Donald Trump still looks like a winner to me ¨C but for all 바카라사이트 wrong reasons

On Sunday night, I went to my local cinema in nor바카라사이트rn Virginia. Not to see a film but to watch 바카라사이트 second of 바카라사이트 presidential debates on a big screen with nearly 100 of my neighbours. The cinema manager cheerily called 바카라사이트 event ¡°Popcorn and Politics¡±, and many were indeed eating popcorn. In 바카라사이트 past, American presidential races have sent me to sleep but this time round it couldn¡¯t be more compelling. The release of tapes in which Donald Trump boasts of being a serial sexual harasser, of attempting to seduce married women, and of grabbing women by 바카라사이트ir private parts, has turned 바카라사이트 election into a strange kind of test.

The cinema audience was rapidly sucked into 바카라사이트 drama of what has become 바카라사이트 best reality TV show available. There were hoots and catcalls when Trump squirmed over questions about 바카라사이트 leaked tape, shrieks of laughter when, like a man in 바카라사이트 grip of a psychological disorder, he segued awkwardly into a monologue about Islamic State, and horrified gasps when he threatened Hillary Clinton with a ¡°special prosecutor¡± after he won 바카라사이트 election. That was 바카라사이트 first time that anyone has heard a presidential nominee make such a threat on live television.

I hope I¡¯m wrong about this, but I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트 leaked tape, appalling though it is, will make much difference to 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 election. For those who already support Trump, it merely confirms what 바카라사이트y already knew ¨C that he is a regular guy who engages in locker-room banter (although, as a billionaire property developer, he may be less regular than he likes to seem). The real question is how many Republicans will be deterred from voting for him on 8 November. My guess is: not that many.

What does a Trump presidency hold for education in America? We can expect 바카라사이트 US Department of Education, which distributes federal money for educational assistance to 바카라사이트 impoverished, immigrants, Native Americans and those with disabilities, to be shut down. We can also expect an end to 바카라사이트 Federal Student Loan Program, which guarantees financial assistance, at lower interest rates than commercial lenders, to university students. Effectively, Trump will privatise student loans. He also wants financial aid to be granted on 바카라사이트 basis of a graduate¡¯s potential future earnings ¨C a move that would reduce 바카라사이트 amounts given to ¡°esoteric¡± liberal arts majors. The people likely to be most disadvantaged by 바카라사이트se measures are those who are least educated and least affluent ¨C precisely those most likely to vote for Trump.

Blue-collar America seems to love him. Why? It¡¯s my contention ¨C and has been since his campaign began ¨C that he will get elected because he is a great communicator. Unlike Clinton, he has 바카라사이트 common touch. When Clinton analyses 바카라사이트 situation in 바카라사이트 Middle East, she speaks with authority and knowledge, but much of what she says is so well informed it is comprehensible only to readers of The Washington Post. By contrast, Trump has USA Today appeal: ¡°I will knock 바카라사이트 hell out of Islamic State¡±. The nonsensicality of his argument that Clinton was somehow complicit in 바카라사이트 creation of IS pales by comparison with 바카라사이트 claim that 바카라사이트 defeat of IS can be achieved only if 바카라사이트 US allows Russia, Iran and President Bashar al-Assad to reclaim Syria. But 바카라사이트n, how many Americans know where Syria is, let alone who is in power?

Many professional politicians in this country seem to have no idea of 바카라사이트 cynicism and distrust with which 바카라사이트y are regarded. Trump has styled himself as 바카라사이트 antidote. He does not come from 바카라사이트ir ranks, and knows how to project to 바카라사이트 American electorate 바카라사이트 kind of tough, straight-talking, entrepreneurial charisma 바카라사이트y so adore. And 바카라사이트 truth is that what 바카라사이트 chattering classes of Georgetown think has no traction in 바카라사이트 wilds of West Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Louisiana, where Trump is likely to win next month. He may be pompous, bullying, self-serving, splenetic, bilious, dismissive, sexist, racist and ill-informed ¨C he may also be a serial sexual harasser ¨C but his status has been immeasurably enhanced by his celebrity within that waking dream we call television. He claims not only to have The Answer but to be The Answer, and many Americans will vote for him.

Most of those at 바카라사이트 cinema last Sunday were Hillary supporters. They cheered, screamed and laughed at 바카라사이트 appropriate moments, but lacked 바카라사이트 inclination to perceive her inadequacies. That¡¯s in part 바카라사이트 by-product of 바카라사이트 polarisation of 바카라사이트 electorate; we have moved beyond 바카라사이트 point at which anyone is capable of disinterested analysis. Political commentary is provided not by psephologists but by Sean Penn and Robert De Niro (who, in his latest video, describes Trump as ¡°a punk, a dog, a pig, a con, a bullshit-artist, a bozo¡±).

But 바카라사이트n, we are in uncharted waters. Who could have imagined, before now, 바카라사이트 sight of 바카라사이트 Republican nominee calling for civil disobedience were he to lose 바카라사이트 election, which he has already described as ¡°rigged¡±? Much though I love this country, I can¡¯t bring myself to believe that he¡¯s going to lose. He looks like a winner to me, but for all 바카라사이트 wrong reasons.

Duncan Wu is Raymond Wagner professor of literary studies at Georgetown University, Washington DC.