DONALD Trump presents his comeback as a miracle and the world is in for months of punditry on what he did right and what Kamala Harris got wrong. We'll leave candidate-watching to the pundits. What follows is based on observing the voters who actually determine election outcomes. We'll also look at a couple of mysteries the election threw up. Neither thread shows human nature or intelligence in a good light.
The central mystery is, in a nation that takes the law very seriously (the volume of courtroom dramas and cop serials bears testimony), why did most Americans reject a prosecutor and embrace a convicted felon who thinks erratically, speaks menacingly and promises pain for all?
There are two answers, and the first is remarkably stupid: Trump's supporters identify him as an entertainer. Aren't stand-up comics abrasive, too? Entertainers can make good heads of government, like Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine and Ronald Reagan in the US. If Taylor Swift ran for president, she could actually win. But career politicians identified as entertainers are a different species, especially if the entertainment colours governance.
The second reason for choosing Trump is more substantial: the working classes felt insecure under the Biden administration, the Democrats were in denial of this, and the far right campaign playbook sounded reassuring. Once more, it was the economy, and the Democrats were being stupid.
This story is from the November 09, 2024 edition of The Morning Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 09, 2024 edition of The Morning Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Rising nitrous oxide emissions threaten climate goals, ozone recovery
A new Global Nitrous Oxide Assessment, launched at the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku (COP29), Azerbaijan, on Wednesday has come out with alarming findings about the impact of nitrous oxide (NO) on climate change and the ozone layer.
UNLEARNING THE SUSTAINABLE WAY
In 2012, environmental activist Jyoti Raghavan Khanduja was returning from a family vacation in Jim Corbett National Park back to her home in Gurugram. As her car neared the Ghazipur landfill, a sharp stench sliced through the already polluted air, conjuring a dystopian image as if straight from Charles Dickens’ Hard Times. \"It was a horrendous sight. There was a monster of garbage there. It was a wake-up call to create a community of conscious children who are ready to tackle future challenges—poor waste management, rising pollution, water crisis, food shortages, labour crises and other such problems. I wanted them to be concerned for the environment right from the start,\" she says as she walks me around the vast expanse of her new community-driven school, Forest Spirit Learning, in the foothills of the forested Aravalli mountain range in Shikohpur, Gurugram.
THE FLAVOURS OF WINTERS IN OLD DELHI
The residents of Delhi NCR woke up to a surprise dip in the temperature and a dense fog mixed with the usual smog yesterday.
Almodóvar's new film is fearlessly female
While staying true to his flamboyance, Almodóvar fashions a quiet, intimate narrative to play out his favourite themes of families and friendships
Designated captain of U19 Hyd team, 5 others banned for age fraud
COMPLAINTS, forged birth certificates and investigation by police leading to suspension of six players from a team once again exposed the murky world of cricket in the country.
Jharkhand 136/3 against hosts Delhi on Day 1
OPENER Sharandeep Singh scored a dogged unbeaten 64 as Jharkhand batters were painstakingly slow in their approach, reaching 136 for 3 on a rain-curtailed opening day of their Ranji Trophy match in New Delhi on Wednesday.
WHO WILL BE PUJARA IN AUS?
Veteran batter was crucial in India's dominance Down Under in the past two campaigns
UP overcome TN 3-1 to book semis berth
A professional display by Uttar Pradesh Hockey helped the visitors to thrash Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu 3-1 and enter the semifinals of the National men's hockey championship played at the SDAT-Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here on Wednesday.
Want to start afresh: Sift changes gear to recalibrate & regain touch
RIFLE shooter Sift Kaur Samra had followed the textbook to be one of the favourites from India to challenge for a medal in the Paris Olympics, which was held earlier this year. But on the day of her competition (women's 50m rifle 3 positions), she stood helpless as her dreams started slipping away, shot after shot.
Dream come true: Nepal enter women's U19 WC
\"FINALLY. Dream came true,\" wrote Sita Rana Magar on social media as Nepal women's team defeated UAE to qualify for U19 World Cup in Malaysia.
