Donald Trump, real estate emperor, must be imploding with joy. The Wall Street Journal/NBC poll has put him out of “clown” range. With 17 percent of the projected vote in a hypothetical 2012 Republican primary, he is on the heels of Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, a very ideal position. In the ranks at least, we laugh — Sarah Palin included — and we wonder if this stupid show isn’t all simply a way of stirring up an America that is bored with itself and with Washington’s “plan plan” policies. With his considerable fortune, is Donald Trump a dangerous mad man?
A story that started as a joke. When Donald Trump began to make his move, Oprah Winfrey, the biggest name in television, offered him a makeover for his hair in April — which he lacks and has supplemented with a toupee — to kick start his campaign. Although funny, it was viewed as a mockery of the man who, since January, has been releasing information about his possible interest in “the run.” He, whom everyone takes for a restless child. This isn’t the Donald’s first attempt at the presidency: He was seen on the Republican ticket in 1988, was a Reform Party candidate in 2000 and dreamed of appearing on a ticket with Oprah Winfrey in 2007. Stop? No! Yes, again.
To get noticed with a very simple idea, Trump launched himself onto the scene by setting forth his birther beliefs (Birthers refer to Americans who believe that Obama wasn’t born in Hawaii and is therefore an illegitimate president) when he was interviewed on March 18 on Good Morning America. “The reason I have a little doubt, just a little, is because he grew up and nobody knew him,” he declared. “It’s very strange.” Cheers from Sarah Palin.
And he has an opinion on everything: oil prices, the poor global image of the U.S., the American intervention in Libya that the U.S. has to fund for the Arab League, Mitt Romney as a small businessman who never created anything himself … . Does he know him? Not really. And everything has to match. Obama should not have invited the Chinese president on a state visit because of the debt. No, he wasn’t invited to the state dinner, but that’s unrelated. Really? And then the numbers fell.
Is the NBC/Wall Street Journal poll that placed him second behind Mitt Romney with 17 percent a joke? He’s even beating Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich, whatever that means. Political experts interviewed by Politico.com have their own explanations on this figure.
1. Donald Trump has a great reputation in the country, and the people surveyed latched onto a name that means something to them at a time of little importance. For tea party addicts, Sarah Palin is already out of the game, and therefore Donald Trump has become “the flavor of the day.”
2. With the simplistic “birther” concept that he has reprised since his entry onto the scene, he makes clear his willingness to confront Obama, and the directness of his approach is appealing.
3. Trump represents the American dream for many voters who want to be like him. People want to attain the economic dream and jobs, and they think that Trump, as a businessman, knows how to do so. And they want to believe him. Rational talk is useless. Donald knows that very well.
Is this a warning for politicians who are too static, or is it the eternal story of the confusion between serious politics and the path of a rock star? The media will referee the match, and Jon Stewart has already christened Donald “f*ckwad.” Even if messing things up is his only goal, Donald Trump must quickly realize that you can’t be both the fool and the king. What will “his” own side do to neutralize him?
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