Georgia's third president, Mikheil Saakashvili, has spoken about the crisis in the American political system and did not rule out that his daughter Alisa could one day become the President of the United States.
The third president of Georgia published an extensive post on Facebook, comparing the current American political class to the generation of American legislators he met at the beginning of his career.
According to Saakashvili, American politicians increasingly prioritize personal and party interests over the ideals of freedom and democracy. He believes that the US is gradually relinquishing its role as a defender of democratic values worldwide and losing interest in small countries, including Georgia.
Saakashvili recalled how more than 30 years ago he traveled to the US to study at Columbia University and then interned in Congress. There, he met future Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senator John McCain, whom he called a close friend. The former Georgian president noted that McCain paid great attention to the young foreign intern, shared stories about his military service, and involved him in the drafting of bills.
Saakashvili also spoke of meetings with Senators Edward Kennedy, Joseph Lieberman, and other American politicians who, in his assessment, were guided primarily by principles and convictions.
He recalled that after the Rose Revolution, the US Congress actively supported Georgia, and after the 2008 Russo-Georgian war, American legislators approved allocating $1 billion in aid to the country.
As an example of a principled stance, Saakashvili cited a 2010 story when Georgian authorities arrested two businessmen suspected of attempting to embezzle $130 million from the state budget through forged documents. According to him, there was pressure on Tbilisi to release the detainees, but Senator Joseph Lieberman refused to pursue an illegal decision despite appeals from influential Israeli representatives and the Jewish lobby.
"This was truly the stance of a worthy senator who prioritized principles above any lobbying, religious affiliation, or funding," Saakashvili wrote.
He assessed the current situation much more pessimistically. In his view, there are hardly any representatives left in American politics from the Republican Ronald Reagan generation or the Kennedy family's Democrats, and party loyalty and financial interests increasingly outweigh foreign policy principles.
Saakashvili also criticized new American lawmakers, noting that the origin, religion, or sexual orientation of politicians is not inherently a problem. What matters much more, in his opinion, is the values they uphold and whether they are willing to defend interests beyond their own electorate.
At the end of his post, the former Georgian president expressed hope regarding his daughter Alisa, who is a US citizen and, according to him, is interested in politics and justice.
"I am preparing her to become a senator, and who knows, maybe even president. Alisa Saakashvili for President," he wrote.
