United States Of America

Why is American political material appearing on an Australian politics site?

When I first began publishing AustralianPolitics.com, I was teaching a course on Australian politics that included a comparative study of American politics. From the outset, AustralianPolitics.com has contained material on American politics. I’ve considered separating the content and even transferred the US material to its own domain in 2002. I quickly moved it all back in 2003 when I realised that managing another separate website was too cumbersome.

Like AustralianPolitics.com in general, the material in this section is idiosyncratic. It does not pretend to be a definitive collection of information and should not be regarded as such. Much of the material simply reflects my own personal interests and subjects I happen to have been teaching at various times.

I am happy to leave this material here, especially for non-American students studying the US political system.

The US System

• System Overview
• Australia-USA Comparison
• American Political Values
• Historic Documents
• The Original 13 American Colonies
• Find each state’s capital, date of admission to the union, state flower and state bird (Popup)

US Constitution

• Constitution
• Full Text of Constitution

US Presidency

• Complete List of All the Presidents of the United States
• Presidency
• Executive Arm
• Ex-Presidents
• George W. Bush

Bill Clinton

• Bill Clinton
• Clinton Impeachment

US Congress

• Congress
• House of Reps
• Senate

US Supreme Court

• Supreme Court

US Political Parties

• Political Parties
• Republican Party
• Democratic Party

US Elections

• Elections – brief details of Presidential, House, Senate and Gubernatorial elections; includes some historical material from the late 1990s and early 2000s

Issues

• A Selected List of U.S. Lobby Groups – links may be outdated
• Terrorism
• Watergate

US Politics News Items

• USA News Items 1998-2007
• Sound Archive

Archived Posts

• Nov 15, 2014: Barack Obama Highlights Climate Change In Speech At University Of Queensland
• Sep 23, 2014: Eulogy Of The Dog
• Jul 24, 2014: Co-Operation: Bill Clinton’s Speech At The Launch Of Torrens University Australia
• Jul 23, 2014: Bill Clinton’s Address To 20th International AIDS Conference In Melbourne
• Jul 18, 2014: Obama Calls For Ceasefire In Ukraine; Says US Will Increase Pressure On Russia
• Jun 13, 2014: Tony Abbott Meets With Barack Obama At White House
• Jun 06, 2014: June 6, 2014: President Barack Obama Speaks At Normandy On The 70th Anniversary Of D-Day
• May 11, 2014: Lem Johns, LBJ Bodyguard, Dies; Witness To JFK Assassination, Spattered With Paint In Australia
• Feb 23, 2014: G20 Finance Ministers Commit To 2% GDP Growth Target
• Jan 28, 2014: State Of The Union Address: Republican Response From Cathy McMorris Rodgers
• Jan 28, 2014: President Barack Obama’s State Of The Union Address 2014
• Jan 17, 2014: Obama Steers A Middle Course On Intelligence Activities
• Dec 10, 2013: Eulogy For The Ages: Obama’s Soaring Rhetoric At Mandela’s Memorial Service
• Dec 06, 2013: The Long Walk To Freedom Ends With Global Tributes To The Life Of Nelson Mandela
• Nov 22, 2013: This Day, 50 Years Ago: The Assassination Of President John F. Kennedy
• Jun 29, 2013: Obama: Confronting The Growing Threat Of Climate Change
• Apr 01, 2013: April Fools’ Day At Google And The White House
• Mar 19, 2013: Bush Announces Start Of Iraq War
• Feb 12, 2013: Senator Marco Rubio Gives Republican Party Response To State Of The Union
• Feb 12, 2013: President Obama’s 2013 State Of The Union Address
• Jan 21, 2013: ‘One Today’ – Richard Blanco’s Inaugural Poem
• Jan 21, 2013: President Barack Obama’s Second Inaugural Address
• Jan 21, 2013: The Inauguration Of A President
• Jan 20, 2013: President Barack Obama Takes Oath Of Office And Begins His Second Term
• Jan 20, 2013: Joe Biden Takes Oath Of Office For Second Term As Vice-President
• Jan 16, 2013: Obama And Biden Announce Plans To Tackle Gun Violence
• Jan 15, 2013: NRA Attacks Obama As An ‘Elitist Hypocrite’
• Jan 14, 2013: Barack Obama Holds Final Press Conference Of His First Term
• Jan 09, 2013: Richard Ben Cramer: Displayed Humanity Toward Politicians
• Jan 09, 2013: Getting It So Wrong: The Republicans And The Presidential Election
• Jan 07, 2013: Obama Nominates Chuck Hagel To Be Defence Secretary
• Jan 04, 2013: Whatever Happened To The 45th President?
• Jan 02, 2013: U.S. Congress Passes Fiscal Cliff Legislation; Obama Says It’s Just First Step
• Dec 24, 2012: ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas
• Dec 21, 2012: NRA’s Wayne LaPierre Proposes Armed Police In US Schools
• Dec 19, 2012: Obama Gives Biden Task Force A Month To Develop Gun Control Proposals
• Dec 19, 2012: TIME Magazine Names Barack Obama Person Of The Year
• Dec 16, 2012: Obama In Newtown: “This Cannot Go On; We Must Change”
• Dec 16, 2012: What Does It Take To Get Gun Reform In The US?
• Dec 15, 2012: Murdoch And Turnbull Tweet About Guns
• Dec 15, 2012: Obama: “We’re Going To Have To Take Meaningful Action”
• Dec 15, 2012: “It’s Too Easy To Get A Gun”
• Dec 15, 2012: President Obama Speaks On The Connecticut School Shootings
• Nov 08, 2012: Re-Elected President Barack Obama Thanks Campaign Workers
• Oct 03, 2012: Obama And Romney Meet In First Presidential Debate
• Sep 25, 2012: Obama Ads In Ohio Attack Romney Over Taxes
• Sep 18, 2012: The Day Mitt Romney Lost The Presidential Election?
• Sep 06, 2012: President Barack Obama’s Acceptance Speech At The Democratic Party Convention
• Sep 05, 2012: Bill Clinton Address To The Democratic Party Convention
• Sep 04, 2012: Michelle Obama Addresses Democratic Party Convention
• Aug 30, 2012: Mitt Romney Accepts Republican Party Nomination For President
• Aug 30, 2012: Clint Eastwood And His Empty Chair
• Aug 16, 2012: Ecuador Grants Asylum To Julian Assange
• Aug 12, 2012: Obama Campaign Begins Attack On Ryan
• Aug 11, 2012: Mitt Romney Chooses Paul Ryan As Vice-Presidential Running Mate
• Aug 06, 2012: Paul Keating Speech At Launch Of ‘The China Choice’
• Aug 06, 2012: Curiosity Lands On Mars
• Jun 05, 2012: The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
• May 15, 2012: Obama Campaign Launches Anti-Romney Bain Capital TV Ad
• May 09, 2012: Barack Obama Supports Same-Sex Marriage
• Apr 28, 2012: President Obama At The 2012 White House Correspondents’ Dinner
• Apr 11, 2012: Rick Santorum Withdraws From Republican Presidential Contest
• Mar 07, 2012: Hillary Clinton On China
• Jan 25, 2012: Mitch Daniels Delivers Republican Response To State Of The Union
• Jan 25, 2012: President Obama’s 2012 State Of The Union Address
• Jan 23, 2012: Gabrielle Giffords: “I Will Return”
• Jan 11, 2012: Mitt Romney Wins Republican Primary In New Hampshire
• Jan 09, 2012: Republican Candidates LIVE Debate on ‘Meet The Press’
• Jan 04, 2012: The Iowa Caucuses: A Model Of Participatory Democracy?
• Dec 31, 2011: Prospects for the Republican Party Iowa Caucus
• Dec 25, 2011: President Obama’s Christmas Message
• Dec 11, 2011: Wanna Bet? Mitt Romney’s $10,000 Offer To Rick Perry
• Nov 16, 2011: Obama Gives It A Burl At Parliamentary Reception
• Nov 16, 2011: Obama And Gillard Hold Joint Press Conference In Canberra
• Nov 16, 2011: Obama’s Message To Australia
• Nov 16, 2011: President Barack Obama Arrives In Canberra
• Nov 14, 2011: President Obama’s APEC Press Conference
• Sep 11, 2011: Presidents Obama and Bush Deliver 9/11 Anniversary Readings
• Sep 11, 2011: Channel 10 News Remembers The Night of September 11
• Sep 08, 2011: Obama Calls On Congress To Pass Jobs Bill
• May 24, 2011: Obama Searches For Lost Apostrophe In Dublin
• May 01, 2011: Obama Announces US Has Found And Killed Osama bin Laden
• May 01, 2011: President Obama at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner
• Apr 04, 2011: Barack Obama Launches 2012 Re-Election Campaign
• Mar 10, 2011: Julia Gillard’s Address to the Joint Meeting of the US Congress
• Mar 09, 2011: Julia Gillard and Barack Obama at Wakefield High
• Jan 28, 2011: President Obama’s Remarks on Egypt Unrest
• Jan 25, 2011: Republican Response to State of the Union: Paul Ryan
• Jan 25, 2011: President Obama’s State of the Union Address
• Jan 20, 2011: Obama Remembers Kennedy on 50th Anniversary
• Jan 20, 2011: Obama Hits Halfway Mark of Presidential Term
• Jan 12, 2011: President Obama’s Speech in Tucson
• Jan 12, 2011: Sarah Palin Comments On Giffords Shooting; Alleges “Blood Libel”
• Jan 10, 2011: Words Matter: Bill Clinton
• Jan 10, 2011: “An Attack On All Who Serve”
• Jan 09, 2011: Palin: Diagnosing the Problem, Prescribing the Solution
• Jan 09, 2011: Obama Speaks on Shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
• Dec 16, 2010: Statement on WikiLeaks by Thomas Blanton, National Security Archive Director
• Dec 15, 2010: The Age Publishes WikiLeaks Cables From US Embassy
• Dec 14, 2010: Taking Stock of WikiLeaks
• Dec 11, 2010: Bill Clinton Returns to the White House
• Nov 10, 2010: President Obama’s Jakarta Speech: Text & Audio
• Nov 08, 2010: Hillary Clinton With Hamish and Andy
• Nov 07, 2010: Hillary Clinton Speaks In Melbourne
• Nov 15, 2008: Obama’s First Weekly Address Posted On YouTube
• Nov 05, 2008: Greens Welcome Obama Election
• Nov 05, 2008: Rudd Congratulates Obama On Election Win
• Nov 05, 2008: Bush Congratulates Obama
• Nov 05, 2008: A MOMENT OF HISTORY IN AMERICA AS OBAMA CLAIMS THE PRESIDENCY
• Nov 05, 2008: McCain Concedes Defeat; Magnificent, Gracious Speech Marred By Jeers From Republican Crowd
• Nov 05, 2008: OBAMA WINS PRESIDENCY
• Nov 05, 2008: Obama On Track To Win Presidency
• Nov 02, 2008: London Observer Endorses Obama
• Oct 29, 2008: Say Good-Night, Senator Dole
• Oct 29, 2008: Closing Argument: Obama Sums Up
• Oct 26, 2008: Defining Moment: Obama Moves To Close The Deal
• Oct 25, 2008: Calculate Your Tax Cut: Obama’s Online Widget
• Oct 24, 2008: New York Times Endorses Obama For President
• Oct 22, 2008: The New Republic Endorses Obama
• Oct 21, 2008: John Cleese On The U.S. Election
• Oct 20, 2008: Sarah Palin On Saturday Night Live
• Oct 19, 2008: Eloquent Support For Obama From Colin Powell
• Oct 17, 2008: Obama And McCain Draw Laughs At Dinner
• Oct 17, 2008: For First Time In 161 Years, Chicago Tribune Endorses Democratic Party Candidate
• Oct 17, 2008: Joe The Plumber: The Original Exchange With Obama
• Oct 17, 2008: Washington Post Endorses Obama
• Oct 16, 2008: McCain On Attack In Final Presidential Debate With Obama
• Oct 15, 2008: Sarah Palin Stump Speech In New Hampshire
• Oct 13, 2008: Boston Globe Endorses Obama
• Oct 11, 2008: G7 Communique Pledges Action To Restore Credit Flows
• Oct 11, 2008: ‘We Are Acting Aggressively,’ Bush Says
• Oct 08, 2008: Obama And McCain Meet In Second Debate
• Oct 07, 2008: Sarah Palin’s Stump Speech To Republican Party Base
• Oct 06, 2008: Palin and Biden on Saturday Night Live
• Oct 03, 2008: Biden And Palin Meet In Vice-Presidential Debate
• Sep 27, 2008: McCain and Obama Meet In First Presidential Debate
• Mar 18, 2008: Barack Obama’s Speech on Race
• Feb 07, 2008: Mitt Romney Suspends Presidential Bid
• Feb 05, 2008: John McCain’s Super Tuesday Speech
• Feb 05, 2008: Barack Obama’s Super Tuesday Speech
• Jan 28, 2008: Senator Kennedy Endorses Barack Obama For President
• Jan 28, 2008: Bush Delivers 2008 State Of The Union Address
• Jan 15, 2008: Mike Huckabee Concedes In Michigan Primary
• Dec 06, 2007: ‘Faith In America': Mitt Romney’s Speech On Faith
• Dec 06, 2007: U.S.-Australian Relations In A New Era: Nicholas Burns
• Sep 13, 2007: Bush Announces Withdrawal Of 20,000 Troops From Iraq; No Timeline For Remainder
• Sep 13, 2007: Democrats Say Bush Failed To Provide Plans For Future Of Iraq
• Sep 05, 2007: APEC: John Howard and George Bush Joint Press Conference
• Mar 31, 2007: Hicks To Serve 9 Months In Australian Jail; Released After Election
• Mar 25, 2007: The President’s Prison: Scathing New York Times Editorial
• Feb 23, 2007: War On Terror Is Battle Of Ideas: Cheney
• Feb 16, 2007: US House of Representatives Passes Resolution Opposing Iraq Surge
• Feb 14, 2007: U.S. Ambassador Hasn’t Read ANZUS Treaty
• Feb 13, 2007: Murdoch’s New York Post Supports Howard Against Obama
• Feb 11, 2007: Howard Attacks Obama and US Democrats
• Feb 10, 2007: Senator Barack Obama Announces Bid For President
• Jan 23, 2007: Democratic Party Response to State of the Union Address
• Jan 23, 2007: President George W. Bush’s 2007 State of the Union Address
• Jan 10, 2007: Bush Announces Extra 20,000 Troops To Iraq
• Apr 30, 2006: Let’s Impeach The President: Neil Young
• Jan 31, 2006: President Bush’s 2006 State of the Union Address
• Dec 18, 2005: Bush Claims Success In Iraq, Urges Resolve
• Dec 17, 2005: As Leo McGarry Dies, Chicago Tribune Endorses Matt Santos For President
• Dec 17, 2005: Bush Defends Bugging Program
• Nov 17, 2005: Iraq A Flawed Policy Wrapped In Illusion: John Murtha
• Oct 06, 2005: American Democracy Is In Grave Danger: Al Gore
• Feb 02, 2005: 2005 State of the Union Address: George W. Bush
• Feb 02, 2005: Democrats Respond To State Of The Union Address
• Jan 12, 2005: A Democratic Blueprint For America’s Future: Kennedy
• Oct 17, 2004: New York Times Endorses John Kerry For President
• Sep 30, 2004: Bush And Kerry Meet In First Presidential Debate
• Apr 23, 2004: Jeff Koopersmith: When A Tough Guy President Fails
• Apr 16, 2004: “Gutsy” Australians Want To See Things Through: Howard On FOX News
• Apr 14, 2004: Heads Up: Michael Moore On The Iraq War
• Apr 13, 2004: Bush Maintains Commitment To June 30 Deadline For Iraq Handover
• Apr 11, 2004: A Message To America’s Students From Ralph Nader
• Apr 10, 2004: White House Releases August 6, 2001 Intelligence Briefing On Bin Laden
• Apr 08, 2004: Condoleezza Rice’s Testimony To The National Commission On Terrorist Attacks
• Apr 05, 2004: Kennedy Says Iraq Is Bush’s Vietnam: “This Country Needs A New President”
• Oct 25, 2003: Greens Claim Presiding Officers ‘Kowtowed’ To Chinese President
• Oct 23, 2003: President Bush Addresses Australian Parliament; Greens Ejected
• Oct 23, 2003: Howard Welcomes Bush To Australian Parliament
• Jul 19, 2003: A Child’s Guide To United States Foreign Policy
• May 01, 2003: Bush Says Combat Operations In Iraq Have Ended
• Feb 16, 2003: Iraq Explained
• Feb 12, 2003: We Stand Passively Mute: Senator Robert Byrd On Iraq
• Feb 06, 2003: Colin Powell’s Address To The United Nations Security Council On Iraq
• Feb 04, 2003: John Howard’s Address To Parliament On Iraq
• Feb 02, 2003: Howard Sends Condolences To US On Columbia Disaster
• Feb 02, 2003: Space Shuttle Columbia Breaks Up On Re-Entry: Seven Astronauts Killed
• Feb 01, 2003: Bush: Our Journey Into Space Will Go On
• Jan 28, 2003: President George W. Bush’s 2003 State Of The Union Address
• Jan 23, 2003: Saddam Hussein: Apparatus Of Lies
• Sep 20, 2002: The National Security Strategy Of The United States Of America
• Sep 12, 2002: Saddam Hussein: A Decade Of Deception And Defiance
• Jun 24, 2002: President George W. Bush Calls For New Palestinian Leadership
• Jun 12, 2002: Howard Addresses Joint Meeting of US Congress
• Jun 06, 2002: As 9/11 Investigations Mount, Bush Creates Homeland Security Department
• Jun 06, 2002: Bush Establishes Department Of Homeland Security
• Jan 01, 2002: 2002 Dawns In New York City; Bloomberg Assumes Mayoralty; Recovery Work Continues At World Trade Centre; What Now For Giuliani?
• Dec 14, 2001: Bill Clinton: The Struggle for the Soul of the 21st Century
• Dec 02, 2001: Justice Deformed: New York Times On War And The Constitution
• Sep 14, 2001: U.S. Congress Authorises Use Of Force Against Terrorists
• Sep 14, 2001: Howard Government Invokes ANZUS Treaty
• Sep 12, 2001: SEPTEMBER 11, 2001: A DAY OF INFAMY
• Sep 11, 2001: Evil, Despicable Acts Of Terror: Bush
• Sep 11, 2001: TERRORIST ATTACKS ON USA
• Sep 11, 2001: U.S.A. Under Attack
• Jan 27, 2001: President Bush Calls For Education Reform: No Child Left Behind
• Jan 20, 2001: President George W. Bush’s Inaugural Address
• Jan 20, 2001: George W. Bush Takes Office As 43rd President Of The United States
• Jan 20, 2001: Clinton Pardons McDougal In Final Act As President
• Jan 19, 2001: Correspondence and Agreed Order in the Settlement of Clinton’s Case
• Jan 19, 2001: President-elect Bush’s Cabinet Nominations
• Jan 19, 2001: Statement From Special Prosecutor Robert Ray On President Clinton
• Jan 19, 2001: Clinton’s Law Licence Suspended For Five Years
• Jan 19, 2001: Clinton Makes Deal To Avoid Indictment On Last Day In Office
• Jan 18, 2001: Farewell Address: Clinton Prepares To Leave The White House
• Jan 04, 2001: Historic Firsts As United States 107th Congress Convenes
• Jan 03, 2001: Bush Completes Cabinet Selections; Emphasis On Diversity
• Aug 14, 2000: President Clinton’s Speech to the Democratic Party National Convention
• May 19, 2000: New York Mayor Giuliani Announces Withdrawal From Senate Race
• May 10, 2000: Senator John McCain Endorses George W. Bush
• Feb 23, 2000: McCain Wins Michigan & Arizona Primaries; Bush Now In Trouble
• Feb 21, 2000: Bush Wins South Carolina; McCain Campaign Falters
• Jan 28, 2000: Clinton Attacks Congress In Final State Of The Union Address
• Jan 25, 2000: Bush Wins Iowa Caucus; Strong Showing By Forbes; Gore Crushes Bradley
• Jan 02, 2000: U.S. Presidential Election About To Hot Up
• Jan 01, 2000: Elliot Richardson, Watergate Hero, Dies At 79
• Oct 25, 1999: U.S. Presidential Race Taking Shape as Dole Drops Out
• Jun 10, 1999: Clinton Announces The End Of The War In Kosovo
• Feb 12, 1999: Clinton Impeachment Trial: Statement By Senator Spencer Abraham
• Jan 13, 1999: Clinton Comments On Impeachment
• Jan 08, 1999: Clinton Impeachment: The President’s Lawyers
• Jan 07, 1999: Clinton Trial Begins In U.S. Senate
• Dec 19, 1998: Statement by President Clinton Following House Impeachment Vote
• Dec 19, 1998: House Set To Impeach Clinton; Livingston Decides To Not Contest Speaker’s Position
• Dec 17, 1998: Operation Desert Fox Begins – Impeachment Vote To Be Delayed
• Dec 16, 1998: Clinton Facing Impeachment By U.S. House of Representatives
• Dec 16, 1998: Clinton Announces Operation Desert Fox – Impeachment Debate Delayed
• Dec 12, 1998: Articles Of Impeachment: Bill Clinton
• Aug 28, 1998: President Clinton’s Speech On The 35th Anniversary Of King’s “I Have A Dream” Speech
• Aug 17, 1998: Clinton’s Address to the Nation: “I Did Have A Relationship With Ms Lewinsky”
• Jan 17, 1998: Original Drudge Reports Of Monica Lewinsky Scandal
• Nov 20, 1996: President Bill Clinton Addresses Joint Session Of Australian Parliament
• Nov 05, 1996: Bill Clinton’s 1996 Election Victory Speech
• May 03, 1995: Former President George Bush Resigns From The NRA
• Mar 01, 1995: President Clinton’s Address To The Nixon Centre
• Jul 14, 1972: Senator George McGovern’s 1972 Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech
• May 22, 1964: The Great Society: Speech By President Lyndon B. Johnson
• Nov 22, 1963: The Speech President Kennedy Never Made
• Aug 28, 1963: Martin Luther King: I Have A Dream
• Apr 07, 1954: President Dwight D. Eisenhower Outlines The Domino Theory