My question is if Trump is taken out, does that put an end to the Trump Effect, or can it live in on in someone else willing to pick it up if the people are still hungry for it?
Ted Cruz tapped into it. One might think that having the Senate floor and a filibuster is a strong bully pulpit, but Cruz was still limited in his reach by the MSM and GOPe leadership that ensured that the coverage was belittling and damaging to Cruz. McConnell used the government shut-down, which McConnell personally abhors, to blame Cruz for Republican leadership failures.
Trump has his celebrity, his wealth, and a boldness that comes from being on the other end of the chains that bind politicians, to enable his "damn the torpedoes" style. It's that style, right now, that is triggering the Trump Effect in people. I'm not sure that someone else can pick it up and run with it if Trump fumbles.
To mix yet another metaphor, it's almost like rooting for Rocky to win against the establishment Creed. Except that Trump, while being on the outside, is not the down-and-out underdog that usually draws the support. This makes me think that a second part of the Trump Effect is that this time, people think that he might actually be able to do it, because he has the resources that the others do not. Trump can withstand the gaffe or smear attack because he's Trump, meaning despite the old rules of engagement he can stay in the race, wounds and all. The old rules of engagement drove out wounded candidates due to lack of funding.
-PJ
Got it...here’s my prediction...Trump will fade (one of about four potential reasons) and Cruz will indeed take the mantle...with more conservative cred, more “already in DC fighting the establishment” cred, and more of a personality that will wear well over time.
Cruz cannot compete with Trump in the short term....Trump is too big, too over the top, too powerful...but I don’t think Trump can compete with Cruz over time. I also think they are good friends and are pulling for the other one if they don’t get the nod.