Schieffer and Dowd on Trump's victory, voter anger

CBS Mornings

9 Nov 201605:06

Summary

TLDRThe video transcript discusses Donald Trump's unexpected 2016 election victory, reflecting on the failure of pre-election polling and Hillary Clinton's campaign. The conversation delves into the electorate's anger and disillusionment with Washington, highlighting their desire for change. Maureen Dowd and Bob Schieffer explore Trump's campaign strategy and speculate on how he will approach governing. They also touch on the Republican Party's transformation under Trump, the alt-right's influence, and the challenges Clinton faced in energizing voters, particularly women. The dialogue concludes with thoughts on the nation's continued political division.

Takeaways

📰 Donald Trump's victory defied pre-election polling and surprised many.
😠 The electorate's mood was more about anger than anxiety, expressing frustration with the political establishment.
📞 Maureen Dowd discusses with her brother how many voters hid their true voting intentions from pollsters.
💼 Voters were fed up with politicians enriching themselves and neglecting the working class.
🎭 Trump has been described as playing a character during the campaign, and now there are questions about how he will act in the presidency.
⚖️ Profound policy changes are expected, with a Republican-controlled Congress tackling issues like immigration, healthcare, and the Supreme Court.
🏛️ Trump is expected to lead a different Republican Party, marking a shift from traditional GOP values.
❓ Uncertainty looms regarding the influence of the alt-right on Trump's presidency.
🚧 There is a widespread sentiment that the government has failed to address basic issues like infrastructure, contributing to public discontent.
👩‍🦰 Hillary Clinton's campaign failed to excite key demographics, including young women, and she was seen as too incremental in a time of revolutionary change.

Q & A

What was the general reaction to Donald Trump's election victory?
-Donald Trump's victory was a surprise and defied pre-election polling. The general reaction was shock, with many reflecting on the failure of the predictions and the anger of the electorate.
What emotions were driving voters in the 2016 election, according to the discussion?
-The primary emotion driving voters was anger. They were fed up with politicians in Washington enriching themselves and ignoring the working class.
What was Maureen Dowd's observation about Trump's campaign strategy?
-Maureen Dowd compared Trump to a bank robber who unexpectedly found the doors open. He did not face the anticipated obstacles during the Republican primary and general election, which stunned even Trump.
How did Bob Schieffer describe the state of Washington in relation to the voters?
-Bob Schieffer described voters as believing that the government had failed them. Washington was seen as ineffective, with partisan gridlock even affecting basic issues like infrastructure.
Why did Hillary Clinton fail to generate excitement, especially among women voters?
-Hillary Clinton failed to generate excitement because many voters saw her as an incrementalist in a revolutionary year. Despite the historic nature of her candidacy, young women did not turn out in large numbers for her.
What did Michelle Norris's comment about the 'cracked window in a woman's car' signify?
-Michelle Norris's comment about the 'cracked window in a woman's car' referred to the concerns of rural, working-class women, indicating that the election was not just about breaking the glass ceiling but addressing the everyday struggles of ordinary people.
How did Bob Schieffer relate Trump's win to previous elections?
-Bob Schieffer noted that this was the second time in less than 20 years that a candidate, like Hillary Clinton, won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College, creating a divide in the country.
What does the discussion suggest about the future direction of the Republican Party under Trump?
-The discussion suggests that the Republican Party, under Trump, will be very different from the traditional Republican Party, with unknown changes to come in areas like health care, immigration, and trade.
What was the significance of Harry Truman's quote about the presidency mentioned in the discussion?
-The quote from Harry Truman emphasizes that the true test of a president's capability only comes after they assume office. It reflects uncertainty about how Trump would handle the responsibilities of the presidency.
How did Maureen Dowd summarize the mood in Washington post-election?
-Maureen Dowd reflected that the mood in Washington was one of deep division, despite Trump's victory, as the country was still split with Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote.

Outlines

00:00

📰 Trump’s Victory and Clinton’s Failure

The nation is grappling with the unexpected outcome of Donald Trump’s presidential victory, which defied pre-election polling. Bob Schieffer and Maureen Dowd reflect on how the results represent a significant failure for Hillary Clinton, who was widely expected to win. There’s a discussion about the mood of the electorate, which was driven more by anger than anxiety, and how Trump capitalized on the widespread discontent with politicians in Washington. Dowd also shares insights from her conversations with her brother, a Trump supporter, emphasizing how people were frustrated with the political class enriching themselves at the expense of the working class.

05:01

🤔 Trump’s Character and the Future of the Presidency

Bob Schieffer compares Donald Trump’s campaign to a bank robber walking into an unexpectedly unguarded vault, where he faced little resistance in both the Republican primary and the general election. The question now arises about what kind of president Trump will be. Schieffer mentions a quote from Harry Truman that one cannot judge how someone will handle the presidency until they assume it. The conversation shifts to the possible profound policy changes, given the Republican control of Congress, including potential shifts in healthcare, immigration, trade, and the Supreme Court.

💡 The Changing Republican Party

The discussion turns to how the Republican Party, now led by Trump, is set to transform into something different than what previous generations, like Dowd’s brother, have known. There's uncertainty about the influence of the alt-right on Trump’s presidency. Schieffer admits there are many questions about the future direction of the party and Trump’s leadership, leaving much of the post-election landscape unclear.

📊 A Vote Against Washington

Schieffer reflects on the broader message of the election: it was a vote against Washington, with many Americans feeling that the government has failed them. Basic issues, like fixing infrastructure, have become partisan, and little gets done. Barack Obama’s historic candidacy helped him win the presidency, but Clinton, though attempting to capture the same momentum, failed to excite voters, particularly women. Michelle Norris’s comment on NPR that Clinton’s campaign wasn’t about a cracked glass ceiling but rather the struggles of rural women in the Midwest is noted as a way to rethink this election.

😕 Clinton’s Struggles to Connect with Voters

Hillary Clinton faced significant challenges in generating excitement, especially among young women, despite her bid to become the first female president. Dowd reflects on how Clinton was perceived as an incrementalist in a time when voters were looking for revolutionary change. Clinton's lack of likability, as highlighted in Obama’s earlier comment, haunted her campaign, and her inability to showcase her warm and humorous private persona contributed to her failure to connect with the electorate.

⚖️ The End of the Clinton Era?

The conversation concludes with a discussion about the end of the Clinton political era, which many believed had been sealed in 2008 when Obama defeated Hillary Clinton. Despite winning the popular vote, Clinton's loss to Trump signals a significant shift. Schieffer acknowledges that the country remains deeply divided, and the popular vote victory for the second time in less than 20 years without securing the presidency highlights the tension within the electoral system. Trump's pledge to unify the country remains to be seen in action.

👋 Closing Remarks

The segment ends with brief expressions of thanks between the hosts and guests, acknowledging the intense and unprecedented nature of the election, leaving much to be debated and analyzed in the coming days.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Surprise Victory

This refers to Donald Trump's unexpected win in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, which defied the pre-election polling that predicted a Hillary Clinton victory. This concept is central to the video as it discusses the shock felt by the media and political analysts after Trump's triumph.

💡Pre-election Polling

Pre-election polling refers to surveys conducted before the election to gauge public opinion and predict the outcome. In the script, these polls indicated a likely win for Hillary Clinton, but they failed to accurately reflect voter sentiment, contributing to the surprise over Trump's victory.

💡Anxiety vs. Anger

The term 'anxiety' was initially used to describe voter sentiment leading up to the election, but the video shifts to recognize that voters were primarily driven by 'anger' towards the political establishment. This emotional shift is key to understanding why voters turned to Donald Trump, seeking change.

💡Working Class Frustration

This refers to the dissatisfaction among working-class Americans who felt neglected by the political elite in Washington. In the script, Maureen Dowd and Bob Schieffer emphasize that voters were angry about politicians enriching themselves while ignoring the struggles of everyday people, a sentiment that fueled Trump's support.

💡Republican Party

The Republican Party is the political party that Donald Trump represented in the 2016 election. The script discusses how Trump's leadership will transform the party, potentially making it very different from the traditional Republican Party that many, including Maureen Dowd's brother Kevin, grew up with.

💡Alt-right Influence

Alt-right refers to a far-right political movement known for its nationalist, often controversial views. The script raises uncertainty about how much influence the alt-right will have on Trump's presidency, reflecting concerns about the direction his administration might take.

💡Washington Establishment

This term refers to the political elite and bureaucracy in Washington, D.C., who are often perceived as out of touch with the concerns of average Americans. The video discusses how the electorate’s anger was directed at this establishment, leading to a rejection of traditional politicians like Hillary Clinton.

💡Obama Coalition

The Obama coalition refers to the diverse group of voters, including minorities and young people, who helped Barack Obama win the presidency in 2008 and 2012. The video contrasts this with Hillary Clinton’s failure to mobilize a similar coalition in 2016, particularly among young women, which contributed to her defeat.

💡Popular Vote vs. Electoral Vote

The distinction between the popular vote, which Hillary Clinton won, and the electoral vote, which Donald Trump secured, is a recurring theme in the video. It highlights the frustration of many voters who feel the electoral system is unfair, as this was the second time in recent history that the candidate with fewer popular votes won the presidency.

💡Character in the White House

This concept refers to Donald Trump's persona throughout the campaign and the uncertainty about how he would behave as president. The script likens him to a 'bank robber' who unexpectedly found success, and it questions what kind of leadership or 'character' he will bring to the White House.

Highlights

The surprise victory of Donald Trump defied pre-election polling predictions.

Many people were angry, not anxious, leading to a massive Clinton failure.

A lot of voters didn't reveal their true intentions to pollsters before the election.

People are fed up with politicians in Washington enriching themselves while ignoring the working class.

Donald Trump has been compared to a bank robber walking into an unguarded vault, highlighting the ease of his primary and general election wins.

Harry Truman's observation was mentioned, that you never know how a man will handle the responsibilities of the presidency until he assumes the role.

A Republican-controlled Congress is expected to bring profound policy changes under Trump's leadership, including on healthcare, immigration, trade, and the Supreme Court.

The Republican Party under Trump will be different from the traditional Republican Party, as the alt-right influence may play a role.

Many Americans feel that the government has failed them, leading to the desire for change.

Infrastructure issues, such as repairing roads and bridges, have become partisan, reflecting governmental dysfunction.

Hillary Clinton failed to generate excitement, particularly among young women, despite her historic candidacy as the first woman presidential nominee.

Clinton's image as an incrementalist was out of touch with a year of revolutionary political sentiment.

Many voters simply didn't like Hillary Clinton, which hindered her campaign.

Clinton's failure to convey warmth and humor, which people say she has in private, was a persistent issue over the past 25 years.

The country remains deeply divided, even though Clinton won the popular vote, marking the second time in 20 years that the electoral outcome diverged from the popular vote.