by Dan Oswald
I must say, I’m marveling at the three-ring circus the Republican primary has become. P.T. Barnum, the famous American showman and founder of the Barnum & Bailey Circus, has been credited with saying, “If you want to draw a crowd, start a fight.”
Well, it seems that Donald Trump is a student of P.T. Barnum. He certainly understands how to draw a crowd. In fact, he’s so accomplished at drawing a crowd, it seems the student has become the master. Trump will say just about anything, and the media flocks to cover him. He has picked fight after fight or has baited others to pick fights with him. He appears to be a master of showmanship—so much so that The Economist had this to say, “Mr. Trump is to public service what professional wrestling, which he loves, is to sport.”
And the result of all of this? An unprecedented amount of free media coverage for Trump. His outlandish comments keep him front and center in the media coverage. The media continues to cover him because his politically incorrect comments get ratings. His over-the-top approach is great television. Trump knows how to draw a crowd!
It’s ironic that the billionaire candidate has become a master at garnering free press. According to a Wall Street Journal article, Trump has received three times the free coverage of his nearest rival and more free media coverage than all the rest of the Republican contenders combined. And according to disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission, Trump’s campaign spent just $12.4 million in 2015, millions less than any of the other top contenders for the Republican nomination. Compare that to former rival Jeb Bush, who started the primary season with a war chest of more than $100 million.
In the United States, we’ve grown accustomed to our politicians being experts at saying nothing at all. It’s not that they don’t talk—they’ve just mastered the skill of talking a lot without saying anything of substance. Why utter something that could come back to haunt you later? Why speak out when it might offend some segment of the voting public? Our politicians have become very good at being politically correct.
Political correctness is defined as “agreeing with the idea that people should be careful not to use language or behave in a way that could offend a particular group of people.” Politicians are usually masterful at being politically correct, but Trump is the exact opposite of politically correct. He’s about as politically INCORRECT as they come. And yet he has mesmerized a large portion of the American people and has attracted a following that was nearly impossible to predict or explain.
Let’s explore some of the things Trump has said or tweeted during this primary season:
- About Republican rival Carly Fiorina, he said in an interview, “Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?!”
- “Jeb Bush has to like the Mexican illegals because of his wife,” Trump tweeted, referring to Bush’s Mexican-American wife.
- “He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured,” Trump said of Senator John McCain, who spent more than five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.
- “If Hillary Clinton can’t satisfy her husband, what makes her think she can satisfy America?” Trump retweeted last April.
- About Muslims, he had this to say, “They’re not coming to this country if I’m president.”
- His thoughts on Mexican immigrants? “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. . . . They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
These are just a few of Trump’s politically incorrect statements, and I left a few of the most egregious ones out. Yet Trump is defying logic and racing to the Republican nomination for president of the United States. It seems he has offended everyone, including women, Muslims, immigrants, Mexicans—the list goes on. Even the Pope couldn’t help but comment about him. Yet Teflon Don remains wildly popular with a large segment of the American people.
It seems Trump is insulting his way to the nomination. To me, this defies logic. I cannot understand why people have so embraced the controversial businessman/celebrity turned politician. I speculate that people are so tired of politics as usual and the say-nothing political correctness that goes along with it that they’re willing to overlook his consistent controversial statements as he takes aim at just about everyone. Even Trump seemed to have the sense that no matter what he does, people will continue to support his candidacy when he said, “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose voters.”
That statement is so over the top that it is offensive—or it should be. But, you know what? He might be right. Whether you love Trump, hate him, or couldn’t care less about him, he’s become a central figure in American politics. We have a billionaire who says consistently outrageous and even offensive things, and it looks like he’s well on his way to the Republican nomination and possibly the White House. And that’s the state of politics in America!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofqyJ_udrQQ ( My video on why I fear Donald Trump ) – Donald Trump and the rest of the front runners in the Republican Party are so extreme I hope they never see the inside of the White House. Having said that though the author of this article makes several very valid points. Trump is a master of mastering the media. Every time he opens his mouth a hundred microphones and cameras appear to publicize his latest comments. I do have to give credit to the man for something else as well. I can not help but feel that if Donald Trump was not in the race for the White House that their would be far less interest by the average American Citizen.
One can only wonder if Trumps campaign ‘strategy’ is reflective of the desensitization of society in general.
Basic respect and values among multiple generations seems to be consistently declining with who can outdo whom on many levels.
Unfortunately conservative seems to mean immovable these days. I do not think trump has all the answers but I think it’s time we put this nation in gear and lead again.
he is a clown the problem he will destroy the country. anything that will not go into his pocket he will destroy. he will increase taxes, take away social security and medicare. his ONLY concern will be increasing HIS WEALTH!!
It is amazing to me what has happened with Trump. I feel like the author, that people are tired of politics as usual and sick of the extreme political correctness these days. Another reason that Trump has had the success he has had and that the author did not touch on is that Trump is self funded and has accepted no contributions and therefore, does not need to bow down to anyone. This part for me is the best part of this. However, for me it is difficult to overlook the outrageous things he has said. But I prefer him as President than either Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders.
Donald Trump has made statements that I disapprove. However, the “left” has said worse things about people (including the use of the “c” word to describe a woman)and they get away with it. The larger issue is that Bernie is a Socialistand Hillary is a dictator and traitor, as in treason, as is Obama. Trump speaks “America”. Hillary said she will follow Obama’s policies. Think about this: the NLRB has overruled numerous decisions made by previous Boards over the past fifty years to almost guarantee unions more members. Unions are a big source of money for the Socialist Democrats. On the other hand Obama and Hillary are allowing millions of low tech and high tech workers into the country who are taking American jobs at lower wages. How does this help American citizens and immigrants who follow the law? Washington is all about money -other people’s money. $150B for Iran – that is treasonous. And Hillary is for women? How has she treated the women molested and allegedly raped by her husband? Oh, and her Foundation takes money from countries where women and children are property of men. Say what you will about Trump, Cruz or Carson, I trust them a million times more that the Socialist/Democrat Hillary and the gutless Republican establishment.
I for one am sick of all the political correctnes! Maybe Trump is not the man for the White House but I admire him for not being affraid to say what is on his mind. He is a prime example of “free speech” and you can’t have free speech and not offend someone somewhere. Perhaps he is just saying what we were all thinking. We want to stop illegal immigration, he says build a wall. We don’t want to live next to a radical Muslim, he says kick them out of the USA. We want lower taxes, he says cut off entitlement programs. And yet this is interpreted as hating Mexicans and Muslims and getting rid of medicare and social security. Go figure??? Trump is a businessman and in business the guy at the top makes decisions that are not popular and in some cases cost people their jobs. But those decisions are to improve the overall health of the company. We need to have the health of the USA improved and it will be painful to many of us, especially if we are in a meaningless job that was created just for the sake of employment numbers. All that being said, the president is largely a fugure head, it is congress that runs the country and they are responsible for the disaster we now have on our hands. Just saying!!
Thank you that someone has finally provided a rational analysis and description. Aided and abetted by a salacious media, Trump is a bad joke, and the joke is going to be on us if he is elected – we will get the President we deserve. I read this somewhere recently on-line (can’t remember where to properly attribute it): “Trump’s record of being over-the-top in his decade-long stint on reality TV is serving him well. No matter what he says, it’s viewed as entertainment and not quite to be taken seriously — just like reality TV.” North Korea, Russia, ISIS, etc., etc. are not reality TV! P.S. Right on, Monica!
Trump’s rise is attributed to all the things you stated – the rise in appeal of reality TV, social media (particularly the way people are negatively confronting each other on social media – giving them some sort of license to be ugly towards anyone), and his all too blatantly honest viewpoints. I appreciate honesty, yet a person can be honest and respectful at the same time. As a minority female, who falls into more than 3 protected classes, he offends me, and I am offended for others.
When I saw the last Republican debate, I had to turn it off, because it was a circus, as you expressed. I am deeply saddened by the vigor of disrespect, lack of honor, and misplaced passion that has fueled this presidential race. I am a very conservative Democrat, who often votes like a Republican might on many issues. To date, no one has won my vote – no one, but especially not Trump. The lack of emotional intelligence that is at the fore front of his campaign is scary when I think of diplomatic relations within and outside of the United States. Our reputation as the most powerful nation is being tarnished by all of this bullying, back biting, hatred, strong party divisions, and ridiculousness. I am deeply concerned about our nation, and the future for me, my family, and fellow citizens. I am praying for all of us, even the presidential candidates.
Love him, hate him, fear him, but vote for him.
Where did we the people go?
It has been replaced with we the establishment.
The silent majority has had enough, happy holidays instead of Merry Christmas, in god we trust outlawed, all lives matter need I say more. Equality is defined by color, if you are one color you are more equal. How do you define equality when the testing standards are lowered to reflect a certain group? When the rights of the criminals weigh more then the rights of the victims! Maybe we need an ego centric CEO to make this establishment, hate groups, radical right groups accountable and finally really equal. They should fear him, he will make everyone accountable. Good CEO ‘s always do. Imagine members of the Senate and Congress having term limits, medical care like everyone else. Imagine judges being held liable for their rediculous decisions to release career criminals. Imagine the world playing on even keel witha new invigorated America.
Sounds like a John Lennon song. Wish him well he is going to win!
PT Barnum also said “There’s a sucker born every minute”
Let’s see if he actually gets elected…We can only hope sanity prevails..and don’t forget to vote..
thats what is needed….things said the way they are…political correctness has destroyed so much in our countries…you may not like what he says but he says what he thinks….that alone is a huge change!
Leave it to a liberal to get personal… Patti is a secret TRUMP fan!!!