Trump or Hillary? Two friends hit US presidential campaign trail

"She looks so tiny, so frail!" Suleiman Khan said, nudging his friend.

Anwar Sheikh shook his head impatiently "Suleiman, size doesn’t matter. Hillary Clinton is going to be the next president of the United States. Ladbrokes in London has even stopped taking bets on the US presidential election. It’s over. Donald Trump is finished. It’s over, Suleiman."

Suleiman glanced at his friend quizzically. "But Trump’s trailing by only 6 per cent in the latest opinion polls. And there are still 80 days to go for the election with three presidential debates to come in September and October. Things can change pretty fast you know, Anwarbhai…"

Just then a roar engulfed the crowd as it broke into a chant: "Hillary! Hillary!"

The two friends were at a Democratic party campaign rally in Pennsylvania, a big swing state. Hillary was speaking to a crowd of over 5,000 people carrying "Hillary Clinton for President" banners and draped in red-blue stars and stripes shirts.

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Suleiman had taken a month’s leave from his job in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He asked Anwar to join him on a quick trip to the US to witness the presidential campaign first hand. His friends in Saudi said it would be exciting to see Islam-baiting Trump trounced by Hillary.

Anwar wrapped up work in Delhi and flew to join Suleiman in Riyadh. The two friends took an overnight flight to New York via a short London stopover before boarding a Greyhound bus to Scranton, Pennsylvania.

"And we will defeat Donald Trump to make America safe again!" Hillary Clinton screamed into the mike, driving the crowd into a frenzy. Suleiman frowned. Something in Hillary’s voice bothered him. "She’s not looking that well," he whispered to Anwar. "Her voice pitch is a bit strange."

Anwar rolled his eyes. "She’s fine, Suleiman. Look, she’s 69, she’s had a blood clot in her leg, another in the brain, she’s been put on blood thinners for life. She had a fall and broke her elbow a few years ago. She’s also had a concussion. But all things considered, she’s doing just fine."

Suleiman was startled. "Concussion? Blood clot in the brain? Has she submitted her medical records for public scrutiny? How come the American media never talks about that?"

Anwar put an arm around his friend’s shoulder as they threaded their way through the dispersing crowd. He smiled: "Suleiman, Donald Trump hasn’t even submitted his tax returns. Hillary’s revealed her tax returns going back 38 years. So what if she’s not submitted her medical records?"

A look of surprise flitted over Suleiman’s face. "In Saudi Arabia, Anwarbhai, we are given a medical check-up every year and have to submit those reports to the company. It’s not even an option for us. She’s running for president of the United States and yet –"

Anwar cut him short. "Look Suleiman, forget all that. Hillary’s a shoo-in for president. But just for a bit of fun, let’s go to one of Trump’s rallies. He’s campaigning in Wisconsin tomorrow."

Suleiman nodded. "Yes, Anwarbhai, that should be interesting. I’ve always wanted to see Trump in person."

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Anwar shot him a strange look but said nothing.

As they left the Clinton rally venue, Anwar suddenly exclaimed: "Look, Suleiman!" He pointed to a tall, elegant woman holding Hillary by the elbow as she walked past the crowd. "That’s Huma Abedin, Hillary’s closest advisor. Isn’t she terrific?"

Suleiman nodded. "Yes, I’ve heard about her. Huma joined Hillary as a 20-year-old intern in 1996 and hasn’t left her side since. In Riyadh my office colleagues talk a lot about her family. Huma lived in Saudi Arabia for 16 years, from the age of 2 to 18 when she went to the US for higher studies. Her father is an Indian and her mother a Pakistani. Both are both highly respected academics."

Anwar nodded. "And once Hillary is president, Huma Abedin will run the White House. They are that close." 

Suleiman suddenly turned thoughtful. "Pakistan will be especially pleased – Hillary and Huma have a cordial relationship with the generals in Rawalpindi," he murmured, half to himself. "No wonder my Pakistani friends in Saudi Arabia are rooting for Hillary to beat Trump."

"Let’s go, Suleiman," said Anwar, cutting short his friend’s reverie.

Early next morning the two men hired a car and drove up to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Trump was scheduled to address a large campaign rally. People were beginning to stream into the venue. Security was tight. Secret service agents in dark suits, sun glasses and expressionless faces escorted Trump as he moved up to the stage to acknowledge the crowd’s roar.

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"Why does he have so much security?" Suleiman asked Anwar. "Much more than Hillary. I thought he was the one telling gun owners to assassinate Hillary."

Anwar’s reply was drowned out by the crowd’s raucous chant, "Trump! Trump! Trump!" The crowd was substantially larger than the one at Hillary’s campaign rally. They wore red baseball caps with the slogan "Make America Great Again" emblazoned in white on the front.

As Trump began to speak, Suleiman again nudged his friend. "Anwarbhai, didn’t he say the other day that Obama founded ISIS and Hillary co-founded it? Isn’t that crazy?"

Anwar nodded. "Yes completely crazy. Obama and Hillary have done more for Middle East peace than anyone else. Trump was just trash-talking."

Suleiman was puzzled. "But Anwarbhai, I’ve been living in Saudi for over ten years and the Middle East is more violent than ever before. Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya – and now ISIS. It’s all happened on Obama’s watch. And Hillary was his secretary of state till 2013! "

Anwar changed the subject as Trump began to wrap up his speech. "Did you hear what he said about the Khans?"

Suleiman nodded, "Yes, that was very wrong. The Khan family’s son, Humayun, died a hero in Iraq  in 2004. But Trump was right about one thing. Humayun would have been alive today if America hadn’t invaded Iraq in 2003."

Anwar buried his face in his hands. "Suleiman!" he exclaimed in mock anger. "You are impossible. I’ve had enough of Trump for one evening. Come, let’s go back to the hotel and watch Hillary’s speech on CNN."

Suleiman smiled innocently. "Ah, you mean the one Trump calls Clinton News Network."