The Lady and the Trump

As the US presidential primaries sizzle with candidates from both the Republican and Democratic parties gearing up for Super Tuesday, most everyone across the globe is closely following the race to the White House, some with nervous laughter, others with incredulity but never with indifference. As one geopolitical expert tells me, the US presidential elections is not just local in nature – because whoever gets to occupy the White House will affect the rest of the world most especially the Asia Pacific region, considering the dangerous Chinese adventure in the South China Sea and the North Korean nuclear threat.

Additionally, US economic policies may drastically change, which could affect the economic fate of many countries. We will soon know whether the US elections in November will be between former First Lady Hillary Clinton or controversial business mogul Donald Trump who seems to be walloping his rivals with Florida Senator Marco Rubio struggling to catch up and Texas Senator Ted Cruz putting up a fight.

CNN political pundits have come out with all sorts of analysis, trying to explain the phenomenal popularity of Trump. His appeal seems to be growing across a wide swath of Republican voters, winning the first three of the caucuses with March 1 looming as the next and perhaps biggest battleground for the rest of the Republican Party hopefuls. A number of political scholars attribute Trump’s rise in popularity to the deeply seated fear, anger, frustration and hopelessness that average white Americans are feeling over what they feel has been indifference and inaction regarding their plight, with healthcare, education, joblessness among the key issues.

Politicians in the Republican Party are faced with an unpleasant specter – dilemma as some call it – because of what is described as a “hostile takeover” by Trump who, if he wins the nomination – will have to contend with party officials who refuse to support him. His controversial comments have come across as racist and bigoted. An editorial in the Times titled “Why I Will Never Vote for Donald Trump” summed it up thus: “Mr. Trump is precisely the kind of man our system of government was designed to avoid, the type of leader our founders feared – a demagogic figure who does not view himself as part of our constitutional system but rather an alternative to it…” with the writer concluding that “party loyalty has its limits.”

Many fear that Trump’s nomination as the Republican candidate will be “catastrophic” to their party’s bid not only to win the White House but to also control the Senate – saying the damage will be long term. The foreign policy group of the GOP is getting particularly nervous and antsy with a Trump victory because they see him as a potentially isolationist president who could undermine the position of the US as a global power. They see US diplomatic relations going down the drain because of Trump’s tendency to shoot his mouth off.

During the debates last Thursday, Trump declared that he would not side with Israel because it would be demeaning to Palestinians – prompting an explosion from both Cruz and Rubio who twitted the real estate businessman that the Palestinian issue is not like selling real estate deals, asking Trump, “Have you ever negotiated with terrorists?”

So far, the only nation that seems to welcome a Trump victory is Russia because they see him as an out-of-the-mainstream candidate who challenges the American system and will accept Russia as “the state of tough men.” In fact, Russian president Vladimir Putin has openly endorsed Trump, with the Russian media following suit.

Here in the Philippines, we hear a lot of comparison between Trump and Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte who is making headway as a candidate because he is perceived as a tough talking, no-nonsense person who will not mince words nor beat around the bush when it comes to peace and order, an issue that deeply concerns many Filipinos. However, there are also many who say that being president does not simply mean sending criminals to their graves. The Catholic Church and global human rights activists are very much against the death penalty.

A number of US diplomats who have served in the Philippines – both retired and active – say that they see former First Lady Hillary Clinton as good for the Philippines. She is largely credited for laying the groundwork for the US pivot to Asia policy – something that is critical especially at this time when China is being irrationally aggressive in this part of the globe. Clinton has many friends in the Filipino community. In fact, former President Bill Clinton personally picked a Filipina – Dr. Connie Mariano – to head the Medical Unit at the White House.

Actually, the Clintons have a soft spot for Filipinos – having been here on several occasions – and this regard is reciprocated by Fil-Am leaders who have publicly declared their support for Hillary, seeing her as someone who will remain true to the values held dear by Filipino-Americans. They see her as a great role model for women, the epitome of someone who does not allow past failures to get her down on the ground, picking herself up and moving on to take the next challenge.

Aside from foreign policy, another major concern for Filipinos is immigration. Clinton has been very supportive of a comprehensive immigration reform program that would pave the way to American citizenship – something that is most welcome to the estimated four million Filipinos living in the United States.

Many countries are watching on who will be the next leader of the free world – it could either be the Lady, or the Trump.