According to Zahr and Akin, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, who share different political models and differ significantly in their speech, are not so different in their core beliefs.
Talking about the recent American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference, where four US presidential candidates spoke, Zahr suggested that Clinton and Trump, despite their differences, sound like "two sides of the same coin."
Akin, commenting on Clinton's accusations that Trump is a racist, told Loud & Clear that, if one looks at what the former did as Secretary of State, those actions could be considered "pretty much the same thing that she accuses Trump of."
"When Trump says, ‘No, no, you shouldn't beat those people up, but if you do, I will provide legal assistance and make sure you got no problems as a result,' it's kind of similar to what Clinton did in Honduras," Akin said. "She said ‘No, no, we're not in a favor of a coup, but if you do a coup, we will be happy to send you millions of dollars and arms and aid and make sure that you and all your colonels get rich,' and that's what happened: Honduras is now on the verge of being a failed state."
Discussing the recent Brussels terrorist attacks and the rising tide of Islamophobia in the US, Zahr acknowledged that Clinton's way of speaking is more diplomatic and "polished," but that her actions show that, "she exercises Islamophobia, she just doesn't talk Islamophobia." Zahr noted that Islamophobic rhetoric is used as a tool for political gain, as calling for aggressive action against Muslims gets votes, as can be seen in the case of Trump.
Zahr noted that, in Michigan, there is a large population of Muslims who are "extremely familiar with Hillary Clinton" and who are "extremely antagonistic to voting for her." He adds that a lot of people in the region support rival Bernie Sanders, as they don't see much difference between Clinton and Trump.
Akin, however, observed differences between the two candidates, noting that, while Clinton is more in line with neo-conservatives, Trump is a "wildcard", and, being a wildcard, "he can say pretty much whatever comes to the top of his mind."
Zahr stated that, "there's all kinds of ridiculousness and absurdity that comes along with a Trump presidency." He hopes that America won't have to experience it, but suggests that a Trump presidency may be something that America must endure to "mature as a nation."
