The lovely Arielle Conti (Assistant Director, Membership, College Board) agreed to be my American guinea pig this week and sat down for a recorded chat on all things Election 2016.  Born in Los Angeles but now living in Brooklyn, the 25 year-old provided an insight into how young urbanites are viewing this year’s crop of potential candidates.

Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders?

Immediately expressing her allegiance to the Democratic Party, Conti acknowledges the ideological conflict that many of those who align themselves with the political left are battling with this election cycle:

“I’m drawn more towards Bernie’s view on a lot of things (…) but I really respect Hillary for the politician she is and I think that she has more of the whole package than Bernie.”

It would seem that the perception of Hillary as a Washington insider, whilst used by many as a criticism, can work in her favour for those who are realistic (even cynical?) about the nature of American politics.  Conti elaborates, “I think you need to know how to work the system. And she’s been in the system, she’s really been in it and so I trust her to know how to work it.”

Interestingly, also rooting for Clinton is Conti’s 10-year-old brother.  Although political candidates may not seek his particular vote for another eight years, the fact that Hillary is even on the radar of his generation is indicative of an exhaustive and successful media campaign:

Hillary playing on a Game Boy (Image Via Wikimedia Commons)

 

Conti’s mother moved to the US from Mexico in the late ’70s; I ask Conti if her Hispanic background influences her voting choices:

Sign outside an Orlando polling station, 2008 (Image via Erik Hersman on Flickr)

 

The potential political sway of the ever-growing Hispanic population is surely a major factor for candidates to keep in mind as they form their policies on issues such as immigration and racial bias within the justice system.  We turn then to a man for whom these demographic trends do not seem to be a consideration – Donald Trump:

Trump at CPAC in DC (Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr)

 

This political climate of confusion coupled with the unexpected rise of anti-establishment candidates perhaps gives us a fresh perspective on the current administration.  I ask Conti what she thinks Obama’s legacy will be:

Official White House presidential portrait (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Perhaps this election would be far more predictable if there was an option for ‘four more years!’ of Obama…

 

Thanks for talking to me Arielle!

 

 

Header Image via Boston Harborfest on Flickr