Paris attacks shake up US elections

THAT the horrifying images of the massacres that were emanating from Paris late last week were beginning to transform American politics became clear on Friday when the leading Democratic candidates were preparing for their televised debate that was scheduled to be broadcast on CBS News on Saturday evening.

During the days before Islamic State (IS) terrorists launched their murder spree in Paris that resulted in the death of at least 130 people and numerous others injured, aides to the three remaining presidential candidates - former secretary of state Hillary Clinton; Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont; and former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley - agreed that the focus of the televised debate would be on economic issues.

The political rationale behind the decision was quite obvious. Public opinion polls indicated that the majority of American voters were preoccupied with their economic conditions that have deteriorated since the Great Recession and believe that domestic economic and social policy issues - how to reduce the growing social inequality, create new jobs and raise wages, and deal with the country's ailing infrastructure and illegal immigration - should be on top of the presidential election agenda.