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What Donald Trump is Doing Right
Townhall.com ^ | July 9, 2015 | S.E Cupp

Posted on 07/09/2015 5:45:10 PM PDT by Kaslin

On the left and the right, he's called a buffoon and a blowhard, and occasionally Donald Trump lives up to those descriptions (see his presidential announcement speech). And despite covering him constantly, most in the media insist Trump's candidacy is unserious and his viewpoints are dangerous.

And yet -- and yet -- he is doing well in public opinion polling -- so well that more than one headline has referred to his "momentum." He is leading among Republican primary voters in North Carolina, according to a recent Public Policy poll. A CNN/ORC poll has him trailing only Jeb Bush among Republican voters nationally.

That could simply reflect how visible he's been the last few weeks, but I think there's more going on here.

Trump's rise is a reflection of Americans' utter distaste for politicians and the way they speak, not their identification with most of Trump's views.

After all, everyone has an uncle or a buddy who talks like Trump. "And another thing!" you can hear them saying at Thanksgiving or the neighborhood bar. They don't speak in canned sound bites. They don't focus-group their opinions. They don't quote Edmund Burke. They don't refuse to answer questions that aren't pre-screened. They don't worry who will be offended. And, yes, they exaggerate from time to time.

Donald Trump's announcement speech was, frankly, a conversation you could hear at half the dinner tables in this country. And lest you think straight-talking boasts and cranky complaints about the decline of America are the sole domain of the right, take a listen to Bernie Sanders. Everybody's got an uncle like him, too.

For the past decade, both parties have stalled on immigration reform. It may feel like President Obama's executive actions granting temporary amnesty to millions was a big deal -- and it was -- but it wasn't a big solution. We still have a broken immigration system, and the sad secret is that both sides like it that way. Republicans get to rail against sanctuary cities, and Democrats get to call Republicans racists.

So for average Americans who hear Trump say he'll build a giant wall, even if it isn't a solution they agree with, it's one they can appreciate. It's simple. It's direct. It isn't wrapped in politically correct, insincere promises that no one believes.

Likewise, when Trump says he'll "bomb the hell" out of the oil fields in Iraq to combat the Islamic State, it isn't that average Americans think that's necessarily a good strategy. It's that, after feckless foreign policy created and then failed to contain the rise of this terror group, and a president who won't even call it "Islamic extremism" out of political correctness, Trump's uncomplicated and unreserved response is refreshing.

Now, all that said, do Americans want a president with some polish, discretion and discipline? I think so. We should demand that our commander-in-chief be informed by more than his gut or the fact that he "just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China."

But who knows how deep Trump goes, because few are challenging him to get specific or substantive? Most reporters just find 10 different ways to ask him how much he hates Mexicans. But how would he getMexico to pay for a fence? What would he do with the "dreamers," the undocumented immigrants who were brought here as kids and were raised as Americans? How would he create jobs for Latinos? I don't know if he has good answers to those questions or not. But if someone would ask him, we'd find out pretty quickly whether he was a serious contender or more on a par with your neighborhood barfly.

There's a case to be made that Trump makes the other GOP contenders look good. Voters like straight talk, but they also don't want their leaders to fly them into a mountain. But there's also a lesson here for those hoping to compete in a Trump primary: Drop the politician's polish and talk like humans talk. Dump the focus groups. Ask your uncle instead.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2016gopprimary; donaldtrump; election2016; populism; repubnomination; trump; trump2016
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1 posted on 07/09/2015 5:45:10 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Apparently, he’s getting air time. He’s got more plants and contacts throughout media and business that he can get noticed for sneezing if he wants to.


2 posted on 07/09/2015 5:47:02 PM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Pray for their victory or quit saying you support our troops)
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To: Kaslin

He has anywhere from 13-28% support (ie. not much) and he is painting the entire GOP with the same buffoon brush.

He is a LibTard’s wet dream.


3 posted on 07/09/2015 5:49:00 PM PDT by RIghtwardHo
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To: RIghtwardHo

Then why are the libs going after him so hard?


4 posted on 07/09/2015 5:51:01 PM PDT by jimjohn (You don't get the kind of government you want, or the kind you need. You get the kind you deserve.)
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To: Kaslin
"Donald Trump's announcement speech was, frankly, a conversation you could hear at half the dinner tables in this country."

A conversation on the banned list by Rinos and libs.

5 posted on 07/09/2015 5:52:52 PM PDT by proust (Trump: We Shall Over-Comb!)
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To: RIghtwardHo

Actually, Trump is helping the miserable, backstabbing,
Obama—supporting, conservative-attacking, GOP.

The GOP are the subhuman buffoons who lie to get
elected. Mr. Trump, compared to them, is a patriot.


6 posted on 07/09/2015 5:55:03 PM PDT by Diogenesis ("When a crime is unpunished, the world is unbalanced.")
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To: Kaslin

It’s early. The furor over illegal immigration will die back, it may take a while. but it will die down and he’ll have to start talking about other topics, and bringing some specifics to the table.

Right now Trump is getting a lot of notice because he says what the people are thinking and they like it. Nobody else does that.

Give it some time and see what develops. That’s why I haven’t made a solid decision yet. Too early, wait and watch, it’s still over a year to go, a lot can happen before then. I’m liking what I hear, if he goes for the gold, which I think he will do, he just might get my vote. Cruz is the only other one I’ll consider so far.

But I’ll wait and see...


7 posted on 07/09/2015 6:06:51 PM PDT by Paleo Pete (If you had everything...where would you put it?)
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To: Kaslin
35 years ago the media attributed Reagan's popularity to the notion he reminded them of their dear old grandad with a twinkle in his eye. Anything to avoid acknowledging that it was his IDEAS they liked.

This allowed them to brush off the principles he ran on even after he buried them twice.

Looks like they haven't changed an iota.

8 posted on 07/09/2015 6:08:24 PM PDT by skeeter
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To: Kaslin

If Trump is the human equivalent of a nuclear weapon that takes out the insestuous corrupt oligarchy that is D.C., well then push the Button.


9 posted on 07/09/2015 6:09:16 PM PDT by Flick Lives (One should not attend even the end of the world without a good breakfast. -- Heinlein)
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To: Diogenesis

Mr. Trump is that man who will get the Dim elected even if they run a goat.


10 posted on 07/09/2015 6:09:54 PM PDT by RIghtwardHo
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To: Kaslin
So for average Americans who hear Trump say he'll build a giant wall, even if it isn't a solution they agree with, it's one they can appreciate.

To bad crests aren't brains. Most Americans want a wall, moat and a minefield.

11 posted on 07/09/2015 6:10:57 PM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: Kaslin

Atheist RINOS for Trump!


12 posted on 07/09/2015 6:13:13 PM PDT by nickcarraway (I)
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To: Kaslin

He’s been fun, but he is taking away media attention from Ted Cruz and Rand Paul who are more serious than I believe Trump to be. Don’t know how he can prove he is serious, but even if he is, the Establishment uniparty will never allow him To be a viable candidate.


13 posted on 07/09/2015 6:16:09 PM PDT by uncitizen (PC is lying, any way you look at it)
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To: Kaslin

I guess the ROVE-LOVERS here will keep going after Trump, but as long as he is making Jeb, Rubio, Christie, and the other OPEN BORDERS Republicans squirm, he still get my vote.

The ROVE-LOVERS here will just have to find their own cheap labor, after President Trump cuts off their spigot from South of the border.


14 posted on 07/09/2015 6:21:14 PM PDT by BobL (REPUBLICANS - Fight for the WHITE VOTE...and you will win (see my 'about' page))
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To: skeeter

“This allowed them to brush off the principles he ran on even after he buried them twice.”

I submit that they were confident that once RWR’s 8 years were up there would be nobody to follow up and continue his ideas. They knew that the likely successor, GHWB was a pantywaist who could be rolled, and they were right. And until Trump took the field we’ve had virtually nobody.

At the moment we are looking, please God, at a potential 16 year dynasty of Trump/Cruz.

Am I being too optimistic here?


15 posted on 07/09/2015 6:22:04 PM PDT by Tucker39 (Welcome to America! Now speak English; and keep to the right....In driving, in Faith, and politics.)
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To: Kaslin
Trump's rise is a reflection of Americans' utter distaste for politicians and the way they speak, not their identification with most of Trump's views.

So, we really WANT open borders and illegal alien criminals living next door?

16 posted on 07/09/2015 6:24:34 PM PDT by donna (Polls are mob rule . . . faked.)
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To: RIghtwardHo
Well, I think that S.E. Cupp is correct about this:

Trump's rise is a reflection of Americans' utter distaste for politicians and the way they speak, not their identification with most of Trump's views.

It's something to which anyone wanting to become the next Conservative President of the US should pay attention.

-JT
17 posted on 07/09/2015 6:24:53 PM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, If you can keep it.")
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To: Tucker39

Right now I’d take nearly anyone from outside the Washington political establishment. Those bastards all dine at the same slop trough.


18 posted on 07/09/2015 6:27:03 PM PDT by skeeter
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To: Jamestown1630

The establishment and media can avert their eyes all they want, but the issue Trump is riding concerns illegal aliens, and many, many people very much concur with what he is saying.


19 posted on 07/09/2015 6:28:33 PM PDT by skeeter
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To: Paleo Pete

“...he’ll have to start talking about other topics, and bringing some specifics to the table.”

Are any other candidates doing that, either democrat or Republican?


20 posted on 07/09/2015 6:29:34 PM PDT by odawg
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