped in office.

That’s the way it should be.

By doing this and not following the example of his former vice-president Dick Cheney in attacking the new President, Dubya has earned himself some respect. Respect he certainly didn’t earn whilst in office.

Congress Debates Adding Elaborate Dance To Obama’s Inauguration Ceremony

What is she saying? That rather than using its military power to get what it wants, the US is now going to use “smart power”, whatever the hell that is.

To me that just sounds like they’re going to continue to do what they currently are, but just call it something different to ease their consciences. It’s like calling bullying “smart persuasion”.

Disgraced media tycoon Conrad Black is seeking clemency from outgoing US President George W. Bush.

Black, 64, is serving a six-and-a-half-year jail term for fraud and obstruction of justice in Coleman, Florida, and has asked the President to free him as one of his last acts before he leaves office in January…

President Bush has the power to grant pardons to criminals under the US Constitution and has already been inundated with 2,000 requests. He is also able to shorten sentences. (The Telegraph)

How bloody stupid is an political system that elects a new President but then leaves executive power with the previous incumbent for several months, allowing them to continue to pass legislation and edicts such as releasing criminals from jail?!

The democratic mandate of George W Bush ended the moment Barack Obama achieved the necessary number of electoral college votes. So why does he continue to wield the power of the ‘leader of the free world’?

The G20 financial summit will indeed be “pointless” without Obama. What, precisely, is the point of having a summit to try and sort out the global financial crisis without the man who will soon be inaugurated as President of the US?

There isn’t any.

President-elect Obama needs to stand up and be counted right away, not wait the two months (plus) until he is inaugurated.

He should be choosing his Treaury spokesman as a matter of urgency, and they should be attending all international conferences on financial issues. After all, what would the point be of such meetings? No decisions can be made, as George W Bush no longer has any real authority to make decisions for America.

Either Barack Obama needs to go to these summits, or they need to be postponed until after January 20.

There was another vote in America on November 4th, with a less salubrious result, as gay marriages are banned in Arizona, Florida and California.

I’m shocked that so many Americans can vote for change in a Presidential election and for the prevention of change in another election at the same time.

It seems that America is only prepared to vote in favour of theoretical rather than specific change.

Final results:

• Electoral college: 349 seats to 162 seats (270 needed to win)
• Popular vote: 52% to 46.7% (6 million vote plurality for Obama)

This is a landslide victory for Obama. America has decided that it wants change, and voted in a Democrat as President, a Democrat-controlled Congress and a Democrat-controlled Senate.

Now it comes entierly down to President Obama to show that the trust America – and the rest of the world – has put in him is justified.

The hard work starts here [well, in two months time].