Bill Clinton, who, characteristically, jived with Jon Bon Jovi on his 69th birthday on August 19th, was a charmer. In her memoir Living History, his wife Hillary recounts how Bill was able to talk his way out of the most difficult situations with ease. These days, the saxophone-playing leftie is best remembered for his self-declared "inappropriate relationship" with Monica Lewinsky, an intern in his White House. But among the politically-inclined Americans, he is also nostalgically referred to as the last American president who could actually get things done. Signs are that the most popular American president in recent history is going to return to the White House, this time as the "first gentleman".
American presidential elections make for great theater. Even if you have no interest in politics, its one political event you are unlikely to miss. Who can forget the drama of Bush V Gore (2000) when the fate of the 'greatest democracy on earth' was not decided on the basis of people's votes but in a court of law? Or the breathtaking rise of Barack Obama, who emerged out of nowhere in 2008 to pip the much-fancied Hillary? Obama's message of 'hope' resonated not just with young Americans but people right around the world, including the sad Nepalis saddled with their feckless political leaders. So what does the 2016 roster have on offer?
Another compelling drama, it appears, with a completely different cast of characters. On the top of the popularity poll is Ms Clinton again. But if she had once expected to sail into the White House, she now finds herself facing a formidable opponent: in the form of a foul-mouthed, straight-talking, controversy-baiting real estate mogul. As things stand, Donald Trump is only six points behind Clinton in a poll of Americans asked to pick their next president. At this point, he is by far the most popular Republican candidate for the Oval Office.
Trump is truly one of a kind, a Machiavellian master at tapping into popular discontent—even with his lunatic ideas. He believes climate change is a 'Chinese hoax' cooked up to thwart America's progress; he thinks of all blacks as 'lazy'; women, in his reckoning, should only be judged based on their looks; and all immigrants in mainland America be summarily deported. Even our Prachanda would have struggled to pass off these dubious ideas as credible electoral agenda. Yet Americans are apparently starting to believe that post-Bill Clinton, only someone like Donald Trump, with his ruthless streak and single-mindedness, can "get things done" in America.
I find this fascinating. We like to think of ourselves as rational beings, capable of carefully weighing pros and cons whenever we are on the verge of making an important decision. But if a crackpot like Trump can persuade millions of well-educated Americans to vote for him, can we congratulate ourselves as the most rational of all beings? Or is it the case that we too are ruled by the baser instincts that we attribute to other, lowly animals?
A few years ago, Portuguese neuroscientist Antonio Damasio made a groundbreaking discovery. He found that most 'rational' decisions were not based on reason at all. Instead, important human decisions, he discovered, were always based on emotions. In other words, trigger the right emotions in people, and they will be ready to eat off your hands, whatever their professed belief and value system. And Trump the presidential candidate is able to trigger in his electorate the strongest emotion of them all: anger; anger against the 'regular', 'idiotic' politicians.
Poll after public poll suggests that Americans are livid with their politicians who make big promises but can't get anything done after they get elected. But hang on! Aren't we too frustrated with our political class that has not been able to give us a constitution in nine, long years? Isn't that the reason we are in perpetual search of a 'benevolent dictator' a la Donald John Trump who can clear procedural hurdles with a swish of his hand?
Yes, many of us are also angry with our politicians. Or, if you are not politically-minded, simply bored of the buffoons who you believe have made Nepal a laughing stock abroad. But what's behind this boredom? One source is lack of understanding of the subject. Who, after all, has the time to delve into the never-ending federalism debate? Alternately, you might be bored because you think you know Nepali politics inside out, so easy-peasy you cannot for your life figure out how nine years could have been wasted in needless nitpicking.
But there wasn't much a chance you could be completely aloof of Nepali politics. Not when it's being shoved down your throat. The country, we are told, witnessed a combined 2,000 days of bandh over the last decade. No wonder you and I find the antics of Donald Trump over CNN so arresting, the smooth sax of Bill so irresistibly sexy.
biswasbaral@gmail.com
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