Whether Trump Is America’s Asset Or A Global Liability Only Time Will Tell

By Veluppillai Thangavelu –November 23, 2016

Veluppillai Thangavelu

The triumph of Donald Trump over his much fancied Democratic Party presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has sent shock waves through out world capitals. Right from the beginning, Trump remained the under dog despised by his own Republican big wigs and dismissed by the media and pollsters who predicted a convincing victory for Hilary Clinton. A total of 170 newspapers endorsed the candidature of Clinton as president as opposed to only 17 newspapers backing Trump.

A string of polls taken during the last week before November 7 suggested a comfortable win for Clinton although some claimed the race is tightening. BBC, which uses the median average of the five most recent national US polls, had Clinton at 49 per cent and Trump at 46 per cent. Washington Post-ABC tracking poll had Clinton at 46 per cent and Trump at 45 per cent, including third party candidates. The polls and the experts and the data modellers predicted it would be a woman as Madame President for the first time in the nation 247 year’s long histories.

Trump enjoyed a slight surge in support after James Comey FBI director released the stunning memo to Congress leaders on October 28 that he is reopening the investigating against Clinton following the recovery of 2,500 emails during a sexting investigation of Anthony Weiner, the disgraced ex-congressman who is separated from longtime Clinton aide Human Abedin. The FBI said it is looking into whether there was classified information on a device belonging to the estranged husband of one of her closest aides. On November 4, Comey confirmed that there was no new evidence against Clinton and he is closing the file. It is open to debate whether the initial news that broke out on October 28 by itself would have changed the minds of many voters about her. However, after the defeat at the polls, Clinton claimed that she lost the elections because of the political sensitivity created by Comey reopening the probe days before the elections.

Like pollsters, the bookies were also busy when they accepted betting at 11- 4 meaning Trump has only 26.7 per cent chance of winning the elections. His previous odds stood at 5-1 or 16.7 chance of winning.

Based on the polls, Democratic Party leaders predicted Clinton would win 300 electoral votes or more. And Clinton herself the day before the election held a victory celebration on a campaign flight plane. Law enforcement officials and the FDNY were told to prepare for a barge-launched pyrotechnic display off Manhattan’s Javits Center, where Clinton and running mate Tim Kaine planned to join thousands of their supporters for the November 8 night celebration.

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