I think I must be suffering from political anorak disease because I stayed up on Wednesday night to watch the last of the U.S. Presidential debates. It was a pretty unedifying experience and served as yet another reminder of how depressing it is to have two such unattractive candidates for the Presidency. To be frank, from an entertainment point of view, I was hoping for some real car-crash TV. I was disappointed but never-the-less there was one astonishing moment. When Donald Trump was asked directly whether he would accept the result; he refused. He said he would keep the American people “ in suspense”. This, frankly, is appalling. No candidate in living memory has refused to accept the result. Even after the tortuous and highly controversial contest between Al Gore and George W. Bush, when Gore had every reason to feel that Bush stole the election, he conceded defeat. When Nixon was defeated by JFK there were questions about the process; again he conceded. Trump’s behaviour is a disgrace. It was rightly jumped on immediately by Stephen Colbert on The Late Show when he said he was going to “wipe his fat arse with the constitution”.
This election has plumbed new depths. Accusations of sex-abuse, criminal behaviour, influence-peddling, fraud, lying and God knows what else. Neither candidate comes well out of this. However, unless something really bizarre happens, Hillary Clinton will be the next President of the United States and Bill will become the First Dude. With their pervasive sense of entitlement, they are probably drawing up the Guest List for the Inaugural Ball. Denis O’Brien is probably hoping to be invited.
The Donald meanwhile is going to milk it for what it is worth. Up to the last minute he will be stirring the discontented and those that rightly feel left behind by an increasingly dysfunctional political and economical system. America is divided. The scars run deep and will be difficult to heal.
Does he have an agenda if he loses ? Damn right he does. How about Trump TV pumping out his message and garnering millions whilst stoking the fires he has lit.
Meanwhile the world is becoming an increasingly dangerous place. Whilst the U.S. is in limbo Vladimir Putin is flexing his muscles. His navy roams the seas and his aircraft the skies with increasing menace. In Syria Aleppo will fall and Assad’s murderous regime will remain in place. So Hillary has her work cut out for her. God Bless America.