John T. Fitzgerald, a Chicago lawyer, and his wife have observed many elections in America. But while visiting the White House and the Capitol in Washington DC, Fitzgerald said the November election is different because it is about ‘protecting democracy’.
CNN-News18 visited America for more than two weeks to understand the state of mind of American voters ahead of the elections. Memories of January 6, 2021, are still fresh in Washington DC, when Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol to disrupt the process of declaring Joe Biden’s victory as US President. They were rejecting the election results. One person died in police firing, several policemen were injured, and the Capitol suffered billions of dollars in damage. Many people consider it an ‘attack on democracy’ which put the country in danger.
A group of elderly friends on a train from New York to Washington told CNN-News18 that all this is very bitter and the main issue is to save democracy. Paul says, ‘People are really concerned about maintaining our system. Americans want to continue what we have had for 250 years… with the voice of the individual being heard and free and fair elections. There is a real concern that it is in danger.’ His friend Flynn said Harris’s victory was important and he was afraid of a different outcome.
Paul said that he has never seen an election that was so close and controversial. He said American elections have generally been competitive, but people from both sides talk to each other. This time a situation like real enmity and hatred is being seen. He said that inflation, immigration and abortion laws are also issues, but the main issue is to save democracy.
The opinion of the Fitzgerald couple is no less powerful. He calls Trump ‘the embodiment of Satan, a criminal, a wife-beating scoundrel’ and considers Harris ‘freedom, righteousness and good for the poor’. Fitzgerald says it’s “shameful” that Trump was once president and can win again. He is worried about this, while his wife says that America is ready for a woman president. She said that I was very sad when Hillary Clinton lost…Now the time has come for a woman to become President, and we fully support Kamala.
Inflation means trump in game
There is no dearth of Trump’s fans regarding the issues of inflation and immigration along with the ongoing wars in the world. Trump is firmly in the game. Some people in Washington DC are hoping that Trump can resolve these issues. Making America great again – this is Trump’s slogan… and it is resonating because almost everything has become expensive, says Richard, on a holiday from Colorado to see the White House with his wife. Some people say that Vice President Kamala Harris took Biden out of the race. The biggest issue of this election is inflation and cost of living.
The Richard couple told CNN-News18, ‘The price of everything is increasing, and this is a problem for every citizen. If you think, there is no problem for the rich, but for the poor and middle income group people, living and survival is a big problem. Trump is promising to change this. Well, people holding public positions make many promises. But in Trump’s case, some promises come true. I remember when he was in office, the price of gas was $2 and 20 cents. Today the price of gas is 4-5 dollars. Prices in groceries and restaurants have doubled. We want to reduce the cost of living,”
His wife said that the world is also in conflict and wars are going on which were not there before. He said that people are talking about the Third World War – we are seeing wars in the Middle East and Eastern Europe which were not there before. We think Trump can handle it.
So does this mean Trump could sit in the White House in November? The Richards said you’ve got a coin in your pocket, we can toss it (laughs). This race is so close and tight that we don’t know.
The President must be restrained
‘It’s a very divided nation right now, women’s rights are totally up in the air.’ This is what a group of American women have to say in the Capitol in Washington. Recalling the events that took place at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, she says, “No matter who wins or loses, everyone should remain restrained. Even if you lose, you should take it with dignity. “You can’t win every election, but you can still be a dignified person and support whoever comes after you.”
A young Indian American man who accompanied him said that it is also important that the next President brings the American economy to a better condition. He says that the prices of goods and gas have increased a lot. We hope that the next President will help us overcome this.
The women said America should be united because there is enough division. He said that the country definitely needs its first woman President Kamala Harris… Let’s return to peace and unity because this is what is best for our country.
Washington is a blue state, having voted for all Democratic candidates since 1988. So here the support for Harris is clear, but there are also supporters of Trump, because this time inflation is a big issue in America. As Richard says, we can’t even toss a coin and say who will sit in the White House next time.
Tags: Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Special Project
FIRST PUBLISHED : October 14, 2024, 09:52 IST