Tag Archives: 2012 Presidential Election

The Questions and Answers that Defined 2012

2012-132012 was an election year, an Olympics year and the year a superstorm struck the Big Apple. The iPhone 5 was released, Whitney Houston died, and we all heard PSY’s “Gangnam Style” one too many times. Before we ring in 2013, or before the world ends, let’s review some of the top questions you searched for on Answers.com in 2012:

Election coverage dominated the news this year. You were most interested in how the number of electoral votes for each state is determined as well as what Mitt Romney’s real name is. The economy stayed stagnant in 2012, and as a result, job interview questions remained popular on Answers.com. Our top interview question: How do you answer ‘What are your strengths and weaknesses’ in a job interview?
In August, the world tuned into the Summer Olympic Games in London. How much Olympic gold medals are worth piqued your curiosity as did the symbolism of the Olympic rings. In the world of entertainment, you wondered what in the world “Gangnam style” is, how Whitney Houston died, and what the names of the One Direction boys are.

Hurricane Sandy battered the east coast this fall. How many people died from Sandy was one question you wanted answered about the so-called superstorm. On a lighter note, we finally updated our answer to the ever-popular query, Is Kate Middleton pregnant? Next year expect questions about the royal baby to top our list again.

Current events and pop culture aside, are you curious what was our most popular question of the year? Here you go: What is the easiest way to get rid of lower stomach fat? (Clicked more than 650,000 times!) Hmm, look’s like some New Year’s resolutions are in order.

Five Questions about Presidential Elections

On November 6, Americans will elect their next president and we’ve got answers to your questions about elections.

1. Election Day is always held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Which makes us wonder: Why are US elections held on a Tuesday?

2. Alright, so you cast your ballot. Now what? How do elections exactly work? And what is the electoral college all about?

3. Elections are the best example of the democratic process, but were there ever US presidents that weren’t elected by the people?

4. So maybe you have a jaded view of voting. What are two good reasons you should exercise your right to vote?

5. Many Americans have the option to vote early or by mail, but if you’re planning on going to the polls Tuesday, you might be wondering when the polls close in your state.

P.S. Curious who is going to win? Check out these weird ways to predict the presidency. And if you’re not happy with the result, find out when the next presidential election is here.

Presidential Elections 2012: Republicans in the Running

Presidential election season is once again upon us. The Republicans are rounding up their best to compete against Barack Obama and nine nominees have given an official announcement of their candidacy. So, just who are the 2012 GOP presidential candidates? Get ready for the 2012 election by learning more about each of these politicians:

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney is currently being considered the frontrunner for the Republican Presidential nomination. As former governor of Massachusetts, he helped pioneer divisive healthcare law that some call “RomneyCare” in the likes of “ObamaCare.” Romney is also a Latter-day Saint, or Mormon, which was seen as a major obstacle to his 2008 presidential run.

Jon Huntsman

Jon Huntsman is former governor of Utah and former ambassador to China. He is son of billionaire Jon Huntsman, Sr. and is fairly new to the Republican race. Challenges he could face include: name recognition, having a moderate stance on social issues, and his religion (he is also a Mormon).

Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich is the former Speaker of the U.S. House from Georgia. He helped lead a Republican takeover of Congress in 1994 and has built name recognition through his many speeches, books and policy positions.

Tim Pawlenty

Tim Pawlenty is a former governor of Minnesota and is known for being consistently conservative on social and economic issues. He has visited many of the primary states recently while doing a book tour and built name recognition when he was selected as a potential running mate for Sen. John McCain in 2008.

Michele Bachmann

Michele Bachmann is a current US representative for the state of Minnesota and a Tea party favorite. She was the first Republican woman to represent the state of Minnesota in Congress and made headlines when she said in an interview that Barack Obama “may have anti-American views,” during his 2008 presidential run.

Herman Cain

Herman Cain is the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza from Atlanta, Georgia and is highly backed by Tea Partiers. His bid for the Senate seat of Georgia in 1994 was unsuccessful and many wonder if he can pull off a national campaign.

Ron Paul

Ron Paul is a fiery Congressman from Texas whose libertarian views have built a large grassroots following.  He has spoken out about US foreign policy, specifically ending the war in Iraq and on fiscal policy.

Gary E. Johnson is a former governor of New Mexico. He is a libertarian with small government and anti-tax ideals, although he supports gay marriage, abortion rights and looser immigration rules. He does not have a lot of name recognition and may have trouble appealing to the Republican base.

Rick Santorum is a former US Senator of Pennsylvania.

Turn to Answers.com to learn more interesting facts about the candidates such as:

What religion is Michele Bachmann?

Where did Mitt Romney go to college?

What are Ron Paul’s views on abortion?

How old is Newt Gingrich?

Where is Tim Pawlenty from?

How old is Rick Santorum?