THE DEBATE IS - DO THESE DEBATES REALLY MATTER?

By Ruma Dubey

The US Presidential debate, the first of the many will be telecast in USA at 9 in the night (Eastern Time) and will run for 90 minutes. That means, for those of us in India, who are desperate enough to begin their day looking at Donald Trump, the debate starts at 6.30 in the morning of 27^th Sept, tomorrow. Would you rather skip your morning walk or yoga or gym and see these two fight it out? Not worth it for sure! But instead if you plan to read our newspapers, with rhetorics of war and cry for eye-for-an-eye, it would be calmer to watch the debate!

There is a lot of hype and hoopla being built around this debate; their PR machine is working overtime to ensure that not only does America but even the rest of the world watches this show. Yes, after all, it’s all a show.

But the big question doing the rounds is whether these debates matter or are they mere TV shows? Previously, what has come forth is that these debates do not really matter much because the masses rarely watch this while it is only the educated few who watch, most of whom have already made a decision, Republican or Democrat.

Yet, the word going around is that “this debate is different”, it is a game changer as people would like to see how the host of a reality TV show, used to saying, “You are fired!” fights it off intelligently with an experienced politician like Hillary. More importantly, this could turn into a fight between a man and a woman, the first of its kind in America.

This debate will be of particular interest for us “non-whites”, right from Hispanics, Asians and Indians to see whether he continues to spew talks of divide and spawns xenophobia. What Trump has done single handedly is legitimised racism. By talking out in the open about what he feels for the Mexicans, people from the Middle East, and other races, he has shown many with his exact viewpoint that it is OK to be racist, no need to pretend that you love diversity. He alone has shattered the image of America being a truly melting pot where all cultures and races and colors can co-exist, inter mingle without any prejudice. Yes, many hold prejudices in their minds but now Trump has made it easier for many to show this intolerance, forgetting the most important fact – there is no true American apart from the Red Indians, rest all are migrants.

Hillary on the other hand has been a First Lady and a long serving politician. Clinton has shown that she can articulate and defend a robust Democratic domestic agenda even though she is often criticized by progressives for being too much in the center. And yes, the fact that she could be America’s first ever woman President, a distinction required for a nation which otherwise projects an image of being a leader when it comes to assimilation of diversity and equal opportunities. This ‘gender’ card might seem innocuous but could actually turn out to be reason why people went out and voted for her!

Today’s debate, for all that which the media is playing up is just good, entertaining television. It is important for people who are voting for Hillary to know how strong she is, how a woman makes a good leader, how she knows her policy well, how she has to rally her party and moderate Republicans and over and above this, hold her steed, show she is strong enough and not cover under Trump’s venomous spite. All that Trump really has to do is show up and not lose his temper and get into theatrics – that much he does and people will say what a great Presidential candidate he makes. Thus expectations from Hillary are huge while little to nothing from Trump.

People will watch the debate for some entertainment, most have already made up their minds – those who support Trump and his views v/s those who do not want Trump and his views to become symbolic of one of most developed and mature countries of the world.

How does all this affect me and you and the markets? This debate will not but it will swing the moods of the markets there and that will indirectly affect us here but temporarily. Yes, whether Trump or Hillary becomes the President on 8th November – that will affect us but that is a story for another day…..