ABC News 24: US Election, The Party of Reagan.

ABC News 24 steps up its coverage of the US Election with full coverage next Wednesday November 7 and a special from Planet America‘s John Barron this Sunday.

ABC TV will provide extensive coverage of the U.S Presidential race, when America decides who will be its next President.

ABC News 24 will provide live coverage and analysis of counting in the US Presidential and Congressional races, including breaking news and all the major speeches. It will draw on the ABC’s extensive experience in US coverage, ABC correspondents in Washington, the incisive political coverage of the American national public broadcaster, PBS, and guests and commentators in the US and Australia.

In the days before the vote from 06:00 – 09:00 am (AEDT) Michael Rowland will report from the US for News Breakfast and on election day will anchor News Breakfast out of Washington.

ABC News 24 will provide live uninterrupted rolling coverage from 10.30 am (AEDT) with all the developments through the day until the election result is called and speeches from Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.

News 24’s Scott Bevan (host of The World) will anchor the election coverage from the News 24 studio with commentary and analysis from Julia Baird (journalist and commentator) and John Barron (host of Planet America).

They will be joined by a panel of commentators including: Alexander Downer (former Foreign Minister), Stephen Loosley (strategic Counsel & former Senator), Kerry Chikarovski (media Commentator), Mike Seccombe (correspondent for The Global Mail), and Michael Gleeson (political & public affairs consultant).

ABC analyst Antony Green will provide election analysis as the numbers come in.

Kim Landers (host of Afternoon Live and former Washington Correspondent) will be in Washington to cover the latest developments and interview informed observers from both sides of US politics.

ABC Washington correspondents Craig McMurtrie and Lisa Millar will report live from the Republican and Democratic party headquarters in the US.

ABC Correspondent Mark Simkin will report live from Canberra with comments from US and other officials at the National Press Club and we will bring you all the Australian reaction.

The ABC’s own coverage will be interspersed with live inserts from the election coverage in the US by the respected NewsHour team at PBS.

Wednesday Nov 7
ABC News 24 live AEDT
6.00-10.30am AEDT ABC News Breakfast
10.30-6.00pm AEDT USA Votes 2012
6.00-7.00pm The Drum
7.00-7.30pm ABC News
7.30-8.00pm 7.30
8.00-8.30pm ABC News
9.00-10.00pm The World

ABC1
ABC1 will simulcast ABC News 24 coverage as follows:
12.30-13.30 AEDT: ABC1 in NSW, Victoria, ACT and Tasmania simulcasts the election coverage
15:00-16:00 AEDT: ABC1 in all states simulcasts the election coverage
16:00-17:00 AEDT: ABC1 in WA continues

The Party of Reagan
As Americans prepare to elect the next President, the Republican Party – The Grand Old Party – is at a crossroads. The emergence of the anti-tax Tea Party movement and the influence of social conservatives are drawing the Republican Party away from the “Big Tent” which found room for moderates as well as conservatives – and some Republicans fear this will soon make them unelectable.

The Presidential race will be decided as America commemorates 100 years since the birth of an icon: President Ronald Reagan, whose legacy looms large over his party and its candidate, Mitt Romney.

But Ronald Reagan’s legend has drifted a long way from the principled pragmatist who governed in the 1980’s. Former members of the Reagan administration and even his son believe “the Gipper” wouldn’t recognise the Republican Party he once led – some even argue that the hero of the American right would now be considered on the political left as a Democrat.

Certainly modern Republicans seem to lack the principled pragmatism that was Reagan’s hallmark, and Washington D.C. has become more partisan and less productive than ever before.

Much will depend on this election – with a Republican in the White House or a jilted Republican Party still in control of Congress what will it take to break the gridlock over problems like America’s record debt and deficit, and what can both sides of politics learn from the approach of Ronald Reagan?

Former Presidential candidates, Reagan White House officials, influential conservatives, journalists and members of the Reagan family examine the reality of the American icon, and debate the future of The Party of Reagan.

Interviews include; Ron Reagan Jr, Reagan’s Chief of Staff and US Attorney-General Ed Meese, Reagan speechwriter Pat Buchanan, Republican-turned-Democrat Senator Arlen Specter, the head of President Obama’s debt-reduction commission, Senator Alan Simpson, former Carter speechwriter James Fallows, Fox News commentator Sean Hannity, and “the most powerful man in America” – anti-tax campaigner Grover Norquist.

Sunday, November 4th at 9.30pm AEDT on ABC News 24