Personal observations #1: Hillary Clinton's a lot tougher than Donald Trump

Raleigh Addington
Raleigh Addington
editor at Chartwell Speakers

Donald Trump shows all the frailties of his sex – Hillary Clinton would wipe the floor with him.

There is growing speculation in the US that this year could see a White House run-off between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. It’s an interesting  propositon, pitching the anti-politician against the Washington insider, and for the first time setting up a head-to-head between male and female candidates.

Donald Trump’s show-stealing offensiveness and derision of his opponents may still be enough to win him the Republican nomination (against weak opposition) but his lack of substance would be exposed in a run-off against Hillary Clinton. Hillary is the much tougher and more resilient character. Even if Trump’s angry white male posturing worked during a Presidential race (and it wouldn’t), his bullying approach to getting things done is un-suited to government which requires endless patience, a diligent eye for detail, the ability to build consensus and nurture tedious processes. These skills are hard won, they are unglamorous and don’t generate headlines in New Hampshire.

Trump the outsider argues that he can break the Washington log jam through sheer force of his billion dollar personality. But he is too boorish to ever achieve the iridescence of Jack Kennedy, Ronald Reagan or Barack Obama, too stupidly in thrall to his own prejudices. America’s politics is stuck because of prejudice – it’s not going to be fixed by someone just because he considers himself more prejudiced than everyone else. Change in America will take time and people with the goodwill and patience to persuade the country’s  competing interest groups that they must share their idea of America with one another. The sort of man who paints his own name in gold letters along the side of his corporate jet is part of the problem, not the solution.

Alex Hickman blogs at STUFF HAPPENS

 

 

 

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