A quote from Mick Hume at spiked-online, 9 January 2008

Never before has so heated an electoral contest appeared to turn on so little – the competing images of Barack smiling with his young daughters or Hillary weeping on camera. Once again, America is setting new standards in the politics of personality and identity. But it will be coming soon to an election near you.

The decline of ideologies and the emptying out of political life across the West has often been called the ‘Americanisation’ of politics. Now we may be witnessing the next stage in the rise of the anti-political personality politician. But there is no cause for the usual conceited British sneering about the showbiz ‘razzmatazz’ of the US contest. At least Americans get to elect their head of state. And the sense of excitement and energy being given off by supposedly ‘apathetic’ American voters has no equivalent over here.

That point will not have been lost on the equally isolated political class in the UK, casting envious glances at those American rallies and turn-outs. The search will no doubt be on for ‘the British Obama’. The Conservatives have high hopes that young David Cameron might play that role, but he still seems too much of a posh boy to many. Meanwhile New Labour strategists and contenders are already starting to look beyond tired old Hillary, sorry, Gordon Brown to find the next fresh young thing.