By Andy Knight
W. Andy Knight is Distinguished Professor of International Relations in the Political Science Department, University of Alberta, and past Chair of the Department. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (FRSC), he is the former Director of the Institute of International Relations (IIR), The University of the West Indies (UWI), Trinidad & Tobago, and co-founder and the former head of the Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean (DAOC).
Americans go to the polls today to elect the next US President. The mainstream US media would like us to believe that the campaign for the presidency is a horse race. Americans like horse races for some reason.
Horse race journalism is the kind of political journalism of elections that gives the impression that two candidates are running neck and neck — so close that it is almost impossible to distinguish between them. This perception is only made more enticing because pollsters in the US help to create this false narrative.
The reality, however, is something that hasn’t been captured by the polls, that is, that there are major and substantial differences between the two candidates who are running to replace Joe Biden as President of the US. Those differences haven’t been adequately captured by most of the polls leading up to the outcome. Indeed, the only poll that really counts is the poll on election day and after all the ballots are counted.
Donald Trump is clearly unfit to be president of the world’s hegemon. He is morally unfit; he lacks true leadership qualities; and his character leaves a lot to be desired. According to The New York Times editorial board, Trump demonstrates a “clear lack of moral fitness” to lead the country. If you were following the US election campaign as closely as I have, it would be hard not to see the depravity of Trump’s values, the unsavouriness of his temperament, the paucity of his ideas, and the foul and debased language that spews out of his mouth. His claim that he wants “to make AMERICA Great Again” rings hollow on a number of fronts. His idea of American greatness harks back to a time of slavery and a time when women were subjugated to men. It also harks back to a time when diversity was not tolerated; when AMERICA was dominated by white Christianity; when the idea of family was quite different than it is today. No wonder Harris’s mantra of “we are not going back” resonates so well with the majority of the population.
Donald Trump does not respect the American Constitution. That’s clear! He has no regard for the rule of law. As many observers have pointed out, the man cares about nothing but himself. He has demonstrated a desire to have power for the sake of power (he tried to overturn the last presidential outcome by violent force and he has declared that he wants to be a dictator on day one if he is re-elected as president); to be impulsive and chaotic; and to be divisive and even criminal in his rhetoric and actions.
Voters today must ask themselves if Trump has any of the qualities or values that would earn their trust; is he fit to be president of America?
While most of the polls seem to indicate that little separates Trump from Harris, the opposite is in fact true; especially for anyone who has watched the campaigns of these two individuals in the closing days leading up to the election.
Kamala Harris’ strong track record of public service and cogent leadership experience makes her a compelling candidate for the US presidency. As Attorney General of California, Harris secured major settlements against corporations and protected consumers from predatory practices. As the current Vice President of the United States, she has played a crucial role in shaping policy, improving economic conditions and advancing progressive causes. People tend to forget that Donald Trump had very little real political or executive leadership experience when he became President of the US. Being the CEO of a reality TV show does not count.
Harris, on the other hand, was the Attorney General of California, one of the biggest states in the US; she was a Senator from California; and, she is the Vice President of the United States. These key offices demonstrate her ability to hold high-level positions and to make tough decisions. Her entire career has been committed to social justice; to championing the rights of women; to pushing for racial equity; to supporting LGBTQ+ rights; and to creating a more just society.
Unlike Trump, Harris has demonstrated an ability to think coherently and critically and to develop effective solutions to complex problems. As the first woman, first African American, and first Asian American to hold the office of Vice President, Harris has succeeded in breaking down barriers and has demonstrated a facility for embracing people from across the political aisle. Just take a look at the long list of former Republican politicians who support her election campaign.
The Harris campaign has been one of joy, inspiration, positivity and future orientation. It reminds me a lot of the Obama campaigns. She has been inspiring to countless of Americans, particularly women and people of colour, to join in her big tent and all-embracing movement. She has been a strong advocate for progressive causes, from stricter gun control laws to the DREAM Act, to a federal legalization of cannabis, to reforms in healthcare, and to efforts at combating climate change, including support for the Green New Deal, and advocating for environmental justice.
Many American voters today should reflect on Kamala Harris’s unique blend of political experience, leadership skills, diplomatic capabilities, and her longstanding commitment to social justice. These are qualities that separate her from Donald Trump and will make her an exceptional candidate for the US presidency.
The choice is clear for American voters. All signs point to a major victory for Harris over Trump. The close pre-election polls do not capture the vast differences between these two candidates. So, it is left to the poll that really counts (on election day) to do so.