The lesser of two evils

[UWS]

March 15th, 2020

THE PUERTO RICO PRIMARY

« We can already project that Marco Rubio easily wins Puerto Rico and all the 23 delegates. »

Puerto Rico

• Marco Rubio : 79 % (23 delegates) ✔
• Paul Ryan : 21 % (0 delegate)

Delegate count

• Marco Rubio : 885 delegates
• Paul Ryan : 304 delegates
• Scott Brown : 90 delegates
• Mike Pence : 31 delegates
• Ted Cruz : 7 delegates
• John Kasich : 5 delegates
• Rand Paul : 1 delegate

Delegates needed to win the nomination : 1218 delegates

Republican Primary Poll - Alabama

• Marco Rubio : 45 %
• Paul Ryan : 33 %
• Undecided : 22 %

Republican Primary Poll - Illinois

• Marco Rubio : 51 %
• Paul Ryan : 41 %
• Undecided : 8 %

Republican Primary Poll - Missouri

• Paul Ryan : 46 %
• Marco Rubio : 43 %
• Undecided : 11 %

« Senator Rubio is very close from clinching the Republican nomination. In order to win finish off Paul Ryan, he released an ad slamming the Speaker of the House for using the term "Inner city", accusing Ryan of offending the African-American community. This ad has the objective of demonstrating that the Republican Party needs to attract ethnic minorities to win the White House and that Marco Rubio, unlike Paul Ryan, is well positionned to do it. Paul Ryan is living difficult time. If he doesn't win any of the next three contests set on March 17, he might drop out of the race. »
[/list][/list][/list][/list]

[UWS]

March 17th, 2020

SUPER TUESDAY III (ALABAMA, ILLINOIS, MISSOURI)

«We can project that Marco Rubio swept the contests in Alabama, Illinois and, narrowly, Missouri.»

Alabama

• Marco Rubio : 57 % (40 delegates) ✔
• Paul Ryan : 43 % (10 delegates)

Illinois

• Marco Rubio : 58 % (54 delegates) ✔
• Paul Ryan : 42 % (15 delegates)

Missouri

• Marco Rubio : 52 % (52 delegates) ✔
• Paul Ryan : 48 % (0 delegate)

PAUL RYAN DROPS OUT OF THE RACE AND ENDORSES MARCO RUBIO

« I congratulate Marco Rubio for his impressive victories tonight. I infinitely thank all Americans that gave me their support. But now, time has come to focus on the general election. That's why I'm dropping out of the race and I endorse my friend Senator Marco Rubio! Marco Rubio will be our nominee and will bring our party together in addition of expanding it. I will help him to defeat Hillary Clinton and to get elected as the next President of the United States. Thank you, may God bless you and may God bless the United States of America! »

Delegate count

• Marco Rubio : 1031 delegates
• Paul Ryan : 329 delegates
• Scott Brown : 90 delegates
• Mike Pence : 31 delegates
• Ted Cruz : 7 delegates
• John Kasich : 5 delegates
• Rand Paul : 1 delegate

Delegates needed to win the nomination : 1218 delegates

[/list]

[UWS]

March 24th, 2020

THE ARIZONA PRIMARY AND THE UTAH CAUCUSES

« Senator Rubio easily wins Arizona and Utah contests, getting closer to the nomination. »

Arizona

• Marco Rubio : 87 % (56 delegates) ✔
• Paul Ryan : 11 % (0 delegate)
• Scott Brown : 2 % (0 delegate)

Utah

• Marco Rubio : 82 % (40 delegates) ✔
• Paul Ryan : 14 % (0 delegate)
• Scott Brown : 4 % (0 delegate)

Delegate count

• Marco Rubio : 1127 delegates
• Paul Ryan : 329 delegates
• Scott Brown : 90 delegates
• Mike Pence : 31 delegates
• Ted Cruz : 7 delegates
• John Kasich : 5 delegates
• Rand Paul : 1 delegate

Delegates needed to win the nomination : 1218 delegates

[/list]

[UWS]

April 7th, 2020

THE WISCONSIN, MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON D.C. PRIMARIES

« As expected, Marco Rubio easily wins the primaries in Wisconsin, in Maryland and in the District of Columbia. »

Wisconsin

• Marco Rubio : 80 % (42 delegates) ✔
• Paul Ryan : 16 % (0 delegate)
• Scott Brown : 4 % (0 delegate)

Maryland

• Marco Rubio : 76 % (38 delegates) ✔
• Paul Ryan : 14 % (0 delegate)
• Scott Brown : 10 % (0 delegate)

District of Columbia

• Marco Rubio : 91 % (19 delegates) ✔
• Paul Ryan : 6 % (0 delegate)
• Scott Brown : 3 % (0 delegate)

SENATOR MARCO RUBIO CLINCHES THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

« After winning the Wisconsin, Maryland and Washington D.C. primaries, thus earning 1226 delegates in total, Florida Senator Marco Rubio has secured enough delegates to clinch the Republican nomination for President of the United States, becoming the first Hispanic to be nominated by one of the two major political parties in the United States. »

Marco Rubio's victory speech

« Thank you very much! Thanks to your support, I have the privilege to announce you that I will be the Republican nominee for President of the United States. Now that our party is unified, we have work to do to promote our agenda, earn the support of the American people and beat Hillary Clinton to make sure that our country remains powerful, prosperous and safe. »

Delegate count

• Marco Rubio : 1226 delegates
• Paul Ryan : 329 delegates
• Scott Brown : 90 delegates
• Mike Pence : 31 delegates
• Ted Cruz : 7 delegates
• John Kasich : 5 delegates
• Rand Paul : 1 delegate

Delegates needed to win the nomination : 1218 delegates

[/list]

[UWS]

The Republican Party presidential primaries, 2020 - Final results

• Marco Rubio : 1960 delegates, 41 states + D.C., PR, GU, NM, VI and AS, 63.1 % of the popular vote
• Paul Ryan : 329 delegates, 6 states, 23.4 % of the popular vote
• Scott Brown : 90 delegates, 3 states, 9.6 % of the popular vote
• Mike Pence : 43 delegates, 0 state, 2.46 % of the popular vote
• Ted Cruz : 7 delegates, 0 state, 0.87 % of the popular vote
• John Kasich : 5 delegates, 0 state, 0.47 % of the popular vote
• Rand Paul : 1 delegate, 0 state, 0.1 % of the popular vote

Next : Marco Rubio's VP shortlist

[UWS]

Possible V.P. choices for Marco Rubio

-Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado

Pros : Young, Could bring a seing state (Colorado), Great legislative record on economic and energy issues

Cons : Not experienced enough?

-Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa

Pros : Young, Woman, Could bring a seing state (Iowa), War hero, Expertise in foreign policy issues

Cons : Short political experience

-Former Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts

Pros : Moderate, Could attract the Independants, War Hero, Expertise in foreign policy issues

Cons : Too moderate, Lost his 2014 New Hampshire Senate bid, Style over substance, Massachusetts is a blue state so it would not be likely tobecome a battleground state

-Senator Rob Portman

Pros : Swing state Senator (Ohio), Gravitas would reassure elite conservatives, Fundraising machine, Expertise on economic/fiscal issues, Great debater

Cons : Too moderate?, Too close to the George W. Bush's administration?

-Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina

Pros : African-American, Tons of credibility among conservatives, Legislative experience, Knowledge in foreign policy issues

Cons : South Carolina is already a Republican stronghold

-Senator Brian Sandoval of Nevada

Pros : Swing state Senator (Nevada), Hispanic, Moderate, Could attract the independents, Executive and Legislative experience, Knowledge on energy issues

Cons : Little political experience, Too moderate?

-Senator Susana Martinez of New Mexico

Pros : Swing state Senator (New Mexico), Popular, Hispanic, Woman, Legislative experience, Executive and legislative

Cons : Small knowledge on foreign policy issues

-Senator John Kasich of Ohio

Pros : Popular swing state Senator (Ohio), Long governing and track record, Could help further unify the party, Business credentials, Foreign policy experience, Legislative and executive experience, Moderate, Could attract independents

Cons : Might not have the mindset to be a No. 2, Rantoward center in primary which wouldn't excite conservatives

-Former Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan

Pros : Swing state Governor (Michigan), Moderate, Could attract the independents, Legislative experience, Executive Experience, Economic credibilityPolicy experience

Cons : Too moderate?, Controversial

-Former Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina

Pros : Young, Asian-American, Popular Governor, Legislative and Executive experience, Business/Economic credentials, Could make turn some blue states like the Washington state into toss-up states, Likely to excite conservatives

Cons : Short political experience, South Carolina is not a battleground state

-Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

Pros : African-American, Woman, Foreign policy experience, Better record as Secretary of Strate than Hillary Clinton

Cons : Too moderate, To close to the Bush administration

[UWS]

Having secured the Republican nomination early (on early April 2020), Marco Rubio focused earlier on the general election campaign, which allows him to expand earlier his spendings on campaign ads promoting his agenda or attacking Hillary Clinton. His early victory in the primaries also allows him to collect funds for his campaign earlier. Let's take a look at the Electoral Vote map :

National poll

• Marco Rubio : 49 %
• Hillary Clinton : 42 %
• Undecided : 9 %

Colorado

• Marco Rubio : 50 %
• Hillary Clinton : 41 %
• Undecided : 9 %

Florida

• Marco Rubio : 53 %
• Hillary Clinton : 42 %
• Undecided : 5 %

Iowa

• Marco Rubio : 46 %
• Hillary Clinton : 40 %
• Undecided : 14 %

Michigan

• Marco Rubio : 44 %
• Hillary Clinton : 41 %
• Undecided : 15 %

Minnesota

• Hillary Clinton : 50 %
• Marco Rubio : 42 %
• Undecided : 8 %

Nevada

• Marco Rubio : 48 %
• Hillary Clinton : 43 %
• Undecided : 9 %

New Hampshire

• Hillary Clinton : 45 %
• Marco Rubio : 41 %
• Undecided : 14 %

New Mexico

• Hillary Clinton : 47 %
• Marco Rubio : 42 %
• Undecided : 11 %

North Carolina

• Marco Rubio : 51 %
• Hillary Clinton : 42 %
• Undecided : 7 %

Ohio

• Marco Rubio : 46 %
• Hillary Clinton : 42 %
• Undecided : 12 %

Pennsylvania

• Marco Rubio : 44 %
• Hillary Clinton : 43 %
• Undecided : 13 %

Virginia

• Marco Rubio : 48 %
• Hillary Clinton : 44 %
• Undecided : 8 %

Wisconsin

• Hillary Clinton : 48 %
• Marco Rubio : 43 %
• Undecided : 9 %

[UWS]

June 28, 2020

SENATOR MARCO RUBIO SELECTS FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY AS HIS RUNNING MATE

« Hello Virginia! Please give a warm welcome to a great woman and a great reformer! I'm proud to introduce to you the next Vice-President of the United States, Governor Nikki Haley! »

« Thank you Marco! I'm proud to be selected as your running mate and to belong to the comeback team! Together, we will bring minorities, young people and women toward new faces that are promoting a great project that will rebuild America, create jobs, bring prosperity, security, justice, integrity and security. That's how the 21st century will be an American century and that America's best days are yet to come. »

RUBIO/HALEY 2020

[UWS]

Democratic National Convention in New York City (New York), July 6-9 2020

Key Speakers

• Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
• New Jersey Senator Cory Booker
• Vermont Senator and 2016 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders
• Former Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer
• Former Secretary of House and Urban Developpment Julian Castro
• Texas U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro
• Former President of the United States Bill Clinton
• New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan
• Former Vice-President of the United States Joe Biden
• New York Mayor Bill de Blasio
• Massachusetts U.S. Representative Joseph Patrick Kennedy III
• Vice-President of the United States Al Franken
• Former President of the United States Barack Obama
• California Senator Kamala Harris
• Former Vice-President of the United States and 2000 Democratic Presidential nominee Al Gore
• Former Maryland Governor and 2016 Presidential candidate Martin O'Malley
• Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson
• President of the United States Hillary Clinton

[UWS]

Republican National Convention in Las Vegas (Nevada), July 12-15 2020

Key Speakers

• Nevada Senator Brian Sandoval
• Leader of the Republican majority in the U.S. Senate Mitch McConnell
• Former Florida Senator Mel Martinez
• Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton
• Iowa Senator Joni Ernst
• Utah Senator Mike Lee
• Ohio Senator, Presidential candidate in 2000, 2016 and 2020 John Kasich
• Colorado Senator Cory Gardner
• Florida Senator Carlos Lopez-Cantera
• South Carolina Senator Tim Scott
• Former Massachusetts Governor and 2012 Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney
• New Mexico Senator Susana Martinez
• Indiana Governor and 2020 Presidential candidate Mike Pence
• Ohio Senator Rob Portman
• Wisconsin Governor and 2016 Presidential candidate Scott Walker
• Former Pennsylvania Senator, Presidential candidate in 2012 and 2016 Rick Santorum
• Former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder
• Speaker of the House of the Representatives, 2012 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee and 2020 Presidential candidate Paul Ryan
• Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey
• New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu
• Texas Senator, Presidential candidate in 2016 and 2020 Ted Cruz
• Former Florida Governor and 2016 Presidential candidate Jeb Bush
• Marco Rubio's wife Jeanette Rubio
• Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, 2012 Presidential candidate and 2016 Republican Vice-Presidential Nominee Newt Gingrich
• Former Louisiana Governor and 2016 Presidential candidate Bobby Jindal
• Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, the Republican Nominee for Vice-President of the United States
• Utah Senator Mia Love
• Arizona Senator and 2008 Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain
• Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
• Former Massachusetts Senator and 2020 Presidential candidate Scott Brown
• Former Arkansas Governor, Presidential candidate in 2008 and 2016 Mike Huckabee
• South Carolina Senator and 2016 Presidential candidate Lindsey Graham
• Nevada Senator Dean Heller
• North Carolina Senator Richard Burr
• Virginia Senator Eric Cantor (Keynote Speaker)
• Florida Senator Marco Rubio, the Republican Nominee for President of the United States

[Sir Mohamed]

The Trumpster is not speaking? What happend with him?

[UWS]

I think that he might be facing another bankrupt of one of his companies in this time of economic crisis and Hillary Clinton's failed economic policies. In addition, after losing badly to Hillary Clinton, his ideas are likely to rebuked by 2020. But at least his running-mate Newt Gingrich is speaking.

[UWS]

Campaign trail - August 2020

-Hillary Clinton campaigning in Pennsylvania :

« In this time of energy crisis, we have to follow lessons of the past. In 1979, during the Second Oil Crisis, Japan successfully got through this crisis by embracing new alternative energies for its automotive industry. So we need to promote alternative energies for the good of our economy and our environment. Unlike Senator Rubio, I admit that oil is not a solution, but a problem that will doom the environment. »

-Marco Rubio campaigning in Ohio :

« Because of Hillary Clinton's failed economic policies, the unemployment rate is now at 8 %. Ohio represents an example of the solution that I'm proposing : Ohio and Pennsylvania are rich in oil and gas. I support the project of building a trancontinental pipeline from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles, which will increase oil production, create new jobs. By increasing permits on federal lands, oil exploitation and drilling, we will not only create more jobs but also develop new technologies that will allow us to become more independent from foreign oil, to keep our status as the first oil producer in the world and to make American cars less expansive, reinforcing our fellow American's purchasing power, thus boosting our automotive industry, saving Great Lakes cities (like Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, etc.) from bankruptcy.Thanks to this procedure, more American cars will be bought than Asian cars, a great advantage to integrating the TPP. After we clinch energy revolution, then we can invest more on alternative energies. We need to exploit all our energies to ensure America's prosperity. »

[UWS]

Campaign trail - August-September 2020

-Rubio campaigning in Florida : « Free trade as a basic element of job creation. The more we export, the more consumers we get in the world, the more our companies can ensure their expansion and the more jobs we can create. President Clinton embraced protectionism that did not create any single job. We must remain competitive in the global market towards China if we want to keep our status as the first economic power in the world. Many Asian nations are among Florida's greatest trade partners. That's why  trade ties with Asia's large and growing market matter to Americans. America's ability to compete and innovate derives from its open markets and from the continual search for new markets through the expansion of free trade. As a consequence, our adherence into TPP will boost our economy, create jobs, reinforce our foreign relations as well as democracy by promoting globalization. »

-Clinton campaigning in Colorado : « Since many years, many of our fellow citizens are killed because of the Congress' inaction on gun control. We need to reform the Second Amendment and to promote stricter control on guns in order to save innocent lives. »

-Clinton campaigning in New Hampshire : « In the last four years, we showed ability to fight terrorism. Under my watch as Secretary of State, Osama Bin Laden is killed. Under my watch as President of the United States, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (ISIS's leader) is killed and ISIS is eradicated in Libya. But we still have work to do to restore stability and peace. We need to train forces in countries in conflict like the Syrian rebellion or the Ukrainian army. I will use my diplomatic experience to keep the Second USSR from destroying our allies and violating their territorial integrity. »

-Rubio campaigning in Virginia : « As Secretary of State, just like as President of the United States, Hillary Clinton brought disappointment into our foreign policy handling. The Second USSR has become stronger and stronger, Islamic terrorism represents a growing threat and China as well as North Korea are threatening security and freedom on the Pacific Ocean. We need to bring strong leadership in the White House, increase military spending, intervene militarily in Syria to fight ISIS and the Assad regime (which will bring security as well as freedom and democracy), establish no-fly zones in Egypt and Afghanistan to eradicate ISIS and Al Qaida. By training and arming the Ukrainian army, as well as reinforcing NATO's military presence in the Black Sea, we can free Ukraine from Russia's oppression once and for all and stop the Russian military offensive in Turkey. By creating more intergovernmental military alliances in regions such as the Indian Subcontinent or around the Pacific Ocean we will be able to effectively confront radical Islamic terrorism and North Korea's aggressive military policies respectively. »

-Haley campaigning in Michigan : « Before entering politics, I was occupied the position of chief financial officer of Exotica International, a women's clothing business founded by my mother Raj K. Randhawa. Then, I was named to the board of directors of the Lexington Chamber of Commerce before becoming treasurer and president of the National Association of Women Business Owners. So, unlike Hillary Clinton, I understand the economy and know how to create jobs. We need to cut taxes on business in order to prevent offshoring and to increase production, consumption and job creation. Marco Rubio and I will follow this path. »

-Franken campaigning in Wisconsin : « Many good paying manufacturing jobs are lost in the last four years. If we want to bring them back, we must increase the minimum wage. That way, we can balance the budget, reduce the deficit and encourage job creation. The more you earn, the more you can fulfill your needs. »

Next : the First Presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio

[UWS]

2020 Debate schedule

• First presidential debate : will take place at the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) on October 2 and will be moderated by Martha Raddatz.
• Vice-presidential debate : will take place at the the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (North Carolina) on October 9 and will be moderated by Gwen Ifill.
• Second presidential debate : will take place at the University of Denver (Colorado) on October 14, and will be moderated by Jake Tapper.
• Third presidential debate : will take place at the Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, Virginia) on October 21 and will be moderated by George Stephanopoulos.

[UWS]

First presidential debate, October 2nd, 2020, at the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). Part 1

Participants : President Hillary Clinton (the Democratic nominee) and Florida Senator Marco Rubio (the Republican nominee)

Moderator : Martha Raddatz

Segments : Economic issues

State of the economy

-Clinton : « We are facing one of the worst recessions since the Great Depression. Oil prices are declining and jobs were lost. The Congress failed to support my policies, which made this actual recession deeper. Now, we need to invest in infrastructure, education. We also got to develop alternative energies, which will boost our electric automative industry that will create jobs. Every American must make his fair part, which requires making sure that the middle class' will be reduced, strengthening it's purchasing power. Like we always say, which was demonstrated during my husband's eight-year presidency, our economy's strength comes with a strong middle class. »

-Rubio : « The president's failed economic policies led us to a recession that killed jobs, made us more dependent on foreign oil and moved some of our companies out of America. She has been unable to do something her husband did : working efficiently with the Congress. It's your unability to work with the Congress that made this economic depression worse. Here's my plan : number one, tax cuts for all Americans, including the middle class. Number two, energy independence. Number three, using a part of oil drilling revenue for alternative energy. Number four, promoting free trade with promising and dynamic economic partners. Number five, giving our people all the necessary skills to succeed by investing in education and promoting school choice. Number six, balancing the budget. Number seven, championing businesses by giving them tax credits, thus helping them to innovate, to produce, to expand and to hire more people. That's how the economy grows, not by taxing the American people, not by spending wastefully, not by promoting regulation. I'll restore free market policies that made America the strongest economic power in the world. »

Energy policies

-Rubio : « President Clinton declared war on energy industries. She expanded regulations on oil companies, which led to job losses and made us more dependent on foreign oil. As a result, we are facing the Third oil crisis, the worst of all oil crises we've ever experienced. We need to increase oil exploration, drilling and exploitation. How? By increasing permits and licenses on federal land, manufacturing more oil wells, building more pipelines between lands rich in fossil energies. I will approve Keystone XL pipeline, support the project of building Trans-America Energy pipeline from Pennsylvania to California as well as the building of a pipeline from Alaska to Alberta. Then, we'll be able to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, to develop new technologies that will allow us to get energy independence by 2035 and to keep our status as the first oil producer in the world. It will also boost our automotive industry, make American cars less expansive, which will encourage our consumers to buy more American cars thanks to a stronger purchasing power. Increasing oil production will allow us to invest a part of oil drilling revenue for alternative energy for the good of our economy and our environment. »

-Clinton : « This is a dangerous agenda. While not creating enough jobs to be a worth plan, it will kill the environment. Chosing between our economic interests and the handling of the environment is a false choice. Economic growth goes with the protection of our environment. I disagree with Senator Rubio's plan to expand oil production in the Arctic region. This agenda will increase the oceans' levels and cause more catastrophic floodings that will kill many people. »

-Rubio : « I think you should have read my program with a greater attention, because I proposed the manufacture of more underwater tankers that will be able to exploit oilfields under water as well as more oil platforms. That way, we'll have the capacity to exploit these ressources easily and safely without any danger for our environment. By the way, we must engage our country in the race into the Arctic. It's a strategic territory with great potential, including an abundance of oil and gas, particularly on the Alaskan coasts and the Beaufort Sea. We must secure these resources before the Russians do and exploit and drill these oil and gas reserves to create new jobs and increase our energy independence. In this time of economic crisis, we need to care about Americans out of work who desperately need to find a job, to prosper and to fulfill their needs here on the land of opportunity. »

Free trade

-Clinton : « I'm proud of what my husband did to promote trade. But we need to put our workers interests first. We have to renegotiate the NAFTA in order to favor our workers and avoid job losses in America. That's exactly why I'm opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnsership, to avoid offshoring American jobs to Asia. I'm not against free trade, I'm for fair trade, which means trade promoting job creation while being active in defending the environment and our workers' interests. Actually, Asian cars are less expansive than American cars, which will not give us the upper hand in the TPP when it comes to the automotive industry. »

-Rubio : « We need to open more free trade in this context of economic crisis. By embracing protectionism, a policy that didn't create any single job, the President made our country less competitive and cleared the way for China, which allows Beijing to hound us when it comes to the status of greatest economic power in the world. The more we export, the more consumers we get in the world, the more our companies can ensure their expansion and the more jobs we can create. Latin America represents an opportunity that we should not miss : we have great relations with Latin America, a dynamic region with language opportunities and whose economy is as big as China's. So if we ratify free trade with Latin America, we will counterbalance China's trading power. The Trans-Pacific Partnership will give us the status of competitors in such a dynamic region like East Asia, allow us to innovate and to improve our relations with local nations. This capacity comes from open markets and from the continual search for new markets through the expansion of free trade. By reducing tariffs, our products will be less expansive, which will increase foreign consumers' access to our markets. Also, like I said, energy independence will make our cars cheaper than Asian cars and encourage consumers here and in the rest of the world to buy more American cars, which will help us growing our economy. As a consequence, our adherence into TPP will boost our economy, create jobs, reinforce our foreign relations as well as democracy by promoting globalization. »

Education

-Rubio : « All the American people must have the opportunity to earn a perfect education. Education should be one of our greatest priorities to ensure social success.
I was raised paycheck to paycheck and many immigrant families are living paycheck to paycheck so their kids don't have the same chance as other families to have the skills to succeed in America's schools. We need to promote school choice, which will cost these immigrant families less and produce higher outcomes compared to public education. It will grant parents the power to orientate their children out of poorly-performing schools assigned by zip code and look for better education elsewhere. It will expand opportunities for low-income students—especially minorities—to attend high-quality schools that would otherwise be accessible only to higher-income families. China & India graduate more science & engineering PhDs, which is boosting their innovation knowledge faster than ours, boosting their industries and helps them creating much more new businesses than we do. So we need to increase education funding to make it easier to create the jobs of tommorow and help students studying in business administration or in engeneering to create, open and developp new businesses that will create more jobs thanks to increased knowledge. »

-Clinton : « We have the reputation as the land where everything is possible. So we have to make everything possible for all our fellow Americans. This goes, partly, with an accessible education for all Americans. We need to get more teachers into hard-to-serve areas. In the Senate, I proposed and passed National Teacher Corps to ensure the improvement of elementary and secondary teaching in predominantly low-income areas. That's why I'm endorsed by teacher unions because they want to ensure a better atmosphere in the education system that will ensure our children's success and entry into the workforce. I take the pledge to invest in education because Senator Rubio and I agree that knowledge is another tool to job growth and opportunity. »

Budget balance

-Clinton : « My husband, Bill Clinton, was able to balance the budget in eight years and I'm following some of his policies in order to balance the budget again. If we want to balance the budget, the wealthy need to make their fair part by paying more, which will make a considerable contribution to economic growth. We need to reduce taxes on the middle class and lower income Americans. America is strong when the middle class is strong. We also can balance the budget by increasing minimum wage, a policy which the Republicans are opposing. Technology innovation will also balance the budget, which goes through infrastructure development and championing alternative energy. »

-Rubio : « Mrs. President, we don't balance the budget by making rich people poorer, but by making poor people richer. That's what I intend to do by promoting school choice and by cutting taxes for all Americans, including the middle class and the lower income Americans. Taxes and regulations are not the solution to our problems, but the problem itself. We need to reduce regulations and cut taxes on all U.S. businesses, big and small, and give them tax credits to strengthen their capacity of hiring, producing and innovating. Reducing taxes on businessses will stop our companies' off-shoring and will ensure the creation of good-paying jobs. The more economic opportunities we create, the more jobs we can create, the more our fellow citizens will be able to work, the more they will earn and the more we can balance the budget. Balancing the budget requires job creation, a path you failed to follow during the last four years. »

[UWS]

First presidential debate, October 2nd, 2020, at the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). Part 2

Participants : President Hillary Clinton (the Democratic nominee) and Florida Senator Marco Rubio (the Republican nominee)

Moderator : Martha Raddatz

Segments : Economic issues

Businesses

-Rubio : « Before running her second presidential campaign, the President said that we should not let anyone tell us that businesses create jobs. It's a great incompetence and simply wrong. Our prosperity does not provide from more government that spends, taxes, and regulates more, thus weakening the economy. Our prosperity provides from ingenuity, entrepreneurship and hard work of the American people. It provides from our entrepreneurs' audacity to start a business. But the President's policies taxing businesses weakened their capacity to produce and hire. It caused some U.S. companies' off-shoring. I will stop our companies' off-shoring by cutting taxes on businesses. Economic growth also requires innovation. I'm a champion of innovation and that's why the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)  named me the Innovation Policy Ninja. The economy we live in today is dramatically different from the one we had ten years ago. It’s an economy that now has placed us in global competition with dozens of other countries around the world. Now, the big companies that have connections with Washington, they can affect policies to help them, but the small companies are the ones that are struggling. We need to reduce regulations and cut taxes on all U.S. businesses, big and small, and give them tax credits to strengthen their capacity of hiring, producing and innovating. »

-Clinton : « I rectified my quote about job creation from businesses. But we all know that prosperity should not belong to only CEOs, bankers, etc. It should belong to all the American people. We have to push infrastructure development to increase our consumers' access to markets. In the last four years, I gave tax credits to green energy companies to promote job creation through alternative energy production. That's another kind of innovation. »

-Rubio : « I agree that all of our energies, including renewable energies must be championned. But if the government keeps standing in our citizens' way, future business owners will decide that America would not be the best place in the world to open a new business. We must reverse this tendency, which requires cutting taxes for every single American and tax credits for businesses to help them creating jobs through innovation, production, trade and consumption. That's why in 2011, I co-sponsored, in the Senate, alongside Senator Chris Coons, the American Growth, Recovery, Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Act (AGREE Act), which resulted to the extension many tax credits and exemptions for businesses investing in research and development, equipment, and other capital and to the provision of a tax credit for veterans who start a business franchise. That's also why I selected Governor Haley as my running mate, because she spent her early career in the private sector, ran businesses like Exotica International in addition to occupying the office of president of the National Association of Women Business Owners. She knows how we create jobs and that's why I have a better economic team than President Clinton has and that's why we'll be able to bring long term prosperity through innovation, business championing, energy independence, free trade, education success and budget balance. »

Debate Winner Poll

• Marco Rubio : 70 %
• Hillary Clinton : 30 %

[Suburbia]

You're doing a great job. Ha, I still have to finish my Rubio timeline.

[UWS]

Vice-presidential debate, October 9th, 2020, at the the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (North Carolina), Part 1

Participants : Vice-President Al Franken (the Democratic nominee) and Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (the Republican nominee)

Moderator : Gwen Ifill

Segments : Economic issues, Domestic issues, Foreign policy issues

Economic issues

-Haley : « After twelve years of slow growth, we've seen a terrible rise of poverty and a rise of unemployement rate reaching 8,1 %. We now have record national debt of over 20 trillion $ and we are now more than ever dependent on foreign oil. The American people deserves better. I spent my early career in the private sector and ran prosperous businesses like Exotica International and the National Association of Women Business Owners. I understand the economy and I know jobs are created and why they go away. When I was Governor of South Carolina, by reducing taxes and abolishing regulations, many businesses moved to South Carolina since the cost of doing business is so low. That's how those businesses were able to produce, to prosper, to expand and to create many good-paying jobs, because government was out of their way. With my experience, we will be a perfect team in terms of job creation. We'll do this by reducing taxes for all Americans, by reaching energy independence, by promoting free trade, by promoting education success for our kids, by balancing the budget and by championing businesses, large and small. »

-Franken : « Just like all the American people, we are not satisfied of this terrible economic situation. President Clinton and I assumed our responsibilities. The Congress is dominated by the Republicans, which blocked many of our policies and made this recession worse. We now have agenda to end this tragedy : raising the minimum wage, lowering taxes on small businesses and on the middle class, increasing opportunities for young people to go to college, investing in research and development, supporting renewable energy ressources and reforming our broken criminal justice system. That is how we're gonna restore economic fairness for every American. This is a 21st century agenda that will lead us to a bright future. »

-Haley : « First of all, it was not our opposition to this administration's job-killing policies that made this recession worse, but President Clinton's inability to collaborate with the Congress. She's playing politics in such a critical situation where many Americans lost their jobs. But, now let's move to your question on energy, Gwen. To clinch energy independence, we've got to take advantage of all our energy sources : oil, coal, gas, nuclear and our renewables. Raising taxes on oil and gas will never make this procedure effective and will kill much more jobs. We've got to increase the permits and licenses on federal lands, expand oil refineries and wells to increase oil exploitation and build pipelines to transport American oil. It will also develop new technologies that will lead us to energy independence and expand our automotive industry thanks to lower oil prices and lower costs of manufacturing cars, which will allow us to avoid a brankruptcy that would result a domino effect, especially in the Great Lakes, and ensure job creation. With energy independence, we will use part of the oil exploitation revenue to increase the investment in alternative energies. To boost our nuclear industry, we will make sure that we'll attract here private investors with nuclear skills during the annual World Economic Forum, in Davos, which, in addition of creating jobs, will increase our consumers' access to electricity. »

-Franken : « Energy independence means independence from oil. Our plan is to promote alternative energy exploitation and production. However, in this time of crisis, we sometime have to reconsider the direction we should take. I oppose oil production and pipeline building, but if we build pipelines, I suggest that we use steel to build it. But alternative energies will allow us long term prosperity because unlike fossil energies, like oil and gas, these energies are renewable. And not only they are renewable, but they are not polluting, which is good for our economy and our environment as well. [...] In these crucial times of economic challenges, we need to promote trade, but we have to be careful. We have to promote trade through the defense of labor, environment and safety. That's what we call fair trade. Asia has the upper hand over the U.S. when it comes to the automotive industry, which would not give us the advantage in the TPP. »

-Haley : « Like Marco Rubio said, energy independence will make oil costs lower and make our cars less expansive than Asian cars. That way, our automotive industry will be able to compete with Asian automotive industry if we integrate the TPP. We can counterbalance China's trading power by promoting free trade with Latin America, we can strength our relations with Europe and reinforce freedom there as well by promoting free trade with Europe and we can also compete with China by promoting trade with Africa, thus approving the African people's living conditions. Free trade will bring us more ability to innovate, which requires open free markets. All the more so as India, my family's birthplace, remains a top origin point for foreign technology professionals working in the United States, especially in Silicon Valley. So, to ensure prosperity through free trade and innovation, we have to give our businesses the power to innovate export and expand. Like Ronald Reagan said, government is not the solution to our problems. Government is the problem. »

Domestic issues

-Franken : « Thanks to President Clinton's 2017 comprehensive immigration bill that passed the Congress, the United States of America had reinforced their status as an open and inclusive country where everything is possible. Thanks to this bill that became law, our borders are secured, permanent jobs were created for those immigrants and permanent residents were given to them, far away from misery, violence and tyranny. »

-Haley : « We are a nation of immigrants. As a ticket formed by a son of immigrants and a daughter of immigrants, Marco Rubio and I are proud of it. The Vice-President is right on this point : the 2017 comprehensive immigration bill saved our reputation as an inclusive country after many years of debate over immigration. This law effectively saved immigrants from oppression, violence and poverty. That's why Marco Rubio, alongside with many Republican Senators (John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Pat Toomey, Tom Cotton, Jeff Flake, etc.), supported this bill in the Senate. Because as a son of immigrants, he understands perfectly immigrants' conditions and seeks to restore the American Dream for all of our citizens and for all of our future citizens. We want permanent jobs, permanent residence and permanent safety for immigrants. To make sure we give them a chance to succeed in this fair society, we have to give them school choice, that way they can open to themselves more opportunities and find a good paying job.  As a consequence, their children will have the chance to be more successful than their parents in the land of opportunity. »

-Franken : « Since many, many years, a lot of our fellow citizens have been killed by psychopaths owning a gun. We recognize autodefense and gun ownership as a constitutional right, but we also have to save our citizens' innocent lives. But as usual, Senator Rubio and his colleagues blocked any effort to restrict gun ownership. If we take action on this issue, we can avoid more mass-shooting tragedies and even terrorist attacks on the territory of the United States like in Orlando. »

-Haley : « Sacrificing the Second Amendement is not a solution, but a violation of the Constitution of the United States. Anyway, criminals will not respect such a law restricting gun ownership because they are criminals, they don't respect the law. Actually, Marco Rubio has real solutions on this issue, which is restricting gun ownership only for terrorist suspects since the Orlando shooting. This procedure will save American lives and make sure that we protect our values and our freedom against terrorism, oppression and discrimination. That's why, as Governor of South Carolina, I successfully led a campaign to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina State House after the Charleston shooting in 2015. Without guns, innocent people can't defend themselves. When it comes to shootings in schools, the real solution is to build more police stations close to these schools in order to avoid such shootings like the one in Newton, Connecticut in 2012. That way, we can protect our constitutional rights while saving lives. »

[UWS]

Vice-presidential debate, October 9th, 2020, at the the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (North Carolina), Part 2

Participants : Vice-President Al Franken (the Democratic nominee) and Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (the Republican nominee)

Moderator : Gwen Ifill

Segments : Economic issues, Domestic issues, Foreign policy issues

Foreign policy issues

-Haley : « Marco Rubio and I approved President Clinton's move to arm the Syrian rebellion against the Assad regime and ISIS. We applauded ISIS' eradication from Iraq. But this administration's fight against terrorism suffered failures that need to be corrected. In Syria, ISIS profits from anti-ISIS forces division to commit more terrorist attacks. We need to send ground troops in Syria if we want this country to finish with ISIS once and for all and to free itself from Assad's oppression. By sending ground troops in the Syrian soil, we will surround ISIS with them alongside our NATO allies, Turkey, Iraq and Kurds. They don't have a decent shot against our powerful military. That way, Middle East will make another great step to democracy, freedom, peace and justice. »

-Franken : « We need to train and arm the Syrian rebellion. Our warplanes as well as our allies' warplanes will finish the job of eradicating ISIS from Syria. But if we topple Bachar el-Assad as Senator Rubio is suggesting, Syria will find itself in a situation of uncertainty and will risk to become a failed state like Iraq, Libya, thus increasing terrorist presence there. That's absolutely the last thing we need. »

-Haley : « We can't afford to let Syria under Assad's oppression and we can't afford Russia to accomplish its imperial ambitions. Assad is one of the greatest proponents of terrorism and its chemical weapons demonstrated this. We have to dispel this threat. Five years ago, Russia launched an air-based military intervention to destroy the Syrian rebellion, to protect Assad and defend its local economic interests. In addition, Moscow is invading Georgia and Turkey, one of our greatest NATO allies, to ensure the construction of a pipeline between Russia and Syria. That's unacceptable! If we topple Assad, we can avoid a situation of incertainty with a program similar to the Alliance for Progress by ensuring Syria's stability and economic growth, which will prevent Islamic radicalisation and reinforce democracy. At the same time, we'll be able to train and arm the new Syrian army, which will reinforce security. We also can stop Russia's invasion of Turkey by selling them American weapons that will help Ankara to defeat Russia's powerful military arsenal. »

Debate Winner Poll

• Nikki Haley : 66 %
• Al Franken : 34 %

[UWS]

Second presidential debate, October 14th, 2020, at the the University of Denver (Colorado).

Participants : President Hillary Clinton (the Democratic nominee) and Florida Senator Marco Rubio (the Republican nominee)

Moderator : Jake Tapper

Segments : Economic issues, Domestic issues, Foreign policy issues

QUESTION : Senator Rubio, I'm a farmer and my family's subsistence is mainly due to agricultural activities. But now, the rise of inflation reduced my agricultural products' sale. I want to know what is your plan to reduce inflation and make American farmers competitive again.

-Rubio : « Thanks for your question! First of all, like you said, too many Americans are dependent on food stamps and are struggling to find a job. The President's policies, which include more taxes and more regulations, triggered the loss of American jobs that moved overseas due to offshoring. So in order, not only to prevent our businesses from offshoring but also to boost our agriculture, my plan is to cut taxes and regulations on businesses, including
tractor manufacturing companies as well as seed companies and to give them tax credits, which will help these companies to innovate, to create new jobs and to increase the production of agricultural tractors and seeds, thus helping our citizens to accomplish their agricultural activities and ensure their subsistence, decrease their dependence on food stamps by reducing inflation and food prices. This will reinforce the consumers' purchasing power and give them more access to food. By the way, energy independence, which requires increasing oil and gas production, will also boost tractor manufacturing, which will help much more Americans to fulfill their agricultural activities and their alimentary needs as well as boosting job creation here in America. Free trade with Europe as well as the attraction of European private investors with agricultural skills will allow us to develop new technologies that will help us to boost our agricultural industry and our economy. »

-Clinton : « In the last four years, we cut taxes for small business, which prevented small business offshoring and job losses while increasing small business' ability to hire and innovate. We can do better in the next four years. When it comes to agriculture, in the Senate I cosponsored a bipartisan amnesty bill for many illegal workers in the agricultural industry. In the last four years, I put our farmers first by opposing the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) because actually European agricultural products have more qualities than America's which will not make us competitive, favor European agricultural industry more than ours and lead to job losses in this country. »

-Rubio : « Technically, we are already competitive with Europe when it comes to agriculture. California's viticulture competes very well with France's and Iowa's grain industry is competing well with Ukraine's. Like I said, tax credits for tractor and seed companies will boost our agriculture through innovation and increase our agricultural products' quality, which will give us the advantage if we join the TTIP. »

QUESTION : Mrs. President! One of the reasons of the terrible economic depression we are living today is the progressive baby-boomers' retirement from workforce. I'm a teacher who, like all other teachers, is contributing to our youth's adherance to the workforce, a struggling task in this time of crisis. So what is your plan to grow our workforce in thime where baby boomers are retiring.

-Clinton : « We need to invest in education to make sure young people will integrate workforce.
We need more teachers into hard-to-serve areas. As Senator, I successfully approved National Teacher Corps in order to improve elementary and secondary teaching in predominantly low-income areas. That's how we can keep our workforce strong even after baby boomer's retirement. Senator Rubio wants to rise the retirement age from 65 to 67 years old. That's not a solution to the problem, it will restrict economic opportunities for young people and cut our senior's retirement time. We can also boost our workforce by promoting immigration, resulting to the arrival of skilled workers that will bring effective knowledges that will accelarate economic growth. »

-Rubio : « In this time of crisis, young people are struggling to find favorable educational conditions, which is making their quest for a job more difficult. Rising the retirement age will ensure young people's adherance into workforce by the transfer of baby boomers knowledge to the next generation of workers, which will make a perfect transition from baby boomer's retirement to young people's arrival into workforce with great skills. This will not cut our seniors' retirement time since life expectancy gets longer an longer thanks to the improvement of our medical services. We have to champion school choice, which will cost low-income families less, produce higher outcomes compared to public education, give parents the power to orientate their children out of poorly-performing schools assigned by zip code and look for better education elsewhere. It will open more opportunities to low-income students and allow them to attend high-quality schools that would otherwise be accessible only to higher-income families. There are more science & engineering PhDs graduations in Asia, which is boosting it's innovation knowledge faster than ours, boosting its industries and ensures much more business creation in Asia than in America. So we've got to increase education funding to make it easier to create the jobs of tommorow and help students studying in business administration or in engeneering to create, open and developp new businesses that will create more jobs thanks to increased knowledge. When it comes to immigration, I'm proud that the president reinforced the border before putting the 2017 comprehensive immigration reform in place. As a son of immigrants, I enthusiastically endorsed this bill that passed into law because I want America to keep its status as the land of opportunity and I want immigrants to earn better lives here in the United States and to find a good-paying job. That's how I intend to restore the American Dream and to keep our workforce strong as President of the United States. »

QUESTION : Actually, in this time of crisis, China seems to seek to surpass us as the superpower of the world. How do you both intend to compete with China in order to make sure that America remains the greatest superpower of the world?

-Rubio : « We need to promote free trade with our partners in the Pacific by embracing the TPP. That way, we'll be a greater partner for these local nations than China is, thus these nations will invest more in the United States than in China. Innovation requires new open markets. We're the second motor vehicle producer in the world, but energy independence will boost our automotive industry, grow motor vehicle production here in the United States, make American cars less expansive than Asian cars (including Chineese cars), encourage American consumers and in the rest of the world to buy more American cars, which will considerably boost job creation in America much more than in China. Latin America's economy is as big as China's. So if we ratify free trade with Latin America, we will counterbalance China's trading power. We got to reinforce our military presence in the Pacific to make sure we can avoid a violation of South China Sea's territorial integrity by Beijing. We need to increase military exercises in the region if we want to prevent such a crisis. By increasing military spending and using part of the surplus (when I balance the budget as President of the United States) in the improvement of force readiness as well as in the improvement of military equipment, we're gonna make sure that the United States will remain the strongest military power in the world, thus making us much more able to ensure security at home, to protect our allies and to defeat our ennemies. That's the responsibility of a commander-in-chief and I take the pledge to assume that responsibility. »

-Clinton : « When I became Secretary of State, President Obama and I made Asia a major element of our foreign policy and I will keep this region at this status as I did as President. It's a dynamic region filled with opportunities. If Beijing commits more violations against human rights, I will rise the tarifs on China. We also have to reinforce security in the Pacific against China's expansionist ambitions, which requires more American military presence in the region and more military exercises, thus making our local allies more able to counter any Chineese threat. »

QUESTION : Despite it's losses, ISIS is still on the run. what is your plan to defeat ISIS?

-Clinton : Under my watch, we found and killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, ISIS' leader. If my strategy worked, we can keep it up. Our warplanes will keep destroying ISIS' sources of supplies, thus decreasing their ability to commit attacks and making them vulnerable against anti-ISIS forces. »

-Rubio : « I congratulate the President for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's death. But we still have much work to do. And to accomplish this work, a no-fly zone and airstrikes are not enough to defeat ISIS. The proof is it emerged in Egypt under President Clinton's watch, making North Africa and Middle East much less stable and safe. 9 of our diplomats in Egypt were killed by djihadists during the terrorist assault on the U.S. Embassy in Cairo. It demonstrates the President's lack of leadership just like during the Benghazi attack in 2012, in the same region. We surely need more airstrikes against ISIS, but we also need more boots on the ground in war against ISIS. These djihadist will never be able to defeat our powerful military arsenal. By sending ground troops on the Syrian soil, we will use them to surround ISIS with them alongside our NATO allies, Turkey, Iraq, thus these terrorists will be striked on every front, which might force them to surrender. We also need to increase military training for the Kurds in order to make sure their fight against ISIS will be successful and our anti-ISIS crusade will be successful. When it comes to Africa, I will form an agency leading antiterrorism fight in Africa with military action or intelligence operations detecting the location of terrorist leaders, thus helping us neutralizing them. »

Debate Winner Poll

• Marco Rubio : 67 %
• Hillary Clinton : 33 %

[Sir Mohamed]

So it looks like President Clinton gets cruhed on election day.

[UWS]

Third and final presidential debate, October 21st, 2020, at the Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, Virginia), Part 1.

Participants : President Hillary Clinton (the Democratic nominee) and Florida Senator Marco Rubio (the Republican nominee)

Moderator : George Stephanopoulos

Segments : Foreign policy issues

What is your vision about America's role in the world?

-Rubio : « Thank you, George, thanks to the Virginia Commonwealth University for hosting this debate and it's an honor to be with the president again. America must keep his status as the hope of the Earth. For that, we have to stand with our allies. Our allies have a common goal : peace, security and freedom around the world. Diplomacy is an effective tool in that matters, but diplomacy alone is not enough to solve international crises and defeat our ennemies. We got to increase defense spending to ensure our forces' readiness, reinforce security, fight terrorism and tyranny and promote freedom. We can also defeat our ennemies by pushing strategic collaboration, especially with Turkey and India. Assad is slaying people while supporting terrorism, ISIS is on the run and emerged in Egypt, the Second USSR is threatening international peace and stability and North Korea is multiplying provocations in the Pacific Ocean. If we want peace, stability and security, we have to be ready for action and for war, if necessary. As a member of the Committee on Foreign Relations in the Senate, I know what it takes to get America as well as the rest of the world into a safer situation and I will use my experience to fulfill this duty. »

-Clinton : « We're living in a dangerous world. I served in the U.S. Senate for eight years before serving as Secretary of State for four years. I understand diplomacy and this wide foreign policy experience allowed us to accomplish successes in the last four years. We reinforced our diplomatic relations with Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East, we eliminated ISIS in Iraq in addition of finding and killing Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and we reinforced defence ties with India. In a second term, I will keep using this experience to accomplish the remaining work we got to do : defending diplomatically territorial integrity in the Pacific, in Middle East and in Eastern Europe, supporting and encouraging our allies' armed forces' training to defeat ISIS and stop the Second USSR's expanisonist attempts, improving social and economic life in the Middle East and promoting human rights around the world. »

ISIS

-Clinton : « What we need to do to defeat ISIS is to arm the Syrian rebellion and the Kurds in addition of giving them military training. Thanks to our air forces' operations, we destroyed some ISIS' strategic positions and destroyed sources of supplies, thus decreasing their ability to commit attacks and making them vulnerable against anti-ISIS forces. Thanks to this strategy, we are cutting off the road between ISIS positions and Turkey borders, which will make Turkey safer from ISIS attacks. It's also important to keep our allies safe in order to keep their morale high in this fight against terrorism. »

-Rubio : « I agree with the President's strategy which is arming and training the Syrian rebellion and the Kurds against ISIS and destroying ISIS' sources of supplies. But ISIS is still on the run and is profiting from anti-ISIS forces division to commit more terrorist attacks. And worse, just a short way away from Syria by invading Eastern Turkey, the Second USSR is considering sending ground troops in Syria to defeat the Syrian rebellion and protect the Assad regime because Syria is Second USSR's only route to the Mediterranean Sea, which will end any hope of eradicating ISIS in Syria and restoring democracy in this country.
We and our allies need to reinforce our military presence in Syria in order to discourage Moscow from intervening militarily. We must send ground troops there if we want this country to finish with ISIS once and for all and to free itself from Assad's oppression. That way, alongside our NATO allies, Iraq and Kurds, we will surround ISIS, and this terrorist organization will get attacked from every side and will be forced to divide its forces to defend its remaining positions, thus making them weaker. They won't have a decent shot against America's military arsenal and technology. That way, Middle East will make another great step to democracy, freedom, peace and justice. »

Indian Sub-Continent

-Rubio : « The President withdrawed our troops from Afghanistan at the wrong time, thus allowing a growing terrorist threat in the Indian Sub-Continent with a re-emergence of the Taliban in Afghanistan. To correct this situation, defeat the Taliban and Al-Qaida and restore security in this country, we need to launch air operations against the Taliban and Al Qaida and send military analysts there to ensure the Afghan army's readiness and to help it develop strategies against the insurgents. By lifting diplomatic and economic sanctions against Iran, the previous administration allowed Tehran to use capital gains from lifting of sanctions to keep developping it's nuclear military arsenal, supporting the Assad regime and funding Hezbollah, which is threatening security in the Middle East as well as Israel's existence. The Iranian government has put it's military interests first before it's country's economic interests by using uranium for the development of it's military nuclear program instead of using it for Iran's economic growth. So this move is against Iran's economic interests. We must re-establish sanctions against Tehran to keep capitals from falling in the hands of the the Iranian government. I have a plan to create an association between nations included in the Indian Sub-Continent (India, Pakistan and Afghanistan). After all, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India have common goals and common ennemies. These three countries suffered terrorist attacks and are fighting terrorism. But for many many years, India and Pakistan are facing high diplomatic tensions on religious and territorial matters. But they both successfully fought for their liberty and defeated british colonial oppression seven decades ago. So these two nations are, in some ways, brothers and they need to work together to fight and eradicate islamic terrorism and make sure that Pakistani nuclear weapons will not fall in the hands of terrorists. In addition, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, just like us, are worried about the possibility of Iran getting a nuclear bomb. Support for the Iranian military nuclear among the Iranian public opinion is still strong. So we need to create this intergovernmental military alliance in the Indian Sub-Continent to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons and to defeat radical islamic terrorism in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. That's why I supported the President's US-India Security Relations Act in the Senate, an Act that strengthened the defense ties between the United States and India and I will use this kind of leadership as commander-in-chief. »

-Clinton : « If there's any proof that Iran is effectively violating the nuclear deal, we will restore the sanctions against Tehran to block capitals from Iran's treasury, thus decreasing Tehran's ability to develop nuclear weapons. And we're gonna make sure that Iran will use it's nuclear energy for it's economic development rather than it's military nuclear program's. »

Terrorism in Africa

-Clinton : « Terrorism has expanded in Africa, notably in North Africa, which destabilized this continent already in the throes of misery, poverty and violence and led to the death of many innocent people, notably tourists, including many of our fellow citizens. All the more so as some of these terrorist groups in Africa are afiliated to ISIS or Al Qaida. These conflicts are delaying Africa's development, which is deepening this continent's impoverishment. My plan to combat terrorism in Africa is to give heavy weapons to African nations in throes of terrorism and send military analysts there in order to help African governments to develop new efficient strategies against djihadists. That way, we can not only save innocent lives, but also save our local economic interests by reopening trade routes around Africa and give back to Africans ressources used by djihadists to fund their terrorist activities. »

-Rubio : « In the last ten years, your lack of leadership have decreased North Africa's stability and security, especially in Libya and in Egypt where many of our brave ambassadors were killed and where ISIS emerged. And you're surely still hiding something about Benghazi, informations that you would have erased among your emails when you were Secretary of State. Terrorists are using Africa as a springboard to commit terrorist attacks in Europe. I don't want the Mediterranean Sea to become a terrorist lake. We have to launch an air offensive against ISIS in Egypt and deprive terrorists of their sources of supplies, especially oil, by securing those ressources and giving them back to Egyptians. My plan to restore security and peace in Africa is, of course, arming African nations involved in this fight, but also putting in place a military intelligence agency that will lead antiterrorist crusade in the African continent through military or intelligence operations and that will use drones in order to find the location of terrorist leaders, which will help us to capture or kill them. We also need to give military training to the armed forces of armies of the African countries in the throes of jihadism to make sure these courageous soldiers will be ready and able to combat terrorism with American techniques that helped us to capture or kill Osama Bin Laden, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Saddam Hussein and Dadullah. That's how we're gonna defeat Boko Haram, ISIS, the Shebaab and reinforce security in Africa. »

[UWS]

Third and final presidential debate, October 21st, 2020, at the Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, Virginia), Part 2.

Participants : President Hillary Clinton (the Democratic nominee) and Florida Senator Marco Rubio (the Republican nominee)

Moderator : George Stephanopoulos

Segments : Foreign policy issues

Middle East's future

-Rubio : « Terrorist attacks are multiplying in the Middle East, and democracy and freedom are in danger in this region. One of the main reasons why some Muslims are radicalizing and are adhering jihadism is they are living into poverty and under tyranny and are not given the necessitated opportunities to prosper and succeed. So we got to ensure the development of Middle East with a plan similar to President Kennedy's Alliance for Progress used to develop Latin America and combat communism almost sixty years ago, but we'll take the lessons of the failures of this program. The goal of my plan is to counter jihadism influence in this region. We have to build houses to give housing for all the people Middle East, hospitals to give them the health care they need, groceries to give them more access to food and schools to give them the education they need to have a successful life and to make sure Middle East's young people will be able to find economic opportunities and good-paying jobs. We also have to invest in the development of Middle East's ressources with private investors to give Middle East people access to it's own ressources, especially oil, nuclear and local agricultural products. We need to give local armed forces military training if we want security and liberty to be reinforced in this region. We also have to promote democracy there and to expand free-trade with Middle East to make America and it's companies competitive in this region and ensure job creation not only in America but also in the Middle East. By promoting free trade with Middle East, we can promote democracy and political freedom in that region through globalization, technology innovation and economic liberalization. That way, radicalization will be reduced, security and freedom will be reinforced and the Middle East will be more prosperous than ever before. »

-Clinton : « Well, George, like I said earlier in this debate, we need to give back the Middle East people it's own ressources like nuclear energy that is used by Iran for military technology instead of economic development and I will make sure Iran will follow this path by restoring sanctions against Tehran if the Iranian government violates the Iran nuclear deal. We are training and arming the Syrian rebellion to defeat ISIS... »

-Rubio : « And I talked about doing it not only to defeat ISIS, but also to topple the Assad regime and make these rebels soldiers of a permanent army that will have the responsibility of ensuring security of a democratic Syria. »

-Clinton : « Please Senator, let me finish. Senator Rubio is right, we have, in the past, signed free trade agreements with some Middle East nations like Bahrain, Oman, Israel and Jordan. And I will make sure that we're gonna use these agreements as a model of freedom and democracy that Middle East must follow. »

Second USSR

-Clinton : « Russia has stabbed us in the back. Vladimir Putin's oppression of the Russian people is much worse than in the beginning of his presidency. The New USSR is now attacking our allies and it's neighbours. We need to extend sanctions against Moscow, which will increase Russian inflation, thus hurting Russia's economy. With a weaken economy, the Second USSR will be no longer able to intimidate and attack any country in the world. I will use my diplomatic experience to confront the Second USSR diplomatically. In 2009, the Russian reset improved our relations with Russia after years of tensions, especially regarding Georgia. So we can improve our relations with Russia again, especially by coalescing in a common fight against a common ennemy : ISIS. »

-Rubio : « The 2009 Russian reset has failed. The proof is Russia is supporting the Assad regime, is invading Ukraine, annexed Crimea, and is now invading Turkey, a great NATO ally, in order to build a pipeline relying Russia to Syria and Vladimir Putin is violating Human Rights in Russia. Eight years ago, during the 2012 Presidential election, Governor Mitt Romney warned us about Russia's agressive foreign policy, but Barack Obama ignored it and even mocked it. And now we are watching the consequences of Moscow's expansionist policies as the President is keeping us in this path to weakness, which clearly proved that Governor Romney was right in addition of demonstrating this administration's lack of leadership and judgement. The kind sanctions the President was talking about could be effective, but not enough. As a military power, Moscow is arming the pro-Russian rebellion in Ukraine with Russian weapons. If we want to defend Ukraine against the Second USSR, we must reinforce NATO's military presence in the Black Sea to overwhelm these rebels as well as training and arming the Ukrainian armed forces to help them taking Crimea back, defeating the pro-Russian rebellion and defending their country against any Russian agression thanks to weapons from the greatest military power on Earth : the United States of America. We also have to promote free trade with Ukraine to counter the Russian influence in this country, to ensure Ukraine's freedom and prosperity with America as a better partner with energy indpendence, which will make Ukraine less dependent from Russian oil and gas. To defend Turkey against the Second USSR, we have to secure the Black Sea as well but also to arm the Turkish army and give a military training to the Kurds, who, for the first time, are fighting alongside Turkey against a common enemy. We must follow the Kurds' example by standing with our allies against Russian agression. »

North Korea

-Rubio : « Kim Jong-un's regime is much more dangerous than ever before. In addition of threatening our allies in the Pacific like South Korea and Japan, North Korea funded Abu Sayyaf to commit a terrorist attack that killed 10 of our courageous men in uniform in Pearl Harbor on April 17 2019, thus demonstrating the necessity of reinforcing the presence of the US Navy, which requires an increase of military spending that the President sadly cut in the last four years. We need to give a strong response to this madness. I propose that we create around the Pacific Ocean an intergovernmental military alliance similar to NATO but including the United States all their allies around the Pacific (Canada, Mexico, Peru, Australia, New Zeland, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea and Japan) to prevent any North Korean agression, to take down any North Korean missile throwed against us or our allies and to reinforce security in the Pacific Ocean. »

-Clinton : « After this terrorist attack in Pearl Harbor, we decided to extend the War on Terror in the Pacific by relaunching the fight against Abu Sayyaf because it's unacceptable not only that a terrorist group like Abu Sayyaf strikes us at home but also that a nation like North Korea supports terrorism to use it against us. We need to reinforce our military presence in the Pacific as well as our diplomatic and economic sanctions against Pyongyang, which helped us to avoid any devastating war against North Korea every single time we were in the throes of a diplomatic crisis with North Korea. If Japan decides to change the ninth Amendment of it's constitution to rearm itself, I will support this decision because it would be not only for Japan's security but also for the Pacific Ocean's security, Asia's security and America's security against any North Korean nuclear missile throwed against us or our allies. »

Debate Winner Poll

Marco Rubio : 63 %
Hillary Clinton : 37 %

[UWS]

America's Choice 2020

National Poll - October 27, 2020

• Marco Rubio : 49 %
• Hillary Clinton : 43 %
• Undecided : 8 %

Colorado Poll

• Marco Rubio : 52 %
• Hillary Clinton : 43 %
• Undecided : 5 %

Florida Poll

• Marco Rubio : 54 %
• Hillary Clinton : 42 %
• Undecided : 4 %

Iowa Poll

• Marco Rubio : 48 %
• Hillary Clinton : 44 %
• Undecided : 8 %

Michigan Poll

• Marco Rubio : 45 %
• Hillary Clinton : 45 %
• Undecided : 10 %

Minnesota Poll

• Hillary Clinton : 51 %
• Marco Rubio : 42 %
• Undecided : 7 %

Nevada Poll

• Marco Rubio : 50 %
• Hillary Clinton : 43 %
• Undecided : 7 %

New Hampshire Poll

• Hillary Clinton : 46 %
• Marco Rubio : 44 %
• Undecided : 10 %

New Mexico Poll

• Hillary Clinton : 49 %
• Marco Rubio : 44 %
• Undecided : 7 %

North Carolina Poll

• Marco Rubio : 53 %
• Hillary Clinton : 40 %
• Undecided : 7 %

Ohio Poll

• Marco Rubio : 48 %
• Hillary Clinton : 44 %
• Undecided : 8 %

Pennsylvania Poll

• Marco Rubio : 48 %
• Hillary Clinton : 45 %
• Undecided : 7 %

Virginia Poll

• Marco Rubio : 50 %
• Hillary Clinton : 44 %
• Undecided : 6 %

Washington Poll

• Marco Rubio : 49 %
• Hillary Clinton : 47 %
• Undecided : 4 %

Next up : 2020 Election Day