With more than 130m Americans heading out to vote and some queuing for hours, reports of polling problems in key battleground states as well as the flood effected areas of post-Sandy New York and New Jersey caused some concern for both parties.

LIKE many American presidents before him, Barack Obama never knowingly plays down his Irish roots.

Senate candidate and former Virginia Governor Mark Warner is scheduled to deliver the Tuesday night keynote address at this year’s Democratic National Convention – the same role that launched Barack Obama to national prominence four years ago.