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Donald Trump: The enduring appeal Donald Trump: The enduring appeal
(about 9 hours later)
Like the bell sounding last orders at the end of an uproarious night in the pub, Labor Day is often taken as the signal that the silliness of summertime is over, and the serious work of September should begin in earnest. For Donald Trump, however, summer never ends.Like the bell sounding last orders at the end of an uproarious night in the pub, Labor Day is often taken as the signal that the silliness of summertime is over, and the serious work of September should begin in earnest. For Donald Trump, however, summer never ends.
There he is still, wearing his famed red baseball cap, headgear that not only proclaims his determination to "Make America Great Again" but also keeps his wayward hair - that lunatic fringe - in place.There he is still, wearing his famed red baseball cap, headgear that not only proclaims his determination to "Make America Great Again" but also keeps his wayward hair - that lunatic fringe - in place.
There he is on Fox News, the front page of the New York Times, Good Morning America, the cover of Time, Fox News again, CNN, Politico, the Washington Post, Meet the Press, Morning Joe and, inexorably, Fox News.There he is on Fox News, the front page of the New York Times, Good Morning America, the cover of Time, Fox News again, CNN, Politico, the Washington Post, Meet the Press, Morning Joe and, inexorably, Fox News.
My children assure me that he has yet to appear on Nickelodeon, but given his cartoonish persona it is surely only a matter of time. Then there is the stream of consciousness that doubles as his Twitter feed at @realDonaldTrump, a gushing river that never runs dry.My children assure me that he has yet to appear on Nickelodeon, but given his cartoonish persona it is surely only a matter of time. Then there is the stream of consciousness that doubles as his Twitter feed at @realDonaldTrump, a gushing river that never runs dry.
A billionaire who started his campaign in June as a fringe candidate has now become the front runner. The once unthinkable notion that he could win the Republican presidential nomination no longer sounds so crazed.A billionaire who started his campaign in June as a fringe candidate has now become the front runner. The once unthinkable notion that he could win the Republican presidential nomination no longer sounds so crazed.
Thus, Donald Trump stepped out of one of the gold elevators in Trump Tower last week brandishing a loyalty pledge to the Republican Party, a written undertaking, bejewelled with his signature, not to run as an independent or third-party candidate should he fail to win the nomination.Thus, Donald Trump stepped out of one of the gold elevators in Trump Tower last week brandishing a loyalty pledge to the Republican Party, a written undertaking, bejewelled with his signature, not to run as an independent or third-party candidate should he fail to win the nomination.
Busy summerBusy summer
Trump's "what I did this summer" journal includes ridiculing the war record of a heroic prisoner of war, Senator John McCain, picking a fight with one of Fox News' most popular anchors, Megyn Kelly, and ejecting from a news conference Jorge Ramos, "the Latino Walter Cronkite". Trump's "what I did this summer" journal includes ridiculing the war record of a heroic prisoner of war, Senator John McCain, picking a fight with one of Fox News' most popular anchors, Megyn Kelly, ejecting from a news conference Jorge Ramos, "the Latino Walter Cronkite", and, most recently, flunking a foreign policy pop quiz.
In normal times, with a conventional politician, any one of these incidents might have been enough to sink his candidacy.In normal times, with a conventional politician, any one of these incidents might have been enough to sink his candidacy.
But not so with Trump, for his summer journal also includes topping virtually every major poll, upending the race for the Republican presidential nomination and monopolising the media coverage to such an extent that one half expects the Federal Trade Commission to mount an investigation.But not so with Trump, for his summer journal also includes topping virtually every major poll, upending the race for the Republican presidential nomination and monopolising the media coverage to such an extent that one half expects the Federal Trade Commission to mount an investigation.
Far from fizzling out like a 4 July firework, Trump is still in the ascendant. When the leaves turn the colour of blood oranges, when pumpkins colonise America's supermarkets, when Christmas decorations lace their way up and down Fifth Avenue and when New Hampshire's ice fisherman start drilling holes in frozen lakes, that famous red cap - trademarked, naturally - will still surely be ubiquitous.Far from fizzling out like a 4 July firework, Trump is still in the ascendant. When the leaves turn the colour of blood oranges, when pumpkins colonise America's supermarkets, when Christmas decorations lace their way up and down Fifth Avenue and when New Hampshire's ice fisherman start drilling holes in frozen lakes, that famous red cap - trademarked, naturally - will still surely be ubiquitous.
So why has his candidacy proved so enduring and resilient? Why, to deploy a reality show metaphor - which, incidentally, have displaced the usual baseball analogies in the campaign lexicon - has he not been voted off the island or ejected from the house?So why has his candidacy proved so enduring and resilient? Why, to deploy a reality show metaphor - which, incidentally, have displaced the usual baseball analogies in the campaign lexicon - has he not been voted off the island or ejected from the house?
Why, as some of us predicted, has he proved to be much more than a sugar hit for Republican primary voters?Why, as some of us predicted, has he proved to be much more than a sugar hit for Republican primary voters?
Perfect divePerfect dive
Firstly, of course, he has become the latest mouthpiece for the politics of rage. A natural born demagogue, with a gift for twirling phrases, he has railed against the GOP establishment and articulated the "mad as hell" anger that many Americans feel towards Washington.Firstly, of course, he has become the latest mouthpiece for the politics of rage. A natural born demagogue, with a gift for twirling phrases, he has railed against the GOP establishment and articulated the "mad as hell" anger that many Americans feel towards Washington.
Trump would have made a splash whatever he said in that first press conference in June announcing his insurgent candidacy, but by talking so shrilly about immigration and border protection - this was when he labelled Mexican immigrants as criminals and "rapists" - he performed what for many angry Republicans was the perfect dive.Trump would have made a splash whatever he said in that first press conference in June announcing his insurgent candidacy, but by talking so shrilly about immigration and border protection - this was when he labelled Mexican immigrants as criminals and "rapists" - he performed what for many angry Republicans was the perfect dive.
In some ways, his candidacy is reminiscent of George Wallace's campaigns of the late 1960s and early 1970s.In some ways, his candidacy is reminiscent of George Wallace's campaigns of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Wallace was a loudmouth governor of Alabama, famed for shouting "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever", who played on white anxieties about black advance.Wallace was a loudmouth governor of Alabama, famed for shouting "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever", who played on white anxieties about black advance.
Trump, obviously, has tapped into similar, nativist fears about immigration. In a brilliant New Yorker essay, Evan Osnos has already chronicled his following amongst extreme white nationalists.Trump, obviously, has tapped into similar, nativist fears about immigration. In a brilliant New Yorker essay, Evan Osnos has already chronicled his following amongst extreme white nationalists.
Trump is indeed the latest beneficiary of what the political scientist Richard Hofstadter labelled, seminally in the mid-1960s, "the paranoid style" in American politics. He receives strong support, for instance, from people who believe that President Obama is a Muslim, who was not born on American soil.Trump is indeed the latest beneficiary of what the political scientist Richard Hofstadter labelled, seminally in the mid-1960s, "the paranoid style" in American politics. He receives strong support, for instance, from people who believe that President Obama is a Muslim, who was not born on American soil.
'Mission Accomplished''Mission Accomplished'
But Trump is not just a practitioner of the politics of paranoia and fear. There's an optimistic, "can do" hopefulness to his candidacy, summed up in the slogan emblazoned on that red cap of "Make America Great Again".But Trump is not just a practitioner of the politics of paranoia and fear. There's an optimistic, "can do" hopefulness to his candidacy, summed up in the slogan emblazoned on that red cap of "Make America Great Again".
It's a Reaganesque message with broader appeal. He brings to the campaign a swagger and braggadocio not seen at the top of the Republican Party since George W Bush touched down on the deck of an aircraft carrier in the Pacific and emerged from the plane wearing a Top Gun-style jumpsuit.It's a Reaganesque message with broader appeal. He brings to the campaign a swagger and braggadocio not seen at the top of the Republican Party since George W Bush touched down on the deck of an aircraft carrier in the Pacific and emerged from the plane wearing a Top Gun-style jumpsuit.
Trump is also a "Mission Accomplished" kind of guy. Like Reagan, he offers simplistic solutions to complex problems, like that impregnable "Great Wall of Trump" which would protect the southern border and be paid for, he says, by the Mexicans.Trump is also a "Mission Accomplished" kind of guy. Like Reagan, he offers simplistic solutions to complex problems, like that impregnable "Great Wall of Trump" which would protect the southern border and be paid for, he says, by the Mexicans.
In this globalised age, marked by rapid inflows of migrants and rapid outflows of jobs, Trump's economic nationalism also resonates. Loud cheers greet his attacks on China and Japan for stiffing America on trade.In this globalised age, marked by rapid inflows of migrants and rapid outflows of jobs, Trump's economic nationalism also resonates. Loud cheers greet his attacks on China and Japan for stiffing America on trade.
Trump is also pulling off the trick of appealing to antithetical groups. The thrice-married billionaire is polling well amongst evangelical Christians - recently he said that the only book that he liked more than his 1987 memoir The Art of the Deal was the Bible.Trump is also pulling off the trick of appealing to antithetical groups. The thrice-married billionaire is polling well amongst evangelical Christians - recently he said that the only book that he liked more than his 1987 memoir The Art of the Deal was the Bible.
Diverse crowdsDiverse crowds
But he also appeals to many younger godless voters, because of his pop culture smarts. His press conference announcing his loyalty pledge included a hilarious riff on Kanye West, another celebrity with presidential ambitions.But he also appeals to many younger godless voters, because of his pop culture smarts. His press conference announcing his loyalty pledge included a hilarious riff on Kanye West, another celebrity with presidential ambitions.
What was also striking about Trump's appearance that day was the diverse crowd of fans he pulled. Sharply dressed New York types, young professionals with smartphones in their palms rubbed shoulders with 60-something mom and pop Americans, some of whom had driven six hours to see him and were attending their first political event.What was also striking about Trump's appearance that day was the diverse crowd of fans he pulled. Sharply dressed New York types, young professionals with smartphones in their palms rubbed shoulders with 60-something mom and pop Americans, some of whom had driven six hours to see him and were attending their first political event.
Like a giant billboard in Times Square, on to Donald Trump are being projected all sorts of hopes, fears, grievances and frivolities.Like a giant billboard in Times Square, on to Donald Trump are being projected all sorts of hopes, fears, grievances and frivolities.
His personality is large enough to accommodate them all and his rhetoric can be so flamboyantly incoherent that it ends up being usefully inclusive. Listeners from different backgrounds, of varying ages and political persuasions, can often find parts of his long-winded answers and riffs which chime.His personality is large enough to accommodate them all and his rhetoric can be so flamboyantly incoherent that it ends up being usefully inclusive. Listeners from different backgrounds, of varying ages and political persuasions, can often find parts of his long-winded answers and riffs which chime.
A clue to the success of this approach comes in The Art of Deal. "I play to people's fantasies," he wrote back in the late 80s. "I call it truthful hyperbole. It's an innocent form of exaggeration - and a very effective form of promotion."A clue to the success of this approach comes in The Art of Deal. "I play to people's fantasies," he wrote back in the late 80s. "I call it truthful hyperbole. It's an innocent form of exaggeration - and a very effective form of promotion."
In fusing infectious optimism with fear, Donald Trump is playing fantasy politics, and Republican voters are lapping up his truthful hyperbole.In fusing infectious optimism with fear, Donald Trump is playing fantasy politics, and Republican voters are lapping up his truthful hyperbole.