By: Natalie DeCesare

America’s presidential campaign continues to intrigue the rest of the world, and recent reporting by CNN has vocalized the political opinions of journalists from ten countries. While US polls continue to show an apparent polarization between parties and ideology within them, the CNN study suggests collective support internationally for Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders.

Rather than referring to America’s two-party system to categorize the candidates, those interviewed tended to use a personal approach to discuss candidates. In other words, the dialogue identified the personalities of candidates rather than the parties affiliated with them. Such a political lens focuses the world view of America’s presidential campaign on finding different versions of democracy within each candidate, and localizing these variations through economic and security concerns. All ten international journalists remarked on security strategy as a distinguishable factor among presidential candidates.

By looking at the opinions of the world about America’s presidential campaign, no clear consensus arises over what ‘diplomacy’ sounds and looks like. Instead, the world tasks candidates with refining the term ‘diplomacy’ to adhere to international expectations of America.

Britain

Britain journalist Tim Stanely told CNN that sympathy is overwhelmingly with Hillary Clinton.

“She isn’t a Republican, she’s a woman, and we like Bill Clinton,” Stanely said.
However, British citizens’ main concern rests in the war in Syria. Specifically, they want an American president who has a strong plan for the Middle East.

Across Europe, the lack of American leadership on foreign affairs is noted and regretted.”

Canada

Canadian and American politics historically relate to one another, as noted with the North American Free Trade Agreement. However, viewing America from a Constitutional Monarchy, Canadian journalist Johnathan Kay finds the 2016 presidential campaign a “political spectacle” adverse to the image of America as a “beacon of liberty.”
“The unhinged rhetorical fusillades and open conspiracism of Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, in particular, have become a form of ironic reality show entertainment.

India
Journalist Krishna Prasad told CNN that India is undecided about the elections, but most Indians only know Clinton and Trump in the most general terms.
“We twice considered putting the U.S. elections on the cover in the past year. “Is America ready for a Lady President?” was our working title until Hillary’s emails showed up. “The All-American Idiot” was another one we mulled when Trump went ballistic after the Paris attacks.”