Presidential Election Week 2000 (English)

By: Johan van Ruijven

Witness of election history

A Dutch delegation of thirty persons, including a Member of Parliament, representatives of ministries, captains of industry and advisers spent one week in Washington, DC, the week in which the elections for the 43^rd President of the United States took place. The Presidential Election Week (PEW) 2000 was a study trip that will long hold a prominent place in the memory of the participants. Thanks to the rich program, the impeccable organization and, most of all, the election results.

Before they have even departed the Netherlands, the delegation members have already concluded that, regardless of the outcome of the elections, it is going to be a fascinating week. The program features an impressive list of meetings, including discussions with a deputy secretary, the chairman of the central bank, members of Congress, ambassadors, White House staff, spokesmen, lobbyists, researchers and journalists.

The real program begins on Monday, November 6, with a breakfast meeting with researcher and former journalist Larry Makinson and consultant/pollster Michael Bloomfield. Key words during their introductions are fundraising and spending. The influence exerted by business is also discussed extensively. The speakers try to demystify as much as possible the sources of the campaign budgets.

The EDS offices are the group's home base on this day. Host is Bill Sweeney, EDS's Vice President Global Government Affairs who is also a board member of APEP. His first guest speaker is Frank Fahrenkopf, former chairman of the Republican Party, who impresses by clearly and comprehensively outlining the entire electoral system on a whiteboard within twenty minutes. No one at this point has the faintest idea of how useful this mini-course is going to prove later in the week. Not much later Randy Moorhead, Vice President Government Affairs for Philips in Washington, amazes us with his account of the canvassing for political support that takes place within multinational corporations, and of how contributions to political parties are treated as a part of regular wage administration procedures.

Amy Conroy of the League of Conservation Voters explains that although her convictions are not yet shared by the bulk of Americans, her party is growing. Environmental care is a big issue for her, however, not yet for the average American. In spite of today's overflowing agenda, time is found to listen to Chuck Brain, a personal lobbyist of President Clinton. That is, on one condition: his story will remain totally off the record. A condition which this reporter has no intention of breaching.

When visiting the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Stuart E. Eizenstat, it is again on condition that whatever is discussed remains ‘between ourselves'. Before departing for the Treasury Department, Joel Bradshaw addresses the group. The National Education Association's political director notes that in the course of the election campaign education has moved up on the ‘issue list'. Two of his remarkable statements: good test results have nothing to do with long-term learning, and: the question 'are we teaching the right things?' should be the central issue in the next education debate.

Election Day starts with an Ambassadors Breakfast hosted by the International Foundation for Election Systems. A considerable amount of tension is already tangible, which forms a stark contrast with the atmosphere encountered a little later in two polling stations in Bethesda, a small town in the adjacent State of Maryland. Many elderly, a tranquil atmosphere and not too many visitors, despite energetic efforts via telephone to tempt eligible voters to come to the polling station. The visitors from the Netherlands also receive a lesson in perforating a ballot, still ignorant about the six-week long scrutiny looming in Florida of ballots of the same type…

The main event of the afternoon is a visit to the Federal Reserve, the US central bank. Chairman Alan Greenspan talks to the delegation for twenty minutes in his own impressive meeting hall. Notwithstanding restrictions imposed by Fed spokesmen prior to the meeting, the Euro, Duisenberg and the interest rates are discussed extensively. This is, however, another meeting taking place on condition of secrecy.

The evening which is supposed to deliver the decision, begins with a dinner in a restaurant where between the courses we are informed of the first results by a large and noisy television set. Bill Sweeney reveals himself as a skilled political commentator. After 10pm everyone is free to choose between the Mayflower hotel, where the Democrats are holding their party, and the Hilton, where the Republicans have gathered. Most of us spend a few hours at both locations. Until the moment the decision is announced, at seventeen minutes past two, Wednesday morning. Bush is president and all of us, in need of some sleep, head for our hotel. Back in our rooms, just another quick look at our television screens. What?

Barely a few hours later, while having breakfast, the delegation members become aware that something special is in the air. This feeling is reinforced when Ivo Daalder, Senior Fellow Foreign Policy Studies of The Brookings Institution welcomes the group. He is confused, just as all other speakers we meet later this day. All speeches that have been prepared in advance are destined for the trash can; what remains is improvisation. Which proves to be no less interesting, to say the least. This is also the case when we visit the prominent investment advisers of EMM/EMI. Instead of the planned monologues, there is now plenty of time for dialogue.

The subsequent visit to the White House turns out to be one of the week's highlights. Our hosts in the Roosevelt Room are three of the President's personal advisers. Their daily routine of constant shuttling between Capitol Hill and Bill Clinton's official residence is one of the main topics of discussion, although the uncertain election outcome has left these gentlemen insecure as to whether they will be holding their jobs for much longer. The day is concluded with a reception hosted by the Netherlands Ambassador to Washington, Joris Vos.

On Thursday, the first visit is to law firm Greenberg Traurig. The planning is not bad, as the media are simultaneously announcing the first planned court cases on the election results. In addition to the presentations on legal issues, there is an interesting meeting with three very young, exhausted campaign runners who report on their recent activities, and with a former member of Congress.

The afternoon has been reserved for meetings at the National Press Club. Here, Newsweek editor and political commentator Eleanor Clift shares her un-American vision of what is taking place. A good dose of cynicism, interesting backgrounds and a sincere engagement characterize the speech of this genuine journalist. Speaking of skilled professionals; later that afternoon, Charles Groenhuijsen spends an hour sharing with the group his experiences during the previous 24 hours.

On the last day, after a brief meeting with Dave Gribbin, a member of Dick Cheney's campaign staff, the group visits the head office of America Online. AOL's welcome is warm, but after everything they observed this week the group has some critical questions in store with regard to the achievements of the ICT sector in the US. How, for instance, does the pace of developments in the New Economy relate to the manual counting of faulty butterfly ballots?

Earlier, Gribbin had expressed his admiration for his boss, hoping that he would be awarded the vice-presidency. Nobody knows then that his wish will eventually be fulfilled.