The world awaits

If Hillary Clinton wins, America will, at last, have its first female President who will take office after its first black President. If Donald Trump wins it will be a victory for the so-called political outsiders.

A Trump victory, as feared as it is in some quarters, would be a reaffirmation of the American dream, showing that even a bombastic billionaire businessman can beat the odds – and the prevailing wishes of his own party – and make it into the White House.

Up to yesterday, polls were still suggesting it was a tight race, notwithstanding the dramatic twist in the email matter which saw a last-minute clearing of Clinton in the FBI’s probe into her use of a private server for public business.

For the last few months, the world has looked on as the candidates engaged in one of the most fraught election campaigns in American history. At times, some of it felt like a baffling mix of House of Cards, Scandal and Sesame Street.

We had Trump’s loutish conduct ranging from a call for a ban on Muslims, a Mexican wall and then resurrection of his “locker-room” views that he could exploit women because of his power. Trump also claimed Clinton invented IS (Islamic State), also known as ISIL, and deemed her a criminal.

Though his offences were many, his claim that the elections were “rigged” and his refusal to accept today’s result represented the moment when his rhetoric undercut the very fabric of America’s long and highly regarded tradition of peaceful transitions of power.

Meanwhile, Clinton has had to answer questions about her email practices from her time as Secretary of State. FBI Director James Comey, in one of the most baffling interventions in US politics ever, first cleared Clinton, but also criticised her as extremely careless. Then, he suggested fresh evidence that could potentially implicate Clinton had been discovered, a mere 11 days shy of the vote. The roller-coaster continued right up to Sunday when it was reported that the new cache of materials did not materially affect the outcome of the case.

Still, many felt the damage had been done. The flip-flopping of the FBI seemed to suggest a sitting President might one day be subject to a criminal probe. Indeed, there is a lingering feeling that Clinton’s emailgate threatens to follow her if she wins.

The political banter has been nasty and bruising, and America, still grappling with deep-seated racial issues played out in police killings of blacks, and anti-Muslim sentiment, will have to find a way to heal the wounds come tonight.

The result of the election will have direct implications for this country. The US is our most important trading partner, a major source of remittances, and politically, culturally and socially it has a profound impact on our region.

There will be far-reaching consequences for global stability.

A first female President would be a substantial boost not just for US women but women everywhere.

Here, we are fortunate to have punched above our weight in the form of a first female Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

A Trump victory would send the signal of a more insular America, something that is dangerous both morally and from a national security perspective. Whoever sits in the Oval Office will have a key role to play in setting the tone in the Middle-East, Europe, Asia and beyond.

It is hoped the vote will not come down to a slender margin and will not need to be subject to court action. In that regard, the US Supreme Court – which would have final say – seems to also itself be at stake in these polls. The world awaits.