Hillary Clinton was surprised by the victory of Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential primary election. Will there be another surprise this November in the general election?
The recent events in Washington have once again called into question the veracity of Mrs. Clinton and her staff. The FBI director’s action has come late in the campaign and, again, calls into question the veracity of a candidate who has been on the national scene for some 30 years. Not new to controversy, the serious nature of the allegations against former Secretary Clinton involve unwise decisions in using email systems and not being truthful about the misuse and possible breaches of protocol in issues of national security. This presents the possibility of the United States electorate being faced with a president-elect under a serious shadow of doubt. It raises issues about early voting as many ballots nationwide have already been cast. The situation could even lead to a possible constitutional crisis.
This “October surprise” was certainly unexpected and has cast many questions on what is already a controversial and contentious presidential election. These events come at a time when there are many significant domestic and foreign policy questions that need addressing. Thus far, this presidential election has been more about personalities, gutter sniping, and salacious charges. Now, this close to the election, the serious question of the misuse of classified documents is front and center again.
This issue and its related questions are most concerning. Even the decision by the FBI director and the non-support of the attorney general in resurrecting this matter are troubling. Will it be the old adage: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire? What action will the FBI now take and when will it take that action? It will not be healthy for the nation to have this matter drag on until after the general election.
This election has been dubbed a “change” election. This is easily understandable after eight years of one president in the White House. Can a candidate with a thirty-year record in the political fray actually be a change agent? Can a candidate who has never been active in national politics convince Americans it is ready for his brand of change? What will be the outcome of these sorts of issues and what affect will it have on the composition of the new Congress? These are all questions to be addressed in about a week. Everything will impact the future of this nation.
The debacle this year has been caused by a Republican Party upheaval and a less than desirable Democratic candidate. The “establishment” in the Republican Party has been all but totally replaced by those from the right wing and many seeking a return to a time from a previous era. Party unity will be very much dependent upon the outcome of the general election and may take decades to reach. Some changes in the past positions of the Republican Party are well overdue. Times change, issues change, and the expectations of the American people change. Meeting the challenges of change may well be the key to victory in the 2016 national election.
The Republicans are facing party division and a lack of coordination among the presidential and downstate candidates, especially for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, the Democrats are being led by a candidate who has set up her own “November surprise.” Releasing emails and engaging in a more truthful campaign would have avoided, perhaps, the last-minute controversy now dogging Mrs. Clinton.
Americans should remember: Absolute power corrupts absolutely. This fact has been evident throughout our history, from Teapot Dome to Watergate and beyond. Selecting more nationally elected officials from the political, government elite class may not be in the nation’s best interests this year.
Yes, the United States will survive this election. The road may be rocky and even perilous, but we have survived challenges before; however, the challenges this year are represented by internal chaos and the choice of two very unpopular candidates. Not the best scenario for the American people.
Maria Wood says
It’s not at all clear that the new emails found on Anthony Weiner’s computer “call into question the veracity” of Hillary Clinton. It seems likely from what we know so far that many if not all of these emails are duplicates of those already inspected and investigated by Director Comey and his team at the FBI. It is not even clear whether any of the emails are from or to Hillary Clinton. Further, it appears that Director Comey violated the Hatch Act in his extremely unorthodox letter to Congress less than 2 weeks ahead of a presidential election.
Meanwhile, according to an article in the New York Times on October 31, Donald Trump “used a legally dubious method to avoid paying taxes,” a maneuver that his own lawyers advised would likely be found improper by the IRS should they decide to audit his tax returns. And please let’s not forget Mr. Trump’s history of (alleged) sexual assault and (actual, public) verbal abuse of women.
What could be the reason that the Clinton email story is getting so much more attention than the Trump taxes story?
James Nick says
Mr Hall speaks of the possibility of the United States electorate being faced with a president-elect under a serious shadow of doubt. How it will not be healthy for the nation to have investigative matters drag on until after the general election. I guess I have to wonder who he is talking about.
USA Today (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/10/25/pending-lawsuits-donald-trump-presidency/92666382/) recently published a report showing that at least 75 lawsuits involving trump and his businesses remain open according to state and federal court records.
His high profile legal troubles range from failure to pay subcontractors and workers for services and goods rendered to sexual harassment and racial discrimination. There are existing charges of fraud and racketeering in the Trump University case and further investigation may lead to charges of political bribery involving the Attorney General of Florida. And if that’s not enough, he has even been accused in a civil lawsuit filed in June of this year that accuses trump of the rape of a 13-year-old girl at a NYC party 20 years ago.
USA Today notes that these open lawsuits will tag along with trump whether he wins or loses. Even if he prevails on November 8th he would not be entitled to immunity. He could be required to give depositions or even testify in open court. trump would enter office not only with a truckload of conflict of interest and legal entanglement baggage but the nation may be subjected to the tawdry prospect of seeing a president-elect, if not a sitting president, testifying in a rape trial. No matter the merits of these allegations, dealing with all this litigation would chew up the time of a president trump and expose a litany of uncomfortable private and business dealings to the public.
trump is a plague of Biblical proportions. I’d like to say that he may be the most despicable and repellent individuals ever to run for the office of President of the United States. But after a year of watching and listening to his antics, I believe it would be more accurate not to limit this characterization to just the people who have ever run for the office of President
trump was born with silver spoon in his mouth that must have become permanently lodged in his brain. Anyone who thinks trump has the best interest of the working middle class in mind is kidding themselves. He has a near-messianic view of himself and is in this race only to feed his massive, self-centered ego.
In business, he routinely stabs people in the back and treats them as marks in his confidence swindles. He is a free-rider who skirts the boundaries of the law and tax code. He has shown himself to be driven by revenge and vendetta directed to all who he believes have slighted or opposed him. Even as I write, the word-wide financial markets are voting on a trump presidency and are plunging on the prospects that he may win.
He has single-handedly turned our electoral process and our political discourse into something more commonly associated with Jerry Springer or Howard Stern. trump has insulted entire religions, nationalities, and races. He has mocked the disabled and war heroes. He has alienated an entire gender with his strutting, preening, alpha-male swagger and sexist attitude. He prides himself on his ignorance of even the most rudimentary elements of constitutional, legislative, or military matters, of diplomacy and statecraft, and even of history, itself.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, indeed! How about “People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones”, Mr Hall?