U.S. election: P.E.I. political scientist tries to make sense of Trump win

UPEIpolitical scientist, DonDesserud,believes the U.S. Democratic party got the message wrong and misunderstood what the American electorate wanted.

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He said emphasizing Hillary Clintonwas an experienced candidate with the support of many former presidents may have been the wrong thing to do, especially when a large number of voters were looking for a non-establishment candidate who promised significant change like Trump did.

"I'm not suggesting they got the right person, in any means, I don't think they did at all. I think he played them. He played them very, very well," saidDesserud.

President-elect convincing

"But he convinced them that all of his strange behaviours and horrible things that he said were evidence that he could go in there and shake things up. In fact, for that matter, smash things down, which is what a considerable number of Americans believe is a necessary thing to do."

Desseruddescribed it ascutting your nose off to spite your face.

"I think the consequences are going to be dire, but that's what they were looking for."

Desserud, who will spending a long weekend in Boston at a political convention said he's interested in hearing what his American colleagues have to say about the election. And more so, what it means to thefuture.

"Do they believe the system is strong enough, you know the separation of powers, to curtail any kind of bizarre behaviours in the White House, or do they think that the system itself needs to be adjusted?"

Leading up to the election, there was a rift in the RepublicanParty but Desserud said now that the party holds the power in Congress and the Senate, the rift will likely be mended.

"It's amazing how success will close rifts. So we'll see if those Republicans will see themselves as an opposition. Congress often does, regardless of the party label, or whether that will now come on side and say, 'Well, he won,
let's jump aboard.'"

CBC asked for comment from Premier WadeMacLauchlanand Economic Development and Tourism Minister HeathMacDonald. Both were unavailable to comment.

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