From the past week's turmoil in Britain to Donald Trump soaring to the front, we're in one of the most interesting political climates in recent times. This afternoon, BOMA International invited renowned journalist David Gregory, former moderator of NBC News' Meet the Press and now a political analyst for CNN, to share his thoughts on how we got here.
How did presidential contenders like Bernie Sanders and Trump get thrust into the spotlight? "We have broken apart," he told a crowd of 3,000 during today's general session, noting the country has lost a sense of community and shared destiny.
The divide among us has been an emotional response to a lot of economic stress, he notes, which has caused many people to do well, yet others, not so much. There are people who have been left behind by globalism, he points out, and they feel out of touch with the elites running the country. "Who do you blame?" he asks. It's this same sentiment that fueled the Brexit vote and has only further fueled Trump's platform, despite how little structure or money his campaign has.
It has lead to what David—snapped with Capstone Property Management president and BOMA chair Kent Gibson, BOMA Fellow—calls a "strange year" in which the ultimate insider is running against the ultimate outsider. "It's refreshing, dangerous and entertaining," he said. "We're at a crossroads."
What each candidate needs to do is work with data points, experiences, history and demographics in order to succeed, he says. But he doesn't see where Trump is making inroads and asks whether Hillary Clinton will be able to do enough in this area.
But despite political turmoil, he believes the US will remain strong and resilient, noting we have been through these conversations before and know how to prevail. So much is right when we come together—we have some of the best companies, the best workers and best universities in the world. "I am still hopeful about our future," he says.
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