Title: THE 2020 Campaign & The U.S.-Japan Partnership in the Indo-Pacific – An Update

Speaker: Ted Gove, Ph.D. (Claremont Graduate University)

Abstract:

Conventional wisdom of presidential campaigns holds that incumbent presidents have an advantage when presiding over a strong economy, particularly during periods of extended peace. Yet, President Trump defies convention. He regularly has a public approval rating of less than 50% in nationwide polls of registered voters with respondents consistently saying they dislike him personally.

Yet, a majority of Americans approve of his handling of the U.S. economy. These atypical numbers indicate that President Trump is vulnerable in the campaign, particularly when taken into account how his poll numbers fare vis-à-vis some of his challengers. Various factors could affect the outcome: the Democrats’ calls for the president’s impeachment; the economy; the immigration crisis; international events; natural disasters and international/domestic terrorist attacks.

Abroad, Washington is grappling with stalled North Korean nuclear arms negotiations and a prolonged trade war with Beijing that is one piece of a developing U.S.-China rivalry. Additionally, Trump faces tensions with Iran, peace talks with the Taliban of Afghanistan, Brexit uncertainties and a humanitarian and political crisis in Venezuela.

Speaker Bio:

Ted Gover, Ph.D. is Director of the Tribal Administration Program at Claremont Graduate University, a program focusing on Tribal law, management, economic development and intergovernmental relations.  Ted has taught courses on politics and foreign affairs for Central Texas College U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, and has served as an advisor to the Simon Wiesenthal Center and its world-renowned Museum of Tolerance, helping to coordinate and support their initiatives in Asia.    Over the years, Ted has written dozens of articles on U.S. foreign policy and Asian/Middle East security relations. Ted is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College and Claremont Graduate University.

 

Chair:  Jeffrey J. Hall (Waseda University)

Language: English

September 30 (Monday), 2019, 18:15-19:45

Place: Waseda University Campus, Building 14, Room 960

1-104 Totsukamachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 169-8050, JAPAN
Google Maps Link: https://goo.gl/maps/vJbYazrTj3s
A Campus Map can be found at: https://www.waseda.jp/top/en/access/waseda-campus