Bruce Wolpe was on the Democratic staff in Congress in President Obama's first term. He is a supporter of Hillary Clinton's campaign. He is chief of staff to former Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The views expressed in his column for The Drum on the 2016 election campaign are solely and exclusively his own.
Posted
How has Donald Trump been able to persist in a parallel universe in which the normal laws of political gravity do not apply? An explanation may well lie in our entertainment culture.
Topics: world-politics, television-broadcasting, united-states
Posted
| UpdatedBruce Wolpe predicts a Hillary Clinton victory in this week's US presidential election, and explains how it will most likely play out.
Topics: us-elections, world-politics, united-states
Posted
What the October Surprise has done is remove any and all sense of complacency from the Clinton campaign. It is not coasting on autopilot any more.
Topics: us-elections, world-politics, united-states
Posted
Having pushed Trump's buttons again in the third US presidential debate, Clinton will now make a full court press for her closing argument to the American people.
Topics: world-politics, us-elections, united-states
Posted
| UpdatedThe Republican Party has all but failed to resolve the existential crisis posed by Trump, and that failure has meant the US has been put through the ugliest ordeal in its political history.
Topics: us-elections, government-and-politics, world-politics, united-states
Posted
| UpdatedDonald Trump's running mate Mike Pence is earning big points within the party, and Republicans who survive will thank him for what he has done in an impossible situation.
Topics: world-politics, us-elections, united-states
Posted
| UpdatedBy the end of the night, Mrs Clinton unpicked the knot and showed, without doubt, she is the candidate who is more capable to assume the presidency.
Topics: us-elections, event, united-states
Posted
| UpdatedThe political classes in Washington are frightened and dazed, afraid that Trump can win this election, reflecting a changed America they do not know or understand any more. The Imperial City is seized with it.
Topics: us-elections, government-and-politics, world-politics, united-states
Posted
| UpdatedHillary Clinton still leads but faces a push from powerful forces who want to see Donald Trump elected US president.
Topics: us-elections, world-politics, united-states
Posted
| UpdatedThe next reset moment will be the presidential debates beginning in late September. Until then, what should we look for? What are the markers to gauge how the race is going?
Topics: us-elections, world-politics, united-states
Posted
| UpdatedTo paraphrase Depression-era president FDR, as the US presidential race careers towards an ugly end, we do have more to fear than fear itself.
Topics: us-elections, world-politics, united-states
Posted
| UpdatedBoth the Democratic Convention and Trump's behaviour since have re-set the dynamics of the US presidential election, with nominee Hillary Clinton climbing in the polls - nationally and in key battleground states.
Topics: us-elections, obama-barack
Posted
As Hillary Clinton made history this week to become the first woman to be nominated by a major political party for the US presidency, her party had two overriding objectives: to unite Democrats behind her, and to rebuild, renew and re-present her identity and character so that her unfavourables could begin to be reversed.
Topics: us-elections, world-politics
Posted
While another choice might have embellished a candidacy premised on historic change (as well as experience), Clinton knows what matters most is a vice president she could trust.
Topics: us-elections, world-politics
Posted
In times of great tumult and change, we often think we are going through something unique. This is simply not true about what we are seeing with Donald Trump and this presidential election.
Topics: us-elections
Posted
| UpdatedBy choosing as his running mate Indiana governor Mike Pence, a man of proven experience and ability, Donald Trump has finally shown a presidential temperament.
Topics: us-elections
Posted
Boris Johnson's ugly denouement is not lost on the American cousins across the pond. It is a cautionary tale for those who might have once looked at Donald Trump in the same light but now realise: the BoJo road leads to turmoil.
Topics: government-and-politics, world-politics, foreign-affairs
Posted
If the tectonic forces in the UK lead to serious economic consequences elsewhere, this could reshape the American political landscape and make a Donald Trump victory in November more likely.
Topics: government-and-politics, us-elections, foreign-affairs
Posted
The Orlando massacre will impact on the US election and how Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton approach it. Terrorism, gun control and unity will be important issues in the race for the White House.
Topics: government-and-politics, us-elections, terrorism, gays-and-lesbians
Posted
There are two schools of thoughts for Hillary Clinton's vice-presidential running mate: go bold to capture the anti-establishment mood, or go steady to calm the convulsions.
Topics: us-elections, government-and-politics
Posted
| UpdatedNever mind the doubters, Hillary Clinton has two weapons to attack Donald Trump with. 1) Barack Obama. 2) Her ability to surgically dissect his lack of foreign policy credentials.
Topics: us-elections, government-and-politics
Posted
Bernie Sanders is causing headaches for Hillary Clinton's campaign, but so what? Clinton will still claim the Democratic nomination, unite the party and take the fight to Donald Trump.
Topics: us-elections, government-and-politics
Posted
Donald Trump has broken every rule so far, but he can't muck up his pick for vice presidential running mate. It will be the most revealing thing about him as a candidate for president.
Topics: us-elections, federal-election
Posted
Bernie Sanders has known since Hillary Clinton's victory in Ohio that it is impossible for him to win a majority of all the Democratic delegates. But while his continued presence has some obvious drawbacks for Clinton there are dividends as well.
Topics: us-elections, foreign-affairs
Posted
| UpdatedHow did the party of Lincoln fail so miserably to get its political house in order? My correspondence with a long-time counsellor to Mitt Romney offers some insights.
Topics: us-elections, foreign-affairs, government-and-politics, world-politics