Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump
ONUMBA.COM, USA – It is a bizarre phenomenon that really can be summed up in two words: mob mentality.
Hey, you will drive yourself absolutely crazy if you look deeper than that trying to figure out what is clearly a fleeting campaign buzz by a wealthy and boisterous political minnow whose most potent weapon is to yell and lob insults at folks.
Real-estate mogul and political greenhorn Donald Trump is thumping his dumbfounded opponents in poll after poll (now) despite having spewed god-awful things about just about everyone breathing out there. One of his opponents, U.S. Senator from South Carolina Lindsey Graham, at a total loss for what to make of rising Trump, settled for calling him “a wrecking ball for the future of the Republican Party.”
Graham’s probably right, but Trump’s annoying, insulting, in-your-face style has not affected his poll numbers. If anything, the more bombastic, ridiculous and unhinged things he say, the more people love and cheer him on.
Go figure.
The entire phenomenon was on full display in the latest poll of 467 New Hampshire voters likely to vote in the Republican primaries conducted by Monmouth University. In that poll, Trump, who has never held an elective office, gobbled up 24% of the vote, easily beating out former Florida Governor Jeb Bush who came in a distant second with 12%.
That’s a whopping 2 to 1 lead.
What’s really going on?
It’s simple.
For one thing, none of this (ah, perhaps very little of it) has anything to do with people agreeing with Trump’s irrational, unhinged and draconian views and Theravada. Those supporting him now are likely not looking to commit their support for him to the end. No, the total bizarre phenomenon now playing out, which has left many political analysts flabbergasted and wobbly in their search for answers, simply underscores just how erratic and recalcitrant voters can sometimes be, looking at it from the prism of folks who often don’t think for themselves, rather they would temporarily abandon their rational thinking hat to temporary join in the fun, if you will, which helps sustain the bourgeoning mystery, which is basically what Trump is now.
All of this is being fueled by mob mentality, if you will.
It’s fun and Americans love fun stuff.
But sooner than later, reality will set in, Trump’s quixotic hurrah will kibosh, the fun will end and Trump himself, now riding his high horse not knowing he is fast nearing the limit of his 15 minutes of political fame, will fold up like an empty paper bag and return to running his multibillion dollar real estate empire.
An irascible and stone-throwing Trump stooped to a disgusting nadir recently after insulting Mexican immigrants as “rapists” and “murderers.”
That was mightily cold and profoundly ignorant.
The fact is, Mexican immigrants, whether they are legal or not, are not “rapists” and “murderers.”
There are “rapists” and “murderers” among all groups.
Does it occur to dilettante Trump that there are lots of legal born Americans who are serving time in calabooses across the country today for crime of rape and murder?
Here is the flip side of all this. What do the nine fine teachers who recently received Champion of Change award at the White House have in common?
They were all “illegal” undocumented immigrants at one time.
That’s something Trump would never tell you.
Meanwhile, in that Monmouth University poll, Ohio Gov. John Kasich who recently leaped into the crowded Republican presidential race came out strong, muscling his way to the third spot with 7% in a tie with fellow Midwesterner Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
Others making the top 10 include:
- Marco Rubio (6%)
- Ben Carson (5%)
- Rand Paul (5%)
- Chris Christie (4%)
- Carly Fiorina (3%)
- Ted Cruz (3%)
In all, 17 candidates are running for president on the Republican side.
