Media attention in the democratic race has been focused so far on, primarily, Sanders and Clinton. Despite the fact that Clinton has been very close to securing the nomination over Sanders, few have been focused on the outside shot. I'm talking of course about Democratic nominee Francis Underwood. Regardless of the fact that he doesn't have a chance at winning delegates this time around, it's worth considering what could occur with the superdelegate count in June. I'm going to argue here that I think Underwood, while an exceptionally improbable victor, would be a disaster for America.
A South Carolina Democrat, Underwood has been serving as a congressman since 1991. Since then he has spent time as party whip and Secretary of Education. Underwood has shown exemplary initiative by most accounts, having risen from relative obscurity since 2013.
The controversial education bill he worked on failed to pass through the legislature and he also attempted to push through protections for women in the armed services. He intends, if selected, to carry out a mandate on ''America Works'' which is part austerity programme and part faux-socialist, as it is a programme designed to achieve full employment, and old tactic of Soviet regimes.
He has been known to have a wild temper, something which the media has yet to see, but can be confirmed through interviews with key insiders, most notably former teacher union leader Marty Spinella, who is perhaps better known for having hit Underwood himself after a bout of rage. The charges of manipulation and blackmail by various members of Congress have intermittently become the content of back pages, but there is no denying his mystique and broad appeal.
Where I see perhaps the greatest struggle will be on questions related to foreign relations. So far as I can ascertain, he has limited experience in diplomacy, and despite his personal relationship with the Russian president, there isn't much to go on. His positions on global terror are most certainly unclear, something which Americans deserve to have clarity on before electing him to the highest office.
My worries are that Underwood is willing to do whatever it takes, and his ethics are indeed beyond questionable. Considering that he is relatively out of the contest, these issues might be unimportant, but I would argue that (like all other candidates) his background, his personal logs, relationships, and so on should be scrutinised more carefully. Underwood is, in my opinion, what is wrong with American politics - the blackmail, manipulation, message control, backroom deals and so forth. Again, these contrast largely with his election messages.
Overall, I'm not surprised at the failure of mainstream media to focus much attention (if, frankly, any at all) on Underwoods candidacy. However, with all the uncertainty around the Republican nomination, it would not surprise me if the Democratic Party were to have an outrageous upset itself.
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