As an extra, I just have to relate my story of travelling in the US in the months leading up to the 2004 election, and wowing all the Americans I talked to with the fact that not only did I know there was going to be an American election in November, I knew the leading Democrat candidates, the traditional blue and red states, and a lot of the main issues and political positions of the parties, the result being an exchange that went something like ...

American: You KNOW all that? Wow O.o that's amazing -- we don't even know who your President is!
Me: ........... we have a Prime Minister.