Letter: We must conclude that Trump is GOP’s new Ike
From Dr Harlan Ullman, Senior Adviser, Atlantic Council, Washington, DC, US
James Carville’s “Hey Democrats, it’s the winning, stupid!” (February 8) is a tragic cry in the wilderness for three reasons. First, as the great American humorist Will Rogers confessed many decades ago: “I’m not a member of an organized political party. I’m a Democrat!” The Iowa fiasco confirms that observation.
Second, it is not clear that any of the announced Democratic candidates for president is capable of defeating Donald Trump. Age, highly leftist views, an unproven former mayor and billionaire proven former mayor are not the obvious choices for a successful campaign, and the Democrats risk making the trouncings of George McGovern and Mike Dukakis look like a “close run thing”.
Third, President Trump’s approval ratings are now reaching close to 50 per cent. Even more stunning, if polls are correct, 94 per cent of Republicans strongly support the president. The last candidate of either party to approach that level was General of the Army and President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956, when 91 per cent of Republicans backed him.
The clear conclusion that amplifies Mr Carville’s cri de coeur must be that Mr Trump is the GOP’s new Ike. Political scientists and psychiatrists will spend decades pontificating as to how America arrived at this point.
Dr Harlan Ullman Senior Adviser, Atlantic Council, Washington, DC, US
Jos demokraattipuolue haluaa voittaa Trumpin niin Sanders on ainoa tolkun valinta, en voi larpata vaaliväittelyitä Trump vs. joku muu päässäni niin että Trump ei vetelisi pitkin korvia näitä ns. konventionaalisia ehdokkaita.
