British journos get enthusiastic as America shows us what real political choice is like

The tone of discussions about America has significantly changed recently. There’s scarcely a columnist who hasn’t sung the praises of the primary process, exhilarated by the choices on offer. John Rentoul in today’s Indie talks of “the drama of New Hampshire” as “so compelling, so human, and so accessible”, and asks: “How could we not be entranced by the thrill of the unexpected?” British democracy offers us just two figures on which to pin our hopes – but in America, they now have at least six serious contenders, each representing a different kind of political future, a different variation of emotional attachment. Obama, Clinton, McCain, Huckabee, Romney, Giuliani – each of us can find somebody that comes close to our political heart.

Everything is open. Everything is dynamic. Scrutiny is intense and continuous, and everyone feels involved. Compare that to here, where most of us were mere spectators at last year’s coronation of Brown, and Cameron’s easy passage to the leadership, hardly tested by DD. Anti-Americanism is much more muted these days – let’s hope it lasts.