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Trump vs. Clinton
CNN host Fareed Zakaria compares presidential
candidates, will speak at The Granada
By DAVE MASON, NEWS­PRESS STAFF WRITER
September 25, 2016 6:19 AM
Die­hard supporters will back Donald
Trump no matter what, and Hillary Clinton
could lose votes to a mannequin.
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That's how CNN host Fareed Zakaria sees
this year's unusual presidential race.
"The message is we are a very polarized
country," Mr. Zakaria, 52, told the News­
Press by phone from his New York City
home. "There are certain groups of people
who are not going to vote for Hillary
Clinton, no matter who runs against her.
You could put a mannequin against Hillary
Clinton, and maybe that mannequin would
get 38 percent of the vote.
"That is what has surprised me," said Mr.
Zakaria, a Washington Post columnist who
hosts CNN's Emmy­winning "Fareed
Zakaria GPS." He also is the author of "The
Post­American World" (2008) and "The
Future of Freedom" (2007), both published
by W.W. Norton & Co.
A polarized country has set the stage for
an unusual presidential campaign, says
CNN host and Washington Post columnist
Fareed Zakaria, who's speaking Tuesday at
The Granada.
COURTESY UCSB ARTS & LECTURES
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Powered by Mr. Zakaria, a Mumbai, India, native and
former editor of Newsweek International,
will discuss "Election 2016: A View from
Home and Abroad" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at
The Granada, 1214 State St.
The UCSB Arts & Lectures talk will come
after the first debate between Mrs. Clinton
and Mr. Trump, which will air live at 6 p.m.
Monday on many broadcast and cable
networks. Moderating this first of three of
debates will be "NBC Nightly News" anchor
Lester Holt.
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Santa Barbara News­Press : Daily newspaper since 1855
that's a fair assessment of the race ­ except
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"He once said, 'If I were to stand in the
middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot someone,
I would not lose any of my supporters,' "
Mr. Zakaria said. "That's one of the rare
things he said that I would say is 100
percent true."
He said Mr. Trump has succeeded despite a
chaotic, bizarre and offensive campaign that
has threatened to fracture the Republican
Party into establishment and anti­
establishment components.
"Trump has run, by any objective
standards, a terrible campaign after the
primaries. He hasn't defined Hillary Clinton
effectively," Mr. Zakaria said. "It doesn't
seem to matter."
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"I don't know if she (Hillary Clinton) is
more or less authentic than anybody else,"
Mr. Zakaria says. "All politicians, at some
level, are putting on an act. She's just not
very good at that."
Reuters photo
The trust problem for Mrs. Clinton is more about how she presents herself than the
debate over her use of a private server for emails when she was secretary of state,
Mr. Zakaria said.
He said Mrs. Clinton is intelligent but lacks the political skills of charismatic
politicians such as her husband, former President Bill Clinton. That leaves her with
the challenge of making herself seem more authentic to the 20 percent of voters
who haven't made up their minds in a race that polls say is a statistical tie.
"I don't know if she is more or less authentic than anybody else," Mr. Zakaria said.
"All politicians, at some level, are putting on an act. She's just not very good at
that."
He added Mrs. Clinton didn't help her campaign with her long delay in news
conferences to answer questions over matters such as her husband's Clinton
Foundation. (She had her first conference in 275 days shortly after the News­Press
interview with Mr. Zakaria.)
"I think people forget this is a tough election for the Democrats before you spell the
first letter of the name Hillary Clinton," Mr. Zakaria said. "The last time a party won
a third term in the White House was in 1988 with George Bush after Ronald
Reagan. The time before that was Franklin Roosevelt after himself."
Mr. Zakaria said Mr. Trump has gained support despite questions about his
competency and opponents who consider him reckless and irresponsible.
"Trump has been astonishingly unprepared and ignorant of basic public policy
issues," Mr. Zakaria said. "So far it hasn't hurt him."
The Republican candidate faces the challenge of keeping his base while moderating
his opinions for the larger population. He said the result has been Mr. Trump
moderating his views, then un­moderating them during the excitement of his
rallies.
"Trump is a great salesman. He feeds off the energy of these crowds," Mr. Zakaria
said. "He walks into the room, and he knows what people want to hear."
"There's been this long revolt of people who felt that the (Republican) party has
promised them radical change but never delivered it," he said. "People have talked
about reversing the great changes liberals have been making to America for the
last 30 or 40 years. Nothing ever happens. We have Obamacare. We have (George
W.) Bush­expanded Medicare. We have the big state that they seem to detest. We
have more immigration.
"That's one part of it, this kind of Republican revolt against the compromising
Republican elite," Mr. Zakaria said. "The second is the completely new Trump
revolt, which is basically about the working­class whites who feel they are being
overwhelmed by the world and modern society."
"Trump's basic message is very simple. He says, mostly to the white working class
in America and to others as well, 'Your life has not been what you thought it would
be, and it's other people's fault,' " Mr. Zakaria said. " 'Blame the Mexicans, blame
the Muslims, blame the Chinese for stealing your goods, your security, your
dignity.' "
"I think for Trump, his basic strategy seems to mobilize and rally the base. America
is still 75 percent white," Mr. Zakaria said. "He's still hoping to do it (win the
election) that way."
But he added Mr. Trump has less support than any previous Republican nominee
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Santa Barbara News­Press : Daily newspaper since 1855
But he added Mr. Trump has less support than any previous Republican nominee
among the college­educated population he needs to win the most populous states
and get an electoral college majority.
"I think win or lose, you're going to see something very profound happen in the
Republican Party," Mr. Zakaria said. "A party that was characterized under Reagan
by free trade, free markets and a welcoming stance on immigration has become a
nationalist, protectionist, populist party."
email: [email protected]
FYI
• CNN host, author and Washington Post columnist Fareed Zakaria will discuss the
presidential race during "Election 2016: A View from Home and Abroad" at 7:30
p.m. Tuesday at The Granada, 1214 State St. Tickets cost $25 to $40 for general
admission and $15 for students with ID. To purchase, call UCSB Arts & Lectures at
893­3535 or go to www.artsandlectures.ucsb.edu. Mr. Zakaria's books will be available
for purchase and signing.
• The first of three debates between presidential candidates Donald Trump and
Hillary Clinton will take place Monday at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. It
will air live at 6 p.m. Monday on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, C­
SPAN and other networks. "NBC Nightly News" anchor Lester Holt is the
moderator.
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