(Noreen Shams)
The day is here, the year long soap opera of the US presidential Election campaign has come to an end as the United States prepares itself to go to the polls for the new guest in the White House for next four years.
This is going to be the most controversial elections in the history of the United States, world will witness how the campaign full of tape leaks or email fiasco has been able to influence public opinion of the Americans. Talking to some American friends and acquaintances, they shared how this election is way more interesting as it has created divisions on most of the important issues like progressive thinking, acceptance of cultural diversity, LGBT community concerns, women rights and immigration. They see families divisions, community divisions on the choices over the candidates, but most interesting fact as the different research polls showed, Americans are voting for the one whom they hate less.
Yes, it’s a fact, most of the Americans disliked the both candidates. According to the Pew Research Center, Donald Trump is the most disliked and least trusted nominee whereas Hillary Clinton ranks second. In some polls, when voters were offered a choice out of Trump, Clinton, or neither, “neither” won. Pew Research Center found that large chunk of voters on both sides said they were voting because they wanted to vote against the other one.
Such attitude of the American people shows how they have experienced the whole campaign filled with controversies. Republican candidate Donald Trump appeals to the worst instincts of the American politics. He appeals to all the backward tendencies, ignites fear factor like Blacks are dangerous; immigrants are dangerous; foreigners are dangerous.
This kind of personality as a leader shows nothing positive. Then his leaked tape added fuels to fire and regarded Trump as vulgar and brazen, and he shows all the worst aspects of a normal decent being.
But on a number of subjects to me, Trump has been absolutely admirable. He had been clear and honest about what he feels; he never used sugar-coated words or talked about the big real world problems to hide his personal views on the subjects that appeal most to the white Americans and conservatives. The series of his controversial comments, where he has given statements regarding women, Muslims, immigrants, and against his competitor Hillary Clinton brought him serious damages and worked perfectly in favour of Hillary Clinton. On the popularity vote, Donald Trump definitely knocked down Hillary but the only problem is that popularity is the negative one.
On the other hand, Hillary Clinton is more experienced and better choice than Donald Trump but why she is facing neck to neck competition where this presidential race has became a close call? Hillary Clinton’s infamous emails have always been a curse to her whole campaign; this matter first surfaced in the first week of March 2015. In 2009 when as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton set up an email server at her home in New York. She then relied on this server for all her electronic correspondence both work related and personal during her years in office.
FBI announced the results of a separate FBI investigation on 5 July, 2016 and concluded that that while “there is evidence of potential violations” of criminal statues covering the mishandling of classified information and closed the case against Hillary Clinton with no charges. On the last week of presidential campaign, FBI Director James Comey, once again opened the case of Hillary’s emails for that Democratic campaign have paid a price but just a day before polling, FBI lifts the dark clouds from Hillary’s fate as it was nothing but amount of the lead Hillary was on her opponent it was something. The story has dominated the political conversation, and talk of sweeping down the opponent with big margin instantly became a distant memory.
Clinton focused on her closing campaign message. Donald Trump continued accusing his opponent of corruption and alleged that FBI or establishment is covering for her.
Sounds like Donald Trump thinks like a Pakistani Cricketer turned Politician Imran Khan and of course as the social media reflects, most of the Pakistanis think establishment plays with candidates in the US just as it does in Pakistan.
It might have played its role in the past strongly but not anymore at least in this US election of 2016, powerful people are there in every democratic institutions. They try tools like media messages to set agendas but in modern times, people are revolting against the messages they are being bombarded with. There are many factors. One possibly could be technology, as it helped them to be heard and shaping their own opinions not to get the dictation from influential groups.
Now world should be more concerned about the post November 8 scenario. Some experts fear that polls could be wrong as they were during the British referendum on EU membership. For long time, there was a clear divide between the left and right in Europe as well as in America. But that divide is losing its grip, because people are increasingly dissatisfied. Similarly, the US presidential elections have become a turning point in the evolution of western democracy, with its deficiencies coming into the open and frustrating the opinions.
Americans are not just choosing people because they are right wingers or leftist they are choosing who can lead them better than other or in US election case who is the “lesser evil”. Donald Trump’s political stances seem blunt and horrible for the present time with no decent political character or experience. However, Clinton’s experience as the Secretary of State has given birth to ISIS. It is Hillary’s mind behind the turbulent Middle East today. Despite different forecasts on what USA and rest of the world will look like the day after today, it is clear that whoever wins change is inevitable.
The US presidential election is a little more than just mere elections of any country. In this context other nations should care as it would have important ramifications on the rest of the world. In this way the decision of American people would have impact on all of us.
About the author:
Noreen Shams is a multimedia journalist with eight years experience in the traditional broadcast and digital media. She is an International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) fellow, and has also completed her course at the University of London as a Chevening Fellow. Her expertise include global politics and technology.
She tweets at @9reen