Ann Wason Moore shares her views ahead of the US election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris

Our state election may be over, but this dual citizen who lives in the Gold Coast is in a state over the looming US election.

It’s a classic Aussie scenario being played out by, potentially, the leader of the free world.

As the date of the US election draws stomach-churningly closer, just 24 hours from publication of this column before we start to see results roll through, it’s hard not to see straight through former President Donald J Trump.

While anyone can witness his tantrums, his aggression and what does appear to be cognitive decline, there is something else at play that any Aussie worker can readily recognise … Trump is preparing the classic sickie scheme.

You know the one, you want to take Friday off from work, but you don’t want to waste your leave – or you know that it won’t be approved.

So you start laying the groundwork.

On the Thursday, you sow the seeds of sickness, maybe a mild headache, maybe a tummy grumble, but you make sure co-workers and supervisors alike are made aware of these symptoms. If managers or staff suggest you go home, simply play the martyr and insist how you don’t want to let anyone down, you’re sure you’ll be fine etc.

Then, early Friday morning, you call in saying you won’t be able to make it into work – no questions asked, no suspicions raised, the perfect sickie.

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up as he arrives at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on August 24, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by JOE RAEDLE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

And this, ultimately, is what I’ve dubbed Trump’s ‘Project 2024’.

Project 2025 might be all about what the controversial Republican candidate will do once he’s in office, but project 2024 is all about how he gets there, and it does not depend on the votes of Americans.

As a dual citizen, I’ve already cast my blue vote in the red state of Texas, where I have little hope that it will make any difference – although it certainly helps me feel less useless.

But it’s not just my vote that might prove ineffectual, because Trump is laying the groundwork. While respected political polls have repeatedly shown Trump and Democrat nominee Vice President Kamala Harris are running neck and neck – even though the USA’s ridiculous electoral college system could make it appear a whitewash either way – there are some curious results springing up from some unusual quarters.

The Guardian reported that a spate of recent polls, mostly commissioned in battleground states from groups with Republican links, show Trump leading – ‘alternative facts’ which he has passionately embraced.

“We’re leading big in the polls, all of the polls,” Trump told a rally in New Mexico on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Trump and Elon Musk have promoted online betting platforms, which have bolstered the impression of a surge for the Republican candidate stemming from hefty bets on him winning, even though just four accounts have been responsible for $28 million in bets.

Simon Rosenberg, a Democrat strategist and blogger, said the intention was to push the polling averages to the right … all to lay the groundwork to deny unfavourable Republican results.

“The reason we have to call this out is that Donald Trump needs to go into election day with some set of data showing him winning, so if he loses, he can say we cheated,” he said.

Basically, we’re living in the Thursday of Trump’s Friday sickie. He’s set the scene and, if the election doesn’t go his way, he’s ready to fight.

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This combination of pictures created on September 9, 2024 shows former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (L) dancing and US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris arriving onstage to speak on the fourth and last day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI and Mandel NGAN / AFP

Battle of the billionaires behind Donald Trump, Kamala Harris

And, thanks to that carefully laid groundwork, there are millions who have been prepped to believe it will be a fair fight.

As tomorrow draws ever closer, I can’t say I have ever been happier to live in Australia.

But if we think this won’t affect us, think again. Because when America sneezes, we catch a cold.

And even if Kamala Harris wins, we still have a big problem on our hands.

As I saw posted on Instagram: “This election is like having friends over for dinner and some of your friends vote for pizza and some vote to kill, cook and eat you. Even if pizza wins the vote, you’ve still got a problem.”

I’m worried not only about what will happen to America, and how that affects Australia, but what has happened to Americans – and far too many Australians.

At this point, the choice between Trump and Harris is not about the economy, it’s not about policy, or even ‘concepts’ of policy, it genuinely feels like a choice between right and wrong.

We have one candidate promising to try to bring Americans and, by extension, the world together. And the other who discussed shooting a political opponent in the face.

It’s enough to make me sick.