The American Problem.

Two things relating to America have struck me over the past couple of days:

1. I gather Donald Trump has now effectively admitted – or at least is claiming – that the version of him so far presented is fake. Should he eventually make it to the White House, Americans are being told, the real Donald Trump will be very different. That strikes me as a pretty weird and dishonest way to conduct an election campaign. And if he does make it to the White House, it will say something rather less than complimentary about the Americans who put him there.

2. President Obama is following his usual habit of lecturing the people of other countries on how they should think and behave. He’s currently in Britain telling our young people that they should ‘reject cynicism.’ Well, there’s a slight irony here, because one of the things Europeans are most cynical about is the concept of the US President being styled ‘leader of the free world.’ It raises a few questions, so let’s put one to the Pres:

How can you expect young people not to be cynical when the ‘leader of the free world’ might be elevated to that exalted position by the kind of people who support the fake Donald Trump, especially when they don't even know which one is really fake?

Sorry, Americans, but you’re on a bit of slippery slope here if you’re truly concerned about your credibility among the peoples of the free world (which might or might not be quite as free as we’re led to suppose.)

Oh, and I gather Hillary Clinton has a few agitated skeletons in her own closet, so it’s looking like a bit of a no-win situation. Good luck.