Presidential Elections FIRST ROUND!

[Winston]

No true Nordic country would lower themselves to holding elections for the position of head of state.

Just yesterday, it was 34 years since our Monarch ascended the throne, long may she live.

[Pekka]

Yes, maybe we should spread some democracy there.. we just got some new weapon systems too!

If you want to be friends though, we can do joint operation and DESTROY Ã…land.

[Tattila the Hun]

Eh, too easy, it's de-militarised.

And we are still wearing santa-hats.

Go Niinistö!

[Rasbelin]

Pekka made several mistakes in his introductions. First of all I would have recommended to check for the official English translations of the party names. Second of all Henry isn't a Swedish name and his actual name is Henrik Lax. Also some others, but not going to be checking for them. But then again this is Poly and the OTF, so who cares...

Overall I'd say this will be more of an election about should we do a second round or not. Quite obvious that Halonen will win, no matter if it takes one or two rounds.

[Gangerolf]

She aint no Kekkonen

[Winston]

Matti Vanhanen

I think Vanhanen should be Minister in Charge of Sanitation. Wouldn't you agree, Gangerolf?

[Timexwatch]

Göran Persson for President! Vladamir Putin for Vice President!

[VetLegion]

Mikka Hakinen for the president's driver!

[Ninot]

Conan's Endorsement No Joke to Some Finns


Sat Jan 14, 6:47 PM ET

Finland's president finds her traditional support among women and the Social Democratic Party base, but lately to the surprise of many Finns and her opponents in Sunday's election she has gotten an endorsement of a different sort.

The redheaded late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien has been promoting President Tarja Halonen's re-election bid as part of a long-running joke about their supposed physical similarities.

"Why do I support Tarja Halonen? Because she's got the total package: a dynamic personality, a quick mind, and most importantly my good looks," the comedian, whose show is broadcast on cable in Finland, said in a statement to The Associated Press.

Whether O'Brien has a real interest in Finnish politics is uncertain, but his gags and mock campaign ads for Halonen have not gone unnoticed in this Nordic country of 5.2 million.

"Late Night with Conan O'Brien" airs five days a week on SUBTV, a Finnish cable channel, with a few days' delay. Every time he mentions Finland or Halonen, local tabloids report it prominently.


The Halonen camp is laughing all the way to the polls.

"Of course, when she is mentioned so many times it's positive for our campaign," said Halonen's campaign manager, Markku Jaaskelainen.

Halonen's supporters quickly saw an opportunity, and her campaign started running real ads before the O'Brien's show on Finnish TV.

Halonen was hugely popular even before O'Brien discovered their similarities, but Jaaskelainen said hits on the campaign Web site have quintupled partly because of O'Brien's shows.

In one show, O'Brien presented a mock ad for Halonen in which he and two Finns were discussing the election while fishing on a frozen lake.

When they talk about rival candidate Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, a dead fish shoots out of the hole in the ice, prompting a joke about how the mere mention of his name causes fish to commit suicide.

"Fish recognize a bad leader," O'Brien says in broken Finnish to laughter from his studio crowd.

Halonen's opponents are not amused.

"He's just making fun of the whole election," said Harri Jaskari, campaign manager for former Finance Minister Sauli Niinisto. "If this decides the election, then we're in trouble. It gives a very poor picture of Finnish democracy."

Markus Haapamaki, Vanhanen's campaign manager, was less worried.

"It's not really affecting our campaign," he said. "Personally, I'm fed up with it, and it's continued too long to offer anything interesting."

In Helsinki, people did not seem to take offense at O'Brien's use of their presidential election for comic relief.

"I think it's quite funny," said Mia Myllymaki, a 28-year-old elementary school teacher. "Of course we are proud that Conan O'Brien talks about Finland and Finnish people. ... People in the USA don't even know where Finland is, so maybe it helps if he talks about it."

Anu Linnus, a 22-year-old economics student, said O'Brien's backing could indirectly affect the election.

"I don't think people are going to vote for Tarja because she's on the show, but it helps her image," she said.

Polls showed Halonen with a solid lead on the eve of the election, but it was not clear whether she would get the more than 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff.

NBC, which runs Conan's show in the United States, said the popular host is planning a trip to Finland in February. It was not clear whether he would meet with Halonen, 62, who apparently does not mind being compared to the 42-year-old O'Brien.

"She thinks that it's very nice that she looks the same as Conan O'Brien because Conan O'Brien is so much younger than she," said Jaaskelainen, the campaign manager.

As for their similarities, he was not as convinced.

"They have red hair," Jaaskelainen said. "And same kind of nose."

[Sava]

Originally posted by joncha
Jarkko Ruutu

Tuomo Ruutu is out for the season

he is a great player... very talented... BUT ALWAYS INJURED

[Pekka]

Second round it shall be.

Halonen vs. Niinistö. Halonen is very likely to take it, but it will be interesting none of the less.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Winston
No true Nordic country would lower themselves to holding elections for the position of head of state.

Just yesterday, it was 34 years since our Monarch ascended the throne, long may she live.

Iceland?

[joncha]

Originally posted by Sava


Tuomo Ruutu is out for the season

he is a great player... very talented... BUT ALWAYS INJURED

Jarkko got a goal and an assist last night. He'd win on the first ballot for sure.

[Pekka]

the voting rate was 73.9%... so kind of low. Hopefully in the next round as many as possible votes.

[Gangerolf]

Originally posted by Winston


I think Vanhanen should be Minister in Charge of Sanitation. Wouldn't you agree, Gangerolf?

maybe...??

han van en?