The American primary elections are breaking news. Today is Super Tuesday, the day most primaries are held in the USA. Two American exchange students and a Dutch American Studies student discuss statements about the election storm in the States.

Statement: these presidential elections are unique.
Lex Jordan Scott: ‘I think this year’s elections are unique because of two players: Donald Trump is the most scandalous candidate in a long time and on the progressive side, Bernie Sanders is drawing attention with his grassroots campaign.’
David Tinajero: ‘In 2008, the elections were sensational because we had the first black president, Barack Obama, on one side and the first female potential president, Hillary Clinton. This year, there are some fundamental changes at stake: the Americans have turned on the establishment. They are done with the American government. That is disadvantageous for Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton, because they are part of that establishment.’
Lex: ‘In earlier campaigns, young people did not feel that they were addressed properly. Now they do.’

Statement: electing a female president is more important than her actual politics.
Thijs Moors: ‘I think it is regrettable that so many women support Hillary Clinton, based only on the fact that she is a woman. They do not look at her political views.’
Lex: ‘I would be happy if women got a stronger voice. But I think that Clinton will get more criticism, despite her policy. You often see this with women in politics. People will say they are too emotional, and they get criticized based on their looks. This never happens to men.’
David: ‘You are right about that, especially with Hillary.’
Lex: ‘Everybody loves to hate Hillary.’
David: ‘In 2008, the substantial differences between Obama and Hillary were not that big, so you simply had to make a choice between the first black president or the first female president. Now, it’s all about the policies. Hillary’s possible election can also turn badly for women. If she does not do well as president, women might get the label ‘unqualified’. And I think Hillary would not do well.’
Thijs: ‘But you would vote for Hillary if she wins the Democratic primary elections, right?’
David: ‘No, if that happens, I won’t vote. Bernie or bust. Hillary is like a band aid, nothing will happen if she is president. A Republican would let everything explode in such a way that after four years, changes will come, more than in eight years of Hillary as president.’

Statement: if Trump gets elected, it would mean the end of America as a leading world power.
David: ‘Trump is not going to change that. The American influence in the world is mostly in the hands of big companies like Apple and Microsoft – he is not going to touch them.’
Thijs: ‘Under Trump, tensions can arise between the United States and, for example, Russia, because of the idiotic things he says.’
Lex: ‘Although Trump did say once that he admires Putin for the way he handles journalists.’
David: ‘In the end, Trump only cares about money. He wants to make as much money as possible being president.’

Statement: it makes total sense that Dutch media give so much attention to the American elections.
Lex: ‘It is a bit weird. I was extremely surprised that Dutch people know so much about American politics.’
Thijs: ‘Personally, I think it is very interesting. Apparently, more people feel that way.’
David: ‘But it is important, of course. What an American president chooses to do influences European politics significantly.’
Lex: ‘But we have not reached that stage yet. I do not understand why the primary elections are so interesting, we are not attacking another country or something like that.’

Statement: Americans should know more about other countries.
Lex: ‘Absolutely. People in America know nothing, the situation in Ukraine is completely unknown to them and when there was turmoil in Georgia, everybody thought it concerned the American state of Georgia. The image of the dumb American is true for the most part. Before I came here, people at my home university warned me not to behave ‘too American’. No clothes with American flags or English text on them. They advised me to hide my being American a little bit. Be polite, not too loud, and not strengthen the image of the annoying American.’
Thijs: ‘Do you not hear about big disasters abroad, like the MH17 crash?’
David: ‘I have never heard about that. Americans see their country as an big island in the ocean of the rest of the world. We do not even speak about Canada much, even though there is a lot we can learn from that country.’
Lex: ‘Canada is often called ‘America’s hat’. While we are the ones who still have a long way to go. Basic things like health care are still not in order. Conservative politicians want to go back to a ‘better America’, but I wonder when that fantasy has ever existed. In the fifties, or during slavery?’
David: ‘The Republican party is like a racist uncle. And even the so-called ‘extreme left-wing’ ideas are not that extreme. Actually, problems in American politics come from miscommunication.’
Thijs: ‘Or a lack of information.’ / Timo Nijssen

This article will be published in Dutch in the upcoming Vox (Thursday March 3).