Biden win would restore ‘normality’: Bolger
WELLINGTON: Former prime minister and New Zealand ambassador to the United States Jim Bolger says Donald Trump’s leadership has been ‘‘unpredictable and unfocused’’ and a Joe Biden win today would help restore ‘‘normality’’ to the world.
Mr Bolger, who was ambassador during the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, said from a New Zealand perspective, Mr Biden was the best option out of the two candidates.
‘‘The US has turned inward under Donald Trump’s leadership and that is not good news for the world, or America,’’ he said.
‘‘It is very difficult to see a balanced world if the largest economy plays a rogue role, rather than a constructive one.’’
Today is Election Day in the
US. The outcome will have a knockon effect on many, if not all, countries around the world.
‘‘I think what New Zealand would hope for is that a different personality in the president’s office would bring home some of the international agreements that New Zealand is a part of,’’ Mr Bolger said.
These areas particularly concern trade and the environment.
Asked if he was backing Mr Biden, he said that was the wrong word to use as it would ‘‘only upset the Americans’’. Rather, he said from a New Zealand perspective, a Biden presidency ‘‘would help to restore the balance and the leadership position of the US in the world’’.
Many polls in the US show Mr Biden is ahead.
But ExportNZ chief executive Catherin Beard said: ‘‘We have been there before’’ — a reference to Hillary Clinton polling higher than Mr Trump in most major polls ahead of the 2016 election.
But Ms Beard did say there was a sense people in the US wanted a change.
She pointed out that the swing states were ‘‘critical’’ and that US media reports showed Mr Trump had been pulling large crowds.
When it comes to who would be better at advancing New Zealand’s interests on the global stage, Ms Beard said both Mr Trump and Mr Biden have ‘‘their pros and cons’’.
‘‘It’s obvious that President
Trump has a very much madeinAmerica focus and is a lot less in love with multilateral trade; anything to do with the United Nations.’’
She said that was important for New Zealand because as a nation, trade depended on a rulesbased system.
‘‘Because we are small, we need the UN and the WTO to be operational.’’
Mr Biden, meanwhile, has promoted a more tradefriendly narrative.
However, she did point out that Mr Trump was probusiness, which was good for Kiwi companies exporting to the US.
‘‘That matters because our exporters want to sell into vibrant markets where consumers are feeling confident and wealthy.’’ — The New Zealand Herald