Levatich says conduct of US election could be damaging to businessHarley-Davidson CEO Matt Levatich criticized the “circus mentality” of the 2016 US election, saying that it is “damaging to the American brand.”
In an interview with financial website ‘The Street’ that was reported in the Milwaukee Business Journal and elsewhere, Levatich described the conduct of the election campaign so far as “damaging to the health and well-being of American companies.”
He went on to say: “We are in 90-plus countries worldwide, and our brand identity is connected strongly to the ideals of America - and when the ideals of America seem to no longer be our ideals anymore, it can’t help things.”
He was critical of both political parties and their campaigns, but especially highlighted the role that the Trump campaign is playing. “It isn’t just the Republican party, though quite frankly they seem to be leading the crazy parade.”
The week after the Republican Party convention in Cleveland in July he said: “I watched the Republican convention, and am now watching the Democratic convention, and I think the degree to which intelligent people are talking about intelligent policy is almost non-existent.”
Levatich drew on his time living in Europe to comment on the considerable attention that is paid to domestic US elections, and the role they play in shaping international perceptions about the state of health of democracy and social discourse in the United States.
“I don’t know for sure, but I bet they are worried [internationally] because of this circus mentality and this total lack of smart policy and leadership.”