“Pleased to meet you,
Hope you guess my name,
But what’s puzzling you
Is the nature of my game.”
The Rolling Stones
Like a bull in a china shop, Donald Trump is creating havoc in the Republican party; and like the timid shop-keeper, Reince Priebus and his fellow establishment Republicans wring their hands over the effects that Trump might have on the elections. Like that bull in the china shop, we hear the china crashing, but all eyes are on Trump, and that suits him just fine.
Critics are appalled by his popularity, especially since he has espoused decidedly non-conservative positions in the past, and these conservative purists question his core values. Let’s be clear, Donald Trump’s single core value is Donald Trump. He enjoys seeing his face on television, and he has the money and pull to make that happen on a regular basis. No one really thinks he did “The Apprentice” for the money, or all the commercials, or guest spots on talk shows; he already has plenty of money… no, Trump is a brand, and he is continually working to enhance that brand, and mostly just to feed his substantial ego. Before we go all judgmental on the Donald, understand that he is not alone is getting a kick out of seeing his name in the papers, his image on TV, or his by-line on a blog.
In a party that has made an art form out of timidity and spinelessness, Trump shoots from the hip with little concern for where the chips may fall. His ego prevents him from being apologetic; admitting he has never even repented to God, does anyone seriously believe that he would offer a token apology to John McCain? Politicians are handled and processed to the point of being robotic and bland, where the possibility of offending some voting group is the ultimate faux pas. Enter into this victorian band of the cautious genteel the wild west gunslinger, Donald Trump. With an electorate grown tired of dull politicians afraid of their own shadows, Trump’s fearlessness and disregard for political correctness is a breath of fresh air. Of course there is a reason why Trump is not afraid of saying something that might lose him the chance of being President; he has no interest in being President. What Trump is truly afraid of is a world where he is banished to fade into the grayness of the rest of the field, where people forget his name, where he is like… Lindsey Graham. What we have in the Donald is a little boy who never outgrew “Look at me! Look at me!”.
Trump has caught the GOP by surprise, and they have responded with their typical cowardice. Instead of embracing Trump’s instinctive ability to recognize populist issues that will energize portions of the electorate, they only see the down side of how his coarse rantings might offend other groups. The party’s hesitancy to do something that might offend has led them to be the party that does nothing at all. In attempting to create distance from the vulgar Trump, the party, and most of the other candidates are personally insulting the man who is now garnering the majority of the primary voters… how is that wisdom? Republicans would do well to respect Reagan’s eleventh commandment instead of eating their own; while debating the issues, their malice and invectives should be reserved for the Democratic nominee.
IMHO: If Trump is the devil he is painted to be, he is a devil who is also a Godsend. There is little danger of him ultimately being the candidate for President; whether due to his brashness, the press, or his own volition, he will eventually self-destruct; and the voters will move on to the next “not Bush” candidate. Candidates would do well not to insult Trump’s constituents, because when Trump is gone, his supporters will hopefully still be there. If his followers are a little less sophisticated or ideologically pure, their opinions are no less valid, and their votes count the same as everyone else’s. They need to be educated without being alienated. Like the fiery evangelist, let Trump bring them in the door, they can be discipled from there. While the cameras are on Trump, they are not on Hillary (except for scandals), and the polls reflect the lack of spotlight she is getting. We are talking about immigration, taxes, and trade; not the war on women, minimum wage, abortion exceptions for rape and incest, gay marriage, and all the other gotcha questions the Democrats and their lackeys in the mainstream press love to pose to Republican candidates. Trump is the diversion that keeps safe for now the candidates more likely to be the actual nominee; best not to be in too big a hurry to chase him away. He is a wild card and the only damage he can really do is the very real possibility that if disrespected he might become a third party candidate, destroying any hope the Republicans have against Hillary… better to give him a seat at the table, and let him run his course. Like Ron Paul, Trump’s personal brand is so strong the no one will confuse it with being the brand of the party itself, and Priebus’s fear is misplaced. His presence in the race will effectively shadow all but a few of the overcrowded field, leaving only three or four candidates to share the spotlight with Donald, and at the same time creating a much needed buzz for the debates. If allowed to depart with grace Trump can be good for the candidates wise enough to respond to him with wisdom and grace. Sometimes you just have to give the devil his due.
