Super Tuesday in the US
With elections in thirteen states and one territory, today's Super Tuesday is the most important date in the American primaries. The Republicans only have themselves to blame for the fact that Donald Trump is virtually unstoppable now, commentators stress, but believe that in the end Hillary Clinton will be the one who moves into the White House.
A rude awakening for the Republicans
The Republicans only have themselves to blame for Trump's triumphant progress, the centre-left daily La Repubblica concludes:
“The Republicans are entering the final phase of the primaries with a crescendo of accusations against frontrunner Donald Trump: racist, friend of the Ku Klux Klan, fascist, Mussolini sympathiser, exploiter of illegal immigrants. Conman and bankrupt. Tax evader with Mafia connections. … These are the verbal attacks, word for word, that the Republicans Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz have levied against the New York tycoon. … Over eight months The Donald was brushed aside as a short-lived, crude show biz phenomenon. … The other contenders handled him with kid gloves, partly because they were intimidated by his aggressiveness, partly because they hoped to win over his voters. But now all of a sudden they have understood the threat he poses. Perhaps too late.”
Barely more than a sigh of relief
After Super Tuesday Hillary Clinton will be standing on the White House's doorstep but the country itself won't be in a party mood, the Daily Telegraph predicts:
“Will anyone cheer the fact that after 240 years and 44 male commanders-in-chief, it could finally - finally - be the turn of a woman? Unlikely. Instead there will probably just be weary relief that the Democrats have a candidate capable of bringing the Trump juggernaut to a halt. … So there is no adulation this time around, no Andy Warhol-style posters of Clinton, few bumper stickers or badges with her name on. What little excitement and celebration remains in US politics has been sucked up by the anti-politicians - Sanders and Trump. Clinton’s anticipated triumph today will be a joyless one.”