She’s a self confessed ‘hockey mom’ but has Sarah Palin got the stick to swing support in the direction of Senator John McCain for President?

She’s certainly been in the media spotlight since it was announced she’d stand as McCain’s running mate.

Not only did Palin rock the first day of the Republican National Convention on Monday by announcing that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter was pregnant, but allegations also emerged that she abused her powers as Alaska governor when she tried to get her brother-in-law at the time fired. On top of this her husband Todd was reportedly arrested for drink driving more than 20 years ago.

So…did McCain really take on the former beauty queen/hockey mom before giving her the once over? I mean did nobody think to vet her before she was unveiled to the sweet US of A?
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Friday 13th couldn’t get any unluckier for us it has to be said.

After a flood of support for a Yes vote last night we made the hasty decision to payout on the Lisbon Treaty getting passed. Our record in recent years on calling the results of political betting has been excellent but this time we’ve well and truly ended up with egg on our faces.

With everything now pointing to a No vote, not only will we have to suffer the embarrassment of being wrong but we’ll also have to cough up an extra €100k+. The Lisbon Treaty might have cost the Government but it has cost Paddy Power too and left us with a gaping hole in our pockets for over €180,000.

Some might say we got what we deserved and maybe they’re right. Friday the 13th eh? Unlucky for some but not for Paddy Power punters!

The question now is, where do we go from here? Even the Taoiseach himself said there was no ‘Plan B’ if the treaty got rejected. The Lisbon issue looks far from over. Will we see a ‘Nice’ re-run? You can bet we’ve not heard the end of it just yet!

With polling on the Lisbon treaty now well and truly underway both camps have every reason to be nervous.

Polls have been seesawing up and down in the last two weeks with a recent poll showing a ‘Yes’ vote with a narrow lead of 3 points while one poll last week placed a ‘No’ vote in the lead by as much as 5 points.

It’s hard to believe looking at the betting today that we were once long odds on at 1/8 that the treaty would be ratified. It’s touch and go now. A ‘Yes’ vote is still our favourite at 2/7 but at 9/4 the ‘No’ side is in with more than a fighting chance.

It’s the undecided voters who’ll swing the difference in the end. Either way, Ireland holds the power in the palm of their hands as Europe wait with baited breath as to what the decision will be.

For what it’s worth, my money is on no. Not because of my political preference, but because all the momentum seems to be in a shift towards a no vote. Whatever the outcome I’m sure there’ll be an exit poll of some kind pretty soon and of course a total count tomorrow… on Friday 13th of all days!

As of today we are paying out early on Boris Johnson as the winner of the London Mayor Election.

Although London’s official results declaration seems to take almost as long as a Zimbabwean election, Labour’s kick in the ballots overnight suggests Boris will be on his way to City Hall. So we figure why wait any longer - it’s bank holiday weekend and you’ll want to get your hands on your winnings to enjoy it.

So London prepare yourselves - if we’re right then this is what you’ve got coming. Boris running London may not be pretty but it sure as hell will be funny.

Boris Johnson is sensing victory in the race to be London Mayor at today’s election - so much so he’s backing himself with your very own Paddy Power!

At least, I’m fairly sure Boris is backing himself but looking more closely at the picture I’m not so sure he isn’t actually going for 50/1 rank outsider Brian Paddick! At least he’s not backed arch rival Ken…

For the record punters are piling on to Boris Johnson as betting for the London Mayor Election enters its home straight.

The Conservative candidate is 4/11 for an election win and the late betting has been fast and furious on the blond-mopped frontrunner.

Ken Livingstone touched on 9/4, his longest odds of the campaign, before settlnig back at 15/8

Without doubt Boris’ betting bandwagon is beginning to look unstoppable. Even the man himself wants to get on!

London Mayor Betting Latest
4/11 Boris
15/8 Ken
50/1 Brian

According to Pub edict, Politics and eh…… fashion should never be brought up in conversation during a heavy night drinking, least of all combined with Sport. Fuelled by alcohol, it’s surely the most lethal, potent cocktail ever known to man. Hailing from a small town that resembles the wild west on a Saturday night, I try to stay comfortably ignorant to all other surroundings by remaining in the same position propping up the same bar that I have done so since I was thirteen eighteen. Invariably, the conversation slips to sport and, unfortunately, sometimes politics. Last weekend, the two met, not for the first time. It all ended in tears, with my best mate and I having to be separated on the saw-dusted floor because he thought Ireland should boycott Beijing 2008 as, either way, we’ll win f*ck all. I disagreed, and rather than converse with him to make a coherent point, Little Big Man/I’m-right-you’re-wrong syndrome kicked-in. Ten minutes later, feeling slightly dirtier, we were expressing our drunken love for each other over a Kebab. Something I hope we’ll both conveniently forget.

As we have seen in London, Paris and San Francisco, politics and sport should never enter each other’s realm. Granted, Tibet’s situation is one for concern, and has been for a number of years, however I’m not here to discuss China’s human rights abuses, we already knew about their record before the Olympic torch began its journey. It is the Olympics and sport as a whole that is suffering from the opportunistic protesting. Boycotting this historic event, as is the protestors’ objective (apart from highlighting the obvious issues!), would cause major embarrassment for the Chinese Government, but whether it would force their hands to address their ‘problems’ is doubtful, at best. They might make some gesture, but inaction would follow. Clearly from the official Chinese Olympic website, they are blissfully ignorant to the protests. Their Citizens don’t even know what goes on in the outside world. Only political pressure from western governments will force them to act. A few hundred activists, as courageous and committed as they are, won’t make a difference to anyone, least of all China.

Although, due to some high profile drug cases, the Olympics may not be the prestigious event it once was, it is still a celebration of sport and that is being lost amidst the ongoing demonstrations. While we shouldn’t mix sport and politics, it is being forced upon us. Should Ireland and the UK, or anyone else for that matter, boycott the games? Should sport be used as a political tool to serve other agendas? Do you even care about the Olympics? Where’s China?

Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election Early

It could never happen, could it?

Ok, some of you might not be big on Election Betting, but I insist you read this short piece and watch the below video as it may help your appetite for the US Election grow.

Have you wondered why the Barack Obama train has shown no sign of abating? Like a business, the Illinois senator relies heavily on marketing/campaigning and although the below video isn’t officially endorsed by the Obama camp, it definitely has given the male voters a little spring……into action as they get up and go to the polls. There’s no doubt, this video helped Obama secure the key state of Iowa that got the Obama ball rolling. “More stuff like this will be popping up all the time,” Obama said at the time. Keep up to date with the Presidential race at our dedicated Election site - www.electionbetting.com!

Here at Paddy Power we’re very fond of pulling out embarrassing video clips of people, particularly when they involve high profile politicians.

With Rudy Giuliani’s popularity plunging in recent US polls, and ‘Super Tuesday’ fast approaching, it seems it won’t be long until the former Mayor of New York calls it a day.

Looking at today’s polls it’s hard to believe that last December Giuliani enjoyed a 14 pt lead over his rival Republican nominees John McCain and Mitt Romney.

What on earth went wrong? It’s hard to tell where it all started to crumble for “America’s Mayor”, but saying that I’m not too sure I’d trust a man with a blonde bob and a skirt to run the country either…unless of course his name was Beckham, first name David!

Still, at least Rudy can take comfort in the fact there’ll always be a job for him in the good ol’ US of A. Losing out in the Presidential Race might not be such a drag after all!

When will Rudy call it a day?
9/4 Jan’, 8/15 Feb’, 5/1 March or later.

South Carolina will go to the polls this Saturday and next Tuesday for the Republican and Democratic primary.

Here’s hoping their choice in picking a nominee to go forward to the Presidential race is better than their choice of candidate to represent South Carolina at Miss Teen USA.

“I personally believe…..” South Cali’ are in big trouble if the below is anything to go by!