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.
I actually don't think so.
I think the bipartisan acceptance of illegal immigration draws together and crystallizes a whole set of issues on which the Uniparty is out of sync with the nation.
This issue hasn't even begun to grow.
I don’t think the two clauses were meant to be mutually exclusive.
She was just saying that Americans are sick of squishy, pandering ‘politician-talk’; they may agree - or not - with Trump’s various ideas.
My take is that Americans are looking for some kind of real Character - at this point, almost ANY kind!
-JT
“Mr. Trump is that man who will get the Dim elected even if they run a goat.”
Ah, so you do not like ‘the Donald’. Are you really a conservative? Could you go for Ted Cruz, the only real conservative in the who bunch of 16 - 18 or so Republican candidates who have thrown their hat into the ring?
At this point, I could consider a Trump/Cruz or a Cruz/Trump ticket a winner.
That’s one issue, and it reverberates with many people. But there are lots of issues he’s going to have to address, if he’s going to be a real candidate and not just a ‘stalking horse’.
My point is that his current popularity comes largely from his straight talk. That’s very attractive to intelligent people who are sick and tired of being fed a load of ‘Bravo Sierra’ from most of the pols.
Who writes this crap? Mental deficients?
Here the author, whatever his ego is called dreams up a cute simile, oblivious to the softball he's pitching to those with an IQ over 70...
We have a president, a so called leader, a racist, an ignoramus who has not ONLY flown us into a mountain, BUT IS IN THE DETERMINED PROCESS OF HITTING EVERY FREAKING MOUNTAIN IN THE ENTIRE MOUNTAIN RANGE!
It must be true... there's no fixing "stupid!"
Half true Ms. Cupp; more Americans identify with Trump's comments than are willing to admit to it!
And not just those of European origins ("white").
What remains to be seen is whether Trump ends up being next election's conscience of the Republican party ("anti GOPE) or it's Ross Perot.
No Boehner, McConnell, and 90% of the GOP Senators and Congressmen are a Libtard’s wetdream.
Donald Trump is the nightmare of both Libtards and Republicrats.
Oh and by the way S.E. Cupp is a libtard. You know the chick with the glasses? The female Karl Rove.
Trump is C-Cup’s type of “conservative”.
I don't think there's yet a cure for cognitive Dissonance, but if you get on the waiting list, there might be hope for you, someday.
I will vote for trump if he is anywhere on a winning ticket. Even your juvenile analysis of Donald Trump can't damage our culture, as well as our country any worse than the racist Manchurian Candidate.
As for the GOPe?
They are fighting the progressives the same way Obama is fighting the Taliban and ISIL. With delusional, suicidal rules of engagement, destined to fail.
But if it makes the idiots feel sanctimoniously superior, why worry about the safety and health of our country and our culture?
“...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?
I think so but right now everybody has been diverted to the immigration issue. Some of the other Republicans have been talking about various things, and of course not too many specifics, it’s still early. Right now it’s get your name out there and get into the debates. Once we get to the debates, then a lot of more specific ideas should start coming out from everybody.
I don’t know a thing about Bernie, but Hillary has been pretty much talking about various topics too with no specifics, and of course we don’t know too much since she won’t talk to a reporter except a family friend who plays softball..I didn’t bother to watch. Same thing, should hear some specifics at debate time.
I think the bipartisan acceptance of illegal immigration draws together and crystallizes a whole set of issues on which the Uniparty is out of sync with the nation.
This issue hasn’t even begun to grow.
You may be right, I expect it to be a major topic, but the emphasis should die off a little especially at the debates, and other topics will be discussed. I may be wrong, it may stay a front and center issue, and you do have a good point. It’s bringing to attention the fact that both parties have ignored what the country wants. No argument there, it’s bringing a lot of frustration to the surface.
Agree entirely.
Quite a lot. Republican primaries are won with little more than 33% of the vote. At the point where McCain and Romney were declared the winners, they'd won around a third of the vote. No runoffs. Many winner take all primaries, etc.
With so many candidates, it will likely be that way again unless quite a few drop out very early.
If the only thing he does as president is build a secure fence and stop the entry of illegal foreigners into our country, I will consider him the greatest President ever!
But I know he will go for more, because he is Donald Trump! He’ll make U.S. a good country to do business in again, for the American people! Jobs for Americans! Which includes Blacks and Hispanics!
Don’t be so cock sure. I know lots of Democrat voters who need jobs and are NOT happy about resources going to foreigners, that should by rights go to citizens!!!!!
Nothing can aid the Obama Administration anymore!
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