As numerous students and observers of the US will know at end of World War Two an American Diplomat based in Moscow - George Kennan - sent a personal appraisal to the State Department of Russian conditions, intentions and recommended 'containment' as Washington's response. This influential but controversial communication was subsequently labelled the Long Telegram. I only mention this because as I continue my running appraisal of the Presidential elections - with the added dash of delusions of grandeur - I thought I would scribe a long telegram back to the US concerning my personal response to the nightly serial entitled - The Greatest Show on Earth (The US primaries). So...
Dear Washington, I wish to share with you some of my growing concerns as I view your nation's current soap opera - in the blue corner it seems much has gone as the Democrat Party had 'planned it', Hilary Clinton thanks to party support, an extremely large budget and consistently high support from Black America has managed to take a commanding delegate lead over Bernie Sanders. The fact that the introduction of super delegates into the Democrat convention process (see previous blog) almost guaranteed that the Party's favoured candidate would take the prize anyway has been largely, quietly and conveniently forgotten by most but what Sanders presence has brought is the allusion of legitimacy - a 'genuine' fight between two political views - this touch of authenticity was always going to be important for Clinton since she has been seen by many for far too long as a 'shoe in' for the Democrats. However, in large part it has seemed from afar that the political rivalry between these two candidates has been feisty at times but mainly measured and respectful - an approach most Europeans would recognise and welcome - but I get the sense that if Clinton was not feeling secure in her nomination then the approach to Sanders would have been a little more 'robust'.
In the red corner the reverse seems true, the Republican contest between Trump, Cruz and Rubio - putting aside all of the other candidate casualties - has been venal. The language, style and approach by the GOP nominees has been nothing short of disgraceful, turning many of the TV debates into a circus routine full of bear-baters and clowns. The personal and abusive attacks offered by these three political acrobats has undoubtedly filled the seats and entertained the viewers but at what cost? How does this sort of 'political yobbishness' benefit the voters, the Republicans, the US or that little thing called democracy?
With Trump controversially continuing to head the delegate count it is clear that the Republican Party have lost the plot. Sorry, have they ever understood the plot? Even Mitch McConnell(Leader of the Senate) and Paul Ryan (Leader of the House) both seasoned, respected, and experienced senior politicians have failed to hide their deep loathing for 'their' current front runner. The party's response to the maverick that is the Donald has just further illustrated to many in Europe how split the Republicans are as a political grouping and how fractured American society has become. Of course, we can all welcome notions of free speech and the right to test the veracity of a candidates position but it seems from across the sea that this testing process has lost all sense of proportion, sinking down to the lowest common denominator. How easy will it be for anyone outside let alone inside the US to take seriously the Republican nomination after this debased contest ?
Now, if you - Washington - thinks that this writer is taking a rather too lofty position please remember that the considerations that you are presently engaged in will eventually produce a new Commander in Chief of the biggest military power in the World (you spend more on defence then the next eleven nations put together). And if anyone on 'the Hill' wonders what this has got to do with us strange Europeans then I would gently remind you that we are paying an increasingly huge price for the last time you 'voted in' - care of the US Supreme Court - a President who knew how to start a reckless war without understanding how to stop it - G. W. Bush and Iraq.
Therefore, writing as a critical friend of the US, which many Europeans are, can you please put a halt to this political charade that is at present amusing a few, annoying some and increasingly worrying many and get back to the fact that the US Presidency is a serious job for a serious politician and not an opportunity or a platform for the political equivalent of Coco the Clown to perform verbal, baseless acrobatics.
Yours faithfully,
Bemused of Belgium. KK
Dear Washington, I wish to share with you some of my growing concerns as I view your nation's current soap opera - in the blue corner it seems much has gone as the Democrat Party had 'planned it', Hilary Clinton thanks to party support, an extremely large budget and consistently high support from Black America has managed to take a commanding delegate lead over Bernie Sanders. The fact that the introduction of super delegates into the Democrat convention process (see previous blog) almost guaranteed that the Party's favoured candidate would take the prize anyway has been largely, quietly and conveniently forgotten by most but what Sanders presence has brought is the allusion of legitimacy - a 'genuine' fight between two political views - this touch of authenticity was always going to be important for Clinton since she has been seen by many for far too long as a 'shoe in' for the Democrats. However, in large part it has seemed from afar that the political rivalry between these two candidates has been feisty at times but mainly measured and respectful - an approach most Europeans would recognise and welcome - but I get the sense that if Clinton was not feeling secure in her nomination then the approach to Sanders would have been a little more 'robust'.
In the red corner the reverse seems true, the Republican contest between Trump, Cruz and Rubio - putting aside all of the other candidate casualties - has been venal. The language, style and approach by the GOP nominees has been nothing short of disgraceful, turning many of the TV debates into a circus routine full of bear-baters and clowns. The personal and abusive attacks offered by these three political acrobats has undoubtedly filled the seats and entertained the viewers but at what cost? How does this sort of 'political yobbishness' benefit the voters, the Republicans, the US or that little thing called democracy?
With Trump controversially continuing to head the delegate count it is clear that the Republican Party have lost the plot. Sorry, have they ever understood the plot? Even Mitch McConnell(Leader of the Senate) and Paul Ryan (Leader of the House) both seasoned, respected, and experienced senior politicians have failed to hide their deep loathing for 'their' current front runner. The party's response to the maverick that is the Donald has just further illustrated to many in Europe how split the Republicans are as a political grouping and how fractured American society has become. Of course, we can all welcome notions of free speech and the right to test the veracity of a candidates position but it seems from across the sea that this testing process has lost all sense of proportion, sinking down to the lowest common denominator. How easy will it be for anyone outside let alone inside the US to take seriously the Republican nomination after this debased contest ?
Now, if you - Washington - thinks that this writer is taking a rather too lofty position please remember that the considerations that you are presently engaged in will eventually produce a new Commander in Chief of the biggest military power in the World (you spend more on defence then the next eleven nations put together). And if anyone on 'the Hill' wonders what this has got to do with us strange Europeans then I would gently remind you that we are paying an increasingly huge price for the last time you 'voted in' - care of the US Supreme Court - a President who knew how to start a reckless war without understanding how to stop it - G. W. Bush and Iraq.
Therefore, writing as a critical friend of the US, which many Europeans are, can you please put a halt to this political charade that is at present amusing a few, annoying some and increasingly worrying many and get back to the fact that the US Presidency is a serious job for a serious politician and not an opportunity or a platform for the political equivalent of Coco the Clown to perform verbal, baseless acrobatics.
Yours faithfully,
Bemused of Belgium. KK
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