USA 2024 presidential election

Zelensky seems to be a bit of a dodgy character

He has said plenty of things at rallys. I don't think we can take any of them as what he will actually implement

It was clear the war was not going to finish with Biden or Harris in the US, better chance now which is better for Ireland.

Many people here simply don't understand America, i don't completely either but i don't pretend to be an expert. They get their perception of America from the European or American main stream media or heavily algorithm-modified echo chamber online or on RTE etc... I lived in the US for a few years and some of my family still live there. The result isn't surprising at all. Here are a few points:

Most American people (rightly so) are first and primarily concerned with putting bread on the table for themselves and their family. Economy was much better during Trump's first era (according to them). You may disagree with its causes, you may disagree it was actually Trump's policies that enabled this supposed great economy, it doesn't matter to the voters. They remember 2017-2020 and the economy was mostly very good and prosperous pre-pandemic. That's the most important issue right there. It's the same in Canada, I know they have elections next fall, but the gov't has 20% approval rating as the middle class has been hammered last 10 years under Trudeau, and he's polling so bad that his party (Liberals) could become the 4th biggest party if the election was held today (behind even Bloc Quebecois and NDP). Liberals in Canada face utter demolition with conservative super-majority incoming if elections were held today because they've completely fu-ed up economy and immigration (sounds familiar, doesn't it?).

This whole "threat to democracy" , "world ending" and "racist" stick doesn't catch on. Trump was president for 4 years and the world didn't end. It was a peaceful era, no major wars, no one was sent to gulags, nothing crazy happened covid aside which wasn't his fault. One of his son-in-laws is a Jew, whereas another one is of Lebanese descent which was key in getting the Muslim and Arab vote in Michigan and flipping the state. People aren't stupid, they don't buy this "he's a Nazi" line when he literally has a Jewish daughter and an Arab son-in-law.

Many citizens, immigrant or native correctly believe opposing illegal immigration is not racist. If you believe in concept of a "nation state", then it's defined by borders. It's not just an American thing. It's everywhere. I was talking to work colleagues from Iran, and their biggest concern after the scum ayatollah regime is the "influx of Afghan migrants who are sympathetic to Taliban...9 million of them imported to the country over last 4 years".

I have a client in Japan, super liberal guy...and his red line is over-immigration and preservation of Japanese identity. It's a global phenomena. In fact the majority of legal immigrants are extremely vary of illegal immigration, because they take opportunities from them and can paint them in a bad position (re: crimes and misbehavior). For example, Trump won Starr County in South Texas, which is 96% Latino, by 16 points. In 2016, Trump lost the county by 60 points.

You like it or not, Trump has that "cool bro" factor with a lot of people. That's why he resonates with men, regardless of their skin color or race and every election cycle, he's attracting more % of men of new demographics and races to his side. Americans like machoism more than Europeans for example, doesn't matter that Trump isn't macho it's perception that matters.

Lots of democratic fearmongering messaging comes from elite white liberal class who've never experienced actual dictatorship, fascism or communism. It gets laughed off by many of minority immigrants as it just doesn't resonate.Take a cab in Manhattan (you will probably get a minority driver) and bring this subject up with him or her because for them, just like almost everyone else, it's first and foremost about economy. They don't give a hoot about Ukraine/Gaza/Russian interference etc…

The only real question now that remains is will the Democrats learn a lesson from this election or will they just plow on with the same failed approach.