Port of Spain commuters: US not ready for woman president

US Presidential Election

Kamala Harris -

Several people in Port of Spain felt that Kamala Harris lost to Donald Trump because America and its people are not ready to have a woman as their president.

Not only did Trump win the election on November 5, but he won it handsomely, taking the popular vote and improving on his 2016 performance when he was first elected US President.

Newsday took to the streets of Port of Spain on November 6 to seek the public's view on Trump's victory.

Reactions ranged from excitement to deep disappointment to scepticism. However, the common belief was that gender played a major role in the outcome of the elections.

“I rather a man take that position than a woman. I don’t want a female for that kind of job. America is not ready for that yet…a woman’s job is to see about house and those things, not to run for president,” said Michael Isaac of El Socorro.

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A man from Tobago who did not want to be named said American politics historically favoured men.

“People in America chose Trump because they want men to rule the land, they never really liked the notion of a woman ruling the politics. In the history of American politics, when have you ever heard of a woman being president," he said.

“And it sets a precedent for the rest of the world,because America is saying men should be there. I don’t know in what time a woman could win the US presidency. It might happen one day, but she would have to be a radical.”

Ronald Hernandez, from Petit Valley, said, “They always say Americans are radical. (But) they don’t want no woman president. They want a man to stand up. They want someone to deal with things like the border issues and illegal immigrants, so they clearly had no confidence in Kamala.”

Hashanna Hosein said her family was rooting for Harris, hoping to finally see a woman in the White House.

“I was left very disappointed, but it was really close, the numbers were really close and I’m glad she reached so far,” Hosein said. She reflected on general societal attitudes towards women in leadership roles.

“It’s the same thing here as in America. People say, ‘Howa woman could rule a country? What she know? What she could do?’ But we run households. We run businesses. Yes, a man goes out and provides,but a woman tends to the household and keeps track of everything and even cares for the provider.

"I think women have that natural leadership ability,but we aren’t often given the opportunity to do it.”

Michelle Bridgewater of Barataria had an opposing view, saying she favoured Trump over Harris.

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“Even though he is not my favourite as a person, I prefer the things Trump stands for rather than the things she (Harris) stands for.

“The things she stands for, a lot of people not standing for that. So she’s a 100 per cent no, for me."

Asked why she thought Harris lost, Bridgewater said, "Because one, she’s a woman and I don’t think Americans were ready for a woman president. And two, the things she promised to implement, if elected, did not resonate with the voters."