Last summer, at the height of Olympic frenzy in Paris, I had dinner with a woman who stunned me halfway through our first course by saying she was a financial donor to president-elect Donald Trump.
Trying to put any judgment aside, I asked her why she supported a man who was a renowned misogynist and who a court found guilty of sexual abuse.
“He’s no friend to women,” I said, also pointing out his role in reversing Roe v Wade, the landmark decision of the US Supreme Court that guaranteed American women’s right to an abortion.
The same way a certain generation remember exactly where they were when president John F Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, I remember precisely where I was when I heard the announcement that Roe v Wade was overturned, in June 2022.
It was 7am, and I was in the kitchen preparing my son’s school breakfast. Then I heard Mr Trump’s distinctive tones: “After 50 years of failure, with nobody coming even close, I was able to kill Roe v Wade, much to the ‘shock’ of everyone.”
Back to my dining companion, the Trump donor. Her reason for solidly backing Mr Trump? She didn’t believe the rape allegations or the felonies, but she did believe he was brilliant on the economy.
“He also listens to people, he takes advice from solid advisers around him and he’s good company,” she said. She told me that if I met him, I would have a thoroughly good time. I bet, I countered.
Apparently, other women agreed with her. We thought that Kamala Harris would be the first female president of the United States. We thought she would get votes from progressive liberals and most of the women. But no, while American women “largely” favoured Kamala Harris, it was still not enough to get her elected.
The Democrats have lost two presidential elections with women on the ticket against Mr Trump. It is highly improbable they will give a third woman a chance
Ms Harris had bet on women voters because of Roe v Wade, and she made it a logical major point in her campaign. She also was a more appealing candidate than Hillary Clinton who ran in 2016, and with whom many women could not identify.
Ms Clinton distanced herself from women with her 1992 comment: "I suppose I could have stayed home, baked cookies and had teas." The flippant remark outraged many voters, who saw Ms Clinton as arrogant and mocking stay-at-home wives and mums.
Ms Harris was warmer. She has a friendly smile, more charisma than Ms Clinton. But in the end, only half of her voters were women. Mr Trump still got 43 per cent of the female vote, in addition to cutting into the traditional Democratic vote of Latino voters.
Who were those 43 per cent Trump women? Weren’t they listening to E Jean Carroll back in May 2023, when she sued Mr Trump and was awarded $5 million in a judgment making him liable for sexually abusing her in 1996?
The rape claim was rejected but Mr Trump was held “responsible” for sexual abuse – a perplexing judgment, even for his lawyers. Still, Ms Carroll was one of more than a dozen women accusing Mr Trump of sexual assault or harassment. Mr Trump has denied charges, saying he never encountered Ms Carroll.
If the 2024 American presidential election does one thing, it will force us to abandon conventional political wisdom and assumptions. Not all women voted for a female candidate: suburban women with traditional values voted for Mr Trump. Wealthy women voted for him. Blue state women voted for him. Not all black people voted for a black candidate: the urban vote around Detroit, Philadelphia and Milwaukee went towards Mr Trump. And Latino men – despite Mr Trump’s previous slurs against migrants from Latin America – were part of his coalition that helped get him into office. But women voting for Mr Trump still shocks me. Kamala Harris promised she would protect women’s right to choose. Part of Mr Trump’s platform was also to “protect” women. But how?
I have met other female Trump voters, and the demographic is not what you would expect: they weren’t the female equivalent of a Proud Boy. They were Upper East Side Manhattanites who had second homes in either Aspen or East Hampton (and some had third homes in France). They wanted to protect their way of life – that is, pay as little tax as possible and beat the system with huge tax cuts for businesses.
By and large, they don’t care much about social welfare, Gaza, Ukraine, migrants or past allegations against Mr Trump. It is about maintaining their bank accounts.
“It’s about the economy, stupid,” one former female banker lectured me, quoting James Carville, former president Bill Clinton’s political strategist. Yes, but, I argued back – didn’t Donald Trump file for bankruptcy six times? How does that make him a good businessman? (She declined to answer). "I think women's health care is extremely important to women, but obviously the economy was important," Sarah Chamberlain, chief executive of Republican Mainstream Partnerships, an NGO supporting Republican politicians, told National Public Radio. "And frankly, I think Harris was probably not the best candidate…[US President Joe] Biden steps off, then they kind of anoint her…and a lot of people didn't care for that…”
Other – usually older – women told me bluntly on a recent trip to New York and Washington: “I still don’t think a woman can run the country” – this from an 81-year old. Another, younger companion said: “A lady just isn’t right in the White House. Call me old-fashioned, but I still think Trump will be a better leader.”
This is all depressing to me, but are there lessons learnt? What can Ms Harris’s defeat teach us to do better for future elections? Twice in eight years, a woman has been unable to break a 248-year-old glass ceiling: the US presidency. The Democrats have lost two presidential elections with women on the ticket against Mr Trump. It is highly improbable they will give a third woman a chance, unless she is guaranteed to win, in 2028.
I do believe had Ms Harris separated herself from Mr Biden, had she had more time and didn’t have his scorched earth legacy from Gaza, she would have stood a better chance, at least with the popular vote, which Mr Trump won this time round but lost in 2016.
But to me, all of this means we Americans need to get back to work to break that glass ceiling. Those of us in a position to do so need to enable and support female politicians, identify more young leaders and mentor them. When people finally cast a vote because of substance of the individual – rather than gender, we will know we have been succeeded. But we are still a long way off.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More from Neighbourhood Watch
All or Nothing
Amazon Prime
Four stars
More coverage from the Future Forum
The Book of Collateral Damage
Sinan Antoon
(Yale University Press)
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Scoreline
Arsenal 3
Aubameyang (28'), Welbeck (38', 81')
Red cards: El Neny (90' 3)
Southampton 2
Long (17'), Austin (73')
Red cards: Stephens (90' 2)
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Read more about the coronavirus
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEdited%20by%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Idries%20Trevathan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20240%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hirmer%20Publishers%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five pillars of Islam
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
More on Quran memorisation:
Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eamana%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Karim%20Farra%20and%20Ziad%20Aboujeb%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERegulator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDFSA%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinancial%20services%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E85%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESelf-funded%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The most expensive investment mistake you will ever make
When is the best time to start saving in a pension? The answer is simple – at the earliest possible moment. The first pound, euro, dollar or dirham you invest is the most valuable, as it has so much longer to grow in value. If you start in your twenties, it could be invested for 40 years or more, which means you have decades for compound interest to work its magic.
“You get growth upon growth upon growth, followed by more growth. The earlier you start the process, the more it will all roll up,” says Chris Davies, chartered financial planner at The Fry Group in Dubai.
This table shows how much you would have in your pension at age 65, depending on when you start and how much you pay in (it assumes your investments grow 7 per cent a year after charges and you have no other savings).
|
Age
|
$250 a month
|
$500 a month
|
$1,000 a month
|
|
25
|
$640,829
|
$1,281,657
|
$2,563,315
|
|
35
|
$303,219
|
$606,439
|
$1,212,877
|
|
45
|
$131,596
|
$263,191
|
$526,382
|
|
55
|
$44,351
|
$88,702
|
$177,403
|
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
SQUADS
India
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur
New Zealand
Kane Williamson (captain), Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Henry Nicholls, Ish Sodhi, George Worker, Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The five pillars of Islam
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
%3Cp%3E1984%20-%20Apple%20unveiled%20the%20Macintosh%20on%20January%2024%3Cbr%3E1985%20-%20Steve%20Jobs%20departed%20from%20Apple%20and%20established%20NeXT%3Cbr%3E1986%20-%20Apple%20introduced%20the%20Macintosh%20Plus%2C%20featuring%20enhanced%20memory%3Cbr%3E1987%20-%20Apple%20launched%20the%20Macintosh%20II%2C%20equipped%20with%20colour%20capabilities%3Cbr%3E1989%20-%20The%20widely%20acclaimed%20Macintosh%20SE%2F30%20made%20its%20debut%3Cbr%3E1994%20-%20Apple%20presented%20the%20Power%20Macintosh%3Cbr%3E1996%20-%20The%20Macintosh%20System%20Software%20OS%20underwent%20a%20rebranding%20as%20Mac%20OS%3Cbr%3E2001%20-%20Apple%20introduced%20Mac%20OS%20X%2C%20marrying%20Unix%20stability%20with%20a%20user-friendly%20interface%3Cbr%3E2006%20-%20Apple%20adopted%20Intel%20processors%20in%20MacBook%20Pro%20laptops%3Cbr%3E2008%20-%20Apple%20introduced%20the%20MacBook%20Air%2C%20a%20lightweight%20laptop%3Cbr%3E2012%20-%20Apple%20launched%20the%20MacBook%20Pro%20with%20a%20retina%20display%3Cbr%3E2016%20-%20The%20Mac%20operating%20system%20underwent%20rebranding%20as%20macOS%3Cbr%3E2020%20-%20Apple%20introduced%20the%20M1%20chip%20for%20Macs%2C%20combining%20high%20performance%20and%20energy%20efficiency%3Cbr%3E2022%20-%20The%20M2%20chip%20was%20announced%3Cbr%3E2023%20-The%20M3%20line-up%20of%20chip%20was%20announced%20to%20improve%20performance%20and%20add%20new%20capabilities%20for%20Mac.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More on Quran memorisation:
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
