Calling Kamala a Communist

Former US President Donald Trump has consistently attacked his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris for announcing a plan for “Soviet-era” price caps on food items. The way he puts it is, however, interesting. Experts have told him, says Trump, that Kamala is either a “Marxist or a communist”. She is definitely one or the other, he says, adding that it adds up to bad news for the American economy. The distinction between a Marxist and a communist is interesting since presumably one cannot be one without being the other. Karl Marx, of course, is the pre-eminent communist theorist and related strands flow from the basic belief in privileging public ownership over private enterprise. While wokeism has been on the rise, most prominently on university campuses, and is strongly backed by the Left, socialism is not a very acceptable appendage in the US. There is a strong identification with individual rights and the home-and-hearth principles, and being targeted as a ‘communist’ can sow doubt in the minds of voters. The price caps ploy is intended to woo the lower middle class and poorer sections who have been hit hard by inflation but it does not wash well with many others, including those who might have concerns with Trump’s over-the-top mannerisms. Price caps will hurt businesses run by the Indian American community, with importers complaining of high costs of container shipments. They want to know just how their businesses will remain viable if price caps are implemented. In the worst case, they will simply have to shut shop. A contagion in food supplies and pricing, they warn, will not leave the intended recipients of Democratic largesse unscathed. It was, therefore, unsurprising that Harris’ acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago harped on her middle-class roots and her empathy for the working classes rather than too many policy formulations, with Trump demanding to know if his rival was promising to “fix” price rise, just who had been in office for the past four years, and so on.

Messaging Right

Key Democratic leaders like former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have warned their party about turning a deaf ear towards voters who have doubts about the party agenda. The race is going to be close and keep your ears open for people outside the Democratic tent, they say. The reason for caution is apparent as the Democratic cheerleading has aspects of preaching to the converted. There is no doubt that voters who do not like Trump are highly committed to turning out on November 5. But there is a significant number of less committed voters not yet convinced about the Democratic Party’s poll pledges and concerned by rising inflation and employment. The US economy is doing better and the Federal Reserve is expected to reduce rates soon, but price rise is hurting ordinary middle-class families. The more perceptive leaders in the Democratic ranks know the importance of connecting with Middle America in concrete ways that go beyond slogans and although the legacies of both Clinton and Obama are being scrutinised more unsparingly these days, they do know a trick or two about political messaging.

True Picture

It is not only Democrats and Republicans who are busy insulting each other in the election season. Leading television companies CNN and Fox are not far behind, lampooning each other. Fox picked clips from CNN anchors to point out the channel’s breathless coverage of DNC where Kamala Harris was officially nominated to run for president. CNN returned the favour with a parody of a Fox correspondent at the convention. The pro and anti-Trump faultlines have riven American media and there is hardly any pretence at objectivity. Anyone watching CNN would not know much about the pro-Palestine protests near the convention. So, it needs a careful viewing of channels to arrive at a better understanding of whether Harris’ candidature has charged Democratic prospects and to what extent. After initial polls showed Democrats had overturned the lead Trump had been enjoying, others showed that the former president still enjoys a decisive lead on issues like the economy and immigration, which are hot-button topics in swing states. The race has, however, certainly hotted up with President Joe Biden stepping aside. Democrats sense they are in with a chance with voting blocs like Blacks mobilised in their favour and possible gains among women as well. In a week or two, when the euphoria over the Harris nomination settles, a truer picture will emerge.

Power of Two

Two new recruits to the Trump campaign may not add much by themselves, but they represent a viewpoint not without relevance in the US elections. Robert F Kennedy Jr’s decision to back Trump is relevant in the context of voters who are strongly centred on issues like nationalism and Israel. The angry attacks on Kennedy by commentators lashing out at him for being an entitled playboy at college and a spoilt brat indicate that something does hurt. Kennedy has offered a stout defence of Israel and a sharp criticism of Hamas for siphoning off billions of aid dollars that go to Gaza, arguing that the latter is the main beneficiary of the assistance. The other person to join forces with Trump is former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, a practising Hindu, and someone who got the better of Kamala Harris in a primary debate in 2020. Gabbard is a maverick and a politician who has refused to comply with liberal expectations. It was significant that she officially joined Trump’s campaign at the National Guard conference which gave her a rousing welcome. She has a certain charisma amplified by very articulate oratory that reflects her beliefs. She comes through as a genuine article.

Forgetting Ukraine

The electoral discussion in the US has reduced the attention being paid to the West Asia and Ukraine conflicts. While Israel’s strikes against Hezbollah bases have received due notice for the improved intelligence that underpin the actions, Ukraine is a little farther afield despite the fact that the war has a greater impact on the Global South. It does seem, now that an economic and military aid package for Ukraine has been passed, that the beleaguered nation is not receiving much notice beyond its national colours being emblazoned in downtown Manhattan by laser shows. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wished that India were on his side. In turn, Modi signalled that India is not insensitive to Ukraine’s pain. He did, however, point out the utility of negotiations. Russia’s economy has not suffered to the extent the West or Zelensky might have hoped and India’s purchase of Russian oil is not the only reason. It may become increasingly apparent to Ukrainian leaders that their fate will remain in suspension till the American elections are over.

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