If Hillary Clinton had been more like Jacinda Ardern she would be American president today, says political consultant and pollster Frank Luntz.
Frank Luntz Photo: AFP
Luntz works for more than 50 Fortune 500 companies and chief executives, advising on matters ranging from energy and education, to retail and design.
He says things started to go awry in the US in 2000 and have got significantly worse since.
“I can actually pinpoint the moment when the American political system went off track, and it was the Bush-Gore election of 2000.
"It took five weeks to determine who the actual president was and every election up to that point people accepted that even if you lost, the democratic process works.
“Half of those who did not vote for President Bush felt that election was stolen.”
Luntz, like many US pundits, thought Donald Trump had little chance of winning against Hillary Clinton.
On election night itself he still believed she would win. He now says he misinterpreted the exit polls which indicated Clinton performing better than she actually was.
But Luntz isn't convinced social media swung it for Trump.
“Most people who get their news from social media have already decided who they are going to vote for. The key was the campaign on television and the three presidential debates.”
Clinton won the first debate but was lacklustre in the final two, and she is in denial about her “horrible” campaign, Luntz says.
“She’s responsible for two lacklustre debate performances, she’s responsible for having to read from a teleprompter. She’s been in the public eye now for four decades and she’s still reading from a teleprompter? C’mon. Come off the stage and interact with your audience.
"She should have been the best candidate of our lifetime and she wasn’t.”
Clinton could learn from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, he says.
“There’s a lesson from your PM - and Americans are asking me all about her.
“She has an incredible connection, she is down-to-earth and she gets it. If Hillary Clinton had been more like your PM she would be president today.”
So who should the Democrats choose as their candidate next time?
“I would pay thousands of dollars to have a front row seat to see Donald Trump and [high-profile Democrat senator] Elizabeth Warren go at each other. It would be so entertaining.”
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