Karl Smyth

Karl Smyth holds a MA in American Literature and a BA in Economics from University College Dublin. He is currently an editorial intern with openUSA.

Troopergate report condemns Palin

A 263-page report released yesterday by the Alaskan legislature has concluded that Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin personally exerted pressure in her capacity as Governor of Alaska to get Trooper

By Karl Smyth

/ 11 Oct 2008

Presidential transition and planning for the great beyond

While the result of this year's presidential election remains far from conclusive, the complex reality of making the transition from one administration to another at the upper echelon

By Karl Smyth

/ 9 Oct 2008

Michigan pullout underscores bleak electoral college picture for McCain

John McCain's decision on Wednesday to pull out of Michigan--a state which Democrat John Kerry edged with a margin of just over 3 percentage points in 2004 and

By Karl Smyth

/ 4 Oct 2008

Obama-Biden camp plays the expectations game

Given Sarah Palin's recent string of media blunders-dubbed by insiders in the McCain campaign as a "borderline disaster"-it comes as no surprise that the Democrats

By Karl Smyth

/ 2 Oct 2008

The VP debate: a perfect storm

While the US Vice Presidential debates have proven a locus for high theatre and some of the more memorable moments on the campaign trail in recent years - from Lloyd

By Karl Smyth

/ 2 Oct 2008