Will Ivanka be first US Woman President?

Some American delegates who attended recent GES say she seems to have political ambitions
Ivanka Trump, who is currently espousing the cause of women empowerment globally is just 36 now and the United States of America, the sole superpower and the world's oldest democracy with the origins dating back to 1789, has not elected a woman president till date. Is there any link between these two realities? It looks like so with Ivanka giving out ample indications about her political aspirations.

The Hans India spoke to a number of American delegates, who attended the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 (GES) held in the city last week, to elicit their opinion on whether Ivanka, mother-of-three children, and a senior advisor to her father US President Donald Trump, would make it to the top in US politics and become the superpower’s first woman president. Most of them agreed that Ivanka cherished political ambitions. But verdict is wide open on whether she will be able to make it to the White House as President

So, we shouldn't be surprised if the Trump's eldest daughter becomes first woman president of the United States.The First Daughter, as she is popularly known in the US these days, kicked up row earlier this year when she occupied the chair meant for his father at a discussion on women empowerment and other issues at a G20 meeting.

When her father was away from the discussion table, she briefly occupied his chair, sitting between Xi Jinping, the President of China, and Theresa May, the Prime Minister of Britain, at Group of 20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany in July this year.

That's a clear indication as to where her political ambitions lie. When Ivanka's act evoked criticism, German Chancellor Angela Merkel came to her defence, saying she was part of the American delegation to the summit.

The Hans India spoke to a number of American delegates, who attended the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 (GES) held in the city last week, to elicit their opinion on whether Ivanka, mother-of-three children, and a senior advisor to her father US President Donald Trump, would make it to the top in US politics and become the superpower’s first woman president. Most of them agreed that Ivanka cherished political ambitions.

But verdict is wide open on whether she will be able to make it to the White House as President. But the first woman who has gone close to the historic milestone is Hillary Clinton, the wife of former US President Bill Clinton, who contested on Democratic ticket and lost to Ivanka's father in 2016. She was nearing 70 years of age when she entered the fray. Ivanka, 36, has 35-year-long window to reach that age. And, she is already the most popular American political face after her father.

Richard M Rossow, Senior Advisor of Washington-based Centre for Strategic & International Studies, said Ivanka, who led 350-member US delegation to GES and was cynosure of eyes at the summit in Hyderabad, seemed to have enjoyed her business side of life quite bit.

“However, her running for political office depends on how Republican Presidency goes. If things turn around and American has strong economy, then it will open up doors for her,” said Rossow who attended GES as a delegate. He however pointed out that Ivanka did not reveal her political ambitions yet.

He further said Ivanka did not comment much on issues that a US president would have to deal with. “It’s good that she is focusing on women empowerment. However, we don’t know her views on security and other important policies. There are so many different topics on which we don’t know about her views. It’s too early to speak about whether she is presidential material or not,” he explained.

Tim Receveur, Director of PeaceTech Exchanges, which works with social entrepreneurs, feels that Ivanka is smart and intelligent. “She delivered a fine speech here at GES. She is very smart and intelligent business woman. Moreover, she is championing women’s issues around the world,” Receveur opined. Also based in Washington, DC, he company focuses on job creation, gender-based violence, official corruption, etc.

Kate Cochran, CEO, US-based Social Ventures, who came to the GES as a representative of a portfolio of entrepreneurs, observed that Ivanka made a fine speech. “She might have political aspirations,” she said.

Asked whether Ivanka was a presidential material, she replied: “She (Ivanka) will not be my pick. My policies and my values are different. I support lots of Republicans, but not that particular family, their policies and values,” she said.

Another native American delegate who did not wish to be quoted told this newspaper that Donald Trump’s popularity was diminishing day by day and there was no way he would win next elections. “Trump’s graph is falling with every passing day.

I don’t think any member of Trump family will have bright future in American politics,” the delegate confided. He also asserted that Americans would never encourage dynastic politics. “They support candidates who have come up on their own – candidates like Barack Obama. They will never support daughters, wives, brothers of politicians in power. That’s reason why Hillary Clinton lost elections last year,” he sought to explain.

However, many Indians were also floored by Ivanka Trump’s speech at GES even though it kicked up a row in a section of the US media which alleged that she delivered a partly-recycled speech. “Surprisingly, she spoke very well.

Most people told me they were surprised by the way she spoke. She has good thoughts, very well stated,” said Ramesh Loganathan, Professor at IIT Hyderabad. A past president of Hysea, Loganathan, who was present at GES, however did not want to make a guess on her rise in politics and her chances of becoming the US President as he ‘doesn’t follow American politics’.

Nonetheless, Americans worship their global superpower status. That seems to reason why they are reluctant to put their country in the hands of a woman, fearing such a move may jeopardize their super power status and put their global pride in peril.

So, Ivanka's success if she runs for her country's highest political office is linked to how effectively she can convince her country men and women that this pride will be in safe hands. Her religion may also play an adverse role. Born Christian, she converted to Judaism to marry Jared Kushner, a Jew. But Ivanka is passionate about women empowerment and in the US, women empowerment will remain incomplete without a woman becoming its president!

BY P Madhusudhan Reddy