Irish people have a 'cartoonish' approach to US politics, with Republicans demonised and Democrats put up on pedestal, the head of the Iona Institute has said.
David Quinn said Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance has been instantly demonised online in Ireland in recent days – while presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is instantly canonised.
The Irish Independent columnist told Newstalk Breakfast that people in Ireland need to take a step back.
"I was seeing all kinds of reports when JD Vance got the nod from Donald Trump to be his running mate," he said.
"All I could see was all these quotes from JD Vance being held against him.
"Some of them were ridiculous quotes like, 'America's now being run by childless cat ladies' – a stupid joke but there's more to him than that".
'The second coming of Nelson Mandela'
Mr Quinn said the criticism comes in sharp contrast to the treatment Kamala Harris is receiving.
"It's like the second coming of Nelson Mandela; she's straight up on a pedestal," he said.
"We know really nothing about her, she's been an almost invisible vice-president to most Irish people.
"Nobody goes trawling for unflattering quotes from her or unflattering footage of her".
JD Vance and Donald Trump. Image: Associated Press / Alamy Stock PhotoMr Quinn said he is by no means defending Donald Trump.
"Trump is an appalling human being and this is [not about] defending him as a person," he said.
"He's boorish, he's crude, he's vulgar, he's sexist... we just have to be careful about this excessive demonisation in politics.
"There's too much of a readiness to go all the way up with a politician we like and go all the way down with politicians we don't like.
"It's not just a Trump factor; it's being going on for years".
'Messiah-like attitude'
Mr Quinn said people should "disagree agreeably" and not demonise the other person because you don't agree with them.
"In American politics, [there is] this almost Messiah-like attitude that people have towards presidential candidates now," he said.
"These are only human beings; they're flawed human beings [and] I think that we just completely exaggerate what an American president can and can't do".
US Vice-President Kamala Harris speaking in Milwaukee, 24-7-24. Image: X/@KamalaHarrisMr Quinn said Republicans are always put up to a different standard.
"If you go back to the days of Obama, he ran against Mitt Romney and John McCain," he said.
"Even they were called racists, sexists and misogynists.
"We just need to turn down the heat and we also need to have a less cartoonish approach to American politics where Republicans [are] always bad and Democrats always good."
Mr Quinn added that people can be criticised but shouldn't be demonised with "instant judgements about them".
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