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Opinion | Four more years: why America is likely to vote for Donald Trump after all
- With America divided and uncertain, expect the president to position himself as the saviour of the US and exploit to great effect Biden’s weaknesses
- The Democratic Party’s position of holding the moral high ground, as Hillary Clinton did in 2016, will also enrage many voters
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Why you can trust SCMP
As the US presidential election looms and the battle for the soul of America awaits, this election promises to be like no other. Despite the pandemic, social unrest and four years of unorthodoxy in the White House, the lead-up to November will show President Donald Trump convincing the electorate to give him another four years, even against his litany of failures.
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It will be Trump’s exposure of rival Joe Biden’s weaknesses that should sway voters towards a second term for himself.
Deficits in diplomacy and nuance have been the hallmark of Trump’s presidency. In galvanising conservative support while emboldening the progressive movement against him, Trump has increased fissures within US society, making this election all the more divisive.
Like in 2016, a Trump victory is being dismissed, with the news media leading the way. Many political commentators have replaced rational analysis with rancour, failing to heed the 2016 lesson, and predicting a resounding Biden victory. Yet this election is not so much Trump’s to win as Biden’s to lose – and the likelihood of this happening is high.
While the policy platform presented at the Democratic National Convention includes abolition of college tuition for low-income families, global warming initiatives, raising the minimum wage and citizenship for undocumented workers, it has missed out Medicare For All, which was supported by 69 per cent of registered voters in an April poll.
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Joe Biden and Kamala Harris take stage on US presidential campaign as Trump lashes out
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris take stage on US presidential campaign as Trump lashes out
In this climate, with high jobless rates and health care tied to employment, this is a no-brainer. Against this, Trump is running on the same “America first” platform as in 2016, making himself a small target while positioning attention and scrutiny firmly on the Democratic National Convention.
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