Chennai Awaits a New U.S. President

On November 4, 2008, the U.S. Consulate General hosted a pre-election reception for 200 of its top contacts to share the excitement as polls opened for the 2008 U.S. election.  Guests were encouraged to cast votes for their favorite Presidential candidate in a mock poll both and take photographs with life-size cutouts of Senators Obama and McCain at the festively decked-out hall in the Hotel Taj Coromandel. Speaking on the occasion, Consul General Simkin assured the audience that irrespective of who becomes the President, Indo-U.S. relations would continue to flourish. The evening also had a special guest – an Access student from the Chennai school, Anjuman-e-Himayath-e-Islam, who read his prize-winning essay on “What Democracy Means to Me.” On display were the colorful election posters by Trivandrum Access students. PAO Fred Kaplan made a brief presentation on the “Electoral College” for the audience and invited them to participate in a “Guess the Electoral Vote” contest – the results of which will be declared shortly.