A bipolar presidential race

The acceptance speeches of Trump and Hillary will make one believe that the two are living in different universes

The gulf could not have been wider. At the Republican convention in Cleveland last week, viewers were witness to a hateful rhetoric that has, for time immemorial, drawn out the worst in humanity. On the flipside Philadelphia rang out with a message of inclusion, diversity, and tolerance. If Cleveland held the funeral of the party of Lincoln, then Philadelphia birthed the party representative of America’s future.
The acceptance speeches of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton would make one believe that the two are living in completely different universes. Trump calls America a “divided crime scene” and presents himself as the only man who can fix things. Clinton exhorts her followers to “heal the divides in our country” and argues that Americans are “stronger together.” One screams that the country’s military is a “disaster” while the other calls it a “national treasure". While the Republicans found a Muslim supporter who has four active lawsuits against him (maybe his love for lawsuits attracted him towards Trump), the Democrats brought on stage the parents of a Muslim-American soldier who, like many others, made the ultimate sacrifice for the love of country.

The American presidential election in November matters a whole lot and The Economist has postulated that “the future of the liberal world order depends” on the success of Hillary Clinton. The forces of globalisation, technological disruption, and the upheavals caused by war and conflict have fanned the flames of tribalism across the world. Institutions that were birthed based on a vision of common purpose are becoming fractured. Britain, long an anchor of this vision, has voted to leave the European dream of ever closer union. America, the bulwark of this global order, could be ruled by a morally and ethically bankrupt manipulator.

Nationalism, racial tensions and religious radicalism have shaken the very foundations of the liberal world order centered in the US and western Europe. These disruptive forces have created an enabling environment for demagogues like Trump. Many refused to take him seriously, arguing that sanity would eventually prevail among the Republican rank and file. While his success was a rude awakening, what has been shocking is the craven response by leading Republicans. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, despite calling some of Trump’s comments a “textbook definition” of racism, endorsed him. Senator John McCain, who so bravely survived imprisonment in Vietnam, dutifully recognised a man who mocked his service and called him a “dummy". Personal political considerations have led many in the Grand Old Party to publicly accept and support a racist whose views they abhor in private.

Many Americans are at unease over the changes sweeping their country. The changing demographics, stagnant incomes and socioeconomic rubble left behind by the Great Recession has damaged the self-confidence so unique to American society. Trump has found his triumph in such an environment. He has raised his voice, fanned the flames and ridiculed every single sub-group in the country. By doing so he has captured a segment of society that has been fed with lies and hatred since Barack Obama became president.

The same uneasiness propelled Senator Bernie Sanders to the forefront of the Democratic primaries. Sanders railed against the establishment and made a strong case for social and economic justice. By rallying millions of young voters giving them a vision for a better future, he forced his party to shift its position on key issues. A bruising fight with Clinton divided the party, but Sanders has endorsed her and has vowed to do everything to stop Trump from becoming president.

On July 28, Clinton made history by becoming the first female presidential nominee of a major party in the history of the US. She has been in the public eye for decades. During this process she has made immense contributions to American society. She has also made many mistakes, compromised with her opponents and shifted positions at politically astute moments. She has reached across the aisle, survived multiple smear campaigns and refused to throw mud at her opponents. As Obama said during his speech at the convention, there is no man or woman who is as qualified as Hillary to be president of the country.

A lot was riding on these two conventions. At a time of uncertainty, both Trump and Clinton had the opportunity to offer a path forward to Americans. One decided to play a demagogue and howled for an unending period of time. His supporters led chants of “lock her up” as if they were in a two-bit banana republic where political opponents are treated as enemies of the state. He portrayed himself as the only saviour and offered only himself as the solution to a number of complex problems facing America. The other candidate was measured and offered a contrasting vision to the people. She talked about public service and what it means. Explained why she sweats over every detail about policy. She challenged her opponents’ ideas and policies. Most importantly, she talked about unity, togetherness, and appealed to the greater good within society.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2016.

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