I've experienced a diverse range of elections in my life.
Growing up, I was governed by the Chicago Democratic machine, which effectively blends power brokering and populist initiatives to the point of the Republicans not occupying the Mayor's office since 1931.
The culmination was seeing President Obama rocket to the top with an inspired message of hope and change, inspiring America’s youth and minorities to vote like never before.
Almost eight years later, I saw the flaws of the US primary election model as Hillary Clinton won out over Bernie Sanders in the party elections, which may have tilted the scales in favour of Trump. And Trump. Oh Trump! No one has ever seen anything like this before, and we may never see something like this again.
He took on all challengers, baited opposition media into getting his message out for him, and created an angry, tremendously loyal voter base which offers him unyielding support.
Here in India, I've seen corporation machinery dress Chennai entirely in black, white, and red as Chief Minister Jayalalitha cemented her hold on power.
And I've followed all the twists and turns, positives and negatives, of Prime Minister Modi's rule, watching him both vault India to new heights previously unseen and have 'jumla' enter the political lexicon.
With US politicians just starting to announce their 2020 bids and India's Lok Sabha election in full swing, I can't help but compare President Trump and PM Modi.
Coalition building
Trump enjoys tremendous support from his base, going as far as stating, “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters.” He’s right. However, he has lost the support of several key Republican politicians and has done little to build bridges with the Democratic opposition.
Operating under a Parliamentary system, PM Modi understands the importance of coalition building and the importance of alliances with smaller parties to form a majority. Be it celebrities, sportsmen, or formerly opposition politicians, it seems like every day someone new is donning a saffron shawl.
Winner: Modi
Twitter fingers
Both leaders have taken Twitter use by world leaders to new waters. The most talented Instagram models wish they could take a selfie as good as PM Modi. Additionally, he tweets using a variety of regional languages to connect with social media savvy voters. Generally, posts are on message and carefully crafted.
PM Modi also wins additional points for his voice being amplified by an IT cell accountable to him as opposed to depending on 3rd party (Pro-Trump bot farms? Russia?) amplification.
Trump, particularly due to his abrasive relationship with mainstream media, sees Twitter as an opportunity to connect directly with his supporters. From early morning rants based on Fox News programming to attacks on politicians and other world leaders, Trump pulls no punches.
Trump does lose points for frequent typos, false claims, and an inability to consistently stay on message. Despite all the missteps, Twitter is a key outlet for Trump and he does see higher engagement than PM Modi.
Winner: Trump
Foreign relationships
Outside of strongmen and tyrants, Trump has deep challenges in creating and maintaining relationships with world leaders. Relationships with historical allies including England, France, Canada, Germany, and Mexico have all gone cold.
This is evidenced by lots of lonely photos at global events, where the US, previously the centre of attention, has become the odd man out.
PM Modi, on the other hand, is always in the middle of the action and always eager to build bonds with world leaders, starting with one of his famous bear hugs.
Winner: Modi
Media
No US leader has ever had a more divisive relationship with the media than Donald Trump. From calling every major media outlet besides his beloved Fox News, “The enemy of the state” and “FakeNews”, Trump’s relationship with the media is toxic.
PM Modi, on the other hand, enjoys full support from friendly outlets, a potential relaunch of his own station NaMoTV (something Trump only talked about but did not do), and has recently been working to win over hearts with non-political (“I love eating mangoes”) interviews.
Winner: Modi
Economy
Both leaders have made economic policy a key part of their platforms. Both leaders have seen historical economic growth during their terms. With Trump, performance is undeniable, whereas with Modi, despite great numbers overall, there have been a few key missteps. Additionally, demonetization was the night before my wedding which threw a wrench into the works, thus:
Winner: Trump
Hats
Nobody loves a great hat more than PM Modi. From Naga warrior to Assamese bamboo farmer to turbaned dignitary, PM Modi has a hat for each and every occasion. And he wears them well.
Trump instead focuses on a singular design, the ubiquitous red Make America Great Again (MAGA) hat worn by his supporters.
PM Modi uses hats to build bonds, whereas Trump uses hats to build divisions. Despite that, the power of the MAGA brand is undeniably powerful, whereas PM Modi’s hats don’t carry a single message.
Winner: Trump
PM Modi and President Trump are tied 3-3. Jai Hind! God Bless America! Who gets your vote?
(Rob Peck is an American by birth and a Chennaite by choice. Rob has resided in India for 8+ years. As Director of Client Services at O3M Directional Marketing, he offers digital marketing solutions to Indian businesses of all sizes. Rob is happily married to his Indian wife, who he shares a young child with. All opinions expressed here are his own only.)