US voter turnout out of fear not enthusiasm: Analyst
Voter turnout at the 2016 US presidential election will be out of fear, given the extent of unpopularity both major candidates face in the run-up to the November vote, an analyst says.
American scholar and political analyst Dennis Etler made the comments in a Wednesday phone interview with Press TV in regard to an ABC News/Washington Post poll that shows Democratic and Republican presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are both highly unpopular.
The former secretary of state was viewed as unpopular by 56 percent of the voters, while 63 percent hold a negative view of the New York businessman.
“Is it really the case that Trump and Clinton represent the best the US has to offer?” Etler asked. “Even within the groups that they appeal to, their support is flagging. This is unprecedented in recent US presidential politics.”
Clinton’s unfavorablity went up six percent during the past three weeks, according to the poll, while Trump remained constantly unpopular.
“Trump secured the Republican nomination by appealing to the basic instincts of his party’s base. His bombastic anti-establishment rhetoric played well among disaffected members of the white working class, which feels pressured from all sides,” said the California-based commentator, adding that he has also tried to appeal to “other elements of the Republican base such as evangelicals but his flamboyant lifestyle and past liberal stances on many social issues casts doubt on his sincerity.”
Etler also commented on Clinton’s early lead in polls, blaming that on the “harsh rhetoric,” prompted by Trump, which has “alienated many mainstream conservatives and independents.”
