THE journalist in me played with several catchy headline phrases ahead of Tuesday’s US Presidential Election. But the one I liked and used most was: Will the Don trump the Dame?
A month ago, veteran interviewer Larry King came up with his own bit of safe advice to American voters. He said in an ad on Russia Today (RT) advertising the station’s Election Day coverage: “If you want a businessman to run the economy, Donald Trump is your man. But if you want someone with experience, then it’s Hillary Clinton!”
But the line from that ad that stuck with me most was when Larry reminded co-host news anchor Ed Shultz that “Hillary Clinton is the favourite. But favourites lose!”
Larry the King again caught both my ears when he told his co-host Ameera David Tuesday at the start of RT’s Election Night coverage from its Washington Studio: “Nobody ever knows what will be the results – not the pundits, not the pollsters, not the press, not the politicians. Only the person casting that vote in the booth decides.”
And when she asked Larry for his view on Trump’s chances King — who knows Trump well and has interviewed every US President since Richard Nixon — responded: “Win or lose, Donald Trump is America’s 2016 Man of the Year.”
I followed the lead-up to the early results on BBC and Al Jazeera (AJ). The trends had been very clear that Trump had closed-in on Clinton much more than the Democrats admitted. I didn’t like the idea, but the signs were there that The Republican Don could trump The Democratic Dame.
DONALD THE DEMON!
Trump brutally eliminated all his Republican opponents. He also bashed the American media as hard as he did ‘Crooked Hillary’. He never withdrew his comments about groping women, never backed-down on his promise to “build that wall”, or changed his mind about “banning Muslims” from entering America. He insisted NATO was “costing America too much” and the Europeans should “start paying their way”. And he rejected the Clinton camp’s claim that he was “in bed with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin”.
The Republican candidate was called everything from a race-baiting dog-whistler to a father with eyes on his daughter. First Lady Michelle Obama said he was the last man American women should want to see in the White House. A week ahead of the election, it was disclosed he was accused of raping a 13-year-old and due in court in December.
Trump was declared a danger to the world, not someone to have his finger on a nuclear button. President Obama said he was indeed a threat to world peace and security.
The Clinton camp, backed by Obama, blamed Moscow for not only hacking the Democratic camp’s e-mails, but also seeking to influence the election results by making them available to Wikileaks. Trump not only rejected the ridiculous assertion, but said the hacking could also have been done by “someone lying on a bed anywhere in America — and weighing 400 pounds.”
But never mind all of the above, everything pointed to Americans warming-up to Trump all along because many liked what he was saying. He was a self-described “smart” billionaire who admittedly evades taxes. He flew around in his gold-plated jet, but also appealed to the average white American who needed someone to blame for their declining economic and social fortunes.
Trump blamed Obama, Muslims and Mexicans – and that sounded good enough to also draw the secret ‘Rednecks’ and declared ‘Ku Klux Klansmen’ out to support him. Many Americans quietly supported Trump and lied to the pollsters, others simply remained silent — until Election Day.
The Republican nominee benefitted greatly from Clinton’s waning popularity, especially after the exposures from the first round of the FBI-sponsored e-mail scandal. Then came the Wikileaks e-mails confirming she was probably not as truthful as she insisted — and maybe not as straight either.
THE ‘BERNIE’ FACTOR
And then came the Bernie Sanders factor.
The moment it became known that the Democratic political hierarchy had rigged the selection process against Sanders, Clinton started losing trust and support in the ‘Bernie’ camp. Youth, students, women, progressives, trade unions, minorities and others who supported Sanders pledged, very early, they would not support Clinton — and would prefer to stay home than help her beat Trump.
Sanders was eventually forced by the Democratic Party’s political plutocracy to endorse Clinton, but he did so without a smile – and to the loud disapproval of most of his 13 million supporters across America.
It was never quite clear that Americans did not want to build a Clinton presidential dynasty akin to the Kennedy and Bush clans – until the Clinton Foundation’s ‘Pay to Play’ scheme was unveiled.
And then came the more recent, most-damning revelation in the Wikileaks e-mails: that as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton knew that the governments of Saudi Arabia and Qatar were funding ISIS, the group holding the world to ransom in terror.
Earlier, Mrs Clinton had also boasted on TV, almost taking personal responsibility for the death of Muammar Gadaffi, saying: “We came, we saw, he died!”
But the Clinton campaign was clearly more interested in ‘Demonizing the Donald’ than in gathering all available Democratic forces behind the first woman candidate for US President. At times the Clinton campaign even sounded cockily sure that her win was a sealed, done deal.
As it turned out, Trump stayed his course and kept the focus on ‘Crooked Hillary’ in ways that resulted in him taking the lead from the very first early results on Tuesday night – and never looking back.
TRUMP PRESIDENCY
And now for the Trump presidency… Europe is worried about the future of NATO. Syria, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, even Turkey – are all worried. The Muslim Mayor of London will now have to lift the travel ban imposed on Trump entering the British capital.
The case involving the 13-year-old disappeared a few days ahead of Voting Day. Now, Trump will be in a position to “build that wall”, impose heavy customs tariffs on “American cars made in Mexico”, “renew or dump NAFTA”, “stop the TTIP”, “ban Muslims”, “send Mexicans home”, “make NATO pay to play” and put his finger in the trigger of all America’s nuclear buttons.
ART OF THE POSSIBLE
The Democrats are suffering from shock and awe! Wall Street has the jitters! Establishment America is astonished! Establishment America picked the wrong mule to race against the white elephant. Now the elephant has slain the donkey.
But Tuesday’s US election also proved, yet again, that politics is the art of the possible.
Nobody gave Donald Trump a chance when he started off, but on his way to the White House, he mowed-down every Republican or Democratic tree or stump in his path.
Americans did on Tuesday what voters have been increasingly doing around the world of late – they rejected the establishment. The establishment demonized Trump, but those blaming the system for their daily plight always embrace the most anti-establishment candidate. Those wanting regime change always support those who advocate that change quickest and loudest, irrespective of ability to deliver.
Americans voted Trump in as President. But Americans also voted against Hillary Clinton for her recently-exposed indiscretions and the resulting mistrust – and that included the millions who stayed home, as promised, after Sanders was ‘Berned-out’ of the nomination process by the rigging Clinton Democrats.
President-elect Trump will soon change his language. He will be forced to become much-more-stately in his public expressions, as he transforms into the next new Uncle Sam. He will have to face Russia and China, Saudi Arabia and Iran, Syria and Iraq, North and South Korea, the European Union and Brexit, Canada and Mexico.
But The Don’s severe trumping of The Dame on Tuesday has once again confirmed that, just as one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, deification and demonization have absolutely no place in the real politics of electing governments for people and country.
“The STENOGRAPHER in me played with several catchy headline phrases…”
There! I fixed it for you Earl, because if you were a real journalist, you would have known that editors and their marketing staff are actually the ones who write headlines – the only reason you get to write a headline is because your screed is placed in the Letters & Opinion section of the Voice!
If you were honest, you would also have provided us a list of all the source articles you scraped from to come up with such a compendium of irrelevant opinion; you provide no added value as a sycophantic stenographer of others’ opinions on a political “musical chairs” game. Of what relevance is this game when the same 1% of a populace controls where the music stops in every iteration of the game?
Of what import a Trump selection vs a Clinton selection? Either of them continues the rape of the planet by the US empire, and the ensuing chaos, for the sole benefit of the 1% of the populace who rule from the shadows. Did any of the “hopey-changey” flim-flam Obama spouted prevent him from ardently doing the work he was assigned to, in his massa’s “White House”?
If you want to know what real journalists read like, scoot over here, http://www.blackagendareport.com/, and start the journalism class you have been “making beast” from all your life.
Nudge/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwm_lFdEJ00
Is that your grandpa at work SS-Obergruppenführer. Nudge?
And is that one of your human resources techniques to enlist future COCO Dan Call Girls-emphasis on COCO in the creole vernacular OUI!
Allow me to echo one credo from my NPR radio new service that parallels your statement “{well heeled} white American males needed to blame someone /thing for their declining fortunes”
NPR news ” working class white American independents came out at the last minute to give Trump the {advantage} ”
My comment: MONEY TALKED & BULLS*eet WALKED!
The Democrats staring down a Republican DOMinated Congress should have fielded a slate not unlike the large buffet of Republican hopefuls.
Sanders matched with a squeaky clean 40 something professional female as vice candidate seemed like a better possibility for reeling in the independents and the establishment while splitting the embarrassed GOP camp pool of voters.
NATO like the EURO will examine their “Brexit”options vigorously, if the current funding is nixed like a Nixon “veil” 🙂
If the Mexicans are stiffed, we can expect the already escalating cost of basic agricultural products to spiral stratospherically.
I believe that the looming increase in basic food / grocery bills shall be a GREATER WALL (think the Chinese version built by their famous ancient Emperor) between the upper middle class + high class and ALL other socio economic classes.
Clean safe Water / Foods / Medicines are going to be worth MORE than their weight in GOLD……n’est pas?
Here is a strategy to tame the calamity and despair of international TRUMPetonomics:
-Secure at least an acre of suburban or rural land.
-Subdivide it as follows:
-in the center (depending on the size of your immediate household) build a TAX FREE
BASEMENT Structure. The top of this underground structure is bordered with interspersed foot wide GLASS bricks forming a 3 to 6 feet frame perimeter. Atop all this is a free standing (stilted) SOLAR ARRAY for harnessing free electricity.
-Small decoy outhouse (latrine architecture)/ tool shed structures on the corners are also tax free homestead structures and serve as AIR INDUCTS > HEPA /MICRO filtration units.
-2 (120 sq ft) co joined freshwater filtered in ground natural pools for farming TILAPIA fish. One pool shall have fish friendly aquatic plants for shading /nursery/ duties; the other crystal clear for feeding /rudimentary vet examinations .A joined kidney shape architecture is preferable.
The rest of the land is sectioned for raising all the basic food and poultry to feed the household. A fallow or rest section must be included for crop rotation.
And area on top is reserved for a COSSACK or Mongol TENT on a raised platform. This shall serve as your official TAX FREE temporary living quarters. However, during inclement or storm season your fully functional underground basement becomes le nuevo temporary tax free BUNKER.
Do not forget motion sensor alarms /lights. Nightime Solar lights. Barb wire perimeter fence no less than 1 foot spacing . Remote cameras every where connected to smart or smart phone. Perhaps an attack dog as pet. And as the economics times get more TRUMPled….you may need the added protection of an Uzi from despairing desperate scavengers 🙁
So how will you describe the usage of your permanent basement to a tax assessor?
First make sure you invest in equipment for long term storage of fruits and vegetables / fish / poultry. Pickling or freezer storage can be adequately supported by your FREE ELECTRICITY from your above ground SOLAR ARRAY (By the by use your China embassy connect for deep discounts on bulk imports (form a pool of buyers to offset the cost of freight etc.)
Therefore, the purpose of your underground tax free basement is to serve as STORAGE for the agricultural products grown / raised topside.
But a more informed citizen like Monsieur Earl may prefer his live aboard tax free Schooner/Trawler as his first choice for mitigating TRUMPetonomics?
Aaargh! the freedom evoked by le Caribbean Sea, and the blissful basking opportunities rendered by its tranquil coves and virgin shorelines.
What would I give for a boat?
Mirage,
In citing your willingness to echo NPR (National/Neoliberal Propaganda Radio), you are giving credence to the neo-feudalism which marks the political landscape in the Western world. There is not an ounce worth of difference between NPR & the New York Times (and other propagandistic media organs of its ilk).
That said, your oblique references to the results of the duopoly’s pretense at democracy (every 4 years) are just a tad more amateurish than the fluff opinions of Earl, but in fewer words.
Do yourself a favour, and read something substantial here to correct your euro-centric imbalance, and to improve your capacity for critical thinking: http://www.blackagendareport.com/black_american-anti-imperialism_nyt
Nudge/
I do accept your analysis as per my “political’ rhetoric but not that of my executive functioning in the lobe of CRITICAL THINKING .
Nevertheless, I must protest your extremely harsh condemnation of Mr. Earl.
That said, I do feel your political angst, respect your left wing “ailerons” and apparent commitment to drastic actualization in the struggle for Black Liberation, socio economic empowerment, and the correction if not redress of historical injustices that impinge upon the humanity of Black people.
To understand Earl, I urge you to read the following about a famous African American professor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornel_West
There are parallels both implied and explicit.
Note how Cornell is restrained by his Religious foundation.
Both intellectuals can moderate and INDICATE where the battlefront is located but they cannot accompany the following generations on that hazardous trek.
I have read and met Cornell West and can report that he is a genuine human being.
Earl like all responsible writers must address the needs of his CORE audience.
I bet you (COCO DAN’s future style ☺)
that Earl knew and met Stokely Carmichael-first hand- and shared his angst albeit philosophically.
Brother Nudge your need for immediacy is similar to the rhetoric of Stokely Carmichael.
We must be strategic in our approach for Black Liberation and Justice.
We must educate a wide base, patiently with due moderation.
There is only one statistical fact about the struggle for Black liberation and empowerment i.e., EXTREMISM has always IMPLODED and further distanced the masses.
With much respect in this extremely dangerous vengeful era, I urge you to UTILIZE your “Fire Next Time” to recruit a wide base of the inexperienced blank political slates.
I recall the coaching of a seasoned professor – a practicing psychiatrist in the most desolate of urban centers by day:
“First you got to teach them how to be a clinical PATIENT, before any of your INTERVENTIONS can ever GERMINATE”.
My writing targets both the middle class and the struggling on the fringes of economic despair.
For the latter (with morals) bread, butter and humor are more important than guns bullets and riots. For them revolutionary education must be modified, differentiated and spoon-fed, moderately…………
Mirage wrote:
“…I must protest your extremely harsh condemnation of Mr. Earl”
You surely did not bolster your credibility vis-à-vis “critical thinking” by not specifying what was extremely harsh, and why?
Mirage,
If you could just pause your prose flight of fancy, you will acknowledge that just like Earl, you dwell on the subjective, and pad your responses with logical fallacies, in order to escape the reality which you face.
Note how Earl prefaces his screed with a pitiful “appeal to authourity” (“The journalist in me played with several catchy headline phrases…”), something a real journalist never does; else he would be considered a stenographer or a propagandist!
Your appeal to empathy (“I do feel your political angst…etc. etc.”) was even more pathetic!
Before I internalize your “subjective” dodge, perhaps you should resolve the, so far, immoveable objects I have introduced into the discussion:
-real journalists vs. stenographers prevalent in corporate media
-political “musical chairs” controlled by economic elites (faux democracy)
In common (it is not just mine per your allegation), we face the immediacy of 40+ years of the black ‘misleadership’ class (see http://www.blackagendareport.com/), in the Caribbean, as well as in the US; a so far immoveable object you and Earl are eager to side-step, or deliberately make nebulous or unimportant – choosing to frame your existence with euro-centric hogwash!
In my lifetime, the only EXTREMISM (the ELEPHANT in the ROOM) witnessed, is practiced by the US government and its satraps around the globe for the express purpose of distancing the “masses” from the shadowy elites which can trace their lineage to feudal systems of yore! I note your cruel joke in attempting to apologize for it, by blaming the very victims of it!
Harsh treatment:
Earl is a seasoned globe trotter. He has witnessed live and in color much of the residual effects of European colonialism.
Earl was up and about -if not proactively- in the milieu of early grassroots Grenadian and Guyanese “Black Nationalism” movements. This was a heady era that had to struggle with Jamaica’s Bustamante pulling the plug on the FEDERATION ; the premier platform of Caribbean nationalism.
In all probability Earl has GRAPPLED with the twin immoveable topics of your thesis, at closer quarters of engagement in the trenches than do the hardened leftist “journalists’ you reference.
Earl lives on an extremely small parochial rock separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. If he sneezes in Choiseul, folks in Paix Bouche will say “bless you Earl”.
Using the same analogy if he belches during a hearty lunch in Castries, folks in Vieux-Fort will say ” Earl I thought that was a BAC Concorde taking off “.
The punitive powers of BIG BROTHER are quite extreme having been sharpened in the crucible of Inter European rivalry. the feudalism that you speak of , the Grand Holy Inquisition etc. etc. a la Yul Bryner.
The individual must be concerned with his self preservation in his participation with the group.
You should not expect middle age Earl to line the trenches of the warfare you have expertly delineated.
St Lucia and most African American’s have not read sufficiently nor deeply enough to grasp the travesty of Chattel Slavery auctioned by Admiral of the seas COLUMBUS and veiled by the Roman Empire.
Why should Earl spearhead a a cause celeb sure to terminate life as he knows it for even a just cause based solely on TRUTH, when the very masses he represents are more comfortable with BARABAS, debauchery and Dionysus.
The KGB would have at him long before the CIA , now that Trump is officially the Kalzon of Putin’s Platanos.
Again and with unabashed empathy
(empathy happens to be the viable core of my professional foundation)
By the by I LISTEN TO mostly crafted
(made with real instruments played by masters in their field)
music i.e, Jazz , Blues , classical. Guess what ONLY NPR stations in my “habitat” play those forms /genres of music. Imagine Jazz and Blues which REVOLUTIONIZED Black culture more than the BIBLE or any other art form ever did CAN only be heard on NPR !!!
So I do get some of my news there on the fly but with time I do scour national news sites in French Spanish and English.
i propose that Black Liberation and its quest for justice is like an arduous trek up the slopes of Kilamanjaro.
The education and subsequent collaboration of a large percent of the common folks as bearers are pivotal objectives.
Earl can be a fair referee given his credentials circa 1960’s- 1970;s, n’est pas.
Some volcanos do go dormant,
in much the same way-
Golden suns become Red Giants and others turn to White Dwarfs.
Mirage,
Escapism via fairy tales & filibustering…why am I not surprised?
Nudge/
I was born a FREE BIRD
(think of Miles Davis and John Coltrane on TAKE FIVE)
I am the spirit of the ARCTIC TERN
Escape?
I provided the navigational charts aplomb on consistent Polaris to the conductors
of the Underground Railroad.
I can play the thunderous cadence of Shaka Zulu’s foot regiments…from memory!
In my world ONLY The Divine Creator reigns-
SUPREME
-totally
-omnipotently
Yea, though I “waltz”through the Valley of the shadow of Death
I shall not beg to ESCAPE this ordained BUBBLE.
For we humans are mere stardust………………………
But only Our Lord
Can prepare a laden Table to satiate ALL my needs
In the presence of my enemies….to boot!
No eau benni required…..n’est pas
Is it my turn to bat, Nudge?
So, I take it you had a very “tight” childhood (you hate fairy tales and nursery rhymes)
Here is a likkle realistic fiction:
The interrogative template of “It who impersonates a young Stokely Carmichael”
reeks of Concentration Camp soot.
Now that the Gestapo have superseded the RSLPolice Force;
Could It be a “cloaked Otto Dietrich, The 3rd Reich NSDAP Press Chief” sniffing the ground I bushwack?
Or is it Marlene Dietrich utilizing her “Jezelesque” charm to seduce moi towards a Waterloo Quadrille?
Either disguise informs me that the neo Waffen SS is alive and entrenched in St Lucia.
Sieg Heil
Nudge/
Garcon please allow me to share a bio on your grandpa…….after all Flambeau Inc is utilizing his political strategies so effectively…n’est pas?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Dietrich
Mirage,
Don’t stop shooting $hit – you’re making a great case for your irrelevance as a reactionary.
Hey Earl,
Here’s a headline that an honest editor would have allowed you:
“”Meet the New Boss; Same as the Old Boss!”