NOW THAT the ‘Rio Olympics’ is over, and Usain Bolt has performed sensational new feats to remain the greatest world sprinter of all time, perhaps CARICOM citizens with more than a passing interest in the current hilarious campaign to elect a new President of the United States this November may find it useful to pay attention to the ‘state of the race’ between contenders Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
After all, whatever readers’ individual or collective interest in this presidential campaign battle, the end results would also involve the future of at least some 25 million citizens with Caribbean roots who are numbered among the estimated 390 million citizens of the world’s sole superpower.
It is of course, our Caribbean Community’s understanding that any administration in Washington would be sufficiently enlightened to appreciate that ‘one hand can’t clap’!
The profiles of Clinton and Trump as presidential candidates fundamentally differ. For starters, Hillary Clinton is the first woman to ever seek the office of President having served as First Lady for two terms when her husband, Bill Clinton was President.
(Incidentally, as US President he undertook an official visit to Barbados in 1997 for a special meeting with Caribbean Heads of Governments.)
Hillary Clinton has brought to the campaign a stout record in public offices that extend to that of a former US Senator and Secretary of State, having earlier felt it necessary to withdraw from contesting the 2008 presidential contest – won by the first-ever African-American, Barack Obama.
As Obama prepares to conclude his two constitutionally allowable terms, it is of notable significance that he has publicly chosen to place on record that Clinton “is the most qualified candidate” to ever seek this highest and most powerful office, adding that he harbours no doubts of her coming achievements.
What a ringing endorsement from this African-American President and author of a most enlightening autobiography “The Audacity of Hope (Thoughts on Reclaiming The American Dream).”
In contrast, and by no means surprising, Obama was most dismissive of the first-time Republican candidate, Donald Trump, in citing some of his controversial statements on governance. These included hostile warnings to illegal immigrants in general, and his original threat to “build a wall’ to keep out Mexicans and other Latin American citizens in particular.
Trump has more recently sought to project – on advice of changing political and professional public relations handlers – changing policies and offer more realistic new appeals in softer tones to potential voters – particularly to African Americans who are known for traditionally giving overwhelming support to the Democratic Party for both Congress and the presidency.
Given the importance of our established relations with the US, we would have a vested interest in an electoral outcome in favour of the candidate with whose performances in public office we are familiar, and which have also won the admiration and cooperation of many nations of the world – Hillary Rodham Clinton.
From my distance, and to follow current media analyses/commentaries, it seems too late for Mr Trump’s desperate bid to wage a new and enlightened campaign to defeat the first woman candidate for the US presidency. He delights in labelling her ‘crooked Hillary’– even as his popularity profile keeps declining and forcing him to somsersault on earlier stated policies and promises.
In politics, they say, all things are possible. Donald Trump, the big time entrepreneur of America’s gambling industry, must be desperately hoping this proves a truism for his candidature at the coming November 8 presidential battle against the first-time woman candidate he jeers as ‘crooked Hillary’ but who, according to the latest opinion polls, could very well have the last laugh!
• Rickey Singh is a noted Caribbean journalist.