The race for US Presidency- What on earth is going on? educate me...

[tiredemma]

I struggle to understand politics in this country tbh- so watching Sky News is baffling me.
Can someone explain to me the process for becoming President of the US. Does each president only serve a set amount of years? Not like the UK where we can have the same PM for what seems like a lifetime.

Im confused and would love to understand

The bbc website has loads of info

hi... I think that I am right when I tell you:

Each president is elected for four years. They can serve a maximum of two terms then they have to stand down (so that's 8 years altogether) although they can be re-elected after someone has been president in the middle.

At the moment, they are voting for the presidential candidate - I suppose over here it would be the equivalent of Labour, Conservative and Lib Dems all having a leadership election at the same time.

Whoever wins the candidate vote will then go on to run for president in November (I think) so it will be either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama against either Huckerbee or the other bloke whose name escapes me (O'Neill?)

hth

or.... you could just go to the BBC website and look it all up there

(McCain not O'Neill)

Squonk,

Although technically someone may be able to serve a third term it will never be done. It would be a huge misreading of the constitution.

Exactly the terms are there for a reason

I think two terms is it. Don't think you can run again if you take a term out.

Each state has a primary (or caucus). You vote for the democrats or the republicans, but not both. Then after there is a Democratic candidate and a Republican candidate, those two go head to head in the general election in November. The winner takes office on January 20.

except... FDR served four terms (well, he died when into his fourth) so it has happened.
I think I was thinking of him when I said that it could happen.

Agree tis very unlikely to happen again.

So glad someone posted this question! Bit of a bummer that we have to have all this dominating our news for the next 10 months though. Yawn.

oh it won't be, pennies. Once the candidacy is done, that will be it till November (or maybe October)

He was able to serve four terms because there was no law at the time saying he couldn't. The amendment was made after his presidency

OOoooh , Squonk hurrah! I know that US politics affects us all blah blah blah but the thought of every minutiae of redneck voting ad nauseam makes me just want to hibernate and avoid it all!

ah! thank you paulaPB

pennies - I hope I'm right and it will die down for a few months...

Anytime Squonk