I don't think there are any questions of "legality" here. This guy is clearly troubled. I hope everything works out well for him.

Jack Blair, Sparta, New Jersey, USA

Some people just shouldn't drink, this is why.
Re: Ken - it is not illegal to go to a foreign country on a tourist visa, write an article on your laptop and email it back to your employer back home. Illegal would be taking employment from a US employer, which he didn't do.

Tina, Manchester,

"And what about foreign influence on our election process?"

- what about American influence on the interests of the rest of the world?! I think you have lost the right to claim that what goes on in America only affects Americans!

Andy, Alton, UK

At least he was more honest than most journalists. Not only was he totally in the bag (drunk), he was totally in the bag for Obama. Whatever happened to even-handed journalism.

Kevin, Arlington, USA

Second verse of it all, I remember when LIberals thought the end of the world was near when the US voted for some old cracker named Dubya and his republican cronies in office.

I feel thats what McCain supports feel like now. Liberals in the 2000 and 2004 elections.

Jacob Mendenhall, terre Haute, Indiana, United States

Joe Biden got caught plagiarising and no he's the VP....

Jack, Temple,

He came in on a tourist visa and went to work?
Isn’t that illegal? Oh well, that is just a detail. After all the law is flexible isn’t it. It applies to some but not to all.
Make a list of all those who voted for Obama and in two years ask them again if they voted for Obama and they will deny it.

Ken, Cincinnati, USA

Give the dude a break, he didn't plagarise. He was just having a good time. But interestingly he couldn't say why he supported Obama, just a long pause and then he said he met a lot of girls. I hope he keeps his job. Those who put this out on the net hurt him for no reason. Shame

John, Bay St Louis, US

If I want world news, I'm not going to get it from the Birmingham Mail, or indeed any worthwhile news from said paper.

Rob, Brum, UK

Ah yes. His job was to make the world a better place as a journalist. Of course a better place by his definition. The press anymore has become exactly what Gobels was. They are just a shill and mouth piece for leftist politics. They are there, as this man said, to make it a better place.

Shane Hanson, Boise, America

This is why when Al Qaeda strikes next in Europe I will oppose ANY aid to Europeans be it France, Germany, Spain, Italy and to some extent Great Britain

Glenn, Brooklyn, US

Another reporter for Obama, ho-hum. And that's he stole his story, ho-hum. They all wrote the same story all election cycle. And to Elio, the recession started before Bush took office, smart guy. That was called the "dot.com" bubble, if you can recall that far back.

J Gange, Brooklyn, usa

Great Britain has been the US greatest supporter over the years but I fear for their future. England/Europe has become the land of political correctness, Burkas and subway bombings by extremists. Non thinking left leaning journalists like this are akin to Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burned.

B. Smith, NY, USA

Bush inherited a recession and the deregulation of the loans by Fennie and Freddie, NAFTA (which shipped American jobs overseas), Free Trade. You can't blame on this on Bush either.

Ian, San Jose, USA

Although I did NOT vote for Obama I do congratulate Mr. Obama's supporters for their victory. I also hereby promise to treat the new President with all the courtesy, respect, civility, and consideration that was accorded to the outgoing President.

Dennis, St. Louis, USA

CHANGE? CHANGE? CHANGE?
Does anybody have any spare pocket CHANGE I can believe in?

Mark, Suffolk Co, usa

Weltallica said: "I hear FOX NEWS are looking for staff."

How do you get Fox News from this? He supports Obama. Copies the BBC. Drunk 'on duty'. Admits hitting Amsterdam for druggin'. He's not only plagerizing the BBC, but he's working for the Obama campaign, too. Fox News? Get back on your meds.

TomRoberts, Tokyo, Japan

So a British citizen was actively working in some capacity for a US candidate? We have enough socialists of our own polluting the body politic, thank you veddy much.

Bob, Dallas, USA

To Kim from Maryland.. I don't know WHAT this article has to do about Bush and when he became president. But how is he responsible for a "recession" when he just entered office. Recession is 6 months of negative growth. Can't blame him for something that happened before he came into power.

Jenny, NY, USA

Never forget 9/11 and the war against terrorists. And never forget that this is where most of our money has gone during the past 8 years! Hello were any of you paying attention? The US provides more relief to countries around our wonderful world than any country in that wonderfully selfish EU!!!

JillHill, Los Angeles, USA

that guy is awesome. relish it

dave, san diego,

Some real geniuses we have on this board.

Want to talk about the type of people a candidate attracts, Those booing over McCain's concession speech, That's real class.

And people worrying about if we will have a country left? That's Bush. The last recession was in 2001, Bush was ALREADY president!

Elio, Cambridge, US

So.. the right thing to do was get this guy fired for being drunk while not on the clock? Whatever happened to common sense, not over reacting to everything, & giving a guy as break once in a while Whoever posted that on youtube is an ass. Ever heard the old saying, "What goes around, comes around?"

Michael, Janesville, USA

What a way to launch your new magazine. Adam Smith is an advertising legend. He has just been shown on Good Morning America to 120 million viewers and his approval rating is higher than Obama

Andrew Lynch, Kidderminster, United Kingdom

It is nice to see how "journalists" see they job responsibilities. Working for campaign, making a "world a better place" and than reporting on subject. I am sure his reporting was impartial. Maybe instead, he should become a social worker or something like that? Plenty of openings with pres. Obama.

Andy, New York, USA

He states that his goal is to make the world better----by any objective standard is this better?

And by the way what is a journalist doing volunteering for the campaign---oh right I forgot objectivity is out these days.

And what about foreign influence on our election process?

Doug Brown, morristown,

Another drunk obnoxious brit, Amsterdam fills up with them by 8pm on Friday nights.

Jim, Temple, USA

Is this how we make the world a better place?

Kaye, Peoria, USA

Those are the types of supporters BHO attracts. No surprise. Why is a story about some drunk foreigner all of a sudden an attack by McCain supporters. He's a news guy, and therefore, a news story. He just happens to be an Obama supporter. By the way, when Bush took office, we were in a recession.

Kim, Maryland, USA

Are you sure this is not a character from Viz?

Kevin Straw, Leicester,

I hear FOX NEWS are looking for staff.

Weltallica, LASSILA,

Dear Adam Smith,

Please contact me ASAP. You sound like our kind of guy.

HR Dept.
Boston Globe

Jim, Hartford, USA

He cut and pasted the BBC? ....he must have been very..very...drunk...

Gram, saint louis, USA

McCain lost. Get over it. The truth is that there was a surplus when Bush became President eight years ago, but now the country is facing recession and what will likely be one of the greatest deficits in the history of this country. We can continue with the Red vs. Blue game or unite as 1 nation.

Gordon, Houston, TX,

record unemployment under Bush & republicans..., and we still get right wing nuts complaining about Obama.
First, he got a popular MAJORITY
Second, ANY idiot could do better!
11/04/08 end of an ERROR.

P D Cunningham, Cassatt SC, USA

After he's relieved of his employment at the Birmingham Mail, maybe the chap can dig up work at the BBC Radio 2. I hear they have some job openings...

John, Detroit, USA

Right non Doogle (NC) and Steve (KC). Keep a sharp eye out for your friends &, associates who voted for "Change". As Ophra told us that she would have to be on drip therapy if "The One" lost, so shall it be when they realize "Hey, I didn't know he was going to do THIS to me!" Chickens roosting.

Steve, Frederick, MD,

A lazy, white-knuckled drunk. You'd think he'd be a George W. Bush supporter.

Brad, Baltimore, MD, USA

Wow Brad, how bigoted of you. Is this the "change" we have been looking for? Sounds like the same old recycled hatred packaged as new and improved "reaching across the aisle".

Bill, Norfolk, VA, USA

I'm not shocked at all by his behavior. Judging by the ridiculous, fawning press coverage that Obama received during the campaign, I dare say Mr. Smith's journalistic ethics are no worse than those of any other alleged "journalist."

Mike, Denver, Colorado, USA

Seems Brits cant handle American booze too well. I voted for McCain. So I was drinking for another reason.....Palin 2012!

William, Atlanta, USA

Yet another drunker Brit abroad making a fool of himself, how depressing.

Farrukh, Woking,

A lazy, white-knuckled drunk. You'd think he'd be a George W. Bush supporter.

Brad, Baltimore, MD, USA

He wanted to make the world a better place. It is! Little did he know how he was about to make it better.

“The greatest homage we can pay to truth is to use it.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Frederick Michael, Hilton Head, USA

Liam, Harrisburg

Actually there have been quite a few American political consultants and non-professional volunteers involved in British politics in recent years; James Carville did some work for Tony Blair, for example. And most seem to support the Labour Party for some reason.

James David, Newcastle,

That is funny!

David, Manchester,

He doesn't remember the video yet he's sure he didn't "cut and paste." His bosses can confidently get rid of him.

Harry, Portland, OR,

Example of why there's no England now.

Babbage, NYC, USA

Alcohol's a helluva drug.

john, Jacksonville, FL, USA

Mr. Smith goes to Florida. He is the poster-boy of a journalist today. Cut, paste, liberal, and out to change the world.

Why, he should get the Pulitzer prize.

Carl, Washington, DC, USA

What's the big deal. Almost every american media type is an overt Obama supporter and sycophant. This guy just admitted it.

David, Denver, USA

Miami is not a good place to be passed out on a sidewalk. The guy better be concerned about himself before he ventures to change the world.

Patrick, FL, USA

There will be a lot of people with a "Oh my gawd, what have I done" hangover soon.

Keep watching the government deductions on your paycheck stub as they start to rise...and your takehome pay goes down.

Doogle, Charlotte NC, USA

Alcohol often brings the truth out of people.

BTS, Cincinnati, USA

Lol, the New York Times, LA Times, Washington Post, heck, half the newspapers in the USA would hire him in a heart beat just because he is an Obama supporter.

Billy Bob, Fredericksburg, USA

He's the new Tony Snow, seamlessly transitioning from journalist to political hack. Hope it works out better for him than it did for Snow.

theo, San Francisco, USA

This is like the last South Park episode that aired Wednesday eve. where all the Obama, "we are going to change the world" folks where represented as drunken fools. Didn't realize how accurate of a portrayal the episode really was. Funny stuff. I guess this is change, huh.

Brad, Strafford, USA

Can't see what all the fuss is about. Puritanical Yanks may think it wrong but so what. Why sack him. Where has the British sense of humour gone?

William McBride, Belfast, NI

"Trying to make the world a better place" is a frightening statement, coming from a reporter whose only job is to REPORT THE FACTS as they happen, not as they personally want to sway others to believe.

Gabriel, Chicago, USA

I like the UK and her people and all - special relationship and so forth. But, what the hell is with foreigners working on our elections? Not to mention a REPORTER working for one candidate's campaign?

Michael, Portland, OR, USA

Does the UK get many Americans who jet over and actively work for the election of Brittish politicians?

Liam Ronan, Harrisburg PA, USA

What the hell. This is too funny. Just like the stories about the office Christmas parties. He got caught up in the hopey-changiness of the moment, just like Randy on South Park.

Mark H, San Diego CA, USA

Alcohol, nothing like it to loosen the tongue; still a cheap and effective means of getting the truth to come out.

Poor chap, he'll have a hang over that will last for months if not years.

Dave, Seattle,

I agree with Steve in Kansas - millions of Americans will regret voting Obama.
For 11 years Blair/Brown have proved that Obama's planned Democrat policies of hyper-taxation do NOT work; they DO NOT solve social problems.
But unlike Obama, the Conservatives will be left with a crippled UK economy.

Drew, Nottingham,

This will be the one uniting thought, of all Obama supporters.

"What in the hell were we thinking?

Change like you're not gonna believe.

N Williams, Savannah,, USA

This should cause him no problem at all. This is EXACTLY the sort of reporter/journalist that they are looking for at the New York Times

Blaise MacLean, Bogota, Colombia

"...trying to make the world a better place."

That's not your job, mate. You're supposed to be reporting the news.

Angus MacMillan, Monterey, USA

Nice job of the dutch amateur.Really to be proud of.
One of the dangers of the new privacy attitude with phones to "play" dirty games. How many peope may have drunk too much that night ?
Of cours stupid of the sinner, but I know a lot of people who might complain about their job when tired/drunk

henri, monaco, monaco

I supported McCain, but hey, how many people around the world had ever HEARD of The Birmingham Mail? Not before now... these people should thank him! Mr. Smith/Zacharanda, I'm POSITIVE that if you wanted to work in the states, you'd have your job somewhere. Now, whether we have a country left...

Dallas MacDonald, Fresno, CA, US of A

He sounds like another left-wing loser, on chemical courage.

g miller, los angeles, USA

I think there will be a lot of Obama supporters feeling the same way in about a year, after they sober-up and see things a little clearer.

steve in k.c., kansas city, USA,

That guy is a legend...cant get fired for that!! fair play I say!!

John McCracken, Banbridge, Northern Ireland