FORMER Bathurst councillor Jess Jennings will have a front row seat to the greatest show on Earth as he joins the final days of the US election campaign next week.
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Dr Jennings, who resigned from council to run as Labor’s candidate for the federal seat of Calare in July, will join Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton’s huge team of volunteers ahead of the November 8 poll.
Dr Jennings’ wife Kate and daughter Lola will remain in New York when he travels to Richmond in the “swing state” of Virginia to lend a hand to the campaign team.
He said it would be a historic result either way.
“We’ll either have the first female president or it will be the beginning of the end,” Dr Jennings said.
“I’ve tried to keep an open mind about Donald [Trump] but it’s not easy.
“So far I’ve heard no consistent policy message coming from him, just things like he’s going to massively cut taxes while somehow reducing the deficit. It doesn’t make sense.
Either the first female president or the beginning of the end.
- Dr Jess Jennings
“Against that you have the most qualified person from either side to ever run for president – Secretary of State, former First Lady and a senator.”
Dr Jennings said he would help out wherever needed, whether that was calling voters, running an office, manning a booth or even door-knocking in rural areas.
He believed an “outsider’s” perspective could be an asset on the campaign trail.
“I initially just wanted to be in the country at the time the election occurs so the logical thought from there was that I may as well help out if I can,” Dr Jennings said.
“If I’m having a chat to someone and they detect an accent, I think they would be quite interested to hear what the rest of the world is saying.
“I have spoken to a lot of people here about the election and even staunch conservatives have said to me that they believe Trump is mad.”
Dr Jennings said he hoped to pick up some campaigning tips to help if he decides to again run for parliament.
“I have a fascination with the American political system – the sheer power and influence of American politics means we have a stake in the outcome whether we like it or not,” he said.
“And from a campaigning point of view I’m interested in how the Americans do it.
“The Australian Labor Party has been using a of lot of the tactics that the Obama team used, particularly with online campaigning, so I want to learn what I can.”
