Euronews correspondent Stefan Grobe was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to attend the Democratic National Convention. On Thursday, he spok...
Euronews correspondent Stefan Grobe was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to attend the Democratic National Convention. On Thursday, he spoke to Jon-Christopher Bua, political analyst and professor at the Catholic University of America in Washington. Stefan Grobe, euronews: What are your main takeaways from this convention so far? Jon-Christopher Bua: “This (convention) is trying to bring the Democratic Party together, and Hillary (Clinton) is and will be the uniter from now until November, so she can defeat Donald Trump. And, as the President said the other night in his speech, it is very crucial that they do that, because let’s face it, this speech from Obama was about his legacy. And he in many ways has as almost much at stake as Hillary does because if she is not elected, Donald Trump with the Republican Congress will basically disassemble everything this President has done in the last eight years of his administration.” Stefan Grobe, euronews: President Obama had a clear message to disaffected Republicans, invoking two times Republican Presidents – Ronald Reagan and Teddy Roosevelt. Do you think this will resonate in this dramatic year of political frustration? Jon-Christopher Bua: “Well, the more Donald Trump keeps saying and doing crazy things, especially on the international level, then people will say: wait a minute, we need an alternative. Now, I’m not that progressive or liberal, they’ll say, but wait a minute, maybe Obama’s right, maybe Hillary is more centrist and less progressive and less wildly liberal than Donald Trump has made her out to be.” Stefan Grobe, euronews: It was of course an astounding endorsement for Hillary Clinton, something we have never heard from a sitting President before.But he also said that Hillary Clinton is not a flawless candidate – something that was extraordinary. She has still to cope with high infavourability ratings – how do you think she is going to move forward post-Philadelphia? Jon-Christopher Bua: “As a political scientist, and teaching class, I always say: inoculate your candidate from what’s coming out. Now, after Hillary takes the movement on to November, the Republicans, their opposition research people, the Trump people, will come out with things that Hillary hasn’t ever even heard of. So, if you inoculate your candidate – and yourself – to find your opposition in your terms, then in a way you can be ready for those attacks when in fact they do come. And believe me, Stefan, they’re coming.” Less
