Another Astonishing Shock
‘It’s a Crazy World’
I watched with intense
interest as the results of the United States election came through on Tuesday
night Wednesday morning. It was a pretty extraordinary and historic
night. I am deeply, deeply disappointed with the result. If I, a humble
peasant in a little town in the West of Ireland, am hurting because of the
result, this must be multiplied by whatever factors for those who were opposed
to Donald Trump in the United States. For many of them a Trump presidency
engenders fear of the unknown, fear for their country and the possible
irrationality of its pending leadership. For them it is a disaster.
It was, it has to be said, an
extraordinary performance by the Trump franchise. He obviously tapped into an
artery of discontent that nearly all other politicians had not done or ignored.
Perhaps Bernie Sanders is the exception and there is an element of ‘what if ‘
about a Bernie Sanders candidacy now. It has all come as a seismic shock
to the political establishment in the United States and the lessons will be
watched in many national political establishments throughout the western
democracies. It is possibly Brexit by a multiple of x.
Trump latched on to the huge
disaffection of a swathe of the population in the U.S. with the political
elite. He won because he was NOT a politician, was not one of them, the
Washington set or those who have been the faces of the political classes for
decades. The fact that he has no political experience is seen as a positive, a
badge of honour rather than an impediment. The reality is that he will have to
get a crash course in realpolitik in the next couple of months. It is said that
politicians ‘campaign in poetry and govern in prose’. There was little poetry
in this campaign and the reality of decision-making within a major nation will
be a huge challenge for the apprentice.
A thing that puzzles me is
that millions not just disliked Hillary Clinton but actually HATED her. I never
like the use of that word ‘hate’. Personally I was neutral regarding Hillary
the personality. She made mistakes and should have admitted the error of the
email controversy especially. The flipping of the FBI director in the last
couple of weeks was uneasy. Hillary lacked a measure of empathy. Looked cold
and careful. She allowed herself to get into a bear-baiting battle with Trump
and seeing that he had no limits on his armoury he was able to paint a dismal
picture of Clinton for his audience and they lapped it up...’I HATE
Clinton’, ‘Lock her up’ were regular echoes.
Ironically The United States
have had President Obama who was regarded very highly abroad but disliked at
home. They have now given a majority of (electoral college) votes to a
president who is looked at with astonishment abroad.
Ironically
Clinton’s best speech was a valedictory one on Wednesday evening as she urged
her followers not to despair and continue to follow their dreams in a great
country. She had not broken through the ‘glass ceiling’ as a first woman
achieving the presidency. Indeed the significance of this possible breakthrough
got little traction throughout the campaign. I was really puzzled also by the
large number of women who supported her opponent. It did not seem logical after
Trump’s conduct towards them. In a sense though it was, for Clinton, the
wrong time as a huge number of voters, many of whom were on their uppers, were
disaffected with big government and found a maverick to lead the charge or act
as the lightning rod for their fears and anger. Many of these are offensive to
a variety of groups and many groups are now fearful including the undocumented
Irish.
One person who was not
targeted by Trump was Michelle Obama. She shone like a beacon as a capable lady
with passion and conviction. I wonder will she allow herself to drawn into the
bear-pit of a presidential run in 2020?
While it is not very
significant, one professional group who had an absolutely pathetic run up to
this election were the pollsters. This went right to the end. Even early in the
count night they had Clinton 80% to win. It was as bad as the ‘soft
landing’ brigade that dominated in this country circa 2007, or the no Brexit
soothsayers. The discredited polling industry should now fold their tents and
skulk away into the shadows. Ironically a ‘Red C’ pollster/survey person called
to my door on Wednesday! I wasn’t rude of course but the person should have
marked time.
So now we are into four years
of the ultimate ‘Reality Show’. Move over the Kardashians.
The Irish satirical comedian
Dave Allen used to end his shows ‘May the Gods go with you’……the United States.
As the song goes ‘it’s a
crazy world’
(I just cannot write about
anything else this week.)
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